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News — EL PASO, Texas — Seven distinguished researchers from Texas Tech Health El Paso have been recognized on Stanford University/Elsevier’s prestigious World’s Top 2% of Scientists List. This global accolade, which highlights the most influential scientists across all fields based on rigorous citation metrics, celebrates individual excellence and emphasizes our institution’s commitment to fostering groundbreaking research that resonates worldwide.

The following world-class scientists, who are training our next generation of health care professionals, were recognized:• Stephen Borron, M.D., M.S., FACEP, FACMT, Professor and Division Chief of Medical Toxicology• Deborah Clegg, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Professor of Internal Medicine• Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., Texas Tech Health El Paso President, Dean of the Foster School of Medicine• Richard McCallum, M.D., FRACP, Professor and Founding Chair, Department of Internal Medicine – Division of Gastroenterology, also recognized by Avante Garde Health as an All-Star in the Top 3% of GI Research• Debabrata Mukherjee, M.D., M.S., Professor and Chair of Internal Medicine, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine• Attilio Orazi, M.D., FRCPATH, Professor and Chair of Pathology• Biff F. Palmer, M.D., FACP, FASN, Professor, Department of Medical Education

Scientific Contributions Changing the World

Dr. Mukherjee became fascinated by cardiovascular disease and the ability to impact the disease with appropriate therapies while training in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He specialized in cardiovascular diseases after his residency and went on to earn a master’s degree in clinical research at the University of Michigan. His goal is to use available therapies effectively to improve cardiovascular health.

“My focus on clinical research allows the effective use of generic medication therapies to improve outcomes as well as the judicious use of catheter-based therapies,” said Dr. Mukherjee, who has been with Texas Tech Health El Paso for 14 years. “This is especially important in our community as many folks may not be able to afford branded medications; often a less expensive generic alternative is equally effective.”

The rankings, compiled using data through 2022, combine standardized data on citations, h-index (an author-level metric that measures the impact of their publications), and other bibliometric indicators to identify the world's leading researchers, comprising approximately 2% of all scientists worldwide.

“With seven of our researchers named in the top 2%, we’re demonstrating our commitment to groundbreaking research and reinforcing our status as a global leader in health care,” Dr. Lange said. “I’m honored to be included on this list, and because our faculty choose to be in this community, I’m proud to join them in demonstrating our commitment to the community and the future medical professionals we teach.”

Dr. Clegg began researching the role of sex and gender in all aspects of metabolism 35 years ago, not knowing at the time her research would have a national impact.

“Researchers were just focusing on males, believing what they learned from males was the same for females,” Dr. Clegg said. “I was among the first to show that wasn’t the case.”

Dr. Clegg’s research, and others like hers, was so profound, the National Institutes of Health now mandates that sex needs to be included as a variable in all studies. Now, Dr. Clegg is helping others at Texas Tech Health El Paso find out what is unique to Hispanic women and how to help optimize their health.

“I didn’t even realize how important my initial discoveries were,” Dr. Clegg said. “There is so much hope for the future of research, we are just beginning to learn how special women actually are.”

The World's Top 2% of Scientists List is a measure of scholarly impact and recognition that underscores excellence in research and its broader implications for advancing knowledge in various fields. Inclusion on the list not only acknowledges researchers who have made significant contributions to their respective fields – it indicates that a researcher's work is recognized on a global scale, serving as a benchmark for their academic or scientific standing compared to peers worldwide.

About Texas Tech Health El Paso

Texas Tech Health El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. It’s a designated Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students.

Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a proudly diverse and uniquely innovative destination for education and research.

With a mission of eliminating health care barriers and creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated over 2,400 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade, and will add dentists to its alumni beginning in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.