Duke Anesthesiology’s Ru-Rong Ji, PhD, William Maixner Professor of Anesthesiology, has earned the distinction of being recognized as one of the world's most "Highly Cited Researchers" once more.
Ji is among the 31 Duke scholars named to Clarivate’s 2025 list of 6,868 highly cited researchers. These pioneers represent the most influential researchers who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research. Each researcher selected has authored multiple Highly Cited Papers, which rank in the top 1% by citations for their field(s) and publication year in the Web of Science over the past decade. The list is produced each year by Clarivate, which runs the Institute for Scientific Information.
“I am truly honored to be included in this prestigious list again; and I am especially pleased that anesthesiology research is receiving recognition both within the School of Medicine and internationally,” says Ji, director of both the Center for Translational Pain Medicine and the Sensory Plasticity and Pain Research Laboratory at Duke Anesthesiology, who has made this prestigious list since at least 2018.
According to an article in Duke Today, these leading researchers hail from across Duke University, Duke Health and Duke-NUS Medical School. Many are classified in the “Cross-Field” category, highlighting the strength of interdisciplinarity and collaboration among Duke scientists.
Researchers from 60 countries are included in this year's list. The United States remains the top-cited nation, accounting for 37 percent of global citations.
Ji joined Duke Anesthesiology faculty in 2012 and is one of the department's most distinguished faculty. His research career, ultimately spanning three continents, has focused on molecular and cellular mechanisms of chronic pain and the molecular basis of pain, including but not limited to the mediators and cells for the induction and resolution of inflammation and pain. Ji notably received the 2020 American Society of Anesthesiologists Excellence in Research Award. His work has significant translational potential in almost all areas of pain medicine. Ji is internationally-recognized for his contributions to demonstrating critical roles of MAP kinase and resolvin signaling pathways as well as glial cells and neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis and resolution of chronic pain.