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.”
