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Thomas A. Steitz

Thomas A. Steitz

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Molecular Biology
USA
2023

D-Index & Metrics

Molecular Biology

D-Index
143
Citations
77423
World Ranking
109
National Ranking
71

Thomas A. Steitz 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 Thomas A. Steitz 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: 435 publications — 92nd percentile

92% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

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

Thomas A. Steitz 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 Thomas A. Steitz 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: 143 D-Index — 97th percentile

97% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

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

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2023 - Research.com Molecular Biology in United States Leader Award
  • 2009 - Nobel Prize for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome
  • 2007 - Canada Gairdner International Award
  • 2006 - Keio Medical Science Prize, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
  • 1990 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Overview

Thomas A. Steitz was affiliated with Yale University in the United States. Their research primarily spanned the fields of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, with contributions also in Medicine and Materials Science.

The main subfields of study included Molecular Biology, Materials Chemistry, Epidemiology, Surgery, and Ecology. Their work covered several key topics such as RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms, RNA modifications and cancer, enzyme structure and function, DNA and nucleic acid chemistry, RNA research and splicing, pneumonia and respiratory infections, and chemical synthesis and analysis.

Selected recent papers authored or co-authored by Steitz are:

  • RNA stabilization by a poly(A) tail 3'-end binding pocket and other modes of poly(A)-RNA interaction, 2021, Science
  • Structural Insights into Transcription Initiation from De Novo RNA Synthesis to Transitioning into Elongation, 2020, iScience
  • Molecular dynamics analysis of Mg2+-dependent cleavage of a pistol ribozyme reveals a fail-safe secondary ion for catalysis, 2020, Journal of Computational Chemistry
  • Crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of DENR, 2020, Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

Frequent co-authors across publications with Steitz included:

  • Peter B. Moore
  • Nenad Ban
  • Poul Nissen
  • Jimin Wang
  • Gregor Blaha

Notable venues where Steitz published included:

  • Science
  • iScience
  • Journal of Computational Chemistry
  • Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

The awards received by Steitz were:

  • Nobel Prize in 2009 for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome
  • Canada Gairdner International Award in 2007
  • Keio Medical Science Prize, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, 2006
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences, 1990

Best Publications

  • The complete atomic structure of the large ribosomal subunit at 2.4 A resolution.

    Nenad Ban;Poul Nissen;Jeffrey L. Hansen;Peter B. Moore

  • The Structural Basis of Ribosome Activity in Peptide Bond Synthesis

    Poul Nissen;Jeffrey Hansen;Nenad Ban;Peter B. Moore

  • Crystal structure at 3.5 A resolution of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase complexed with an inhibitor.

    LA Kohlstaedt;J Wang;JM Friedman;PA Rice

  • Identifying nonpolar transbilayer helices in amino acid sequences of membrane proteins.

    D M Engelman;T A Steitz;A Goldman

  • Structural basis for the 3'-5' exonuclease activity of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I: a two metal ion mechanism.

    L. S. Beese;T. A. Steitz

  • Crystal structure of a CAP-DNA complex: the DNA is bent by 90 degrees.

    Steve C. Schultz;George C. Shields;Thomas A. Steitz

  • A general two-metal-ion mechanism for catalytic RNA

    Thomas A. Steitz;Joan A. Steitz

  • DNA Polymerases: Structural Diversity and Common Mechanisms

    Thomas A. Steitz

  • Structure of large fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I complexed with dTMP

    D. L. Ollis;P. Brick;P. Brick;R. Hamlin;N. G. Xuong

  • Structure of E. coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase complexed with tRNA(Gln) and ATP at 2.8 A resolution

    Mark A. Rould;John J. Perona;Dieter Soll;Thomas A. Steitz

  • The spontaneous insertion of proteins into and across membranes: the helical hairpin hypothesis

    D.M. Engelman;T.A. Steitz

  • The structure of the E. coli recA protein monomer and polymer.

    Randall M. Story;Irene T. Weber;Irene T. Weber;Thomas A. Steitz

  • The kink-turn: a new RNA secondary structure motif.

    D.J. Klein;T.M. Schmeing;P.B. Moore;T.A. Steitz;T.A. Steitz

  • Structure of the recA protein–ADP complex

    Randall M. Story;Thomas A. Steitz

  • Function and structure relationships in DNA polymerases.

    Catherine M. Joyce;Thomas A. Steitz

  • Structure of catabolite gene activator protein at 2.9 Å resolution suggests binding to left-handed B-DNA

    David B. McKay;Thomas A. Steitz

  • RNA tertiary interactions in the large ribosomal subunit: the A-minor motif.

    Poul Nissen;Joseph A. Ippolito;Nenad Ban;Peter B. Moore

  • A mechanism for all polymerases

    Thomas A. Steitz

  • The Structures of Four Macrolide Antibiotics Bound to the Large Ribosomal Subunit

    Jeffrey L. Hansen;Joseph A. Ippolito;Nenad Ban;Poul Nissen

  • Structure of DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment bound to duplex DNA

    Lorena S. Beese;Victoria Derbyshire;Thomas A. Steitz

Frequent Co-Authors

Jimin Wang
Jimin Wang Yale University
Peter B. Moore
Peter B. Moore Yale University
Poul Nissen
Poul Nissen Aarhus University
Nenad Ban
Nenad Ban ETH Zurich
Phoebe A. Rice
Phoebe A. Rice University of Chicago
Paul S. Freemont
Paul S. Freemont Imperial College London
Margarita Salas
Margarita Salas Spanish National Research Council
Donald M. Engelman
Donald M. Engelman Yale University
David L. Ollis
David L. Ollis Australian National University
Dieter Söll
Dieter Söll Yale University

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