Four Tufts Faculty Are Among Top Researchers in the World

Work by the scientists is among top cited globally, according to a new ranking

Four Tufts researchers have been named to Clarivate 2021 list of the world’s most highly cited researchers. The researchers included in the list “have demonstrated significant and broad influence reflected in their publication of multiple highly cited papers over the last decade,” according to Clarivate, an information and analytics firm focused on research.

The highly cited papers rank in the top 1% by citations for a field or fields and publication year, and only about 1 in 1,000 researchers worldwide qualify.

Named to the list are David Kaplan, Andrew Levey, Dariush Mozaffarian, and John Wong. “An outstanding faculty is the lifeblood of every notable research institution, and this year our highly cited researchers are based at more than 1,300 institutions all over the world,” according to the Clarivate report. For this year’s analysis, the papers surveyed were the most recent available—those published and cited during 2010 to 2020.

David Kaplan is the Stern Family Professor of Engineering and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering; he is also a Distinguished University Professor who holds appointments in several other Tufts schools and departments. His research focuses on biopolymer engineering with an emphasis on biomaterial engineering and regenerative medicine.

He has published more than 700 peer-reviewed papers and edited eight books. He directs the Tissue Engineering Resource Center, a collaborative effort between Tufts and Columbia University. He has received a number of awards for teaching, is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering and has received the Columbus Discovery Medal and the Society for Biomaterials’ Clemson Award.

Andrew Levey is Dr. Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman Professor of Medicine emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine and chief emeritus of the William B. Schwartz Division of Nephrology at Tufts Medical Center. He is involved with research groups at Tufts and around the world studying ways to gauge kidney function and better understand the burden of chronic kidney disease.

He has been honored by the National Kidney Foundation for his lifetime of dedication to the treatment of kidney diseases. In 2013 he was named the recipient of the American Society of Nephrology’s Belding H. Scribner Award, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions that have had a direct impact on the care of patients with kidney disease.

Dariush Mozaffarian is dean of and Jean Mayer Professor at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and professor of medicine at the School of Medicine. His work aims to create a food system that is nutritious, equitable, and sustainable.

A cardiologist, he has authored more than 450 scientific publications on dietary priorities for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases—and on evidence-based policy approaches to reduce these burdens in the United States and globally. He has served in numerous advisory roles including for the U.S. and Canadian governments, and his work has been featured in a wide array of media outlets.

John Wong is a professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and interim chief scientific officer at Tufts Medical Center, where he also serves as vice chair for academic affairs and chief of the Division of Clinical Decision Making. He is also the director of comparative effectiveness research at the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

His research focuses on the application of decision analysis to help patients, physicians, and policymakers choose among alternative tests, treatments, and policies. The aim is to promote rational, evidence-based, efficient, and effective patient-centered care. He has served on many national and international committees, including ones for the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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