Announcements

Access the full interview to hear his insights in this conversation.

Conference: 27th Europhysics Conference on Atomic and Molecular Physics of Ionized Gases (ESCAMPIG)
Date: 7–11 July 2026
Location: Funchal, Portugal

MDPI will attend the 27th Europhysics Conference on Atomic and Molecular Physics of Ionized Gases (ESCAMPIG) as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Funchal, Portugal, from 7 to 11 July 2026.

The conference will be organized under the auspices of Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear (IPFN) and Universidade da Madeira (UMa). ESCAMPIG consists of plenary, invited general and topical lectures, poster sessions and workshops. All contributed papers (oral and poster) will be refereed by the International Scientific Committee, and only approved contributions will be published in the electronic book of contributed papers.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Plasma;
• Dynamics;
• Particles;
• Physics;
• Symmetry;
• Atoms.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://escampig2026.sciencesconf.org/?lang=en.

We are honored to announce that Prof. Dr. William Gerwick will serve as the Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee.

A world-renowned authority in marine natural products chemistry and pharmacology, Professor Gerwick is a Distinguished Professor at both the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). His pioneering work at the intersection of ocean sciences and drug discovery makes him a fitting leader for an award centered on transformative medicinal breakthroughs.

Under Professor Gerwick’s stewardship, the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee will focus on recognizing innovative and impactful research in natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, particularly work with the potential to drive meaningful advances in both scientific understanding and human health.

To provide further insight into his perspectives, we include below an interview with Professor Gerwick, in which he reflects on his scientific journey, his views on the field, and his vision for the Tu Youyou Award.

A Conversation with the Chair

1. Could you please introduce yourself and your research journey?

My research focuses on the natural products of marine algae and cyanobacteria, their application in medicine, their biosynthesis using genomic approaches, and innovative methods in the structure elucidation of natural products.

I received my BS degree from the University of California at Davis, my PhD from the University of California at San Diego, and conducted postdoctoral work at the University of Connecticut. After a couple of years in a junior faculty position at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, I spent 21 years as Professor of Pharmacy at Oregon State University. In 2005, I returned to my PhD institution at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC San Diego, where I am currently a Distinguished Professor of Oceanography and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to advancing the field through both leadership and mentorship. I have served as president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, chaired and co-chaired several major research conferences, and served as an associate editor for the Journal of Natural Products. I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and of the American Society of Pharmacognosy. I have trained over 100 doctoral and postdoctoral students, and my research group has published nearly 500 papers and more than 25 patents on topics in the natural product sciences and medicinal chemistry.

2. What motivated you to accept the role of Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee?

Of course, I am a huge supporter of all awards that are given in recognition of excellent scientific research, and especially so in the natural products sciences and medicinal chemistry. However, this award is truly special in that it recognizes scientific excellence as well as impact, and is given in the name of an individual, Tu Youyou, who clearly had many challenges along the path to reach the pinnacle of her success. Not only was she the first Chinese person to win a Nobel prize in this area, but she was also the first Chinese woman to receive a Nobel prize, and this was achieved without graduate education in China or elsewhere. It’s a true testament to what can be achieved by hard work, determination, and vision. To read the history of her extraordinary approach to discovering novel antimalarial compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine is truly inspirational. It is, therefore, the inspiration provided by the extraordinary life and career of Tu Youyou that motivated me to accept the Chair of the Award Committee for 2026.

3. How do you view the role of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry in today’s scientific landscape, and what major advances over the past decade have shaped this field?

A quite remarkable integration of fields is currently transforming natural products science and medicinal chemistry. In natural products, we are seeing integration of different omics methods, from metabolites to proteins to nucleic acids. Sophisticated biological and pharmacological approaches are driving the discovery of exquisitely potent and selective natural products. Advances are being made to integrate molecular-level recognition of natural products with chemical ecological studies, and sophisticated methods of structure determination using Artificial Intelligence or pioneering new tools such as microED are being applied with increasing frequency. High-level synthetic methodologies, such as protecting group-free synthetic routes, are enhancing medicinal chemistry, accelerating the identification of lead molecules with attractive pharmaceutical properties at an increasing pace.

4. How do you consider the balance between fundamental discovery (e.g., new molecules or mechanisms) and practical impact (e.g., therapeutic applications)?

Many individuals are excellent scientists and mentors, and have essential roles in developing our culture that values science and the scientific method. It should also be pointed out that not all scientific discoveries are going to have a broad societal impact, but they are nevertheless critical to the overall body and structure of science. But it is a truly remarkable individual who makes a key scientific discovery, recognizes its potential value to society in general, and then has the skills and determination to bring it forward as a useful product. That was the type of person the Tu Youyou is, and that is the type of person who is honored by the prize in her name.

5. What do you see as the key challenges or opportunities currently facing the field?

We are on the crux of an amazing revolution in many of the sciences, including natural products and medicinal chemistry; the purposeful application of Artificial Intelligence to solving many of the difficulties involved in the search for new pharmaceuticals from Nature. AI is transforming how we select organisms for study, what pharmaceutical targets to go after, rapidly resolving the chemical structures of new compounds, identifying efficient routes to their chemical synthesis, understanding their molecular mechanisms of action, and finally, designing their clinical application. The role of people in these pursuits is changing. Increasingly, the human role will be providing overall vision: what can we do? What should we do? And it is important to remember that AI is providing hypotheses, not truth. Scientists with expert domain knowledge will be critical for discerning the correctness of hypotheses put forth by AI. Altogether, advances in technology, expanding knowledge, and the appropriate use of AI methods are preparing society to be able to address emerging diseases, such as pandemics, as well as conditions that are not effectively treated by currently existing therapeutics.

6. How do you expect the Tu Youyou Award to contribute to the advancement of natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and human health over the coming years?

The Tu Youyou Award is potentially transformative for the broad fields of natural products science and medicinal chemistry as it brings a significantly increased level of visibility to these topics and their contributions to human health. It will be crucial to have excellent communication to news agencies, social media and other communication outlets so that the general public is informed and educated on the high impact of these natural product/medicinal chemistry contributions. This will bring increased funding, attract promising students, and generally enrich the interface of these fields with the health sector.

7. What message would you like to convey to the research community and the public during this open nomination phase?

This prize gives broad societal visibility to the role that natural products have had in shaping a majority of our current medicines, as well as understanding the life forms with whom we share the planet. Further, it recognizes a woman scientist working under sub-optimal conditions who could persevere and make discoveries of global impact. The prize and what it represents, therefore, inspires current and future generations to engage in the study of Nature and its relationship to Human Health, to overcome adversity, and to aspire to making one’s life impactful.

About the Tu Youyou Award

Established in 2016, the Tu Youyou Award seeks to honor those who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. This award offers a total prize of CHF 100,000, which will be equally divided among the winners if there is more than one, with each recipient receiving an award medal and a certificate.

The 2026 Tu Youyou Award is open for nominations until 31 October 2026. We encourage all eligible candidates to participate in this prestigious recognition, as this award not only honors individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exchange, exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website for more information on the nomination requirements.

We are pleased to announce that a new scholar has been appointed as an Editorial Board Member (EBM) for Dynamics (ISSN: 2673-8716), effective April 2026. We wish our new member success in both his research and his efforts to develop the journal.

Name: Prof. Dr. Zhiguang Song
Affiliation: College of Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
Interests: structural dynamics and vibration control; nonlinear dynamics; aeroelasticity; computational dynamics; smart materials and structures

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Dynamics 2025 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Editorial Board and editorial team of Dynamics (ISSN 2673-8716) would like to acknowledge the time and effort dedicated by reviewers in evaluating manuscripts submitted to this journal which has maintained Dynamics’ reputation for high quality and quick turnaround.

Winners:

• Prof. Ziemowit Malecha, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland;
• Dr. Dimitris Sfyris, Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Greece.

Prize:

• CHF 500;
• An electronic certificate;
• A free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year.

Dynamics Editorial Office

Our portfolio of journals available for publishing up-to-date research in immediate open access format has been further expanded. In the first quarter of 2026, nine new journals released their inaugural issues and three transferred journals released their first issue as part of MDPI, covering the subjects of clinical medicine, chemistry, computer science & mathematics, engineering, environment & ecology, and social sciences & psychology.

We extend our gratitude to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who will shape the future course of these brand-new journals. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create a new journal, you are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).

Conference: 2026 Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM2026)
Date: 4–8 May 2026
Location: Hong Kong, China

MDPI is excited to participate as an exhibitor at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting, which will be held from 4 to 8 May 2026. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

APRIM2026 will provide all participants with an enriched and full IAU science program experience. We aim to leave a legacy of significant impact in astronomy and related sciences across the Asia Pacific through collaboration. Aware of regional and national contexts in our diverse communities, we will endeavor to make APRIM2026 in Hong Kong a happy, respectful, tolerant, collegiate and inclusive event, promote both co-operation and competitiveness across our research, and bring about innovation through strong, regional collaborations.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Galaxies;
• Universe;
• Astronomy;
• Atoms;
• Dynamics;
• Physics;
• Symmetry;
• Time and Space.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://aprim2026.org/.

World Quantum Day, observed annually on 14 April, celebrates the importance of quantum science and technology and raises public awareness of its role in shaping the future. The date 14 April references 4.14, the rounded first digits of Planck’s constant, a fundamental constant at the heart of quantum physics. World Quantum Day highlights how quantum research continues to expand our understanding of the universe while driving innovation across computing, communication, sensing, materials, and other emerging technologies.

In recognition of World Quantum Day, MDPI reaffirms its commitment to advancing cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research. Through open access publishing, we support the dissemination of discoveries in quantum science, applied physics, engineering, and related fields—ensuring knowledge is accessible and empowering researchers to contribute to the next generation of scientific and technological breakthroughs.

“Quantum-Spacetime Perspective on the KM3-230213A Neutrino”
by Giovanni Amelino-Camelia, Giacomo D’Amico, Giuseppe Fabiano, Domenico Frattulillo, Giulia Gubitosi, Alessandro Moia and Giacomo Rosati
Time Space 2026, 2(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/timespace2010002

“Dynamics of Information Quantifiers in the Damped Rabi Oscillator”
by Flavia Pennini and Angelo Plastino
Foundations 2026, 6(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/foundations6010005

“Enhanced Quantum Dot Emission in Fibonacci Photonic Crystal Cavities Optimized for PECVD-Compatible Porous Silicon: A Computational Study”
by J. E. Mastache-Mastache, M. C. González, H. Martínez and B. Reyes-Ramírez
Plasma 2026, 9(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/plasma9010001

“Generalized Miller Formulae for Quantum Anharmonic Oscillators”
by Maximilian T. Meyer and Arno Schindlmayr
Dynamics 2025, 5(3), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/dynamics5030034

“Intertwined Orders and the Physics of High Temperature Superconductors”
by Eduardo Fradkin
Particles 2025, 8(3), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/particles8030070

“Electro-Optical Modulation of the Nonlinear Optical Response in a GaAs/AlGaAs Symmetric Multiple Quantum Well System”
by Carlos Alberto Dagua-Conda, John Alexander Gil-Corrales, Rebeca Victoria Herrero-Hahn, Miguel Eduardo Mora-Ramos, Alvaro Luis Morales and Carlos Alberto Duque
Physics 2025, 7(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/physics7020022

“Measurement-Induced Symmetry Restoration and Quantum Mpemba Effect”
by Giuseppe Di Giulio, Xhek Turkeshi and Sara Murciano
Entropy 2025, 27(4), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/e27040407

“Statistics of Quantum Numbers for Non-Equivalent Fermions in Single-j Shells”
by Jean-Christophe Pain
Atoms 2025, 13(4), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/atoms13040025

“Quantum-Ordering Ambiguities in Weak Chern—Simons 4D Gravity and Metastability of the Condensate-Induced Inflation”
by Panagiotis Dorlis, Nick E. Mavromatos and Sotirios-Neilos Vlachos.
Universe 2025, 11(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe11010015

“A Comprehensive Review of Quantum Circuit Optimization: Current Trends and Future Directions”
by Krishnageetha Karuppasamy, Varun Puram, Stevens Johnson and Johnson P. Thomas
Quantum Rep. 2025, 7(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/quantum7010002

“Magnetic Hopfions: A Review”
by Konstantin Guslienko
Magnetism 2024, 4(4), 383-399; https://doi.org/10.3390/magnetism4040025

“de Broglie, General Covariance and a Geometric Background to Quantum Mechanics”
by Basil Hiley and Glen Dennis
Symmetry 2024, 16(1), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym16010067

“Quantum Optics: Communication, Sensing, Computing, and Simulation” Guest Editors: Dr. Peng Xu, Prof. Dr. Dong Wang, Dr. Wei Xiong Deadline for submissions: 20 June 2026	“Quantum Theory 100 Years Later: Advances on Foundations and Applications” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Iver H. Brevik, Prof. Dr. Roberto Passante and Prof. Dr. Akbar Salam Deadline for submissions: 30 June 2026
“Superconducting Spin Dynamics and Quantum Effects” Guest Editor: Dr. Yunyan Yao Deadline for submissions: 30 June 2026	“New Horizons in Antiferromagnetic Spintronics: Exotic Ground States and Device Prospects” Guest Editors: Dr. Pingfan Gu, Dr. Yuxuan Peng and Dr. Shiqi Yang Deadline for submissions: 31 July 2026
“Quantum Technologies in Cold Atomic Systems” Guest Editor: Dr. Andrea Richaud Deadline for submissions: 31 August 2026	“Photoacoustic Imaging and Sensing: New Developments and Horizons” Guest Editors: Dr. Mario Siciliani de Cumis, Dr. Stefano Dello Russo and Dr. Jacopo Pelini Deadline for submissions: 20 October 2026

“The 2nd Electronic Conference on Universe” Organizers: MDPI and Universe Volume Editor: Lorenzo Iorio Highlights “Quantum Gravitational Non-Singular Tunneling Wavefunction Proposal” by Meysam Motaharfar and Parampreet Singh “A Rotating Model of a Light Speed Expanding Hubble-Hawking Universe” by U. V. Satya Seshavatharam and S. Lakshminarayana Click here to read the full list of papers.

We are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Tu Youyou Award. Named after Nobel Laureate Tu Youyou, whose discovery of artemisinin has saved millions of lives, this award recognizes researchers whose work advances the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, while also contributing to human health.

Prize

– CHF 100,000;
– A medal;
– A certificate.

The monetary prize will be shared equally should there be multiple recipients.

Who May Be Nominated?

– Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Nominees must be individuals; team or group nominations are not permitted. Nominations are valid only for the current award cycle.

Who May Submit a Nomination?

– The director of the nominee’s host research institution or recognized scientists within the field.

Self-nominations will not be considered.

Nomination Materials

– A biographical sketch;
– A detailed description of the nominee’s contributions;
– 5–10 representative academic publications;
– A list of academic honors, awards, and funded projects;
– A nomination letter signed by two nominators.

How to Submit?

Submit nominations online via the following link: https://tuyouyouprize.org/nomination

Important Dates

– Nomination Deadline: 31 October 2026
– Winner Announcement: March 2027

For further information, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website (https://tuyouyouprize.org/). For any inquiries, please contact the Tu Youyou Award Team at tuyouyouaward@mdpi.com.