Announcements

With the first issue released in June 2023, five new MDPI journals disseminating multi-disciplinary science are due to launch, which will cover the subjects of medicine & pharmacology, biology and physical sciences.

The newly launched journals will be overseen by professional Editorial Board Members and Editors to ensure an accurate and rapid publication, rigorous peer review and broad visibility.

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

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal topics (selected)
	Prof. Dr. Jun Ma, Peking University, China| Editorial | view inaugural issue	growth and development; diet and nutrients; school health promotion policies and practices; child health and care; adolescent health and wellbeing | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Bernd Rehm, Griffith University, Australia | Editorial | view inaugural issue	DNA and gene synthesis; synthetic transcription factors; protein engineering; viral engineering; metabolic engineering | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Varsha Gandhi, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	lymphatics; cancers associated with lymphocytes and lymphoblasts; lymphatic tissues; lymphoma; lymphoid leukemia | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Bradley Turner, University of Melbourne, Australia | Editorial | view inaugural issue	multiple sclerosis; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; primary lateral sclerosis; atherosclerosis; systemic sclerosis | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Clemens Burda, Case Western Reserve University, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	Gamma ray, X-ray, and UV–Vis spectroscopies; NIR/mid-infrared/Raman spectroscopy; microwave and THz spectroscopy; high-resolution gas-phase atomic, molecular, and cluster spectroscopy; MS, NMR, and EPR spectroscopy | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to submit an application to the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com) if you would like to create more new journals.

The 2022 citation metrics have been released in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), and we’re pleased to announce the following results for MDPI journals:

We are thrilled to announce that 90% of our ranked MDPI journals, specifically 86 out of 96 (captured in the table below), are performing above average in Q1 or Q2. This year, Clarivate has expanded its Impact Factor (IF) awards to include journals in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), providing greater transparency for the full set of journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. As a result, 111 of MDPI journals have received their first IF in 2023, with 37 journals surpassing an IF of 3.0. In total, 208 MDPI journals have been honored with an IF.

Clarivate explains that by "expanding the coverage but holding to highly selective standards, the [Impact Factor] is now a reliable indicator of trustworthiness, as well as a measure of scholarly impact, at the journal level."

Please visit our blog post where we discuss the release of the latest citation metrics with our Indexing Manager, Dr. Constanze Schelhorn, to find out what's different this time around and how to make use of different metrics available.

Note: The Journal of Personalized Medicine's Impact Factor was omitted in the original release and will be assigned separately. Please find the data on the journal webpage in due course.

Source: 2022 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports ^TM (Clarivate, 2023)

We are pleased to announce and invite you to join the International Conference Innovations for Sustainable Crop Production in the Mediterranean Region (ISPAMED), organized by the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Italy. ISPAMED will be held at the Main Lecture Hall “Gian Pietro Ballatore” of the SAAF from 12 to 13 July 2023. Attendance at ISPAMED will be free of charge for 20 young researchers (under 35) selected by a scientific committee.

The conference will provide a platform for agricultural scientists and agronomists to discuss current challenges and share their latest research achievements in agricultural science. The topics of the conference will be organized around the following sessions:

• Climate change, biodiversity and Mediterranean production;
• Enhancement of water resources and food safety;
• Economic aspects, sustainable crop production and consumption models;
• Emerging and re-emerging plant diseases in the context of climate change;
• Sustainable greenhouse production systems for vegetable crops.

After the conference, all participants will be encouraged to submit a full paper to a dedicated Special Issue in Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395, Impact Factor: 3.949): “Innovations for Sustainable Crop Production in the Mediterranean Region”. Manuscripts submitted to the Special Issue will be published with a 15% discount on the Article Processing Charge (APC).

We look forward to your participation.

To find out more about the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.ispamed.org/.

We are pleased to inform you that Agronomy‘s 2022 CiteScore is 5.2. Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) now ranks in Q1 in the “Agronomy and Crop Science”, ranked 76th among 376 titles in the category.

Our journal continues to build momentum in agronomy and agroecology. We would like to extend our congratulations to all concerned.

For more journal statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/stats.

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Agronomy 2022 Young Investigator Award—Dr. Leontina Lipan.

Name: Dr. Leontina Lipan

Affiliation: Miguel Hernández University, Spain

Interests: food quality; food safety; bioactive compounds; sensory analysis; consumer acceptance of food products; almonds; nuts; tropical fruits; water stress; stress markers; water scarcity; deficit irrigation strategies; spray drying; microencapsulation; probiotic bacteria

We would like to thank the award committee for selecting one winner from a large number of exceptional candidates, Dr. Leontina Lipan. We will continue to reward scholars with the Young Investigator Award to express our acknowledgment of their support for our journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). We wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Leontina Lipan:

1. How did you become interested in your current area of research?

My interest in research in the agro-food area increased gradually, beginning when I enrolled in the proteomics research group led by Prof. Dr. Ramona Suharoschi during the second year of my bachelor’s degree in food engineering at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania. I was fascinated by the idea of exploring new ways to enhance food safety and quality through scientific research.

Then, in the third year of my bachelor's degree, I obtained an Erasmus scholarship at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain, where I gained valuable international experience and exposure to different research methods. This experience motivated me to apply for an internship in the US, where I worked as a scientific assistant at the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. During my internship, I contributed to several projects that combined different fields, including agronomy, horticulture, and food science applied to apples, cherries, pears, and peaches.

After this enriching experience, I chose to enroll in a Ph.D. program at Miguel Hernández University, Spain, with the research group led by renowned professor and scientific researcher Prof. Dr. Ángel Carbonell, where I focused on studying the effects of water deficit irrigation strategies on almond quality and the opinion of European consumers' regarding hydro-sustainable almonds.

Finally, my interest in science drove me as a young researcher, and currently I am pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship (founded by the Ministerio de Universidades and European Union—Next Generation EU) in Fruit Production Program (IRTA—Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology), with a focus on advanced techniques to predict the behavior of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts) in industrialization processes among others.
 
2. What are the struggles that come with being an early career researcher?

When it comes to struggles there are plenty of them, but I will list 3 of the most important in my opinion: (i) limited funding, which can make it challenging to conduct research and compete with more established researchers; (ii) stability; and (iii) publication record. Managing all these struggles can be time-consuming, and can lead to burnout and a loss of motivation, which can cause early career researchers to abandon their research careers altogether.
 
3. Could you describe any particularly interesting or unexpected results that you have discovered in your research so far?

One of the most interesting and unexpected results I have discovered in my research so far was during my doctoral thesis, where we found that certain water deficit irrigation strategies led to an improvement in almond quality and also in processed almonds, despite the decreased water availability. This was unexpected because it is commonly believed that water stress negatively affects crop yield and quality; however, the level of stress makes the difference in this case. Additionally, we found that consumers were willing to pay more for hydro-sustainable almonds, indicating a growing interest in environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices. These results were not only surprising, but also have significant implications for the agricultural industry and highlight the importance of sustainable water management practices in agriculture.
 
4. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far?

The most valuable lesson I've learned so far is the importance of collaboration and networking in scientific research. All my publications are co-signed by many authors (and this is another struggle, because sometimes you can be penalized/receive a lower score in a competition if you have more than x authors) because my research involved many collaborators from different areas. I have learned that by working with others, we can develop more robust research projects and gain insights that we may have overlooked on our own. Networking has also allowed me to connect with other researchers and industry professionals, providing an opportunity to know some wonderful people.
 
5. What is your motivation for research?

My motivation for research is driven by my passion for finding solutions that can help industries and sectors to produce food in a sustainable manner, ensuring that everyone has access to safe and healthy food. I know they are big words, and kind of difficult to fulfill, but I believe that research is to create a better world, and every researcher contributes to this goal.
 
6. We hope that the Young Investigator Award will open new opportunities for you. How does an Award like this one help to support the career of a young/early career researcher like you?

Winning the Young Investigator Award has been a great surprise, honor, and significant achievement for me. We all seek validation and approval for our actions, whether it is from our parents, relatives, friends, or supervisors (in this case). In my case, winning this award was a validation that I was on the right track with my research, and that my work has been recognized by the scientific community. You were asking me before about what my motivation for research is, so this recognition has been incredibly motivating and encouraging for me. Additionally, this will support my career, because this award has provided me with greater visibility and exposure within the scientific community, which can lead to new collaborations and opportunities for funding and research partnerships.
 
7. What qualities do you think young scientists need?

There are plenty of qualities required, but I believe the most important is to have a passion for their field of research and a dedication to make meaningful contributions to science and society; in this way, they can handle the struggles I have commented on before. Besides, they must have a strong work ethic, they need to be open-minded and receptive to feedback, and finally, possess the ability to manage their time effectively.
 
8. What are your plans for the future, and how do you hope to build upon your current work?

As a young researcher, I am always looking for new challenges and opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills. In the future, I plan to continue my research in these fields, particularly in the area of sustainable food production, nuts quality and industry, as well as consumer science. I hope to have the chance to build upon my current work by exploring new research questions and methods, collaborating with other scientists, and applying my findings to real-world problems.
 
9. As the winner of this award, would you like to take a moment to share your thoughts with the readers, or express gratitude towards those who have played a significant role in your research accomplishments?

Yes, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Agronomy for awarding me the young investigator award, and of course to the scientific committee for their evaluation.

I would also like to thank:

• Dr. Ramona Suharoschi, who was the one initiating me in the research field;
• Dr. Ángel Carbonell, who gave me the chance to learn from the best and the responsibility to carry out my own research;
• Dr. Esther Sendra and Dr. Agustí Romero, who are my mentors in this new chapter of my research career;
• Dr. Francisca Hernández, Prof. Dr. David López Lluch, Dr. Arturo Torrecillas, Dr. Laura Vázquez, Dr. Iván García Tejero, Dr. Mireia Corell, Dr. Xavier Miarnau, Dr. Mercè Rovira, Dr. Ignasi Batlle, and Dr. Luis Asin, among others, who were/are always open to answer my numerous questions.

I would also like to thank Dr. Marina Cano, Hanán Issa and all my colleagues for their support and guidance throughout my career. Their encouragement and feedback have been and continue to be instrumental in shaping my research, helping me to achieve this award.

Lastly, I would like to thank José A. Granero and my family and friends for their unwavering support and encouragement, which have been critical in keeping me motivated and focused on my research goals.

The International Day for Biological Diversity will be celebrated on 22 May 2023, under the theme “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity”, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of biodiversity issues. Biodiversity refers to the diversity of all life forms on Earth, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Biological diversity resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations; however, the loss of biodiversity threatens everything, including our health. We hope that the established MDPI journals on life sciences and biology, including Biology, Diversity, Fishes, Birds, Insects, Water, Forests, Grasses, Life, Seeds, Agriculture, and Agronomy, will provide suitable communication platforms. The aim is to strengthen scientific cooperation in response to the International Day for Biological Diversity and to embrace the potential to promote sustainable development.

“Avifaunal Diversity and Abundance in the Proposed Sarasalai Mangrove Reserve, Jaffna, Sri Lanka”
by Nitharsan Aloysius, Shashi Madhushanka and Chathuri Chandrika
Birds 2023, 4(1), 103-116; https://doi.org/10.3390/birds4010009

“Perils of Underestimating Species Diversity: Revisiting Systematics of Psammocambeva Catfishes (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from the Rio Paraíba do Sul Basin, South-Eastern Brazil”
by Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo Mattos, Paulo J. Vilardo, Pedro F. Amorim and Axel M. Katz
Taxonomy 2022, 2(4), 491-523; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy2040032

“Environmental DNA Metabarcoding: A Novel Contrivance for Documenting Terrestrial Biodiversity”
by Shahnawaz Hassan, Sabreena, Peter Poczai, Bashir Ah Ganai, Waleed Hassan Almalki, Abdul Gafur and R. Z. Sayyed
Biology 2022, 11(9), 1297; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11091297

“Dam Construction Impacts Fish Biodiversity in a Subtropical River Network, China”
by Xiongjun Liu, Julian D. Olden, Ruiwen Wu, Shan Ouyang and Xiaoping Wu
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060476

“Human Communities in Protected Natural Areas and Biodiversity Conservation”
by Elizabeth Olmos-Martínez, Heidi Leticia Romero-Schmidt, María del Carmen Blázquez, Camilo Arias-González and Alfredo Ortega-Rubio
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060441

“Effects of Habitat Fragmentation on the Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Erythroneurini in the Typical Karst Rocky Ecosystem, Southwest China”
by Chen Xiaoxiao, Jia Jiang, Ni Zhang, Xiao Yang, Yongkuan Chi and Yuehua Song
Insects 2022, 13(6), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060499

“Application of Ecological Restoration Technologies for the Improvement of Biodiversity and Ecosystem in the River”
by Li Pushuang, Dan Li, Xiaoqing Sun, Zhaosheng Chu, Ting Xia and Binghui Zheng
Water 2022, 14(9), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14091402

“Conservation-Status Gaps for Marine Top-Fished Commercial Species”
by Imanol Miqueleiz, Rafael Miranda, Arturo Hugo Ariño and Elena Ojea
Fishes 2022, 7(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes7010002

International Day for Biological Diversity

Date and time: 22 May 2023, 9–11 a.m. (CEST)

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar.

Conference: 19^th Annual International Conference of the Metabolomics Society

Date: 18–22 June 2023

Place: Niagara Falls Convention Centre, 6815 Stanley Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada L2G 3Y9

Booth: #T12

MDPI will be attending the 19^th Annual International Conference of the Metabolomics Society, which will be held from 18 to 22 June 2023 in downtown Niagara Falls, Canada, at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre.

The conference is the official annual meeting of the Metabolomics Society, and the largest metabolomics meeting worldwide. It will cover the major scientific themes of: technology advances; computational metabolomics, statistics, and bioinformatics; metabolomics in health and disease; and metabolomics of plants, food, environment and microbes. A special theme for this conference will focus on mental health, drug addiction and medicinal cannabis. The scientific program will include plenary and keynote talks, three parallel scientific sessions, interactive poster sessions, sponsor lunches, other networking events and a specially organized parallel session to promote metabolomics research in industry. A strong line-up of both introductory and advanced workshops will take place on Sunday, 18 June, and the morning of Monday, 19 June. To complement the exciting scientific program, the conference will offer a welcome reception, vibrant early career events, a conference dinner and other engaging social activities.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Metabolites;
• Agronomy;
• Antioxidants;
• Applied Biosciences;
• BioMed;
• BioMedInformatics;
• Biomolecules;
• Cancers;
• Cells;
• Children;
• CIMB;
• Diseases;
• Foods;
• Genes;
• JPM;
• Nutrients;
• Plants.

Please do not hesitate to reach out (metabolites@mdpi.com) if you plan on attending this conference. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you might have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.metabolomics2023.org/.

To commemorate the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023, MDPI is launching a special webinar to encourage researchers to come together, take action, and highlight how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts to raise awareness of all life.

Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms. We aim to encourage connection and collaboration among biological scientists and the international open access community to share and show support for biodiversity.

The webinar aims to encourage connections and collaboration among biological researchers and the international open access community to share and celebrate the role biological diversity plays in our lives.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Day for Biological Diversity Webinar 2023.

Conference secretariat: Ms. Shun Li
Date and time: 22 May 2023, 9:00 a.m. CEST

Register now for free!

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch. 

Keynote Speakers:

• Prof. Dr. Luca Sebastiani, Crop Science Research Centre – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies – Pisa, Italy;
• Dr. P. C. Abhilash, Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, India;
• Dr. Vittorio Capozzi, Department of Agricultural, University of Foggia, Italy.

Program

 Relevant Special Issues:

Agronomy 
"Wild Crop Relatives and Associated Biocultural and Traditional Agronomic Practices for Food and Nutritional Security"
Edited by: Purushothaman Chirakkuzhyil Abhilash, Ajeet Singh,Rama Kant Dubey, Hailin Zhang and Othmane Merah
Submission deadline: 23 June 2023 

Insects
"Pollinator Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services"
Edited by: Daniele Sommaggio and María Pérez-Marcos
Submission deadline: 30 September 2023

"Arthropod Trophic Associations in Natural, Urban, Agricultural, Aquatic and Forest Ecosystems: Destabilizing Agent"
Edited by: Erifili P. Nika and Nickolas G. Kavallieratos
Submission deadline: 31 December 2023

Forests
"Wildlife in Forest Habitats"
Edited by: Jakub Borkowski
Submission deadline: 10 July 2023

"Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Forests"
Edited by: Margarita Arianoutsou, Nikolaos Fyllas and Josep Peñuelas
Submission deadline: 5 August 2023

Land
"Feature Papers for Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing Section"
Edited by: Sean Sloan, Andrea Belgrano and Stephen Blake
Submission deadline: 5 July 2023

"Perspective on Habitat Degradation, Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, and Landscape Change"
Edited by: Vanessa Adams
Submission deadline: 26 September 2023

Water
"Biodiversity and Functionality of Plankton Communities"
Edited by: Natalia Kuczyńska-Kippen and Maria Špoljar
Submission deadline: 30 June 2023

"Impacts of Human Activities and Climate Change on Freshwater Fish, Volume II"
Edited by: Pietro Volta, Erik Jeppesen, Vanessa De Santis and Mustafa Korkmaz
Submission deadline: 25 September 2023

JoF
"Fungal Biodiversity and Ecology, 3rd Edition"
Edited by: Lei Cai
Submission deadline: 1 September 2023

"Macromycetes of the Northern Hemisphere: Phylogeny, Taxonomy, Diversity, Distribution, Ecology, Conservation"
Edited by: Vladimír Antonín
Submission deadline: 20 August 2023

As a leading open access publisher, MDPI provides scholars with a high-quality and rich academic exchange platform by continuously expanding into new and exciting research areas.

In December 2022, MDPI launched five new journals, covering multiple subjects such as life sciences, biology, medicine and pharmacology, social sciences and humanities. These new journals are being edited by established scholars across the world.

If you are interested in creating more open access journals with us to publish cutting-edge research, please send your journal proposal application to newjournal-committee@mdpi.com.