Eight Salk scientists named among the most Highly Cited Researchers in the world

Salk News

November 13, 2025

Eight Salk scientists named among the most Highly Cited Researchers in the world

November 13, 2025

LA JOLLA-Salk faculty members Joseph Ecker, PhD, Ronald Evans, PhD, Rusty Gage, PhD, Christian Metallo, PhD, Satchidananda Panda, PhD, Reuben Shaw, PhD, and Kay Tye, PhD, as well as research assistant Joseph Nery have all been named in this year's Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate. The 2025 list includes 6,868 researchers from 60 countries who have demonstrated "significant and broad influence in their fields of research."

Citations are one of several ways to measure a scientist's broader impact in their field. When researchers publish their latest discoveries in peer-reviewed scientific journals, they cite the previous studies that informed their current work. A highly cited study is one that has informed numerous other studies and been widely discussed within the field.

Clarivate's analysis identifies researchers who have authored multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1 percent in citation activity over the past decade. This list is then refined through qualitative analysis and expert judgment to ensure evidence of community-wide recognition from an international network of researchers. This ensures that all finalists have produced scientific insights that have made a tangible global impact in their field.

"Salk is proud to have so many of our scientists represented on this year's Highly Cited Researchers list," says President Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD. "This recognition demonstrates just how influential our faculty have been in shaping the trajectory of science around the world. Their foundational research continues to spawn new fields of study and pave the way for new technologies and medical treatments our society needs."

[Link]From top left: Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Rusty Gage, and Christian Metallo. From bottom left: Satchidananda Panda, Reuben Shaw, Kay Tye, and Joseph Nery.
Click here for a high-resolution image.
Credit: Salk Institute

Joseph Ecker
Ecker is a molecular biologist who researches genomic and epigenomic regulation in plants and mammals.

He is a leader in the use of sequencing technologies for genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation, chromatin conformation, transcription, and gene function in single cells. His teams were the first to map the entire human epigenome and the first plant epigenome, and he is currently working to map the epigenetic differences between brain cell types to better understand neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Ecker is a professor in the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, director of the Genomic Analysis Laboratory, holder of the Salk International Council Chair in Genetics at Salk, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

Ronald Evans
Evans is a molecular biologist and expert on the role of hormone receptors in reproduction, growth, and metabolism. He is widely recognized for his discovery of the nuclear receptor superfamily-work that led to the identification of numerous druggable pathways in cancer and metabolic diseases. Dozens of approved drugs have now been developed with Evans' technology for the treatment of leukemia, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, liver disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Evans is a professor, director of the Gene Expression Laboratory, and holder of the March of Dimes Chair in Molecular and Developmental Biology at Salk.

Rusty Gage
Gage is a neuroscientist who studies the plasticity, adaptability, and diversity of the brain. By reprogramming human skin cells from patients with neurologic and psychiatric diseases into induced pluripotent stem cells, induced neurons, and brain organoids, he deciphers the mechanisms that lead to diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, bipolar disease, depression, and autism spectrum disorder. Gage is a professor in the Laboratory of Genetics and holder of the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease at Salk.

Christian Metallo

Metallo is a bioengineer who studies how the body metabolizes molecules like glucose, fats, and amino acids to generate the building blocks and energy needed to perform life-sustaining tasks. He also investigates how changes in metabolism contribute to disease. Metallo has made key discoveries about the metabolic pathways that drive cancer progression, peripheral neuropathy, and macular disease, as well as how those pathways can be influenced through dietary manipulations or targeted therapies. Metallo is a professor in the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory and holder of the Daniel and Martina Lewis Chair at Salk.

Satchidananda Panda
Panda is a biologist and expert on the cellular and molecular basis of circadian rhythms. His research focuses on how the body's internal circadian clocks, located in the brain and other organs, interact with environmental light and lifestyle factors to regulate daily rhythms in physiology and metabolism. His work reveals how nutrition, exercise, and sleep impact overall health and uses these insights to enhance human performance, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and promote healthy aging. Panda is a professor in the Regulatory Biology Laboratory, holder of the Rita and Richard Atkinson Chair, and director of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Salk.

Reuben Shaw
Shaw is a cancer biologist who studies the connections between cancer and metabolism. Shaw's research on the intersection of cellular growth control and metabolism fueled the re-emergence of the field of tumor metabolism. His discovery and decoding of the AMPK pathway have led to many insights and new therapeutic targets in cancer, metabolic disease, and neurodegenerative diseases currently being tested for clinical use. Shaw is a professor in the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, holder of the William R. Brody Chair, and director of Salk's National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center.

Kay Tye
Tye is a neuroscientist who studies the neural circuit basis of emotion and how it shapes social interaction, reward-seeking, and avoidance behaviors. Her work uses optogenetic, electrophysiological, and cellular imaging techniques to identify how distinct circuits in the amygdala influence social and motivated behaviors. Her findings could inform new treatments for a multitude of neuropsychiatric conditions, including anxiety, depression, addiction, and social impairment. Tye is a professor in the Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, holder of the Wylie Vale Chair, co-founder of Salk's DISCOVER Program, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

Joseph Nery
Nery is a research assistant in Ecker's lab. He has been with the Salk Institute since 2006, where he lends his expertise in single-cell genetic and epigenetic sequencing techniques and computational analyses. His work has enabled numerous discoveries in plant biology and neuroscience.