USC Gerontology Researchers Rank Among Most Cited Scientists in the World
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USC Leonard Davis School Researchers Rank Among Most Cited Scientists in the World
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USC Leonard Davis School Researchers Rank Among Most Cited Scientists in the World
Clarivate data and Stanford University analysis demonstrate faculty’s continued impact on the aging field and beyond.
By Beth Newcomb
January 19, 2026 |
Members of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology faculty rank among the most highly cited scientists in the world, according to data from analytics company Clarivate and an updated analysis led by Stanford researchers.
Valter Longo
, professor of gerontology and biological sciences and holder of the Edna M. Jones Chair in Gerontology, was once again named a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate. Longo, known for his research on fasting and how nutrition affects aging and age-related diseases, has received the designation each year since 2021.
Per the company’s website
, Highly Cited Researchers represent the most influential 0.1% of researchers worldwide. Each designee has published multiple Highly Cited Papers, which rank in the top 1% by citations for their field(s) and publication year.
Longo was also one of 11 USC Leonard Davis faculty members listed in the
2025 update of a Stanford University-led analysis
of the top 2% of the world’s scientists. His colleagues on the list include Distinguished Professor and USC Leonard Davis School Dean
Pinchas Cohen
, Dean Emeritus and Professor
Edward Schneider
, University Professor
Eileen Crimmins
, Professor
Mara Mather
, Professor
Christian Pike
, University Professor Emeritus
Caleb Finch
, Distinguished Professor Emeritus
Kelvin Davies
, and Research Professor Emeritus
Henry Forman
. The career-spanning analysis also showed the lasting impact of two late USC Leonard Davis faculty members: Professor
James Birren
(1918-2016), the school’s founding dean, and Professor
Vern Bengtson
(1941-2019).
Along with ranking scientists by career-wide citations, the Stanford analysis also focused on recent work, ranking individuals based on citations received during 2024 alone. That ranking highlighted five additional USC Leonard Davis faculty members: Professor
Dan Nation
, Professor and Associate Dean of Research
Jennifer Ailshire
, Associate Professor
David Lee
, Associate Professor
Andrei Irimia
, and Research Associate Professor
Sebastian Brandhorst
The rankings data is a testament to the far-reaching scientific impact of USC Leonard Davis School research and shows how the school’s influence will continue well into the future, said Dean Cohen.
“Our school is firmly committed to supporting scientific creativity and innovation, and our faculty have created a research powerhouse spanning biology, neuroscience, sociology, policy and more,” Cohen said. “This not only increases our impact throughout the scientific community but also deeply enriches the education we provide to our students, who will make up the next generation of leaders and innovators in aging.”
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