DALLAS — Dec. 11, 2006 —  UT Southwestern Medical Center ranked among the top 10 American institutions in three of the six biomedical fields assessed in an independent analysis of scientific research impact.

UT Southwestern’s impact in biology and biochemistry ranked first among all federally funded U.S. universities and medical centers, according to Science Watch, an independent publication that reports on trends and performance in basic research. Science Watch has published its survey — based on papers published and then cited by other researchers during a four-year period — since 1994.

UT Southwestern also ranked seventh in neurosciences and behavior research and eighth in molecular biology and genetics.

“A top 10 ranking in three of the six biomedical fields surveyed by Science Watch demonstrates UT Southwestern’s scientific leadership and excellence and further solidifies our standing among some of the nation’s most prestigious and elite institutions,” said Dr. Kern Wildenthal, president of UT Southwestern.

Only four institutions — Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of California, San Diego, and the University of California, San Francisco — appeared in more biomedical categories than UT Southwestern . No institution was ranked in all categories.

In addition to UT Southwestern, Washington University in St. Louis was the only other institution ranked in the top 10 in three biomedical categories.

Two other Texas medical centers – Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and UT Health Science Center at San Antonio – were each ranked in one category.

To arrive at its rankings, Science Watch calculates how many times a given research paper is cited by other researchers, it then compares that to a worldwide baseline number, resulting in a “relative impact” score.

“Perhaps the best barometer of whether a published research discovery has genuine substance can be measured by how many times other scientists cite the publication in their own, subsequent research papers,” said Dr. Steven McKnight, chairman of biochemistry at UT Southwestern.

 “The fact that biological and biochemical research publications coming out of UT Southwestern are cited more frequently than those of any other institution in the United States speaks well for our school,” said Dr. McKnight.  “It further confirms to our generous philanthropic donors the fact that our research productivity is judged at the highest level by scientific peers around the world.”

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About UT Southwestern Medical Center
UT Southwestern Medical Center, one of the premier medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. Its more than 1,400 full-time faculty members – including four active Nobel Prize winners, more than any other medical school in the world – are responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and are committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide medical care in 40 specialties to nearly 89,000 hospitalized patients and oversee 2.1 million outpatient visits a year.

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Media Contact: Aline McKenzie
214-648-3404
aline.mckenzie@utsouthwestern.edu

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