Topics and Trends in Most Cited Pancreatic function and diabetes Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Pancreatic function and diabetes research in the Class of 2026?

Type 1 diabetes management and metabolic therapeutics dominated the field, driven by continuous glucose monitoring and GLP-1 receptor agonists. Research shifted heavily toward stem cell-derived islet therapies and automated insulin delivery, while reliance on traditional HbA1c testing and primary islet transplantation declined in favor of continuous glycemic metrics.

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Updated July 21, 2026

At a glance

Field
Pancreatic function and diabetes
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
6,940
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Type 1 diabetes, Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, Stem cell-derived islets
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
39–192
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved June 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#2 of 6,940
13918m citations

A microfluidic platform integrating functional vascularized organoids-on-chip

Clément Quintard et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-45710-4

Josef Penninger, Xavier GidrolUniv. Grenoble Alpes, France

microfluidic platformvascularized organoids-on-chipendothelial networksmesenchymal spheroidspancreatic islet spheroidsblood vessel organoidsPluripotent stem cellsintravascular perfusionlong-term on-chip cultureorganoid maturationmicrophysiological system3D cell aggregatesfunctional vascular connectionsendothelium-rich spheroidsorganoid vascularizationtissue engineering30-day on-chip culture
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#3 of 6,940
12118m citations

Effects of semaglutide with and without concomitant SGLT2 inhibitor use in participants with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in the FLOW trial

Johannes F E Mann et al.Nature Medicine202410.1038/s41591-024-03133-0

Johannes F.E. MannKfH Kidney Centre, Germany

semaglutideSGLT2 inhibitorsType 2 diabeteschronic kidney diseaseFLOW trialGLP-1 receptor agonistskidney failureEstimated glomerular filtration ratecardiovascular deathCardiovascular eventsAll-cause mortalitycombination therapykidney outcomeseGFR slopeHazard ratio
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#4 of 6,940
11118m citations

Global burden of type 1 diabetes in adults aged 65 years and older, 1990-2019: population based study

Kaijie Yang et al.BMJ202410.1136/bmj-2023-078432

Yongze LiFirst Hospital of China Medical University, China

Type 1 diabetesOlder adultsGlobal Burden of Disease Study 2019age standardised prevalenceage standardised mortalitydisability adjusted life yearsaverage annual percentage changeSociodemographic indexhigh income North AmericaAustralasiawestern Europesouthern sub-Saharan AfricaOceaniaCaribbeanHyperglycemiaregional health inequalitiesTemporal trendsage-stratified burden analysis
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#5 of 6,940
9618m citations

The immunology of type 1 diabetes

Kevan C Herold et al.Nature reviews. Immunology202410.1038/s41577-023-00985-4

Kevan C. Herold, Lucy S. K. WalkerYale University, United States

Type 1 diabetesAutoimmune destructionpancreatic beta cellsautoreactive T cellsAutoantibodiesGAD65IA-2HLA class IICD4+ T cellsCD8+ T cellsRegulatory T cellsimmune toleranceInsulitisDiabetic mouse modelsGenetic riskenvironmental triggersimmunotherapyantigen-specific tolerance
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#6 of 6,940
6818m citations

Treating a type 2 diabetic patient with impaired pancreatic islet function by personalized endoderm stem cell-derived islet tissue

Jiaying Wu, Tuo Li, Meng Guo, Junsong Ji, Xiaoxi Meng, Tianlong Fu, Tengfei Nie, Tongkun Wei et al.Cell Discovery202410.1038/s41421-024-00662-3

Weihua Dong, Ming Zhang, Yongquan Shi, Xin Cheng, Hao YinChinese Academy of Sciences, China

Type 2 diabetesinsulin resistanceBeta cell massβ-cell dedifferentiationIslet transplantationStem cell-derived isletspersonalized cell therapyType 1 diabetesBeta cell functionInsulin therapydonor organ shortageGlycemic controlkidney allograft function
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#8 of 6,940
5618m citations

Global, regional, and national burden of type 1 diabetes in adolescents and young adults

Boshen Gong et al.Pediatric Research202410.1038/s41390-024-03107-5

Yaxin Lai, Zhongyan ShanThe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, China

Type 1 diabetesAdolescents and young adultsGlobal Burden of Disease Study 2019incidence ratemortality rateSociodemographic indexSDI stratificationjoinpoint regression analysisTemporal trendsEuropean regionmiddle-SDI countrieslow-SDI countriesglobal diabetes burdenage-specific analysissex-specific analysisregional variationdiabetes care disparities
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#11 of 6,940
4818m citations

Pathogenic hypothalamic extracellular matrix promotes metabolic disease

Cait A Beddows et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07922-y

Garron T. DoddThe University of Melbourne, Australia

Arcuate nucleusperineuronal netchondroitin sulfate proteoglycanneuronal insulin resistanceextracellular matrix remodellinghypothalamic insulin signalingenzymatic perineuronal net disruptionsmall molecule perineuronal net disruptioninsulin access to brainmetabolic dysfunctionobesity-induced matrix augmentation
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#12 of 6,940
4618m citations

The epidemiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus in older adults

Dunya Tomic et al.Nature Reviews Endocrinology202410.1038/s41574-024-01046-z

Dunya TomicMonash University, Australia

Type 1 diabetesOlder adultsepidemiologylate-onset type 1 diabetesAge-specific incidencemisdiagnosistype 2 diabetes differentiationAutoantibodiesC-peptideInsulin therapyGlycemic controldiabetic complicationsmortality riskhealthcare utilization
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#13 of 6,940
4518m citations

Glucose-sensitive insulin with attenuation of hypoglycaemia

Thomas Hoeg-Jensen et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-08042-3

Rita SlaabyNovo Nordisk, Denmark

NNC2215glucose-sensitive insulinhypoglycaemia attenuationinsulin conjugateglucose-binding macrocycleglucoside conjugationreversible conformational switchinsulin receptor affinityglucose-responsive bioactivityGlycemic controldiabetes therapyglucose concentration range 3-20 mMin vivo glucose sensinginsulin auto-adjustment
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#14 of 6,940
4518m citations

SGLT2 inhibitors ameliorate NAFLD in mice via downregulating PFKFB3, suppressing glycolysis and modulating macrophage polarization

Xia-Fang Lin, Xiao-Na Cui, Jin Yang et al.Acta Pharmacologica Sinica202410.1038/s41401-024-01389-3

Tianjiao Wei, Rui Wei, Tianpei HongPeking University Third Hospital, China

SGLT2 inhibitorsNAFLDPFKFB3Glycolysismacrophage polarizationdapagliflozincanagliflozinDiabetic mouse modelswestern diet-induced NAFLDhepatic steatosisHepatic fibrosisM1 macrophageM2 macrophagesbone marrow-derived macrophagesmetabolic reprogrammingRNA sequencingSeahorse analysismacrophage-hepatocyte co-culturelipogenesispro-inflammatory cytokines
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#15 of 6,940
4418m citations

Real-World Evidence of Omnipod <sup>®</sup> 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System Use in 69,902 People with Type 1 Diabetes

Gregory P Forlenza et al.Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics202410.1089/dia.2023.0578

Trang T. LyUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States

Omnipod 5Type 1 diabetesreal-world evidenceContinuous glucose monitoring (CGM)Time in range (TIR) 70-180 mg/dLtarget glucose settingGlycemic controlOmnipod DASHMultiple daily injectionsMedicaid/Medicare usersAutomated insulin delivery (AID)retrospective analysisdevice datasetperson-reported datasetPediatric diabetesHypoglycemia
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#16 of 6,940
4318m citations

Dapagliflozin mitigates cellular stress and inflammation through PI3K/AKT pathway modulation in cardiomyocytes, aortic endothelial cells, and stem cell-derived β cells

Fatmah R Alsereidi et al.Cardiovascular Diabetology202410.1186/s12933-024-02481-y

Fatmah R AlsereidiUniversity of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

dapagliflozinSGLT2 inhibitorsPI3K/AKT pathwaycardiomyocytesaortic endothelial cellsStem cell-derived isletsisoproterenol-induced hypertrophyreactive oxygen speciesNHE1GLUT1eNOSTNFα-induced inflammationMAFANRF2NLRP3 inflammasomeGRP78MAPK activationCardioprotectionendothelial functionBeta cell function
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#17 of 6,940
4318m citations

Treatment regimens and glycaemic outcomes in more than 100 000 children with type 1 diabetes (2013–22): a longitudinal analysis of data from paediatric diabetes registries

Anthony T Zimmermann et al.The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology202410.1016/s2213-8587(24)00279-1

Anthony ZimmermannLyell McEwin Hospital, Australia

Type 1 diabetesPediatric diabetestreatment regimensGlycemic controlGlycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)Insulin therapyContinuous glucose monitoring (CGM)Insulin pump therapyMultiple daily injectionsdiabetes technologyTemporal trendsPediatric populationdiabetes management
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#18 of 6,940
4218m citations

Metformin targets mitochondrial complex I to lower blood glucose levels

Colleen R Reczek et al.Science Advances202410.1126/sciadv.ads5466

Colleen R. Reczek, Navdeep S. ChandelNorthwestern University, United States

metforminmitochondrial complex Ielectron transport chainGlucose-lowering therapyNDI1Saccharomyces cerevisiae internal alternative NADH dehydrogenasetransgenic miceacute oral administrationantidiabetic mechanismpharmacologic complex I inhibitionHigh-fat dietNADH dehydrogenaseMetabolic homeostasismitochondrial respiration
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#19 of 6,940
4118m citations

Proteomic predictors of individualized nutrient-specific insulin secretion in health and disease

Jelena Kolic et al.Cell Metabolism202410.1016/j.cmet.2024.06.001

Jelena Kolic, James D. JohnsonUniversity of British Columbia, Canada

nutrient-specific insulin secretionHuman pancreatic isletsType 2 diabetesBeta cell functionamino acid-stimulated insulin responsefatty acid-stimulated insulin responseHeterogeneityMulti-omicsproteomic correlatesmRNA alterationsStem cell-derived isletsislet maturitymacronutrient responsivenesspersonalized nutritionpopulation-level variation
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#20 of 6,940
3918m citations

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Profiles in Pregnancies With and Without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Celeste Durnwald et al.Diabetes Care202410.2337/dc23-2149

Celeste DurnwaldUniversity of Pennsylvania, United States

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)Gestational diabetes mellitusOral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)Dexcom G6Mean glucoseTime above range (TAR)Hyperglycemia24-28 weeks gestation13-14 weeks gestationearly pregnancy glucoseprospective observational study
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Pancreatic function and diabetes

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 in Pancreatic Function and Diabetes research highlights a major focus on advanced diabetes management technologies and targeted endocrine therapeutics. Type 1 diabetes was the single most prominent topic, appearing in 36% of top-ranked publications, closely coupled with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems at 18%. In therapeutic interventions, SGLT2 inhibitors (16%) and GLP-1 receptor agonists (12%) represented the leading pharmacological classes, reflecting widespread clinical emphasis on glycemic control, cardioprotection, and renal preservation. Regenerative medicine also formed a key pillar of high-impact research, with stem cell-derived islets (12%) and human pancreatic islet biology (12%) driving efforts to restore endogenous insulin secretion. Furthermore, clinical trials and observational studies heavily prioritized automated insulin delivery (AID) systems and targeted glycemic metrics such as time in range (70–180 mg/dL). Together, these findings indicate that modern pancreatic research is increasingly defined by the integration of closed-loop technological systems with bioengineered cell therapies to optimize long-term metabolic homeostasis.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

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

The evolution of research topics from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 reflects a decisive pivot toward real-time metabolic monitoring and scalable cellular therapies. GLP-1 receptor agonists experienced the most significant surge among major therapeutics, doubling their presence from 6% to 12% of top publications. Similarly, pediatric diabetes research tripled from 2% to 6%, while continuous glycemic metrics like time above range (TAR) emerged as crucial clinical endpoints. Conversely, conventional static markers saw a sharp decline; glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) studies dropped from 22% down to 6%, illustrating how continuous glucose monitoring is replacing single-point laboratory tests in high-impact literature. In cellular transplantation, primary human pancreatic islet studies decreased from 12% to 6%, whereas stem cell-derived islet research expanded to 12%, signifying a strategic transition from donor-dependent tissue grafting toward renewable stem cell platforms. Additional emerging themes included cardioprotection and adaptive immunity in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis. Overall, these shifting trends demonstrate how the field is moving beyond traditional glucose management toward precision monitoring technologies and off-the-shelf regenerative solutions.

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 Pancreatic function and diabetes Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/pancreatic-function-and-diabetes/2026. Accessed 2026-07-21.

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