The latest 2026 update of Stanford University's World's Top 2% Scientists ranking includes ten UCAM researchers among the top 2% of scientists worldwide in their respective fields. Horacio Pérez-Sánchez, whose work focuses on Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry, is the latest addition to the list. He joins the other scientists affiliated with UCAM who feature in the ranking: Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte (Developmental Biology), Pedro Emilio Alcaraz (Sport Sciences), Jeevithan Elango (Tissue Engineering), Xing Xuan (Chemical Sensors), María Cuartero (Chemical Sensors), Gastón Crespo (Chemical Sensors), Federico Ferreres (Agri-food Technology), Sergio Alexandre Gehrke (Dentistry) and Vicente Gómez (Food Technology).

Supercomputing to save lives

For the first time, Horacio Pérez-Sánchez, leader of the BIO-HPC group, has been included in the ranking. His work focuses on drug discovery and repurposing using supercomputing, a computational technique that makes it possible to analyse thousands of compounds and identify candidate molecules for the development of new treatments. His research has contributed to the search for pharmacological alternatives to tackle diseases such as colorectal cancer and Zika.

‘The work carried out by Horacio's group is outstanding, not only in terms of its scientific quality, but also because it enables thousands of molecules to be screened before moving into the laboratory. This reduces costs and shortens the time it takes for new treatments to reach patients. I would also like to highlight Horacio's personal qualities and his commitment to serving society, which are fully aligned with UCAM's ethos,’ said Estrella Núñez, Vice-Rector of Research at UCAM.

UCAM carries out research alongside world-leading scientists

Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte, Founding Scientist and Senior Vice President at Altos Labs, as well as Extraordinary Professor and Director of UCAM's Chair of Developmental Biology, continues to rank among the leading researchers in biomedicine for another year. UCAM has been collaborating with Dr Izpisúa Belmonte for over 10 years in several lines of research focused on partial cellular reprogramming to delay the onset of age-related diseases. These projects study the cellular mechanisms associated with ageing using gene-editing and cellular reprogramming techniques.

Research areas

UCAM's research activity spans a range of disciplines related to health, sport and food science. The fields represented in the ranking include Food Science, Analytical Chemistry, Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry, Sport Sciences, Dentistry and Biomedicine.