World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Kai Simons

Kai Simons

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Best Scientists
2025
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Biology and Biochemistry
Germany
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Best Scientists

D-Index
169
Citations
132377
World Ranking
898
National Ranking
42

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
170
Citations
133573
World Ranking
89
National Ranking
5

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Germany Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Best Scientists Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Germany Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Germany Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Germany Leader Award
  • 2016 - Robert Koch Gold Medal
  • 1999 - German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina - Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina – Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften Genetics/Molecular Biology and Cell Biology
  • 1997 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 1996 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 1989 - Member of Academia Europaea
  • Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
  • Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
  • Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
  • Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)

Overview

Kai Simons is affiliated with Lipotype in Germany and has a research focus centered on biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. Their work spans 53 publications in these fields along with 46 in medicine. Their subfields of study include molecular biology, genetics, surgery, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, and physiology.

The scientist's research topics cover several interconnected areas, including metabolomics and mass spectrometry studies, genetic associations and epidemiology, lipid metabolism and biosynthesis, lipid metabolism and disorders, pancreatic function and diabetes, diabetes and associated disorders, and diabetes, cardiovascular risks, and lipoproteins.

Frequent publication venues where Kai Simons has contributed include:

  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Nature Communications
  • Scientific Reports
  • Diabetes

Co-authorship is an important aspect of their research activity. Frequent collaborators include:

  • Mathias J. Gerl
  • Christian Klose
  • Florence Mehl
  • Mark Ibberson
  • Bernard Thorens

Kai Simons has contributed to a selection of recent papers, including:

  • Genome-wide association analysis of plasma lipidome identifies 495 genetic associations, 2023, Nature Communications
  • Multi-omics profiling of living human pancreatic islet donors reveals heterogeneous beta cell trajectories towards type 2 diabetes, 2021, Nature Metabolism
  • Mouse lipidomics reveals inherent flexibility of a mammalian lipidome, 2021, Scientific Reports
  • Replication and cross-validation of type 2 diabetes subtypes based on clinical variables: an IMI-RHAPSODY study, 2021, Diabetologia
  • Lipidome- and Genome-Wide Study to Understand Sex Differences in Circulatory Lipids, 2022, Journal of the American Heart Association

Over the course of their career, Kai Simons has been recognized with several awards and memberships in scientific organizations:

  • Robert Koch Gold Medal, 2016
  • German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina - Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina - Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1999, Genetics/Molecular Biology and Cell Biology
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences, 1997
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1996
  • Member of Academia Europaea, 1989
  • Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)

The scope and interdisciplinary nature of Kai Simons's research intersect key areas of molecular biology and medicine, with particular insights into lipid biology and metabolic diseases.

Best Publications

  • Functional rafts in cell membranes

    Kai Simons;Elina Ikonen

  • Lipid rafts and signal transduction

    Kai Simons;Derek Toomre

  • Lipid Rafts As a Membrane-Organizing Principle

    Daniel Lingwood;Kai Simons

  • Solubilization of membranes by detergents

    Ari Helenius;Kai Simons

  • Model systems, lipid rafts, and cell membranes.

    Kai Simons;Winchil L.C. Vaz

  • The multiple faces of caveolae

    Robert G. Parton;Kai Simons

  • Lipid sorting in epithelial cells.

    K. Simons;G. van Meer

  • The small GTPase rab5 functions as a regulatory factor in the early endocytic pathway.

    Cecilia Bucci;Robert G. Parton;Ian H. Mather;Henk Stunnenberg

  • How Cells Handle Cholesterol

    Kai Simons;Elina Ikonen

  • Cholesterol depletion inhibits the generation of beta-amyloid in hippocampal neurons.

    Mikael Simons;Patrick Keller;Bart De Strooper;Konrad Beyreuther

  • The trans Golgi Network: Sorting at the Exit Site of the Golgi Complex

    Gareth Griffiths;Kai Simons

  • Lipid Domain Structure of the Plasma Membrane Revealed by Patching of Membrane Components

    Thomas Harder;Peter Scheiffele;Paul Verkade;Kai Simons

  • Localization of low molecular weight GTP binding proteins to exocytic and endocytic compartments.

    Philippe Chavrier;Robert G. Parton;Hans Peter Hauri;Kai Simons

  • Alzheimer's disease β-amyloid peptides are released in association with exosomes

    Lawrence Rajendran;Masanori Honsho;Tobias R. Zahn;Patrick Keller

  • Cholesterol, lipid rafts, and disease

    Kai Simons;Robert Ehehalt

  • Amyloidogenic processing of the Alzheimer β-amyloid precursor protein depends on lipid rafts

    Robert Ehehalt;Patrick Keller;Christian Haass;Christoph Thiele

  • Revitalizing membrane rafts: new tools and insights

    Kai Simons;Mathias J. Gerl

  • Sphingolipid–Cholesterol Rafts Diffuse as Small Entities in the Plasma Membrane of Mammalian Cells

    A. Pralle;P. Keller;Ernst-Ludwig Florin;K. Simons

  • Membrane Organization and Lipid Rafts

    Kai Simons;Julio L. Sampaio

  • The small GTPase rab5 functions as a regulatory factor in the early endocytic pathway

    C. Bucci;R.G. Parton;I.H. Mather;H. Stunnenberg

Frequent Co-Authors

Robert G. Parton
Robert G. Parton University of Queensland
Ari Helenius
Ari Helenius ETH Zurich
Teymuras V. Kurzchalia
Teymuras V. Kurzchalia Max Planck Society
Marino Zerial
Marino Zerial Max Planck Society
Andrej Shevchenko
Andrej Shevchenko Max Planck Society
Paul Dupree
Paul Dupree University of Cambridge
Aarno Palotie
Aarno Palotie University of Helsinki
Elina Ikonen
Elina Ikonen University of Helsinki
Aki S. Havulinna
Aki S. Havulinna Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

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