World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
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Best Female Scientists
2025

D-Index & Metrics

Best Female Scientists

D-Index
143
Citations
68346
World Ranking
210
National Ranking
132

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
144
Citations
70578
World Ranking
231
National Ranking
160

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2025 - Research.com Best Female Scientists Award
  • 2008 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Overview

Sarah Spiegel is affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States and has an extensive research portfolio primarily focused on biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology, with notable contributions to medicine. Their work largely centers on molecular biology, physiology, epidemiology, cell biology, and immunology.

The main research topics covered by Spiegel include sphingolipid metabolism and signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress and disease, liver disease diagnosis and treatment, lipid membrane structure and behavior, pain mechanisms and treatments, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, and lysosomal storage disorders research.

Spiegel's recent scholarly publications reflect a diverse yet interconnected range of subjects, including the role of sphingolipids in metabolic diseases, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and pain therapeutics. Selected recent papers include:

  • Sphingolipids in metabolic disease: The good, the bad, and the unknown (2021) published in Cell Metabolism
  • Ceramide in apoptosis and oxidative stress in allergic inflammation and asthma (2020) published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
  • Functional analysis of molecular and pharmacological modulators of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (2020) published in Scientific Reports
  • Targeting the Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Axis for Developing Non-narcotic Pain Therapeutics (2020) published in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
  • Sphingosine-1-phosphate and its receptors in vascular endothelial and lymphatic barrier function (2023) published in Journal of Biological Chemistry

Collaboration is a significant aspect of Spiegel's scholarly activity, with frequent coauthors including Cynthia Weigel, Christopher D. Green, Ryan D. R. Brown, Daniela Salvemini, and Elisa N.D. Palladino.

Spiegel has contributed to publications appearing repeatedly in several venues, notably The FASEB Journal, Journal of Lipid Research, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Molecular Metabolism, and Pain. These journals host the majority of Spiegel's works, reflecting the scientist's areas of specialization.

In recognition of their scientific contributions, Spiegel was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2008.

Best Publications

  • Sphingosine-1-phosphate: an enigmatic signalling lipid

    Sarah Spiegel;Sheldon Milstien

  • Suppression of ceramide-mediated programmed cell death by sphingosine-1-phosphate.

    Olivier Cuvillier;Grisha Pirianov;Burkhard Kleuser;Philip G. Vanek

  • Edg-1, the G protein–coupled receptor for sphingosine-1-phosphate, is essential for vascular maturation

    Yujing Liu;Ryuichi Wada;Tadashi Yamashita;Yide Mi

  • Sphingosine-1-Phosphate as a Ligand for the G Protein-Coupled Receptor EDG-1

    Menq Jer Lee;James R. Van Brocklyn;James R. Van Brocklyn;James R. Van Brocklyn;Shobha Thangada;Shobha Thangada;Shobha Thangada;Catherine H. Liu;Catherine H. Liu;Catherine H. Liu

  • Sphingolipid metabolites in inflammatory disease

    Michael Maceyka;Sarah Spiegel

  • Regulation of Histone Acetylation in the Nucleus by Sphingosine-1-Phosphate

    Nitai C. Hait;Jeremy Allegood;Michael Maceyka;Graham M. Strub

  • Sphingosine-1-phosphate as second messenger in cell proliferation induced by PDGF and FCS mitogens.

    Ana Olivera;Sarah Spiegel

  • Sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling and its role in disease

    Michael Maceyka;Kuzhuvelil B. Harikumar;Sheldon Milstien;Sarah Spiegel

  • Sphingosine-1-phosphate is a missing cofactor for the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF2

    Sergio E. Alvarez;Kuzhuvelil B. Harikumar;Nitai C. Hait;Jeremy Allegood

  • Sphingolipid metabolism and cell growth regulation.

    Sarah Spiegel;Alfred H. Merrill

  • Essential role for sphingosine kinases in neural and vascular development.

    Kiyomi Mizugishi;Tadashi Yamashita;Ana Olivera;Georgina F. Miller

  • The outs and the ins of sphingosine-1-phosphate in immunity

    Sarah Spiegel;Sheldon Milstien

  • “Inside-Out” Signaling of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate: Therapeutic Targets

    Kazuaki Takabe;Steven W. Paugh;Sheldon Milstien;Sarah Spiegel

  • Sphingolipids - The enigmatic lipid class: Biochemistry, physiology and pathophysiology

    Merrill Ah;Schmelz Em;Dillehay Dl;Spiegel S

  • Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of a Novel Mammalian Sphingosine Kinase Type 2 Isoform

    Hong Liu;Masako Sugiura;Victor E. Nava;Lisa C. Edsall

  • Sphingosine-1-phosphate, a novel lipid, involved in cellular proliferation.

    Hong Zhang;Naishadh N. Desai;Ana Olivera;Takashi Seki

  • Sphingosine 1-phosphate, a key cell signaling molecule.

    Sarah Spiegel;Sheldon Milstien

  • SphK1 and SphK2, Sphingosine Kinase Isoenzymes with Opposing Functions in Sphingolipid Metabolism

    Michael Maceyka;Heidi Sankala;Nitai C. Hait;Hervé Le Stunff

  • Sphingosine kinase, sphingosine-1-phosphate, and apoptosis.

    Michael Maceyka;Shawn G Payne;Sheldon Milstien;Sarah Spiegel

  • Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of Murine Sphingosine Kinase

    Takafumi Kohama;Ana Olivera;Lisa Edsall;M. Marek Nagiec

Frequent Co-Authors

Sheldon Milstien
Sheldon Milstien Virginia Commonwealth University
Kazuaki Takabe
Kazuaki Takabe Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Jeremy C. Allegood
Jeremy C. Allegood Virginia Commonwealth University
Ana Olivera
Ana Olivera National Institutes of Health
Paul Dent
Paul Dent Virginia Commonwealth University
Steven Grant
Steven Grant Virginia Commonwealth University
Huiping Zhou
Huiping Zhou University of Tsukuba
Charles E. Chalfant
Charles E. Chalfant Virginia Commonwealth University
Paul B. Fisher
Paul B. Fisher Virginia Commonwealth University
John J. Ryan
John J. Ryan Virginia Commonwealth University

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