Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2025: Career-Long List

Belgium has 2,188 scientists on the 2025 career-long Top 2% list, up 9.6% from 1,997 in 2024. That places Belgium 18th in the world by number of listed scientists. KU Leuven has the most listed scientists (376), followed by Universiteit Gent (329).

Single Year

2,124

+117 (+5.8%) vs 2024

Career Data

2,188

+191 (+9.6%) vs 2024

World rank by count

#18

No change vs 2024

Institutes

244

+77 (+46.1%) vs 2024

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

The career-long count has grown 55% since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+17.9%

2022+6.2%

2023+5.2%

2024+7.3%

2025+9.6%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	1,503		1,413
2021	1,780	+18.4%	1,666	+17.9%
2022	1,872	+5.2%	1,769	+6.2%
2023	1,935	+3.4%	1,861	+5.2%
2024	2,007	+3.7%	1,997	+7.3%
2025	2,124	+5.8%	2,188	+9.6%

Top 10 institutes in Belgium

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2025

Show the list

1KU Leuven376
2Universiteit Gent329
3Université Catholique de Louvain166
4Université Libre de Bruxelles130
5Universiteit Antwerpen106
6Université de Liège102
7KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven85
8Vrije Universiteit Brussel81
9European Commission Joint Research Centre51
10Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent41

All 2,188 scientists

Career-long list2025

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in Belgium	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	91	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
2	99	DC De Clercq, Erik D.	KU Leuven	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 1
3	710	RP Rutgeerts, Paul J.	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 12
4	940	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 27
5	1,083	Cani, Patrice D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 33
6	1,198	SJ Scheen, J. Jacques	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 27
7	1,324	VD Van Den Berghe, G. H.a.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 39
8	1,417	NS Nolan, Steven Patrick	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 42
9	1,470	FR Fagard, Robert H.	Departement Revalidatiewetenschappen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 83
10	1,509	DS De Strooper, B.	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 143
11	1,514	VC van Cutsem, Éric J.D.G.	KU Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 62
12	1,637	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 15
13	1,797	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Université de Liège	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 53
14	2,227	VD van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 8
15	2,231	CD Collen, Désiré C.	Departement Cardiovasculaire Wetenschappen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 111
16	2,568	TJ Tack, Jan F.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 47
17	2,569	BR Bouillon, Roger A.	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 89
18	2,727	NB Nilius, Bernd	KU Leuven	Physiology	Rank 6
19	2,820	HG Hofstede, Geert H.	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 26
20	2,821	SJ Staessen, Jan A.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 133
21	3,193	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 89
22	3,442	VW Verbeke, Wim A.J.	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 11
23	3,471	PM Piccart-Gebhart, Martine J.	Institut Jules Bordet	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 140
24	3,860	RM Roberfroid, Marcel B.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 161
25	4,028	LB Lambrecht, Bart Norbert	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 155
26	4,144	GX Gonze, Xavier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Applied Physics	Rank 118
27	4,223	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 187
28	4,686	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	Departement Elektrotechniek (ESAT)	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 119
29	4,744	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 85
30	4,799	VD Van de Peer, Y.	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 33
31	4,827	BJ Balzarini, Jan M.	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 11
32	4,970	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	KU Leuven	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 34
33	5,184	DH de Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 91
34	5,262	VW Verstraete, Willy Henry	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 131
35	5,277	VS Vermeire, Sèverine A.R.A.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 91
36	5,355	RY Rosseel, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Social Sciences Methods	Rank 7
37	5,435	LS Laureys, Steven	Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 463
38	5,586	VJ Verweij, Jaap	Cancer Drug Development Forum	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 242
39	6,022	TP Tompa, Péter S.	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 260
40	6,079	GH Goossens, Herman J.	Faculteit Geneeskunde en Gezondheidswetenschappen	Microbiology	Rank 150
41	6,250	PF Peeters, François Maria	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 158
42	6,686	VR Vanholder, Raymond Camille	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 56
43	6,840	DJ Donnez, Jacques M.D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 28
44	6,952	KJ Koenderink, Jan J.	KU Leuven	Experimental Psychology	Rank 117
45	6,974	PR Pauwels, Romain A.R.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Respiratory System	Rank 61
46	7,073	DV De Vuyst, Luc	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Microbiology	Rank 173
47	7,098	BA Bogaerts, Annemie A.M.B.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 185
48	7,431	CG Cornélis, Guy Richard	Université de Namur	Microbiology	Rank 186
49	8,006	LH Larson, Heidi Jane	Universiteit Antwerpen	Virology	Rank 45
50	8,110	Í Inze ́, Dirk G.	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 68
51	8,161	DV Desmet, Valeer Julien	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 142
52	8,164	LN Lameire, Norbert Hendrik	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 72
53	8,339	DY Dufréne, Yves Frédéric	Université Catholique de Louvain	Microbiology	Rank 214
54	8,415	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 65
55	8,468	SJ Schoenen, Jean E.	Université de Liège	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 693
56	8,582	VJ Van-Humbeeck, Jan	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 100
57	8,596	MC Mathieu, Chantal	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 240
58	8,757	NY Nesterov, Yu E.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Operations Research	Rank 19
59	8,887	GW Glänzel, Wolfgang	KU Leuven	Science Studies	Rank 10
60	9,113	DN Delzenne, Nathalie Maria	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 72
61	9,155	DB de Backer, Daniel P.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 32
62	9,221	VY Vandenplas, Yván	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 159
63	9,386	VI VERGOTE, Ignace B.P.	Leuvens Kankerinstituut	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 414
64	9,503	MP Maquet, Pierre A.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 784
65	9,569	NR Naeije, Robert	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Respiratory System	Rank 94
66	9,632	HJ Henquin, Jean Claude	Faculté de Médecine et Médecine Dentaire	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 274
67	9,719	FR Feyereisen, Renè	Universiteit Gent	Entomology	Rank 8
68	9,922	VJ Vermorken, Jan Baptist	Faculteit Geneeskunde en Gezondheidswetenschappen	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 437
69	10,097	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy E.E.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 174
70	10,146	RK Ravichandran, Kodi S.	Universiteit Gent	Developmental Biology	Rank 456
71	10,232	BA Berger, André L.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 117
72	10,248	LH Lijnen, Henri Roger	Departement Cardiovasculaire Wetenschappen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 482
73	10,601	DM Decramer, Marc L.A.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Respiratory System	Rank 102
74	10,701	FW Fiers, Walter C.	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 484
75	10,841	VP Vandamme, Peter A.	Ghent University, Laboratory of Microbiology	Microbiology	Rank 262
76	10,894	RT Roskams, Tania A.D.	Departement Beeldvorming & Pathologie	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 193
77	11,395	MS Muyldermans, Serge V.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 512
78	11,480	VS van Steenberghe, Daniël	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Dentistry	Rank 41
79	11,522	BM Buyse, Marc E.	International Drug Development Institute, Charleroi	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 501
80	11,669	DB de Backer, Guy G.	Universiteit Gent	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 541
81	11,891	LP Lancellotti, Patrizio M.D.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 548
82	11,974	VA Vermeulen, Alex	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 342
83	12,094	CJ Cornil, Jérǒme	Université de Mons	Chemical Physics	Rank 277
84	12,255	TJ Thevelein, Johan M.	KU Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 291
85	12,359	CJ Charlier, Jean Christophe	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 196
86	12,372	MJ Maertens, Johan A.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 294
87	12,401	GS Goriely, Stéphane	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 170
88	12,417	VS van Steirteghem, André C.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 68
89	12,470	BT Boon, Thierry	de Duve Institute	Immunology	Rank 443
90	12,713	HJ Harvey, Jeremy Noel	KU Leuven	Chemical Physics	Rank 292
91	12,825	VJ Vansteenkiste, Johan Filip	University Hospitals Leuven (UZ)	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 551
92	12,829	FJ Fryns, Jean Pierré	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Genetics & Heredity	Rank 44
93	12,967	GG Govers, Gerard	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 37
94	13,036	LM Lamkanfi, Mohamed	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 466
95	13,132	BJ Body, Jean–Jacques	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 570
96	13,334	DP Dubois, Philippe H.	Université de Mons	Polymers	Rank 100
97	13,409	Coenye, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 323
98	13,418	BP Brugada, Pedro	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 606
99	13,527	DP DeVroey, Paul	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 83
100	13,711	BC Blanpain, Cédric D.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Developmental Biology	Rank 595
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2025

South Korea2,620 scientists

Denmark2,207 scientists

Israel2,204 scientists

Taiwan1,898 scientists

Finland1,532 scientists

Norway1,493 scientists

Explore other countries

Career-long list2025

Germany12,166 scientists

France7,284 scientists

Netherlands4,755 scientists

Switzerland3,659 scientists

Austria1,472 scientists

Luxembourg65 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Belgium are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?

2,124 scientists affiliated with Belgium are on the 2025 single-year list, and 2,188 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Belgium has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2025 career-long list, KU Leuven has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 376. It is followed by Universiteit Gent with 329.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Belgium changed since 2020?

On the career-long list, Belgium went from 1,413 scientists in 2020 to 2,188 in 2025, a change of +54.8%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.