Van Andel Institute scientists named to prestigious Highly Cited Researchers list

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Nov. 19, 2024) — Van Andel Institute scientists Russell Jones, Ph.D., and Peter W. Laird, Ph.D., are included in this year’s Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list, a distinction marking them as leaders in their fields.

The greatly anticipated annual list identifies researchers who demonstrated notable and far-reaching impact in their chosen area or areas of study through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade. Their names are drawn from the publications that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and publication year in the Web of Science™ citation index.

Citations, or references to a scientist’s published work by other researchers, are universally considered to be a measure of influence and impact in the scientific community. Jones and Laird have appeared on the list in previous years.

“The Highly Cited Researchers list identifies and celebrates exceptional individual researchers at Van Andel Institute whose significant and broad influence in their fields translates to impact in their research community. Their pioneering innovations contribute to a healthier, more sustainable and secure world. These researchers’ achievements strengthen the foundation of excellence and innovation that drives societal progress,” said David Pendlebury, head of research analysis at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate.

Russell Jones, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute

Jones investigates metabolism at the cellular level to understand how it affects cell behavior and health, with a specific eye on cancer and the immune system. By revealing how cancer cells use metabolic processes to fuel their growth and spread, he hopes to develop new treatments that help patients by changing the standard of care for cancer. He is an elected member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada and an Allen Distinguished Investigator in Immunometabolism.

Peter W. Laird, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics; Peter and Emajean Cook Endowed Chair in Epigenetics,
Van Andel Institute

Laird explores the origins of epigenetic mistakes in cancer, which can provide insight into how cancer arises. He has developed several cutting-edge technologies that he leverages to identify crucial epigenetic alterations that convert otherwise healthy cells into cancer cells. He is a principal investigator for the National Cancer Institute’s Genome Data Analysis Network and served in a leadership role for The Cancer Genome Atlas, a now-completed multi-institutional effort to molecularly map 33 different types of cancer.