# Topics and Trends in Most Cited Pancreatic function and diabetes Papers, Class of 2026

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/pancreatic-function-and-diabetes/2026*

## 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.

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| 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

| Rank | Title | Authors | Corresponding authors | Affiliation | Journal | 18m citations | DOI |
| ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- |
| 1 | Transplantation of chemically induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived islets under abdominal anterior rectus sheath in a type 1 diabetes patient | Shusen Wang, Yuanyuan Du, Boya Zhang, Gaofan Meng, Zewen Liu, Soon Yi Liew, Rui Liang, Zhengyuan Zhang, Xiangheng Cai, Shuangshuang Wu, Wei Gao, Dewei Zhuang, Jiaqi Zou, Hui Huang, Mingyang Wang, Xiaofeng Wang, Xuelian Wang, Ting Liang, Tengli Liu, Jiabin Gu, Na Liu, Yanling Wei, Xuejie Ding, Yue Pu, Yixiang Zhan, Yu Luo, Peng Sun, Shuangshuang Xie, Jiuxia Yang, Yiqi Weng, Chunlei Zhou, Zhenglu Wang, Shuang Wang, Hongkui Deng, Zhongyang Shen | Shusen Wang, Zhongyang Shen, Hongkui Deng, Zhongyang Shen | Nankai University, China | Cell | 192 | 10.1016/j.cell.2024.09.004 |
| 2 | A microfluidic platform integrating functional vascularized organoids-on-chip | Clément Quintard, Emily Tubbs, Gustav Jonsson, Jie Jiao, Jun Wang, Nicolas Werschler, Camille Laporte, Amandine Pitaval, Thierno-Sidy Bah, Gideon Pomeranz, Caroline Bissardon, Joris Kaal, Alexandra Leopoldi, David A Long, Pierre Blandin, Jean-Luc Achard, Christophe Battail, Astrid Hagelkruys, Fabrice Navarro, Yves Fouillet, Josef M Penninger, Xavier Gidrol | Josef Penninger, Xavier Gidrol | Univ. Grenoble Alpes, France | Nature Communications | 139 | 10.1038/s41467-024-45710-4 |
| 3 | 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, Peter Rossing, George Bakris, Nicolas Belmar, Heidrun Bosch-Traberg, Robert Busch, David M Charytan, Samy Hadjadj, Pieter Gillard, José Luis Górriz, Thomas Idorn, Linong Ji, Kenneth W Mahaffey, Vlado Perkovic, Søren Rasmussen, Roland E Schmieder, Richard E Pratley, Katherine R Tuttle | Johannes F.E. Mann | KfH Kidney Centre, Germany | Nature Medicine | 121 | 10.1038/s41591-024-03133-0 |
| 4 | Global burden of type 1 diabetes in adults aged 65 years and older, 1990-2019: population based study | Kaijie Yang, Xue Yang, Chenye Jin, Shuangning Ding, Tingting Liu, Bing Ma, Hao Sun, Jing Zhang, Yongze Li | Yongze Li | First Hospital of China Medical University, China | BMJ | 111 | 10.1136/bmj-2023-078432 |
| 5 | The immunology of type 1 diabetes | Kevan C Herold, Thomas Delong, Ana Luisa Perdigoto, Noah Biru, Todd M Brusko, Lucy S K Walker | Kevan C. Herold, Lucy S. K. Walker | Yale University, United States | Nature reviews. Immunology | 96 | 10.1038/s41577-023-00985-4 |
| 6 | 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, Ying Zhou, Weihua Dong, Ming Zhang, Yongquan Shi, Xin Cheng, Hao Yin, Clinical Group | Weihua Dong, Ming Zhang, Yongquan Shi, Xin Cheng, Hao Yin | Chinese Academy of Sciences, China | Cell Discovery | 68 | 10.1038/s41421-024-00662-3 |
| 7 | Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor is a T cell-negative costimulatory molecule | Moufida Ben Nasr, Vera Usuelli, Sergio Dellepiane, Andy Joe Seelam, Teresa Vanessa Fiorentino, Francesca D'Addio, Emma Fiorina, Cong Xu, Yanan Xie, Hari Baskar Balasubramanian, Eduardo Castillo-Leon, Lara Loreggian, Anna Maestroni, Emma Assi, Cristian Loretelli, Ahmed Abdelsalam, Basset El Essawy, Silvia Uccella, Ida Pastore, Maria Elena Lunati, Gianmarco Sabiu, Adriana Petrazzuolo, Giacomo Ducci, Elena Sacco, Lucia Centofanti, Massimo Venturini, Serena Mazzucchelli, Deborah Mattinzoli, Masami Ikehata, Giuseppe Castellano, Gary Visner, Liu Kaifeng, Kang Mi Lee, Zhimin Wang, Domenico Corradi, Stefano La Rosa, Silvio Danese, Jun Yang, James F Markmann, Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti, Reza Abdi, Franco Folli, Paolo Fiorina | Franco Folli, Paolo Fiorina | Università di Milano, Italy | Cell Metabolism | 62 | 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.05.001 |
| 8 | Global, regional, and national burden of type 1 diabetes in adolescents and young adults | Boshen Gong, Wanyu Yang, Yumin Xing, Yaxin Lai, Zhongyan Shan | Yaxin Lai, Zhongyan Shan | The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, China | Pediatric Research | 56 | 10.1038/s41390-024-03107-5 |
| 9 | Continuous glucose monitoring for the routine care of type 2 diabetes mellitus | Ramzi A Ajjan, Tadej Battelino, Xavier Cos, Stefano Del Prato, Jean-Christophe Philips, Laurent Meyer, Jochen Seufert, Samuel Seidu | Samuel Seidu | University of Leeds, United Kingdom | Nature Reviews Endocrinology | 50 | 10.1038/s41574-024-00973-1 |
| 10 | Amphiregulin from regulatory T cells promotes liver fibrosis and insulin resistance in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis | Thomas M Savage, Katherine T Fortson, Kenia de Los Santos-Alexis, Angelica Oliveras-Alsina, Mathieu Rouanne, Sarah S Rae, Jennifer R Gamarra, Hani Shayya, Adam Kornberg, Renzo Cavero, Fangda Li, Arnold Han, Rebecca A Haeusler, Julien Adam, Robert F Schwabe, Nicholas Arpaia | Nicholas Arpaia | Columbia University, United States | Immunity | 48 | 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.01.009 |
| 11 | Pathogenic hypothalamic extracellular matrix promotes metabolic disease | Cait A Beddows, Feiyue Shi, Anna L Horton, Sagar Dalal, Ping Zhang, Chang-Chun Ling, V Wee Yong, Kim Loh, Ellie Cho, Chris Karagiannis, Adam J Rose, Magdalene K Montgomery, Paul Gregorevic, Matthew J Watt, Nicolle H Packer, Benjamin L Parker, Robyn M Brown, Edward S X Moh, Garron T Dodd | Garron T. Dodd | The University of Melbourne, Australia | Nature | 48 | 10.1038/s41586-024-07922-y |
| 12 | The epidemiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus in older adults | Dunya Tomic, Jessica L Harding, Alicia J Jenkins, Jonathan E Shaw, Dianna J Magliano | Dunya Tomic | Monash University, Australia | Nature Reviews Endocrinology | 46 | 10.1038/s41574-024-01046-z |
| 13 | Glucose-sensitive insulin with attenuation of hypoglycaemia | Thomas Hoeg-Jensen, Thomas Kruse, Christian L Brand, Jeppe Sturis, Christian Fledelius, Peter K Nielsen, Erica Nishimura, Alice R Madsen, Lennart Lykke, Kim S Halskov, Simona Koščová, Vladislav Kotek, Anthony P Davis, Robert A Tromans, Michael Tomsett, Guillem Peñuelas-Haro, Daniel J Leonard, Michael G Orchard, Andy Chapman, Gaetano Invernizzi, Eva Johansson, Daniele Granata, Bo F Hansen, Thomas A Pedersen, Jonas Kildegaard, Karen-Margrethe Pedersen, Hanne H F Refsgaard, Lene Alifrangis, Johannes J Fels, Anita V Neutzsky-Wulff, Per Sauerberg, Rita Slaaby | Rita Slaaby | Novo Nordisk, Denmark | Nature | 45 | 10.1038/s41586-024-08042-3 |
| 14 | SGLT2 inhibitors ameliorate NAFLD in mice via downregulating PFKFB3, suppressing glycolysis and modulating macrophage polarization | Xia-Fang Lin, Xiao-Na Cui, Jin Yang, Ya-Fei Jiang, Tian-Jiao Wei, Li Xia, Xin-Yue Liao, Fei Li, Dan-Dan Wang, Jian Li, Qi Wu, De-Shan Yin, Yun-Yi Le, Kun Yang, Rui Wei, Tian-Pei Hong | Tianjiao Wei, Rui Wei, Tianpei Hong | Peking University Third Hospital, China | Acta Pharmacologica Sinica | 45 | 10.1038/s41401-024-01389-3 |
| 15 | Real-World Evidence of Omnipod <sup>®</sup> 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System Use in 69,902 People with Type 1 Diabetes | Gregory P Forlenza, Daniel J DeSalvo, Grazia Aleppo, Emma G Wilmot, Cari Berget, Lauren M Huyett, Irene Hadjiyianni, José J Méndez, Lindsey R Conroy, Trang T Ly, Jennifer L Sherr | Trang T. Ly | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States | Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics | 44 | 10.1089/dia.2023.0578 |
| 16 | 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, Zenith Khashim, Hezlin Marzook, Ahmed M Al-Rawi, Tiana Salomon, Mahra K Almansoori, Moustafa M Madkour, Ahmed Mohamed Hamam, Mahmoud M Ramadan, Quinn P Peterson, Mohamed A Saleh | Fatmah R Alsereidi | University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | Cardiovascular Diabetology | 43 | 10.1186/s12933-024-02481-y |
| 17 | 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, Stefanie Lanzinger, Siv Janne Kummernes, Nicolai A Lund-Blix, Reinhard W Holl, Elke Fröhlich-Reiterer, David M Maahs, Osagie Ebekozien, Saketh Rompicherla, Justin T Warner, Saira Pons Perez, Holly Robinson, Maria E Craig, Stephanie Johnson, Karin Akesson, Alexander Thorén, Katarina Eeg-Olofsson, Ajenthen G Ranjan, Mette Madsen, Michael Witsch, Heiko Bratke, G Todd Alonso, Zdenek Sumnik, Vit Neuman, Ondrej Cinek, Torild Skrivarhaug, Jannet Svensson | Anthony Zimmermann | Lyell McEwin Hospital, Australia | The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology | 43 | 10.1016/s2213-8587(24)00279-1 |
| 18 | Metformin targets mitochondrial complex I to lower blood glucose levels | Colleen R Reczek, Ram P Chakrabarty, Karis B D'Alessandro, Zachary L Sebo, Rogan A Grant, Peng Gao, G R Budinger, Navdeep S Chandel | Colleen R. Reczek, Navdeep S. Chandel | Northwestern University, United States | Science Advances | 42 | 10.1126/sciadv.ads5466 |
| 19 | Proteomic predictors of individualized nutrient-specific insulin secretion in health and disease | Jelena Kolic, WenQing Grace Sun, Haoning Howard Cen, Jessica D Ewald, Jason C Rogalski, Shugo Sasaki, Han Sun, Varsha Rajesh, Yi Han Xia, Renata Moravcova, Søs Skovsø, Aliya F Spigelman, Jocelyn E Manning Fox, James Lyon, Leanne Beet, Jianguo Xia, Francis C Lynn, Anna L Gloyn, Leonard J Foster, Patrick E MacDonald, James D Johnson | Jelena Kolic, James D. Johnson | University of British Columbia, Canada | Cell Metabolism | 41 | 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.06.001 |
| 20 | Continuous Glucose Monitoring Profiles in Pregnancies With and Without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus | Celeste Durnwald, Roy W Beck, Zoey Li, Elizabeth Norton, Richard M Bergenstal, Mary Johnson, Sean Dunnigan, Matthew Banfield, Katie Krumwiede, Judy Sibayan, Peter Calhoun, Anders L Carlson | Celeste Durnwald | University of Pennsylvania, United States | Diabetes Care | 39 | 10.2337/dc23-2149 |

## Topic trends

### 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*

### 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*

## 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
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