Prof. Michael Heneka and Prof. Paul Wilmes from the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg have each been recognised as one of the Clarivate’s 2024 Highly Cited Researchers – a distinction that places them in the top 1% of researchers worldwide. This honor acknowledges their substantial contributions to advancing critical areas of neurodegeneration and microbiome research, respectively.
Citations as a measure of impact
Citations are a key indicator of a researcher’s influence, as they reflect how often their work is referenced by their peers. When a paper is frequently cited, it means other scientists have found its insights crucial to supporting new hypotheses, building on its results, or applying its techniques in novel ways. As high citation rates are not merely a count of popularity but also signify that the research has made foundational contributions, they can serve as an objective measure of a researcher’s impact on the scientific community.
Neuroinflammation and microbiome research in the spotlight
LCSB Director and board-certified neurologist Prof. Michael Heneka has dedicated his career to understanding the complexities of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s. His work has shed light on the immune system’s role in Alzheimer’s, revealing how immune dysregulation and neuroinflammation contribute to disease progression. Using state-of-the-art techniques such as two-photon imaging and advanced preclinical models, Heneka and his team aim to advance the understanding of cellular and molecular interactions in Alzheimer’s disease that could serve as biomarkers or novel targets for the therapeutic interventions.
Systems ecologist Prof. Paul Wilmes investigates the microbiome in health and disease. A particular focus of his research, also funded through a prestigiuous ERC Consolidator grant, is the gut-brain axis and how gut microbes impact neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. His research group’s development of HuMiX, a microfluidic gut-on-a-chip model, allows in-depth study of human-microbe interactions and reveals how microbial molecules affect the gut, immune or neuronal cells of the human host.
As members of the Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list, a distinction both researchers have received for several years in a row, Heneka and Wilmes exemplify the bridging of disciplines to address some of today’s most pressing health challenges and ultimately create impact for patients.