Announcements

We recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Csaba Szabó about his paper “Gut Health and Influencing Factors in Pigs”, which was published in Animals (ISSN: 2076-2615) in 2023 and has received a significant amount of positive feedback from our readers.

The following is an interview with Dr. Szabó Csaba:

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your current research?
I graduated from the Kaposvár University in Hungary and my bachelor’s degree dates back to 1989. Due to the special organization of higher education in Hungary, I had already started to work after that, and I was so lucky to work at the university where I had been studying. During my work, I was able to complete my master’s degree in 1992 at the same university, but at a different faculty. I was very lucky to have a mentor, Prof. Dr. László Babinszky, who had returned from the Netherlands. I did ask for the possibility to start my Ph.D. program, and his condition was to write my Ph.D. thesis in English and go abroad to conduct research and study different methodologies. As a result, I did my Ph.D. in cooperation with the Wageningen University in the Netherlands and also with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Norway. Later, I also had the opportunity to gain a scholarship in Australia, at Melbourne University, so I was really lucky because I could learn from high-profile scholars from Australia, from the Netherlands, and from Norway. I think these opportunities meant a lot in my research area, which is the field of animal nutrition. About 10 years ago, I moved to the University of Debrecen, where I am based at the moment. This is the largest university in the countryside in Hungary. It has fourteen faculties, and I am heading the Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology.

Currently, we work mainly on poultry and pigs. We conducted a large project with pigs regarding the effect of heat stress and how to mitigate it. That was somewhat the beginning of the initial idea for this review. At the moment, we have nearly finished a big project where we are testing the effect of different feed additives on the colostrum quality of sows. And another recently accomplished project was to test the effect of in ovo methionine supplementation on layer genotypes.

2. What inspired you to write this review?
While we were conducting the research with pigs, we mainly focused on the small intestine. Researchers are mainly interested in the absorption of nutrients; therefore, the target of the small intestine. However, other parts of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) also have a significant role in digestion and in the metabolism of the animal. Our aim was to somehow define or describe what the normal function of these parts of the GIT is, what kind of disruptions can happen, and what the nutritional tools to overcome these problems are. So, actually, our aim was to give a kind of organized overview of this topic. Such a review would be a good compilation and base for research articles.

3. What do you think made the academic community respond to your review so positively?
My approach to preparing the review was to always try to present information that has not been gathered before. Preparing a review is like doing a puzzle. You have to think about a puzzle, and one piece of a puzzle is a research paper. So, you then see the results, but you may not see the picture. You try to put together the picture, and that is very important. The second important factor is to find a good structure for your paper and a good organization for your review, because then it is more appealing to the readers, and they can quickly gather what kind of information they can expect from this review. I see that these kinds of things can make a review good and well received, and we always try to achieve these things.

4. What can readers learn from your review?
The good thing is that readers can have a kind of overview of information on the digestive tract, what happens there, and what can cause a problem. Even someone who doesn’t work with digestion in the stomach itself can still gain some information from this review, and it is easily accessible. People can read this review without any specific purpose, but they can run into an interesting fact that will inspire them to dig deeper or use this information in a different way. To conclude, it is a summary that can help people gain an overview of knowledge, and if they are interested in a certain detail, they can check the references or even look for more recent publications.

5. What do you think the future directions for your research are?
We are planning research on the effect of different feed supplements on the calcium metabolism of laying hens. We have noticed that some human nutritional supplements, such as poppy oil, are thought to have a very positive effect on calcium metabolism. However, there is not much research in the literature, so we would like to examine it and check if it really works with poultry. I also have been involved in equine research. I’m a horse enthusiast, and I am also a qualified trainer and judge at jumping shows, heading two equine study programs at the University of Debrecen. We have horses for educational purposes, and we are planning to do some research on them regarding feed supplementation, energy sources, and how they change with different factors. These are my plans for the near future.

6. Why did you choose Animals as the platform for your work?
As an academic person working at a university, we are under a kind of pressure to publish, and if we look also at other practical considerations, all Ph.D. students in our system need to finalize their Ph.D. program in 4 years, and in Hungary, they have to publish their papers. From a practical side, preparing the thesis and going through the evaluation process, including, for example, the reading committee, the pre-defense stage, the final corrections, and, later, the final handling and final defense, and so on, takes almost a year. If you think about it, going through this journey is very time-consuming, and time is an important factor. The feedback from journals is also very important here, and in some traditional journals, waiting for feedback takes a lot of time. In short, we do not have much time to wait for responses from journals. We take into consideration the speed of publishing, and Animals is doing very well in this aspect. Reputation is also an important factor for us, and we need to publish in Q1 journals.

7. Did you encounter any problems with your paper, and if so, how did you solve them?
I didn’t encounter any issues during the peer review process. As for the writing of the review, you always want your paper to be understood by a reader. Sometimes, the way you write your idea is different from what reviewers express in their reports, but the point is that other people can understand your idea, even if it’s not in your own words. While writing my Ph.D. thesis, I learned that the process of writing and revising a paper is continuous, and you always find something to improve. In the end, you want your paper to be understood by the readers, so you follow the process. You also need a good team in your research to avoid possible problems. We have different approaches, we see different perspectives, and that’s why it is important to work in a team. Sometimes it is difficult. There also needs to be a leading researcher, someone in control of the quality, structure, and coherence of the information put together in the research paper. So, this part, I would say, is more difficult than answering the reviewers’ comments.

8. What advice would you give to young scholars seeking to get into academia or publish their work?
One of the most important pieces of advice is to find the opportunity to go abroad. From my experience, these study trips contributed a lot to myself and to my scientific journey. What we see nowadays in the world is that it’s very difficult to maintain our mental health. It is good for researchers to visit different countries and meet new people. You can always learn something new, and you can make new connections—see new approaches and perspectives. These things can help you to place yourself on the correct shelf, in the correct position. I encourage young researchers to find scholarship opportunities and go abroad to study, to see, and join research groups. This is a great way to gain knowledge and contacts. It is also important to go to conferences in person to meet new people, do background talks, have dinners together, and spread your network of contacts.

The other important thing is to have a correct evaluation of yourself and your research work, and to then trust yourself. Trust yourself that you can prepare a paper. Always try with more difficult journals. What is the worst thing that can happen? Even if you get rejected, you are lucky because you got reviewers’ opinions, and then you can already improve your paper based on that. What I used to say is that if we submit a paper and it has been sent to reviewers, it’s already a success. You have a chance to improve even if it doesn’t get accepted. Trust yourself, and if you then gain good knowledge about it, meet the expectations, and you fulfil yourself, you can achieve a lot.

We recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Randall Lockwood, former Senior Vice President of the ASPCA, following his win of the Animals Outstanding Reviewer Award 2025.

The Outstanding Reviewer Award is presented annually to recognize reviewers who generously contribute their time to reviewing papers and display thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness while doing so.

The following is an interview with Dr. Lockwood:

1. Could you give us a brief introduction to yourself and an overview of your current research?
I received my Ph.D. in comparative psychology in 1976 and have, for the last 40 years, specialized in human–animal relationships and animal welfare. I was a college professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook for 8 years, Vice President of The Humane Society of the United States for 21 years and Senior Vice President of American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) for the last 20 years.
My work, for 40 years, has involved working with humane societies, law-enforcement agencies and environmental groups worldwide, providing consultancy on the interactions between people and domestic and wild animals. I have testified in various trials involving animal cruelty or the treatment of animals in the context of other crimes, including dog fighting, homicide, child abuse and domestic violence.
Since 2019, I have retired, but continue serving as a consultant for multiple animal welfare boards including ASPCA for Policy, Response and Engagement activities and the Morris Animal Foundation Animal Welfare Advisory Board. I further serve on the board of several organizations, including the National Link Coalition, which explores other types of cruelty, and for which I review a lot of journal articles, as well as The Biodiversity Group which works on locating previously thought-to-be endangered and extinct species—especially less glamorous ones.
Staying busy even though I am “retired” allows me to stay in touch with current science. I find the process of reviewing papers and proposals to be very educational; it forces me to think and read more.

2. Why is the peer review process important to you?
There is so much disregard for science and a lot of bad reporting by non-peers commenting on research. Peer review helps keep research legitimate and allows new science to be exposed to the right level of scrutiny. I see myself as a teacher—not as a gatekeeper.

3. What do you think the biggest benefits to reviewing are for the peer reviewer?
One of the biggest benefits of reviewing as a peer reviewer is getting first-hand knowledge of research that’s not yet published. What I review is directly relevant to at least one of the organizations that I work with, so I can take note of these papers and pass them onto interested colleagues once they have been published. It is all highly relevant to my colleagues who can stay at the cutting edge of research.
I can also compare the ASPCA grant proposals I receive against papers I am reviewing; it is a good way for me to see what the strengths and weaknesses are of ongoing research.
It is also part of my responsibility to educate authors, considering I have had such a long career and gained a lot of experience. Reviews of weaker papers should take longer, to help authors improve their work and train them to do better science. There is an increase in first-time author papers across all journals and these authors need the most help; this is where a good reviewer can be helpful in educating new researchers. I may also recommend to authors more appropriate outlets for their research to help them find their correct readership.

4. What are the key factors and aspects that you consider most when reviewing a manuscript? How do you ensure that you are fair and balanced in your review?
I firstly look at ethical issues, especially when it’s an animal paper—typically these won’t be ethical issues as the IRB or IACUC has already been involved—but it’s so important that I check. I also look at how well the authors’ conclusions match the data and how useful the research is; is it a trivial or painful elaboration of the obvious? Is it of interest? Papers can be more important than they first appear—you must understand why the paper was done. The papers I am more inclined to want major adjustments on are those that do not have a clear rationale. I also like to see papers that are innovative and use new techniques as well as papers that are written well and bring together good science with interesting questions.

5. What are your top tips for writing a helpful review?
I recommend doing some background reading, especially for interdisciplinary research—read some of the references that the authors are using. You need to be acquainted with the field and the research question at hand. I decline reviewing a paper if it is too far out of my area of expertise. Being a peer reviewer is a serious responsibility. You should always question your review reports including any excessive uses of self-citations. You need to help make sure, as far as possible, that the paper has good integrity and has a well-rounded reference list and awareness of the field.
My advice for authors looking to impress reviewers: you should try to get some peer review before you submit your manuscript—ask your colleagues for feedback, present at a conference, show your work at a seminar or consider using preprints. You should read your paper like an outsider as much as you can. Consider the presentation of your results well and make sure the story your data tells is clear.

6. What led you to review for Animals?
Animals is very relevant to me. I have published in Animals before and am familiar with the journal—I was reading it before I started reviewing for it. I don’t know how I came to the attention of the editors in the first place, but I was invited based on having published in these areas before. I get to see a wide range of authors’ work—some that I was not previously familiar with, and I have found new collaborators once I had reviewed their work. I usually choose to remain anonymous, but sometimes I will get in touch after the paper has been published.

7. How do you think publishers can help ensure a healthy peer review system?
I think it’s quite healthy now, at least for the journals that I review for. The structure of the report form is important for ensuring all essential areas are examined. The selection process for peer reviewers is also important to ensure that reviewers fit the paper’s topic well.
One of the good things about Animals is the rapid turnaround time—the right combination of deadline flexibility and speed. Some reviewers might find that that adds too much pressure, but usually doing a review within a week is not a problem for me. Some journals’ turnaround times are much longer. I also like the open access element of Animals, and thus how fast dissemination is. I think that’s very important. Hard copy journal publication is very expensive and slow. Open access is a great way to disseminate information accurately and quickly.

8. If you could change one thing about peer review what would it be?
It was nice that this award came with some money, but the peer review process is voluntary. Peer review is sometimes the one part of the whole cycle that does not benefit from the process—and I think pay for peer review can undermine that in the case for journals (book publishing can be different). I don’t think peer reviewers should be paid, personally. Reviewer vouchers are a good hybrid. I have used them for my publications in Animals before.

9. What would you suggest to early career researchers looking to get involved in peer review?
You will be invited to review a paper based on your own productivity and expertise. Volunteer to review—show off your expertise. Consider getting to know some editors; reach out to them, and you may be selected to review.

Animals (ISSN: 2076-2615) is an international, peer-reviewed, and open access journal established in 2011 and published semimonthly online by MDPI. The journal is dedicated to high-quality research across a broad range of animal-related disciplines, including zoology and veterinary sciences, and upholds rigorous peer review as well as editorial standards to ensure the publication of impactful work. We welcome you to read our top cited papers published in 2024:

1. “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5 Clade 2.3.4.4b Virus Infection in Birds and Mammals”
by Giulia Graziosi, Caterina Lupini, Elena Catelli and Silvia Carnaccini
Animals 2024, 14(9), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091372
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/9/1372

2. “Effects of Nutritional Factors on Fat Content, Fatty Acid Composition, and Sensorial Properties of Meat and Milk from Domesticated Ruminants: An Overview”
by Eric N. Ponnampalam, Hasitha Priyashantha, Janak K. Vidanarachchi, Ali Kiani and Benjamin W. B. Holman
Animals 2024, 14(6), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060840
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/840

3. “Curcumin Mitigates Oxidative Damage in Broiler Liver and Ileum Caused by Aflatoxin B1-Contaminated Feed through Nrf2 Signaling Pathway”
by Jingyang Zhang, Xue Sun, Xuehong Chai, Yihan Jiao, Jing Sun, Shenao Wang, Hao Yu and Xingjun Feng
Animals 2024, 14(3), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030409
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/409

4. “The Most Important Metabolic Diseases in Dairy Cattle during the Transition Period”
by Vincenzo Tufarelli, Nikola Puvača, Dragan Glamočić, Gianluca Pugliese and Maria Antonietta Colonna
Animals 2024, 14(5), 816; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14050816
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/5/816

5. “An Overview of Reactive Oxygen Species Damage Occurring during In Vitro Bovine Oocyte and Embryo Development and the Efficacy of Antioxidant Use to Limit These Adverse Effects”
by Jessica A. Keane and Alan D. Ealy
Animals 2024, 14(2), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020330
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/330

6. “Effect of Dietary Incorporation of Hemp Seeds Alone or with Dried Fruit Pomace on Laying Hens’ Performance and on Lipid Composition and Oxidation Status of Egg Yolks”
by Daniel Mierlita, Alin Cristian Teușdea, Mădălina Matei, Constantin Pascal, Daniel Simeanu and Ioan Mircea Pop
Animals 2024, 14(5), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14050750
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/5/750

7. “Utilization of Infrared Thermography in Assessing Thermal Responses of Farm Animals under Heat Stress”
by Marcelo Daniel Ghezzi, Fabio Napolitano, Alejandro Casas-Alvarado, Ismael Hernández-Ávalos, Adriana Domínguez-Oliva, Adriana Olmos-Hernández and Alfredo M. F. Pereira
Animals 2024, 14(4), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040616
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/4/616

8. “Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus: Etiology, Epidemiology, Antigenicity, and Control Strategies in China”
by Jianlin Lei, Yongqiang Miao, Wenrui Bi, Chaohui Xiang, Wei Li, Riteng Zhang, Qian Li and Zengqi Yang
Animals 2024, 14(2), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020294
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/294

9. “Shape and Size Variations of Distal Phalanges in Cattle”
by Nicoleta Manuta, Buket Çakar, Ozan Gündemir and Mihaela-Claudia Spataru
Animals 2024, 14(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020194
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/194

10. “The Role of Insects in Sustainable Animal Feed Production for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture: A Review”
by Csaba Hancz, Sadia Sultana, Zoltán Nagy and Janka Biró
Animals 2024, 14(7), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071009
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/7/1009

MDPI will attend the Animal Behavior Society 2025 as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Baltimore, Maryland (USA), from 8 to 12 July 2025. 

The Animal Behavior Society was founded in 1964 to promote the study of animal behavior in the broadest sense, including studies using descriptive and experimental methods under natural and controlled conditions. Current members' research activities span the invertebrates and vertebrates, both in the field and in the laboratory, and include experimental psychology, behavioral ecology, neuroscience, zoology, biology, applied ethology, and human ethology, as well as many other specialized areas. 

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Animals;
• Arthropoda;
• Birds;
• Ecologies;
• Insects;
• JZBG;
• Life;
• Pets;
• Wild. 

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. 

For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/2025/index.php.

Animals (ISSN: 2076-2615) is honored to partner with the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand’s leading institution for academic innovation, to host the Scientific Publishing Exchange on 26 May 2025. This event brought together researchers, faculty, and publishing experts to navigate the evolving landscape of academic dissemination. Through reports on open access publishing strategies, manuscript optimization, responding to peer reviewers, data visualization, AI-driven research tools, and animal ethics and research integrity, we aimed to empower participants with actionable insights to elevate their scholarly impact. By fostering collaboration between MDPI’s global network and the faculty’s academic community, this exchange underscores our shared commitment to advancing research excellence and open science.

Prof. Dr. Noppadol Pirarat delivered the opening speech at the Academic Publishing Exchange Event, emphasizing the significance of scholarly communication and publication in advancing academic and professional development. He highlighted that this event is part of a two-seminar course organized under the Veterinary Science and Technology (VST) International Graduate Program, aimed at fostering research knowledge and skills among graduate students. Recognizing the program’s requirement for students to publish at least one scientific paper, Prof. Dr. Noppadol expressed the importance of such initiatives in equipping students with the essential tools for successful academic publishing. He warmly thanked MDPI for organizing the event, which serves as an author training session. He acknowledged MDPI’s support in guiding students and researchers through the process of preparing and submitting scientific manuscripts, understanding journal expectations, and enhancing the overall quality of academic writing. He also concluded by expressing his hope that all participants would benefit greatly from the event and apply the knowledge gained to their future publications.

Dr. Juthathip Poofery was the first speaker. She is the Section Managing Editor and Editorial Group Leader of the Medical Science Section at MDPI Thailand. In her presentation, she shared open access (OA) information, highlighting its advantages and the growing trend of OA publishing both globally and in Thailand. She shared the impressive development of MDPI and annual updates that showcase worldwide collaborations as MDPI positions itself as a leading global open access publisher. Furthermore, she provided general information about the Animals journal, including key statistics, optional video abstracts, author interviews, and details about the journal's awards.

The second session was shared by Dr. Krit Inthajak, MDPI’s Regional Journal Relations Specialist in Asia–Pacific, with the topic “How to Write Scientific Papers”. This session comprises how to prepare literature reviews before deciding to write a manuscript. Next, he illustrated each main section of the manuscript: the front matter, the main text, and the back matter. An emphasis on research subjects in veterinary science such as the study types toward animals was presented to show a better understanding of what the readers expect, how it would gain their interest, and what contents should be included in the back matter. During the Q&A, students and scholars were interested in better understanding how to properly write their manuscript, along with the uses of AI-generated content to polish their English structure.

The third session, titled “How to Respond to Peer Reviewers and Reasons for Rejection during Pre-Check”, was presented by Ms. Hathaipat Kittirojana, a Regional Journal Relations Specialist. She discussed the peer review process at MDPI and guided the audience through how to revise the manuscript professionally. This session also included the common rejected reasons at pre-check. During the session, she addressed the questions raised. Some participants inquired about the most common reasons for rejected papers, while others were curious about the number of reports for each submission. She also offered practical advice for responding to reviewers and shared insights into the types of feedback authors may face during revisions. In conclusion, she encouraged the audience to remain positive, open-minded, and professional when replying to reviewers.

Mr. Suvicha Sasivimolkul conducted a session on how to “Understand Data Visualization in Academic Papers”. He took attendees through the key concepts of data visualization, suggesting various types of data visualizations and the tools for image creation. The session emphasized that well-designed and informative figures can improve reader comprehension and amplify the impact of an article. Real examples helped illustrate common mistakes and how to avoid such points. The session also introduced an overview of MDPI Author Services, especially the Figure Editing Service. This service assists researchers in enhancing the quality of their figures to meet the publication standard for greater impact and visibility.

For the fifth session, presented by Ms. Ploy Assavajamroon, the Regional Journal Relations Specialist, on the emerging topic “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Scientific Publishing Industry”, she began by explaining the current applications of AI and the perspectives of researchers regarding its use in academic work. She then addressed the viewpoint of publishers on the use of AI in preparing the manuscript, including guidelines that authors should follow and disclose in the statement within their submissions. The final part of her talk focused on the MDPI AI team and how AI technologies are being utilized to enhance the editorial process.

In the final part of the Academic Publishing Exchange program, Mr. Aleksandar Djukic, a Research Integrity Specialist, delivered a session on “Ethics and Integrity in Animal Research – Best Practices and Policy in Scholarly Publishing”. The presentation began with an overview of ethics in animal research, emphasizing the importance of responsible practices and animal welfare. He then addressed the process of obtaining ethical approval in animal research, including what journals typically require from authors. The session also introduced MDPI’s policy and standards, outlining how the publisher ensures ethical compliance in submissions involving animals. Finally, exemptions from ethical approval were discussed, with guidance on when and how authors must justify such cases. The session reflected MDPI’s commitment to promoting integrity and transparency in animal research publishing.

As we conclude the Scientific Publishing Exchange at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, we reflect on a day of transformative learning and collaboration. The active participation of researchers, faculty, and students—spanning diverse disciplines—highlighted the event’s success in equipping attendees with practical skills for impactful publication, transparent peer review, and AI-enhanced research workflows. Insightful discussions on open access trends, ethical publishing practices, and interdisciplinary collaboration reinforced the critical role of open science in driving global knowledge sharing. This partnership strengthens MDPI’s ties with the faculty, laying the foundation for future initiatives that empower researchers and accelerate scientific discovery. We thank the university’s leadership, faculty, and participants for their engagement and look forward to continued collaboration in advancing research excellence and open access.

We are pleased to share that Animals (ISSN: 2076-2615) has received an increased CiteScore of 5.2 in June 2025. The CiteScore ranks 10 out of 200 (Q1) in the “General Veterinary” category and 46 out of 509 (Q1) in the “Animal Science and Zoology” category, an impressive achievement for a journal running in Volume 15.

You can find more statistics on our website: www.mdpi.com/journal/animals.

The current CiteScores measure the average number of citations within a journal over a four-year window (2021–2024). The Scopus database provides a comprehensive suite of metrics that support informed publishing strategies, research evaluation and enable benchmarking of journal performance.

This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editors. Together we will continue to track the progress of Animals and its growing impact in zoology and veterinary sciences.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Bo Zhou is one of the winners of the Animals 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Animals Outstanding Reviewer Award is presented annually to recognize reviewers who contribute their time to reviewing papers and display thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness while doing so.

We are honored to have had the opportunity to interview Prof. Dr. Bo Zhou, providing an opportunity to delve deeper into his research journey and his insights into being a reviewer.

1. Could you please provide a brief introduction of yourself to our readers and give an overview of your current research?
I'm a professor at the College of Animal Science and Technology of Nanjing Agricultural University. I teach and perform some scientific research. My research direction mainly focuses on the genetic breeding and reproduction of pigs and new technologies of intelligence in pig farming in particular; it focuses on the screening of molecules and markers of pig aggression and the analysis of molecules, genetic mechanisms, and the molecular genetic regulation of cell entrance behavior.

2. What led you to review for Animals? How did you hear about the journal?
The Animals journal is a famous journal in my field. It has a top JCR ranking and Impact Factor. I am also an author who has submitted to Animals. I received some email correspondence that encouraged me to review. After reviewing papers for Animals, I received some vouchers that can be used for my papers, so this is a motivation to be a reviewer for this journal.

3. How do you approach the peer review process to ensure fairness and constructive feedback? What are the key factors and aspects that you consider most when reviewing a manuscript?
First, I focus on the purpose of the paper, its aims and direction. Then, the materials and methods section. All aspects of the paper have to be considered to maintain balance in the review report. Sometimes, I receive a review request invitation for a paper that is not within my exact research focus. In this case, I have to study this field and do some research beforehand in order to provide a high-quality review report. It is a lot of work and takes quite a lot of time, too. After gaining this knowledge, you can give some good suggestions to authors. As a reviewer, I can also learn a lot this way.

4. What are the biggest challenges you face as a reviewer, and what are your tips for preparing a high-quality review report?
Preparing a high-quality review requires careful planning. You have to start with a lot of preparations—read the abstract, introduction, and conclusions to get the research idea and get familiar with the hypotheses. You need to learn more deeply and give some thought to the parts that need to be revised and give the authors your suggestions. For a high-quality review report, suggestions need to be more detailed, and you should tell the authors which line or paragraph they need to revise and how to revise it in the best way. You need to give precise suggestions, so you stand on the same ground as the authors.

5. We hope that the Outstanding Reviewer Award will open new opportunities for you. How does an award like this help to support the career of a researcher such as yourself?
Yes, this is strong support from the journal. This award can give me a chance to enrich my academic profile and can give more recognition to my scientific work in the community. It is very important. I shared the information about receiving this award across my social media, and many people showed their support and acknowledgement of my academic work.

6. What advice would you give to aspiring researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their fields? What qualities do you think young scientists need?
For young researchers, my advice is to first focus on unsolved questions in science. Also, being flexible to do a lot of preparation to explore a certain research field and being open to adapting to other disciplines. It is important to be open to learning a lot on the way. I always recommend my Ph.D. students to read a lot of papers—it is the quickest way to learn how to write a scientific article and gain the necessary experience for the future.

7. Animals is an open access journal. How do you think open access publishing benefits authors and the broader research community?
Animals, as an open access journal, is very fast to publish papers. It’s free for readers, so it’s a good source of knowledge for researchers. Everybody can access the newest research articles. Easy access to the latest research is very important. I think that the publishing fee for Animals is the average amount compared to other publishers, which is good for researchers who want to publish in this journal. What is great is that reviewers can gain discounts that decrease the publishing fee, and scholars can save a lot of money by receiving these vouchers. Researchers want to publish in good-quality journals to find the right home for their papers. The Animals journal’s ranking and Impact Factor are proof of a good paper quality. It is important to maintain this quality.

Animals (ISSN: 2076-2615) is an international, peer-reviewed, and open access journal established in 2011 and published semi-monthly online by MDPI. The journal is dedicated to high-quality research across a broad range of animal-related disciplines, including zoology and veterinary sciences, and upholds rigorous peer review as well as editorial standards to ensure the publication of impactful work. We welcome you to read our top cited papers published in 2023:

1. “Valorization of Food Waste as Animal Feed: A Step towards Sustainable Food Waste Management and Circular Bioeconomy”
by Pinku Chandra Nath, Amiya Ojha, Shubhankar Debnath, Minaxi Sharma, Prakash Kumar Nayak, Kandi Sridhar and Baskaran Stephen Inbaraj
Animals 2023, 13(8), 1366; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081366
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/8/1366

2. “Heat Shock Protein Response to Stress in Poultry: A Review”
by Krishnan Nair Balakrishnan, Suriya Kumari Ramiah and Idrus Zulkifli
Animals 2023, 13(2), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020317
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/317

3. “Microplastics in Terrestrial Domestic Animals and Human Health: Implications for Food Security and Food Safety and Their Role as Sentinels”
by Joana C. Prata and Patrícia Dias-Pereira
Animals 2023, 13(4), 661; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040661
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4. “Effect of Dietary Organic Acids and Botanicals on Metabolic Status and Milk Parameters in Mid–Late Lactating Goats”
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Animals 2023, 13(5), 797; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050797
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/5/797

5. “Hematological and Hematopoietic Analysis in Fish Toxicology—A Review”
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Animals 2023, 13(16), 2625; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13162625
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/16/2625

6. “Nutritional Strategies to Improve Meat Quality and Composition in the Challenging Conditions of Broiler Production: A Review”
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Animals 2023, 13(8), 1386; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081386
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/8/1386

7. “The Impact of Human Activities on Zoonotic Infection Transmissions”
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Animals 2023, 13(10), 1646; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101646
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/10/1646

8. “The Economic Impact of Parasitism from Nematodes, Trematodes and Ticks on Beef Cattle Production”
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Animals 2023, 13(10), 1599; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101599
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9. “Old Antibiotics Can Learn New Ways: A Systematic Review of Florfenicol Use in Veterinary Medicine and Future Perspectives Using Nanotechnology”
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Animals 2023, 13(10), 1695; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101695
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10. “Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Livestock Health: An Emerging Risk for Reproductive Efficiency”
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Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/7/1132

A message from the webinar Chair:

We invite you to join our upcoming webinar on the topic of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. The main goal of this webinar is to summarize the first volume of our Special Topic on MDPI journals which were part of the sponsorship of this editorial to the TTP11 Conference and to promote the second volume of this Topic which was set very recently following the success of the previous volume. This second volume continues to provide a platform for showcasing groundbreaking research, innovative methodologies, and promising discoveries in various facets of tick biology. The webinar will be organized into three key topics, with a talk from a senior researcher and two presentations from Ph.D. students actively working on each topic:

1. Tick microbiota;
2. Latest trends in ticks and tick-borne disease surveillance;
3. Effective prevention and control strategies.

Do not miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and stay updated on these important topics that are on the rise, making awareness and prevention more critical than ever. We encourage you to participate actively and submit your questions during the webinar.

Webinar: Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens: Understanding Risks and Strategies for Prevention
Date: 21 May 2025
Time: 2.30 p.m. CEST | 8.30 a.m. EDT | 8.30 p.m. CDT Asia
Webinar ID: 832 6108 8276
More information: https://sciforum.net/event/topics-35

This is a free webinar. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email 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 becomes available for viewing.

Register for free:

Program:

Webinar Chairs and Speakers:

• Dr. Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, UMR BIPAR (INRAE, Anses, EnvA), France;
• Dr. Alina Rodríguez-Mallon, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba;
• Ms. Salma Kaoutar Abdelali, University of Ferhat Abbas, Algeria;
• Ms. Lianet Abuin Denis, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba;
• Ms. Dagmara Wężyk, University of Warsaw, Poland;
• Mr. Keve Gergő, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Hungary;
• Ms. Ana Laura Cano-Argüelles, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Spain;
• Mr. Julio Enrique Duque Vizcaíno, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Cuba).

Relevant Special Issue:
“Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens: 2nd Edition”
Topic Editors: Dr. Alina Rodríguez-Mallon and Dr. Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
Deadline for submission: 31 March 2026