Clarivate names 22 Citation Laureates for 2026
Clarivate has named 22 researchers as its Citation Laureates for 2026, recognising scientists and economists whose highly cited work it considers to be of “Nobel class”.
The annual programme, run by Clarivate’s Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), uses publication and citation data from the Web of Science Core Collection alongside analysis to identify researchers whose work has had an exceptional influence on their fields.
Since the Citation Laureates programme began in 2002, 89 researchers selected by Clarivate have subsequently received Nobel Prizes, in some cases years after first being recognised.
Bar Veinstein, President, Academia & Government at Clarivate, said: “For more than two decades, Citation Laureates has been among the world’s most closely watched data-led indicators of exceptional research influence. The Citation Laureates program recognises researchers whose discoveries demonstrate the extraordinary value of fundamental research.
“Many of the advances we honour this year, from GLP-1 medicines to precision gene editing and optical medical imaging, began as scientific questions explored decades ago. Today, they are improving lives, informing policy and helping shape the future. We are proud to recognise these researchers and the lasting impact of their work.”
Research spanning medicine, physics, chemistry and economics
The 2026 Citation Laureates have been recognised for research across four broad areas: Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Economics.
In medicine, the selected research includes work on GLP-1 biology and obesity treatment, optical imaging and the immune system. Physics research recognised this year encompasses advanced OLED displays, materials for energy-efficient computing and quantum electronics.
The chemistry selections include work on self-assembled nanomaterials, biological electron transfer and precision gene editing, while the economics Laureates have been recognised for contributions relating to the digital economy, monetary policy and central banking, and organisational innovation and economic dynamism.
Among the most prominent areas recognised this year is the science underpinning GLP-1 medicines. Daniel J. Drucker, Jens Juul Holst and Svetlana Mojsov have been named Citation Laureates for foundational discoveries that helped enable the development of GLP-1 receptor agonists, now widely used in the treatment of diabetes and obesity.
Drucker, Senior Investigator at Sinai Health’s Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and University Professor at the University of Toronto, said: “It is an honour to be recognised as a Citation Laureate. The story of GLP-1 medicines demonstrates the power of curiosity-driven research. What began as a quest to understand how gut hormones regulate metabolism has led to therapies that are improving the lives of millions of people worldwide. It is a reminder that fundamental science can have impacts far beyond what researchers initially imagine.”
Citation data at the heart of selection
Clarivate said the foundational papers produced by Citation Laureates rank among the most highly cited research in their respective fields.
ISI analysts draw on publication and citation data from the Web of Science Core Collection as part of the selection process. Of more than 67 million articles and proceedings indexed since 1970, Clarivate said fewer than 0.02% have accumulated more than 2,000 citations.
Researchers are selected from this highly cited group through a combination of citation analysis and expert assessment by ISI.
This year’s 22 Citation Laureates are affiliated with academic institutions across seven countries and regions. Sixteen are based in the United States, with one researcher each based in Canada, Denmark, Israel, Japan, Mainland China and Switzerland.
Clarivate said the programme is intended to help researchers, institutions, funders and policymakers identify highly influential research, while also providing Nobel observers and the wider public with an indication of discoveries that could receive future recognition.