Since 2001, the Highly Cited Researchers list identifies each year scientists from around the world who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s). Each researcher selected has authored multiple scientific papers in the year which rank in the top 1% by citations, and for 2025 two are currently at the University of Luxembourg.
Citations, innovative impact and research breadth
Clarivate, who publishes the list, insists that citation isn’t the sole indicator. “Our method of identifying Highly Cited Researchers includes not only publication and citation counts but other considerations to direct us to scientists and social scientists who are extending knowledge in frontier areas of investigation and are having community-wide influence and impact. One aspect of a publication profile that helps us select such leading contemporary contributors is the production of highly cited original research more than review articles.”
Prof. Michael Heneka is a board-certified neurologist and clinician-scientist. His training spans experimental, preclinical and clinical neurology with a long-standing research interest in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS). Since January 2022, he serves as the Director of the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) at the University of Luxembourg where he also leads the Neuroinflammation research group. His scientific focus is understanding how innate immune and inflammatory processes contribute to neurodegeneration and how we can leverage that knowledge therapeutically.
Prof. Alexandre Tkatchenko is a Professor of Theoretical Chemical Physics and Head of the Department of Physics and Materials Science at the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM). The Theoretical Chemical Physics group, composed of multidisciplinary scientists, develops novel methodologies and undertakes ambitious computational projects to address fundamental and challenging aspects of systems at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology. The key goal of this work is to bring quantum-mechanical level of accuracy and insight to large and complex systems. His research has been generously funded by the ERC (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, 2 Proof of Concept), FNR, and through many industrial collaborations. He is also a co-founder of Quastify GmbH – a start-up that combines quantum and statistical mechanics with machine learning for efficiently exploring chemical spaces.
The University of Luxembourg wishes to congratulate Prof. Michael Heneka and Prof. Alexandre Tkatchenko for their exceptional contribution to science and for their impact around the world.