Each year, Clarivate identifies the world’s most influential researchers ─ the select few who have been most frequently cited by their peers over the last decade.

In 2021, fewer than 6,700 among 8M scientists, or about 0.1%, of the world's researchers, in 21 research fields and across multiple fields, have earned this exclusive distinction. Thus, the list of Highly Cited Researchers for 2021 identifies scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated significant and broad influence through publication of multiple highly-cited papers during the last decade.

Dr Esteller has earned this honor by his work in Epigenetics, the field that studies all the chemical modifications in the biological material (DNA, RNA and proteins) that, by regulating gene activity, provides cellular, tissue and organ identity. Dr. Esteller's research has made it possible to understand the contribution of epigenetic alterations in human disease, especially cancer, and to develop biomarkers for its early diagnosis, as well as new treatments.