World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Molecular Biology

D-Index
72
Citations
27714
World Ranking
1303
National Ranking
669

David Cortez publication distribution in Molecular Biology in 2026

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

47–56 publications: 7 scientists 57–66 publications: 17 scientists 67–76 publications: 65 scientists 77–86 publications: 90 scientists 87–96 publications: 125 scientists 97–106 publications: 131 scientists 107–116 publications: 162 scientists 117–126 publications: 177 scientists 127–136 publications: 158 scientists 137–146 publications: 158 scientists 147–156 publications: 146 scientists 157–166 publications: 159 scientists 167–176 publications: 131 scientists 177–186 publications: 110 scientists 187–196 publications: 112 scientists 197–206 publications: 100 scientists 207–216 publications: 89 scientists 217–226 publications: 98 scientists 227–236 publications: 74 scientists 237–246 publications: 72 scientists 247–256 publications: 63 scientists 257–266 publications: 53 scientists 267–276 publications: 54 scientists 277–286 publications: 49 scientists 287–296 publications: 52 scientists 297–306 publications: 43 scientists 307–316 publications: 46 scientists 317–326 publications: 41 scientists 327–336 publications: 42 scientists 337–346 publications: 31 scientists 347–356 publications: 28 scientists 357–366 publications: 29 scientists 367–376 publications: 26 scientists 377–386 publications: 24 scientists 387–396 publications: 24 scientists 397–406 publications: 14 scientists 407–416 publications: 13 scientists 417–426 publications: 20 scientists 427–436 publications: 12 scientists 437–446 publications: 20 scientists 447–456 publications: 11 scientists 457–466 publications: 10 scientists 467–476 publications: 14 scientists 477–486 publications: 14 scientists 487–496 publications: 10 scientists 497–506 publications: 13 scientists 507–516 publications: 13 scientists 517–526 publications: 2 scientists 527–536 publications: 4 scientists 537–546 publications: 6 scientists 547–556 publications: 8 scientists 557–563 publications: 6 scientists 564+ publications: 100 scientists
47 publications 564+

This scientist: 130 publications — 27th percentile

27% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 564 publications or more.

David Cortez D-index placement in Molecular Biology in 2026

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

40–41 D-Index: 36 scientists 42–43 D-Index: 101 scientists 44–45 D-Index: 115 scientists 46–47 D-Index: 121 scientists 48–49 D-Index: 118 scientists 50–51 D-Index: 130 scientists 52–53 D-Index: 106 scientists 54–55 D-Index: 116 scientists 56–57 D-Index: 113 scientists 58–59 D-Index: 129 scientists 60–61 D-Index: 120 scientists 62–63 D-Index: 105 scientists 64–65 D-Index: 131 scientists 66–67 D-Index: 95 scientists 68–69 D-Index: 97 scientists 70–71 D-Index: 106 scientists 72–73 D-Index: 83 scientists 74–75 D-Index: 89 scientists 76–77 D-Index: 77 scientists 78–79 D-Index: 70 scientists 80–81 D-Index: 73 scientists 82–83 D-Index: 60 scientists 84–85 D-Index: 48 scientists 86–87 D-Index: 45 scientists 88–89 D-Index: 50 scientists 90–91 D-Index: 31 scientists 92–93 D-Index: 51 scientists 94–95 D-Index: 43 scientists 96–97 D-Index: 38 scientists 98–99 D-Index: 39 scientists 100–101 D-Index: 41 scientists 102–103 D-Index: 29 scientists 104–105 D-Index: 33 scientists 106–107 D-Index: 35 scientists 108–109 D-Index: 20 scientists 110–111 D-Index: 38 scientists 112–113 D-Index: 19 scientists 114–115 D-Index: 28 scientists 116–117 D-Index: 13 scientists 118–119 D-Index: 23 scientists 120–121 D-Index: 16 scientists 122–123 D-Index: 15 scientists 124–125 D-Index: 11 scientists 126–127 D-Index: 21 scientists 128–129 D-Index: 7 scientists 130–131 D-Index: 13 scientists 132–133 D-Index: 14 scientists 134–135 D-Index: 17 scientists 136–137 D-Index: 9 scientists 138–139 D-Index: 8 scientists 140–141 D-Index: 16 scientists 142–143 D-Index: 7 scientists 144 D-Index: 7 scientists 145+ D-Index: 100 scientists
40 D-Index 145+

This scientist: 72 D-Index — 58th percentile

58% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 145 D-Index or more.

Overview

David Cortez is affiliated with Vanderbilt University in the United States and has a significant body of research within the field of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology. Their work focuses heavily on Molecular Biology, with notable contributions in Oncology, Plant Science, Infectious Diseases, and Cancer Research.

The scientist's key research topics encompass DNA Repair Mechanisms, CRISPR and Genetic Engineering, Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics, DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Cancer therapeutics and mechanisms, Epigenetics and DNA Methylation, and PARP inhibition in cancer therapy.

Several recent papers illustrate the scope of their research interests and contributions:

  • The plasticity of DNA replication forks in response to clinically relevant genotoxic stress, 2020, Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
  • New insights into abasic site repair and tolerance, 2020, DNA Repair
  • Two replication fork remodeling pathways generate nuclease substrates for distinct fork protection factors, 2020, Science Advances
  • RAD51 bypasses the CMG helicase to promote replication fork reversal, 2023, Science
  • HMCES Maintains Replication Fork Progression and Prevents Double-Strand Breaks in Response to APOBEC Deamination and Abasic Site Formation, 2020, Cell Reports

Frequent co-authors of David Cortez include:

  • Kavi P.M. Mehta
  • Madison B. Adolph
  • Brandt F. Eichman
  • Runxiang Zhao
  • James M. Dewar

Their publications often appear in a range of specialized journals and venues, including:

  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
  • Cell Reports
  • Molecular Cell
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry
  • Science Advances

Best Publications

  • Chk1 is an essential kinase that is regulated by Atr and required for the G2/M DNA damage checkpoint

    Qinghua Liu;Saritha Guntuku;Xian Shu Cui;Shuhei Matsuoka

  • ATR: an essential regulator of genome integrity

    Karlene A. Cimprich;David Cortez

  • BASC, a super complex of BRCA1-associated proteins involved in the recognition and repair of aberrant DNA structures

    Yi Wang;David Cortez;Parvin Yazdi;Norma Neff

  • Requirement of ATM-Dependent Phosphorylation of Brca1 in the DNA Damage Response to Double-Strand Breaks

    David Cortez;Yi Wang;Jun Qin;Stephen J. Elledge;Stephen J. Elledge

  • ATR and ATRIP: Partners in Checkpoint Signaling

    David Cortez;Saritha Guntuku;Jun Qin;Stephen J. Elledge;Stephen J. Elledge

  • Replication fork stability confers chemoresistance in BRCA-deficient cells

    Arnab Ray Chaudhuri;Elsa Callen;Xia Ding;Ewa Gogola

  • The essential kinase ATR: ensuring faithful duplication of a challenging genome

    Joshua C. Saldivar;David Cortez;Karlene A. Cimprich

  • Functional interactions between BRCA1 and the checkpoint kinase ATR during genotoxic stress.

    Randal S. Tibbetts;David Cortez;Kathryn M. Brumbaugh;Ralph Scully

  • Regulation of ATR substrate selection by Rad17-dependent loading of Rad9 complexes onto chromatin.

    Lee Zou;David Cortez;Stephen J. Elledge

  • A requirement for NF-κB activation in Bcr–Abl-mediated transformation

    Julie Y. Reuther;Gary W. Reuther;Gary W. Reuther;David Cortez;David Cortez;Ann Marie Pendergast

  • Analysis of protein dynamics at active, stalled, and collapsed replication forks

    Bianca M. Sirbu;Frank B. Couch;Jordan T. Feigerle;Srividya Bhaskara

  • Deletion of Histone Deacetylase 3 reveals critical roles in S-phase progression and DNA damage control

    Srividya Bhaskara;Brenda J. Chyla;Joseph M. Amann;Sarah K. Knutson

  • TopBP1 activates ATR through ATRIP and a PIKK regulatory domain

    Daniel A. Mordes;Gloria G. Glick;Runxiang Zhao;David Cortez

  • ATR phosphorylates SMARCAL1 to prevent replication fork collapse

    Frank B. Couch;Carol E. Bansbach;Robert Driscoll;Jessica W. Luzwick

  • Minichromosome maintenance proteins are direct targets of the ATM and ATR checkpoint kinases

    David Cortez;Gloria Glick;Stephen J. Elledge

  • Rapid Activation of ATR by Ionizing Radiation Requires ATM and Mre11

    Jeremy S. Myers;David Cortez

  • Structural and signaling requirements for BCR-ABL-mediated transformation and inhibition of apoptosis.

    David Cortez;Lisa Kadlec;Andann Marie Pendergast

  • ATR signalling: more than meeting at the fork

    Edward A. Nam;David Cortez

  • The univector plasmid-fusion system, a method for rapid construction of recombinant DNA without restriction enzymes

    Qinghua Liu;Mamie Z. Li;Deborah Leibham;David Cortez

  • Requirement of ATM-Dependent Phosphorylation of Brca1 in the DNA Damage Response to

    Yi Wang;David Cortez

Frequent Co-Authors

Stephen J. Elledge
Stephen J. Elledge Harvard University
Walter J. Chazin
Walter J. Chazin Vanderbilt University
Karlene A. Cimprich
Karlene A. Cimprich Stanford University
Ann Marie Pendergast
Ann Marie Pendergast Duke University
Sven Rottenberg
Sven Rottenberg University of Bern
Jun Qin
Jun Qin Baylor College of Medicine
Scott W. Hiebert
Scott W. Hiebert Vanderbilt University
Cornelius F. Boerkoel
Cornelius F. Boerkoel University of British Columbia
Jennifer A. Pietenpol
Jennifer A. Pietenpol Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Massimo Lopes
Massimo Lopes University of Zurich

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

A background in molecular biology opens numerous doors beyond traditional laboratory roles. Many students find that combining a science degree with skills in counseling or human services can help them make an impact in healthcare, education, and community organizations. For example, those who wish to guide individuals through health or personal challenges might consider enrolling in the cheapest masters in counseling online programs to gain crucial counseling credentials.

Similarly, interest in mental wellness and behavioral research can lead to pursuing online masters in clinical psychology. These programs often welcome applicants with diverse undergraduate backgrounds, including biological sciences. For those looking to support families and communities more broadly, online schools for human services offer accelerated degree options suitable for career changers or working professionals.

Lastly, molecular biology graduates who want to transition into education and therapy roles may wonder, can you become a speech pathologist with an education degree? Exploring these pathways can broaden your career outlook and have a lasting impact on patient advocacy, healthcare, and education.

Best Scientists Citing David Cortez

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles