A Stanford University database said the University of Kentucky ranks among the top 2% most-cited research institutions worldwide.
Among those most cited researchers, 125 are current UK scientists and scholars across 22 disciplines, according to UKNow.
The database was published by John P.A. Ioannidis, a Stanford faculty member, in September 2025.
“Being cited is a sign that your work matters to the research community, and we congratulate these outstanding individuals for this citation recognition,” Ilhem Messaoudi, the UK acting vice president for research, said.
The College of Medicine had the most researchers among all colleges to be recognized as the most cited, with 42 researchers.
UK is planning to make the College of Medicine a larger part of the university with the construction of the Michael D. Rankin MD Health Education Building, opening in late 2026 or early 2027, according to former Kernel reporting.
Robert S. DiPaola, UK’s co-executive vice president, said when completed in 2027, it is predicted to increase enrollment in the college of medicine by 44%.
Below includes the full list of the number of researchers from each college:
- College of Medicine – 42
- Pigman College of Engineering – 21
- College of Arts and Sciences – 18
- Martin-Gatton CAFE – 17
- College of Pharmacy – 6
- College of Health Sciences – 5
- College of Nursing – 4
- College of Dentistry – 4
- College of Communication and Information – 3
- Gatton College of Business and Economics – 3
- College of Social Work – 2
“Our research crosses all spectrums of inquiry, and we value the contributions of all researchers who are impacting their communities and producing innovations that make Kentucky and the world healthier, wealthier, and wiser,” Messaoudi said.
