Iran’s Royan Institute ranked among world’s top 10 institutions in male infertility research

Iran’s Royan Institute has been ranked among the world's ten most influential institutions in male infertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART), and ninth in a global scientometric analysis of research published between 2000 and 2019, the institute's president said.

Abdolhossein Shahverdi said the recognition was based on the findings of an international scientometric study titled A Scientometric Analysis of Research Publications on Male Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology, published in the peer-reviewed journal Andrologia in 2020.

The study analyzed two decades of scientific output on male infertility and ART worldwide and identified the 10 most influential institutions in the field based on their research performance and scientific impact.

"The study introduced the world's 10 most influential centers, and Royan ranked ninth," Shahverdi said, describing the result as "a major achievement" for Iran in the field of male infertility research and treatment.

He said the ranking reflects nearly three decades of sustained scientific work at Royan Institute.

"The good things that have happened over the past three decades at Royan have ultimately led to achievements such as this," Shahverdi said, adding that years of research by the institute's scientists and clinicians had culminated in international recognition.

He credited the achievement to the dedication of the institute's researchers, as well as the long-term support the center has received, especially from the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

"The trust placed in the institute by the Leader, the efforts of our colleagues, and God's blessings all contributed to this success," he was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.

Shahverdi also noted that Royan's scientific accomplishments are often recognized more readily abroad than at home.

"The appreciation we receive outside the country is, in many cases, greater than what we receive domestically," he said, describing the international publication as an independent acknowledgment of the institute's scientific standing.

The Royan chief added that the paper, produced by an international team of researchers, provides objective evidence of the institute's global influence in male infertility research.

The latest recognition adds to Royan Institute's growing international scientific profile.

Earlier, two Royan researchers — Dr. Hossein Baharvand and Dr. Faezeh Shekari — were named among the world's top 1% most highly cited scientists based on Clarivate's Essential Science Indicators (ESI), which measure researchers' global scientific impact through citation performance over a rolling 10-year period.

In another major achievement, five Royan scientists were included in Stanford University's 2025 list of the world's top 2% most-cited researchers for their contributions to clinical medicine, biochemistry, and molecular biology.

Founded as one of Iran's leading biomedical research centers, Royan Institute is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in reproductive medicine, infertility treatment, embryo development, stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology.

The institute also develops biological products and recombinant proteins while providing advanced clinical services in infertility treatment and cell therapy.

Over the years, Royan has consistently ranked among Iran's leading scientific institutions, with its researchers regularly appearing in internationally recognized citation-based rankings, reflecting the institute's sustained contribution to global biomedical research.

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