World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
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Microbiology
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Microbiology

D-Index
109
Citations
78919
World Ranking
245
National Ranking
113

Medicine

D-Index
109
Citations
79131
World Ranking
5652
National Ranking
3041

David A. Relman publication distribution in Microbiology in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Microbiology in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where David A. Relman sits on this spectrum.

55–64 publications: 8 scientists 65–74 publications: 29 scientists 75–84 publications: 55 scientists 85–94 publications: 112 scientists 95–104 publications: 137 scientists 105–114 publications: 190 scientists 115–124 publications: 235 scientists 125–134 publications: 234 scientists 135–144 publications: 288 scientists 145–154 publications: 264 scientists 155–164 publications: 264 scientists 165–174 publications: 253 scientists 175–184 publications: 276 scientists 185–194 publications: 190 scientists 195–204 publications: 233 scientists 205–214 publications: 207 scientists 215–224 publications: 198 scientists 225–234 publications: 155 scientists 235–244 publications: 161 scientists 245–254 publications: 160 scientists 255–264 publications: 146 scientists 265–274 publications: 139 scientists 275–284 publications: 148 scientists 285–294 publications: 115 scientists 295–304 publications: 96 scientists 305–314 publications: 88 scientists 315–324 publications: 106 scientists 325–334 publications: 65 scientists 335–344 publications: 76 scientists 345–354 publications: 64 scientists 355–364 publications: 62 scientists 365–374 publications: 65 scientists 375–384 publications: 61 scientists 385–394 publications: 34 scientists 395–404 publications: 44 scientists 405–414 publications: 36 scientists 415–424 publications: 35 scientists 425–434 publications: 29 scientists 435–444 publications: 33 scientists 445–454 publications: 34 scientists 455–464 publications: 25 scientists 465–474 publications: 26 scientists 475–484 publications: 20 scientists 485–494 publications: 19 scientists 495–504 publications: 16 scientists 505–514 publications: 17 scientists 515–524 publications: 23 scientists 525–534 publications: 14 scientists 535–544 publications: 14 scientists 545–554 publications: 18 scientists 555–564 publications: 12 scientists 565–574 publications: 7 scientists 575–584 publications: 9 scientists 585–594 publications: 9 scientists 595–604 publications: 9 scientists 605–614 publications: 7 scientists 615–624 publications: 9 scientists 625–634 publications: 7 scientists 635–644 publications: 4 scientists 645–654 publications: 5 scientists 655–664 publications: 6 scientists 665–674 publications: 7 scientists 675–678 publications: 3 scientists 679+ publications: 99 scientists
55 publications 679+

This scientist: 355 publications — 85th percentile

85% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 679 publications or more.

David A. Relman D-index placement in Microbiology in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Microbiology scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where David A. Relman sits on this spectrum.

40 D-Index: 30 scientists 41 D-Index: 86 scientists 42 D-Index: 90 scientists 43 D-Index: 117 scientists 44 D-Index: 122 scientists 45 D-Index: 123 scientists 46 D-Index: 108 scientists 47 D-Index: 110 scientists 48 D-Index: 106 scientists 49 D-Index: 109 scientists 50 D-Index: 129 scientists 51 D-Index: 111 scientists 52 D-Index: 116 scientists 53 D-Index: 127 scientists 54 D-Index: 134 scientists 55 D-Index: 134 scientists 56 D-Index: 111 scientists 57 D-Index: 136 scientists 58 D-Index: 162 scientists 59 D-Index: 151 scientists 60 D-Index: 139 scientists 61 D-Index: 122 scientists 62 D-Index: 126 scientists 63 D-Index: 144 scientists 64 D-Index: 109 scientists 65 D-Index: 103 scientists 66 D-Index: 124 scientists 67 D-Index: 112 scientists 68 D-Index: 103 scientists 69 D-Index: 131 scientists 70 D-Index: 93 scientists 71 D-Index: 93 scientists 72 D-Index: 96 scientists 73 D-Index: 92 scientists 74 D-Index: 80 scientists 75 D-Index: 66 scientists 76 D-Index: 87 scientists 77 D-Index: 60 scientists 78 D-Index: 73 scientists 79 D-Index: 59 scientists 80 D-Index: 57 scientists 81 D-Index: 55 scientists 82 D-Index: 47 scientists 83 D-Index: 77 scientists 84 D-Index: 50 scientists 85 D-Index: 45 scientists 86 D-Index: 42 scientists 87 D-Index: 41 scientists 88 D-Index: 32 scientists 89 D-Index: 38 scientists 90 D-Index: 35 scientists 91 D-Index: 34 scientists 92 D-Index: 27 scientists 93 D-Index: 26 scientists 94 D-Index: 33 scientists 95 D-Index: 22 scientists 96 D-Index: 37 scientists 97 D-Index: 22 scientists 98 D-Index: 21 scientists 99 D-Index: 22 scientists 100 D-Index: 30 scientists 101 D-Index: 16 scientists 102 D-Index: 20 scientists 103 D-Index: 17 scientists 104 D-Index: 19 scientists 105 D-Index: 16 scientists 106 D-Index: 19 scientists 107 D-Index: 18 scientists 108 D-Index: 14 scientists 109 D-Index: 10 scientists 110 D-Index: 9 scientists 111 D-Index: 7 scientists 112 D-Index: 11 scientists 113 D-Index: 6 scientists 114 D-Index: 15 scientists 115 D-Index: 10 scientists 116 D-Index: 12 scientists 117 D-Index: 7 scientists 118 D-Index: 10 scientists 119 D-Index: 10 scientists 120 D-Index: 11 scientists 121 D-Index: 2 scientists 122 D-Index: 7 scientists 123 D-Index: 12 scientists 124 D-Index: 5 scientists 125 D-Index: 9 scientists 126 D-Index: 6 scientists 127+ D-Index: 95 scientists
40 D-Index 127+

This scientist: 109 D-Index — 96th percentile

96% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 127 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Microbiology in United States Leader Award
  • 2020 - Walsh McDermott Medal, National Academy of Medicine (NAM)
  • 2011 - Member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)
  • 2010 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 2006 - National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award
  • 2001 - Oswald Avery Award, Infectious Diseases Society of America
  • Member of the Association of American Physicians
  • Member of the Association of American Physicians
  • Member of the Association of American Physicians
  • Member of the Association of American Physicians
  • Member of the Association of American Physicians
  • Member of the Association of American Physicians

Overview

David A. Relman is affiliated with Stanford University in the United States. Their research primarily focuses on medicine and biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. Within these main fields, their work spans molecular biology, infectious diseases, periodontics, ecology, and physiology.

Their scientific investigations concentrate on key topics, including:

  • Gut microbiota and health
  • Reproductive tract infections research
  • Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
  • Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
  • Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
  • Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
  • Genomics and phylogenetic studies

David A. Relman has published extensively across various scientific journals. Some of the frequent venues where their work appears include bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Nature Communications, Nature, Science, and Microbiome.

Recent published papers include:

  • "Clades of huge phages from across Earth's ecosystems" (2020) in Nature
  • "Profiling the human intestinal environment under physiological conditions" (2023) in Nature
  • "Investigate the origins of COVID-19" (2021) in Science
  • "Human metabolome variation along the upper intestinal tract" (2023) in Nature Metabolism
  • "Lessons learned from the prenatal microbiome controversy" (2021) in Microbiome

Their frequent co-authors include Elizabeth K. Costello, Susan Holmes, Kerwyn Casey Huang, Gary M. Shaw, and David K. Stevenson. Collaboration with these researchers has contributed to a broad and interdisciplinary scholarly network.

Throughout their career, David A. Relman has received several awards, such as the Walsh McDermott Medal from the National Academy of Medicine in 2020, membership in the National Academy of Medicine since 2011, and fellowship in the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 2010.

Additional honors include the National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award in 2006, the Oswald Avery Award from the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2001, and membership in the Association of American Physicians.

Best Publications

  • Diversity of the human intestinal microbial flora.

    Paul B. Eckburg;Elisabeth M. Bik;Charles N. Bernstein;Elizabeth Purdom

  • Metagenomic Analysis of the Human Distal Gut Microbiome

    Steven R. Gill;Mihai Pop;Robert T. DeBoy;Paul B. Eckburg;Paul B. Eckburg

  • Development of the human infant intestinal microbiota.

    Chana Palmer;Elisabeth M Bik;Daniel B DiGiulio;Daniel B DiGiulio;David A Relman;David A Relman

  • Simple statistical identification and removal of contaminant sequences in marker-gene and metagenomics data.

    Nicole M. Davis;Diana M. Proctor;Diana M. Proctor;Susan P. Holmes;David A. Relman;David A. Relman

  • The Pervasive Effects of an Antibiotic on the Human Gut Microbiota, as Revealed by Deep 16S rRNA Sequencing

    Les Dethlefsen;Susan M. Huse;Mitchell L. Sogin;David A. Relman;David A. Relman

  • Incomplete recovery and individualized responses of the human distal gut microbiota to repeated antibiotic perturbation

    Les Dethlefsen;David A. Relman

  • A new view of the tree of life

    Laura A. Hug;Laura A. Hug;Brett J. Baker;Karthik Anantharaman;Christopher T. Brown

  • An ecological and evolutionary perspective on human–microbe mutualism and disease

    Les Dethlefsen;Margaret McFall-Ngai;David A. Relman;David A. Relman

  • The Application of Ecological Theory Toward an Understanding of the Human Microbiome

    Elizabeth K. Costello;Keaton Stagaman;Les Dethlefsen;Brendan J. M. Bohannan

  • Identification of the Uncultured Bacillus of Whipple's Disease

    David A. Relman;Thomas M. Schmidt;Richard P. MacDermott;Stanley Falkow

  • Molecular analysis of the bacterial microbiota in the human stomach

    Elisabeth M. Bik;Paul B. Eckburg;Steven R. Gill;Karen E. Nelson

  • Gut Immune Maturation Depends on Colonization with a Host-Specific Microbiota

    Hachung Chung;Hachung Chung;Sünje Johanna Pamp;Sünje Johanna Pamp;Jonathan A. Hill;Neeraj K. Surana;Neeraj K. Surana;Neeraj K. Surana

  • Temporal and spatial variation of the human microbiota during pregnancy

    Daniel B. DiGiulio;Benjamin J. Callahan;Paul J. McMurdie;Elizabeth K. Costello

  • Exploring microbial diversity and taxonomy using SSU rRNA hypervariable tag sequencing.

    Susan M. Huse;Les Dethlefsen;Julie A. Huber;David B. Mark Welch

  • Sequence-based identification of microbial pathogens: a reconsideration of Koch's postulates.

    D N Fredericks;D A Relman

  • The agent of bacillary angiomatosis. An approach to the identification of uncultured pathogens.

    David A. Relman;Jeffery S. Loutit;Thomas M. Schmidt;Stanley Falkow

  • Enterotypes in the landscape of gut microbial community composition

    Paul I. Costea;Falk Hildebrand;Manimozhiyan Arumugam;Fredrik Bäckhed;Fredrik Bäckhed

  • Individuality and variation in gene expression patterns in human blood

    Adeline R. Whitney;Maximilian Diehn;Stephen J. Popper;Ash A. Alizadeh

  • Microbial Prevalence, Diversity and Abundance in Amniotic Fluid During Preterm Labor: A Molecular and Culture-Based Investigation

    Daniel B. DiGiulio;Daniel B. DiGiulio;Roberto Romero;Roberto Romero;Harold P. Amogan;Juan Pedro Kusanovic;Juan Pedro Kusanovic

  • Bacterial diversity within the human subgingival crevice

    Ian Kroes;Paul W. Lepp;David A. Relman

  • The Agent of Bacillary Angiomatosis

    D. Venes;C. J. Cockerell;P. M. Tierno;A. E. Friedman-Kien

Frequent Co-Authors

Susan Holmes
Susan Holmes Stanford University
Jillian F. Banfield
Jillian F. Banfield University of California, Berkeley
David N. Fredricks
David N. Fredricks University of Washington
Patrick O. Brown
Patrick O. Brown Stanford University
Gary M. Shaw
Gary M. Shaw Stanford University
David K. Stevenson
David K. Stevenson Stanford University
Stanley Falkow
Stanley Falkow Stanford University
Rob Knight
Rob Knight University of California, San Diego
Stephen R. Quake
Stephen R. Quake Stanford University
Martin J. Blaser
Martin J. Blaser Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

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