Topics and Trends in Most Cited Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior research in the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 for Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior is defined by a rapid pivot toward translational applications, particularly mRNA therapeutics. Lipid nanoparticles and ionizable lipids dominate the highly-cited landscape, with major growth in research optimizing endosomal release and transfection efficiency compared to previous years.

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Updated September 13, 2026

At a glance

Field
Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
4,164
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Lipid nanoparticles, Ionizable lipids, Messenger RNA delivery
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
41–119
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved June 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 4,164
11918m citations

AGILE platform: a deep learning powered approach to accelerate LNP development for mRNA delivery

Yue Xu, Shihao Ma, Haotian Cui et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-50619-z

Bo Wang, Bowen LiUniversity of Toronto, Canada

AGILE platformionizable lipid nanoparticlesLipid nanoparticlesMessenger RNA deliveryDeep learningcombinatorial chemistryin silico lipid screeningionizable lipid engineeringcell-specific lipid preferencesCOVID-19 mRNA vaccineslibrary designcell line adaptabilitycustomized LNP developmentmRNA therapeutics
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#2 of 4,164
11318m citations

Peptide-Functionalized Lipid Nanoparticles for Targeted Systemic mRNA Delivery to the Brain

Emily L Han et al.Nano Letters202410.1021/acs.nanolett.4c05186

Michael J. MitchellUniversity of Pennsylvania, United States

peptide-functionalized lipid nanoparticlessystemic mRNA deliveryBlood-brain barrierbrain endothelial cellsRVG29 peptideT7 peptideAP2 peptidemApoE peptideclick chemistryneuronal transfectionserum protein adsorptionintracellular traffickingendothelial transcytosisexosome secretionhepatic accumulationreceptor-targeted deliverynonviral gene delivery
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#3 of 4,164
10818m citations

Charge-assisted stabilization of lipid nanoparticles enables inhaled mRNA delivery for mucosal vaccination

Shuai Liu et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-53914-x

Xueguang LuInstitute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

inhaled mRNA deliveryLipid nanoparticlescharge-assisted stabilizationnebulizationpeptide-lipid conjugateelectrostatic repulsioncolloidal stabilitypulmonary mRNA deliverydendritic cellsmucosal immune responsesystemic immune responseSARS-CoV-2 Omicron variantmucosal vaccinationcancer vaccinelung metastasisLNP aggregationSurface charge modification
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#4 of 4,164
8118m citations

Breaking the final barrier: Evolution of cationic and ionizable lipid structure in lipid nanoparticles to escape the endosome

Kaitlin Mrksich et al.Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews202410.1016/j.addr.2024.115446

Michael J. MitchellUniversity of Pennsylvania, United States

cationic lipidsIonizable lipidsLipid nanoparticlesEndosomal releaselipid structure evolutionLNP designintracellular deliverypKa optimizationlipid chemistrynucleic acid deliveryMembrane fusionpH-responsive lipidsTransfection efficiencylipid-mediated deliveryendosome membrane disruption
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#5 of 4,164
7618m citations

A Foundation Model Identifies Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Peptides against Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infection

Tingting Li, Xuanbai Ren et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-51933-2

Xiangxiang Zeng, Junfeng Shi, Feixiong ChengAffiliated Hospital of Hunan University, China

deepAMPantimicrobial peptidespeptide language modeldeep generative frameworkantimicrobial resistancemembrane-disrupting abilityT1-AMPT2-AMPcross-optimization-validationpenetratinS. aureusK. pneumoniaeP. aeruginosaGram-positive bacteriaGram-negative bacteriaciprofloxacinskin wound infectionwound mouse modelbroad-spectrum activitydrug-resistant bacteria
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#6 of 4,164
7518m citations

Decreased lipidated ApoE-receptor interactions confer protection against pathogenicity of ApoE and its lipid cargoes in lysosomes

Jing L Guo et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.10.027

Jing Guo, Gilbert Di PaoloDenali Therapeutics Inc., United States

apolipoprotein E (APOE)late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD)ApoE isoformslow-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)lipidated ApoE2 (lipApoE2)LDLR recycling defectscholesteryl esters (CEs)polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)lipofuscinosislipid peroxidationlysosomal pathologytau fibrilsAPOE4 mouse modelintrahippocampal injectionChristchurch mutationendolysosomal targetingApoE-receptor interactionsneurodegenerationhuman neuronsallelic series
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#7 of 4,164
7118m citations

Molecular architecture of coronavirus double-membrane vesicle pore complex

Yixin Huang et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07817-y

Shuofeng Yuan, Tao NiThe University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

SARS-CoV-2double-membrane vesiclesDMV pore complexnsp3nsp4cryogenic electron tomographysubtomogram averagingviral RNA synthesishexamer ringsnuclear pore complex mimicrytransmembrane domain interdigitationmembrane curvatureectodomain contactspseudo-12-fold symmetryarginine residuesRNA translocationcoronavirus replicationmembrane remodeling
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#8 of 4,164
6618m citations

Biomolecular condensates mediate bending and scission of endosome membranes

Yanning Wang, Shulin Li, Marcel Mokbel et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07990-0

Roland L. Knorr, Xiaofeng FangTsinghua University, China

multivesicular bodiesESCRT protein machineryintraluminal vesiclesFREE1biomolecular condensatesmembrane scissionmembrane bendingcondensate-wetting-induced line tensionMembrane asymmetryATP-independent scissioncondensate-mediated scissionmachinery-mediated scissionmembrane-bound cargo proteinsosmotic stress tolerancereconstitution experimentsin silico simulationsmultivesicular-body biogenesiswetting dynamicsendosomal compartments
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#9 of 4,164
6518m citations

Acid-degradable lipid nanoparticles enhance the delivery of mRNA

Sheng Zhao, Kewa Gao, Hesong Han et al.Nature Nanotechnology202410.1038/s41565-024-01765-4

Hesong Han, Aijun Wang, Niren MurthyUniversity of California, Berkeley, United States

acid-degradable lipid nanoparticlesMessenger RNA deliveryLipid nanoparticlespH-responsive degradationnucleic acid deliveryEndosomal releaseTransfection efficiencyIonizable lipidsmRNA therapeutics
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#10 of 4,164
6418m citations

Lipidome atlas of the adult human brain

Maria Osetrova et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-48734-y

Markus R. Wenk, Ekaterina E. Khrameeva, Philipp KhaitovichSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Russia

lipidome mappingbrain regional lipid compositionneocortical regionsmyelin contentcell type compositionfunctional connectivityinformation processing hierarchymRNA expression integrationlipid class distributionLipid unsaturationomega-3 fatty acid residuesomega-6 fatty acid residuesmacaque brain validationmass spectrometry imagingsorted murine neurons419 analyzed lipids75 brain regions
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#11 of 4,164
6018m citations

Regulation of cellular and systemic sphingolipid homeostasis

Andrew Kuo et al.Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology202410.1038/s41580-024-00742-y

Timothy HlaBoston Children's Hospital, United States

sphingolipid homeostasiscellular sphingolipid regulationsystemic sphingolipid regulationsphingolipid metabolismceramidesphingosinesphingosine-1-phosphatesphingolipid biosynthesissphingolipid degradationsphingolipid transportlipid signalingmetabolic regulation
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#12 of 4,164
5118m citations

Liquid crystalline inverted lipid phases encapsulating siRNA enhance lipid nanoparticle mediated transfection

Roy Pattipeiluhu et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-45666-5

Alexander Kros, Thomas H. SharpLeiden University, Netherlands

Lipid nanoparticlessiRNA deliveryinverse hexagonal phasesliquid crystalline structureslamellar phasescryogenic transmission electron microscopycryogenic electron tomographysmall-angle X-ray scatteringintracellular silencing efficiencyanionic membraneslamellar-to-hexagonal phase transitioncytosolic deliveryprogrammable lipid phasesLNP core structureNano-bio interfacebottom-up rational design
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#13 of 4,164
5118m citations

Enhancing extracellular vesicle cargo loading and functional delivery by engineering protein-lipid interactions

Justin A Peruzzi, Taylor F Gunnels et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-49678-z

Joshua N. Leonard, Neha P. KamatNorthwestern University, United States

extracellular vesiclesEVsprotein cargo loadingLipid nanoparticlesplasma membrane traffickingLipid raftslipid tagstransmembrane proteinsperipheral membrane proteinsprotein-lipid interactionsengineered transcription factorgene expression modulationfunctional cargo deliverytherapeutic delivery vehiclesEV-based therapeuticsmacromolecular cargo
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#14 of 4,164
4818m citations

Lipid nanodisc scaffold and size alter the structure of a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel

Vikram Dalal, Mark J Arcario et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-023-44366-w

Wayland W.L. ChengWashington University School of Medicine, United States

lipid nanodiscspentameric ligand-gated ion channelErwinia ligand-gated ion channelcryo-electron microscopycryo-EMnanodisc scaffoldnanodisc sizeextracellular domainagonist binding sitemolecular dynamic simulationsnanodisc-protein interactionsmembrane protein reconstitutiontransmembrane domain structure
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#15 of 4,164
4318m citations

Lysosomal damage sensing and lysophagy initiation by SPG20-ITCH

Pinki Gahlot et al.Molecular Cell202410.1016/j.molcel.2024.02.029

Hemmo MeyerUniversity of Duisburg-Essen, Germany

SPG20ITCHlysophagyLysosomal rupturelipid-packing defectsAmphipathic helicesIST1lysine-63-linked ubiquitin chainslipid bilayer perturbationslysosomal damage sensingmembrane repairlipid peroxidationubiquitin-triggered lysophagylysosomal damage responseneurodegeneration
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#16 of 4,164
4218m citations

Short-distance vesicle transport via phase separation

Hua Qiu et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.03.003

Mingjie ZhangHong Kong University of Science and Technology, China

vesicle transportphase separationliquid-liquid phase separationmembrane traffickingbiomolecular condensatesshort-distance transportvesicle motilitycytoplasmic condensatesmembrane-bound organellescargo sortingvesicle buddingvesicle fusionmotor-independent transportdiffusion-based transportcondensate-mediated trafficking
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#18 of 4,164
4118m citations

Homeocurvature adaptation of phospholipids to pressure in deep-sea invertebrates

Jacob R Winnikoff et al.Science202410.1126/science.adm7607

Jacob R. Winnikoff, Itay BudinUniversity of California San Diego, United States

hydrostatic pressure adaptationctenophoresPhospholipid bilayersnonbilayer phasenegative spontaneous curvatureplasmalogenslipidomicsAll-atom simulationsdeep-sea invertebratespressure toleranceEscherichia colimembrane phase transitiondecompression damagehomeocurvature adaptationdepth range constraints
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#20 of 4,164
4118m citations

Sculpting conducting nanopore size and shape through de novo protein design

Samuel Berhanu, Sagardip Majumder, Thomas Müntener, James Whitehouse et al.Science202410.1126/science.adn3796

Samuel Berhanu, Sagardip Majumder, Thomas Müntener, James Whitehouse, David Baker, Anastassia A. VorobievaThe University of Washington, United States

transmembrane β-barrelsnanopore sensorsde novo protein designpore diameterpore geometrynuclear magnetic resonancecrystallographic characterizationconductance measurementspicosiemensnanometer scale porescustom nanopore designsensing applicationssequencing applications
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

In the Class of 2026 for Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior, the literature is heavily anchored by innovations in nucleic acid delivery systems. Dominating the landscape are "Lipid nanoparticles" and "Ionizable lipids," underscoring a pronounced shift toward therapeutic applications. We see significant focus on "Messenger RNA delivery" and "Endosomal release", highlighting the mechanistic challenges of translating lipid membrane biology into functional mRNA therapeutics. Rather than pure biophysics, the most cited papers are bridging structural lipid chemistry with transfection efficiency and clinical utility. Topics like liposomes and liquid-liquid phase separation remain visible, providing foundational context to these delivery mechanisms.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Comparing the Class of 2025 to 2026 reveals a dramatic acceleration in translation-focused research. The largest structural shifts center on "mRNA therapeutics" and "Transfection efficiency," both of which surged from negligible baseline prominence in this specific highly-cited cohort to major focal points. We also observe substantial momentum in "Ionizable lipids" and "Messenger RNA delivery," demonstrating that the field is rapidly advancing beyond basic structural characterization into optimizing lipid architectures for endosomal escape. Interestingly, more traditional topics like basic "Liposomes" showed only modest growth compared to the explosive rise of specialized lipid nanoparticles, indicating a targeted evolution in how researchers leverage membrane behavior for advanced drug delivery.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/lipid-membrane-structure-and-behavior/2026. Accessed 2026-10-24.

Methodology
Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459