Announcements

Immunology is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary field dedicated to understanding the immune system and its critical role in maintaining human health and combating disease. Recent technological advances such as single-cell omnics, spatial transcriptomics, high-dimensional immune profiling, combined with artificial intelligence driven data analysis, have transformed our ability to investigate and understand the immune system with unprecedented precision. These innovations are accelerating discoveries and reshaping the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other immune-mediated diseases.

MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Immunology is committed to publishing cutting-edge research that drives progress within this dynamic field, by bringing together journals that cover diverse aspects of immunology. Through close collaboration, these journals will support the global scientific community in advancing our understanding of immune function and fostering innovations that improve human health and disease management.

The 6 participating journals include:

• Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X) focuses on laboratory and clinical vaccine research, utilization and immunization. Vaccines is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Ger Rijkers (Department of Health, Cognition and Behavior, University College Roosevelt, Middelburg, The Netherlands);
• Antibodies (ISSN 2073-4468) focuses on antibodies and antigens, translating basic research into applications, including the development of therapeutic antibodies, especially human monoclonal antibodies. However, any other study on basic and translational research related to antibodies is welcome. Antibodies is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra (Institute of Biological Chemistry, Technical University Munich, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany);
• Immuno (ISSN 2673-5601) focuses on basic and clinical immunology research, offering insights into the body’s response to pathogens, artificial immune responses, molecular components, genetics, infectious diseases, cancer treatment, self-antigen response, developmental disorders, fertility, organ transplantation, skin interactions, mucosal tissues, nervous system interactions, disease analysis, and application of immunology in clinical settings. Immuno is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Toshihiko Torigoe (Department of Pathology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan);
• Rheumato (ISSN 2674-0621) focuses on cutting-edge research across the entire field of rheumatology, primarily in clinical rheumatology, translational immunology, molecular mechanisms, diagnostic modalities, and novel therapeutic interventions. Rheumato is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Bruce M. Rothschild (Department of Medicine, Indiana University Ball, Memorial Hospital, USA);
• Lymphatics (ISSN 2813-3307) focuses on basic and clinical studies of the lymphatic system and its disorders, including related fields. Lymphatics is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Varsha Gandhi (MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA);
• Inflammation Journal (ISSN 3043-0348) focuses on the pathogenesis, progression, regulation, and resolution of both acute and chronic inflammation, including infectious and non-infectious inflammatory responses, the crosstalk between inflammation and immunity, as well as the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of inflammation-related diseases, animal models of inflammation, and the development of anti-inflammatory agents. Inflammation Journal is led by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari (Department of Neurological Surgery and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, USA).

	Launch Year	Impact Factor (2024)	CiteScore (2024)	First Decision (Median Days)	Acceptance to Publication (Median Days)	APC (CHF)
	2013	3.5	7.7	17.5	2.8	2700
	2012	3.3	4.9	22.7	4.8	1800
	2021	2.1	4.7	21.2	3.6	1200
	2021	-	-	30	7.8	1000
	2023	-	-	26.3	6.6	1000
	2026	-	-	18	7	1000

MDPI’s Mission and Values:

As a pioneer of academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. MDPI’s guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:

• Open Access—All of our content is published in open access and distributed under a Creative Commons License, providing free access to science and the latest research, allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
• Timeliness and Efficiency—Publishing the latest research through thorough editorial work, ensuring a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and papers are published within 7–10 days upon acceptance;
• Simplicity—Offering user-friendly tools and services in one place to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
• High-Quality Service—Supporting scholars and their work by providing a range of options such as journal publication at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and conferences on sciforum.net to make a positive impact on research;
• Flexibility—Adapting and developing new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
• Rooted in Sustainability—Ensuring long-term preservation of published papers and supporting the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards.

By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open science practices.

Selected Topics:
“Inflammaging: The Immunology of Aging, 2nd Edition”
Topic Editors: Dr. Brianna Cyr and Dr. Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari
Manuscript submission deadline: 15 February 2027.

“Structural Determinants of Antigen Recognition by T Cell Receptors and Antibodies”
Topic Editors: Dr. Ciro Leonardo Pierri, Prof. Dr. Salvatrice Ciccarese and Dr. Pietro D'Addabbo
Manuscript submission deadline: 15 June 2027

Selected Articles:
Vaccines
“Bioengineering Outer-Membrane Vesicles for Vaccine Development: Strategies, Advances, and Perspectives”
by Ayesha Zahid, Hazrat Ismail, Jennifer C. Wilson and I. Darren Grice
Vaccines 2025, 13(7), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13070767

Antibodies
“Immune Cell Engagers: Advancing Precision Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment”
by Hyukmin In, Minkyoung Park, Hyeonsik Lee and Kyung Ho Han
Antibodies 2025, 14(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/antib14010016

Immuno 
“The Neuro-Immune Axis in Cardiomyopathy: Molecular Mechanisms, Clinical Phenotypes, and Therapeutic Frontiers”
by Dwaipayan Saha, Preyangsee Dutta and Abhijit Chakraborty
Immuno 2025, 5(4), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/immuno5040045

Rheumato
“Emerging AI- and Biomarker-Driven Precision Medicine in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: From Diagnostics to Therapeutic Decision-Making”
by Ola A. Al-Ewaidat and Moawiah M. Naffaa
Rheumato 2025, 5(4), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/rheumato5040017

Lymphatics
“Genetic Landscape of Kawasaki Disease: An Update”
by Taru Goyal, Saniya Sharma, Rakesh Kumar Pilania, Kajol Jawallia, Sanchi Chawla, Madhubala Sharma, Monica Rawat, Vaishali Thakur, Urvi Arya, Anoop Kumar et al.
Lymphatics 2025, 3(3), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/lymphatics3030021

Inflammation Journal
“Impact of Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Classes on Cardiovascular, Thromboembolic, Cancer Outcomes, and All-Cause Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study”
by Mohammad Movahedi, Angela Cesta, Sibel Zehra Aydin, Pooneh Akhavan, Tetyana Kendzerska, Claire Bombardier and Bindee Kuriya, on behalf of OBRI Investigators
Inflamm. J. 2026, 1(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/inflammj1010002

Conference: The 85th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association
Date: 24–26 September 2026
Location: Kyoto, Japan

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will participate in the 85th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association, held in Kyoto, Japan, from 24 to 26 September 2026.

The theme of the 85th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association is “Intellectual Challenges: Toward Conquering Cancer”. In addressing cancer, a disease yet to be fully overcome, we aim to bring together expertise from diverse fields, including basic research, clinical medicine, and social sciences, to deepen our understanding of cancer pathology and to foster the development of new therapeutic approaches.

The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:

• Cancers;
• Reports;
• Journal of Clinical Medicine;
• Children;
• Current Oncology;
• Antibodies;
• Romanian Journal of Preventive Medicine;
• Radiation;
• Clinics and Practice;
• Diseases;
• Uro;
• Targets;
• Marine Drugs;
• Onco.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.c-linkage.co.jp/jca2026/en/.

Dr. Christoph H. Borchers is one of the authors of the Editor’s Choice paper “Determination of the Epitopes of Alpha-Glucosidase Anti-Drug Antibodies in Pompe Disease Patient Plasma Samples”, published in Antibodies (ISSN 2073-4468).

“Determination of the Epitopes of Alpha-Glucosidase Anti-Drug Antibodies in Pompe Disease Patient Plasma Samples”
by Evgeniy V. Petrotchenko, Andreas Hahn and Christoph H. Borchers
Antibodies 2025, 14(3), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/antib14030064

The following is an interview with Dr. Borchers:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your research focus?

I am Christoph Borchers, a professor at McGill University and Director of the Segal Cancer Proteomics Centre and Warren Y. Soper Clinical Proteomics Centre at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research. My research focuses primarily on proteomics and mass spectrometry, particularly the development and application of advanced analytical methods to address important biomedical and clinical questions. A major goal of our work is to translate proteomic technologies into practical tools for understanding disease mechanisms, identifying biomarkers, and improving therapeutic strategies.

2. Can you summarize the main findings of your paper?

In this study, we identified the epitopes recognized by anti-drug antibodies directed against alglucosidase alfa, marketed as Myozyme, an enzyme replacement therapy used to treat Pompe disease. Importantly, we were able to determine these epitopes using only a minimal volume of plasma from a patient with Pompe disease. Our findings demonstrate that mass spectrometry-based epitope mapping can provide detailed information about patient-specific immune responses to enzyme replacement therapy, even when the available clinical sample and the concentration of specific anti-drug antibodies are very limited.

3. What were the biggest challenges you encountered during this study, and how did you overcome them?

The greatest challenge was the very low abundance of Myozyme-specific anti-drug antibodies in the patient plasma, combined with the limited amount of clinical sample available. These constraints made conventional epitope-mapping approaches difficult to apply. To overcome this problem, we developed a novel workflow based on a modified epitope-extraction strategy. The procedure combines affinity purifications, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis, and label-free quantitation. This approach allowed us to enrich and identify epitope-containing peptides with sufficient sensitivity and confidence despite the small sample volume and low antibody abundance.

4. Could these findings contribute to the development of less immunogenic enzyme replacement therapies?

Yes. Identifying the specific regions of a therapeutic enzyme that are recognized by anti-drug antibodies can help us understand why some patients develop clinically significant immune responses to enzyme replacement therapy. This knowledge may support new strategies to predict immunogenicity, redesign or modify immunogenic regions of therapeutic enzymes, and reduce antibody recognition while preserving enzymatic activity. In the longer term, epitope-level information could also contribute to patient-specific monitoring and to approaches designed to prevent, control, or potentially reverse harmful immune responses to enzyme replacement therapies.

5. Which research directions in therapeutic antibody and immunogenicity studies do you think will become most important in the coming years?

One of the most important directions will be the development of therapeutic proteins and antibodies that are less likely to induce neutralizing anti-drug antibodies. Achieving this goal will require a better understanding of both B-cell and T-cell epitopes, as well as the patient-specific factors that influence immunogenicity. For therapeutic antibodies, one potential strategy could involve protecting or temporarily masking sensitive regions, including the antigen-binding site, from immune recognition without compromising therapeutic activity. I also expect that increasingly sensitive mass spectrometry methods, computational prediction, structural biology, and personalized immune profiling will be integrated to predict and monitor immune responses more accurately.

6. Do you have any advice for younger researchers working in this area?

My main advice is to focus on real and important problems encountered in clinical practice. Developing a new technology is valuable, but its greatest impact comes when it addresses a genuine unmet need for patients, clinicians, or researchers. Young investigators should communicate closely with clinical collaborators, remain open to interdisciplinary approaches, and not be discouraged by technically difficult samples. Constraints such as limited sample volume or low analyte abundance often stimulate methodological innovation and can lead to particularly meaningful discoveries.

7. What attracted you to submit your work to Antibodies? How was your submission experience?

We were attracted to Antibodies because of its title, scope, and readership that closely match the subject of our study. The journal covers antibody characterization, anti-drug immune responses, and related methodological developments, making it an appropriate venue for our work. Our submission experience was very positive. Communication with the editors was clear and professional, and the reviewers provided constructive comments that helped us improve the manuscript. Overall, the editorial and peer-review process was efficient and collegial.

Our portfolio of journals available for publishing up-to-date research in immediate open access format has been further expanded. In June 2026, eleven new journals released their inaugural issues and two transferred journals released their first issue as part of MDPI, covering the subjects of environmental & earth sciences, chemistry & materials science, public health & healthcare, engineering, medicine & pharmacology, and biology & life sciences. 

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

Peer review is the invisible foundation of academic progress. The 2025 MDPI Top Reviewers are some of the key experts who helped build it.

We are honored to recognize 1000 individuals from our global community of 210,000 reviewers across 67 countries and territories—chosen for their commitment to rigorous, constructive peer review and the consistency of their contributions throughout 2025.

The Top Reviewers provided constructive and impartial feedback that makes research stronger and more impactful, and we are grateful for it.

The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

(Note: we respected all privacy preferences, with part of nominees opting for limited attribution.)

Dr. Panagiotis Gklinos is one of the authors of the two highly cited articles “Unveiling GFAP Astrocytopathy: Insights from Case Studies and a Comprehensive Review of the Literature”, and “Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein-Antibody Associated Disease: An Updated Review of the Clinical Spectrum, Pathogenetic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Management” published in Antibodies (ISSN 2073-4468).

The following is an interview with Dr. Panagiotis Gklinos:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current research focus?
My name is Panos Gklinos, and I am a neurologist and clinical researcher at the First Department of Neurology, Eginition University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. During my training, I spent one year at Queen Mary University of London and the Royal London Hospital, where I was involved in clinical research in multiple sclerosis, focusing on remote sampling of biomarkers for disease activity.
My PhD work focused on the relationship between multiple sclerosis and migraine, investigating the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and neuroimaging correlates of migraine in people with MS. My current research focuses on neuroimmunology, particularly multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), and MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). I am particularly interested in biomarkers, neuroimaging, and treatment outcomes, with the goal of improving our understanding of disease mechanisms and advancing more personalized care for patients.

2. How did you become interested in your research field?
My interest in neuroimmunology developed during my neurology training, when I realized how quickly the field was evolving. The rapid advances in our understanding of disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and targeted therapies have fundamentally changed the management of autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system over the past decade. I found it exciting to work in a field where research has such a direct impact on patient care. That motivated me to pursue both clinical and research training in multiple sclerosis and related neuroimmunological diseases.

3. How do you think our understanding of autoimmune central nervous system disorders will change over the next few years?
I believe we are moving toward a more precise and personalized understanding of autoimmune central nervous system disorders. Advances in biomarkers, neuroimaging, and immunological profiling will improve our ability to diagnose these diseases earlier, better predict their course, and select the most appropriate treatment for each patient. At the same time, continued research into the underlying immune mechanisms will help identify new therapeutic targets, moving us beyond broad immunosuppression toward more targeted and individualized therapies. Ultimately, I think the biggest shift will be from treating diseases based on broad diagnostic categories to treating patients based on their individual biological profiles.

4. Do you have any advice for younger researchers working in this area?
My advice would be to stay curious and focus on asking clinically meaningful questions. Don’t be afraid to start with small projects. Good research often begins with a simple observation from everyday clinical practice. I would also encourage young researchers to seek good mentors, collaborate with colleagues from different disciplines and institutions, and be persistent. Research rarely progresses in a straight line, but every project, whether successful or not, is an opportunity to learn and improve.

5. What prompted you to submit your work to Antibodies?
Our work focuses on antibody-mediated diseases of the central nervous system, making Antibodies a natural choice. The journal provides a dedicated platform for research on immunology and autoimmune neurological disorders, reaching both basic scientists and clinicians. We felt that its readership would be particularly interested in our work and that it could help bring together current evidence in a rapidly evolving field.

Impact Factors measure how often articles in scientific journals are cited—specifically, the average number of citations received in a given year by articles published in that journal over the previous two years, as tracked in the Web of Science. For researchers, the number answers a practical question: how often is work published in this journal being picked up and built upon?

The metric is assigned to the journal as a whole, not to individual articles. A high Impact Factor tells you something useful about a journal's place in its field; it tells you less about any single paper within it.

For a complementary, article-level view, MDPI lists an Altmetric score on each article page. Where the Impact Factor tracks academic citations, the Altmetric score captures broader online attention: how an article is being shared, discussed, and referenced beyond the journal literature. Together, they offer two different ways of asking the same question: is this research reaching people?

With 2025 CiteScores from Scopus published a few weeks ago, Clarivate has now released this year's Journal Impact Factors in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

254 MDPI Journals Saw a Rise in Impact Factor

This year's JCR include 330 MDPI journals across a wide range of disciplines. Of these, 231 journals are placed in the top 50% (Q1 or Q2) of their respective subject categories, a result that spans fields as different as materials science, public health, environmental studies, and mathematics. 78 journals hold a top-quartile position (Q1), and 33 journals have a JIF of 5.0 or above.

• 330 journals earned a Journal Impact Factor (JIF)
• 29 journals earned a first JIF
• 254 journals had an increase in JIF
• 71% of ranked journals are in Q1 or Q2

For the full metrics on any MDPI journal, visit our Web of Science journals overview page or a journal's individual statistics page.

29 MDPI Journals Received Their First Journal Impact Factor

A first Impact Factor is a confirmation for an emerging journal. It marks the point at which a journal has been publishing long enough, and cited broadly enough, to enter the formal record of scientific influence. For the research communities those journals serve, it signals that the work being published is being read and built upon.

This year, 29 MDPI journals received a Journal Impact Factor for the first time, across a range of emerging and established research areas. Each represents years of editorial development and peer review—recognized in 2026 for the first time in the JCR.

This is also part of a longer shift in how science gets indexed. When the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) launched in 2016, 24 MDPI journals were included. By 2024 that number had grown to over 200, reflecting a broader change in the visibility of open access publishing within major citation tracking systems, not just at MDPI but across the sector.

Open Access with Impact

MDPI journals have received a total of 25.2 million citations in Web of Science. That figure matters less as a measure of MDPI's reach and more as a measure of what happens when research is freely available: it gets found, read, and used. Open access is only meaningful if the work actually travels and citations are one indicator that it does.

More than 4.6 million authors have published with MDPI. That breadth, across disciplines, institutions, and geographies, is what makes open access at this scale worth doing.

Thank You to the MDPI Scholarly Community

These results belong to the people who do the actual work: the Editors-in-Chief who set the standards, the Editorial Board Members and reviewers who hold them, and the authors who choose open access for their research. The numbers in the Journal Citation Reports are the downstream effect of decisions made at the desk, in the review, and at submission. Thank you for making them.

Data: 2025 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports™ (Clarivate, 2026)

The 2025 CiteScore metrics have been officially released by Scopus, and the results confirm what has become a consistent pattern for MDPI's journal portfolio: broad recognition across disciplines, steady improvement across the majority of ranked titles, and a growing presence at the top of subject category rankings.

CiteScore, published annually by Elsevier's Scopus database, measures the average citations received by articles published in a journal over a four-year window. As a complement to the Journal Impact Factor, which uses a two-year window based on the Web of Science database, CiteScore provides an alternative, long-term perspective on citation performance.

The 365 MDPI journals in Scopus (as of May 2026) are indexed across a wide range of subject categories, ensuring that open access research remains highly discoverable to a global readership through one of the most widely used platforms in academic publishing.

Data Summary (2025 CiteScores)

• New Additions: 41 MDPI journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
• Trending Upward: 234 of 322 previously ranked journals (73%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
• High Visibility: 314 journals (86%) rank in Q1 or Q2 in at least one subject category.
• Elite Performance: 42 journals rank in the top 10% of their subject categories.

Portfolio Performance

Among the 322 journals that held a CiteScore in 2024, 234 saw an increase this year. Quartile improvements outnumbered declines across the portfolio, with 52 journals moving to a higher quartile and only 20 seeing a decline. Furthermore, no previously ranked journals were removed. The 42 journals now ranked in the top 10% of their subject categories are drawn from a strong foundation of 178 journals holding a Q1 position.

With the large majority of our indexed portfolio ranked in the top half of research fields, researchers can confidently choose MDPI to meet funder mandates for high-quality, fully compliant Open Access publishing.

Exceptional Achievements for Foods and Life

Notably, both Foods and Life achieved a 99th percentile ranking in their respective subject categories for the 2025 CiteScores. This outstanding placement positions them as leading journals in their fields and highlights the high visibility and global impact of the open access research they publish.

Journal Metrics and Beyond

Journal-level metrics describe outlets, not individual articles. An increasing number of funders and institutions—including signatories of DORA and the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment—now explicitly encourage evaluation at the article level rather than by the journal in which research appears. MDPI supports this direction: we report CiteScore alongside the Journal Impact Factor, Journal Citation Indicator, and article-level usage data because no single number captures the full reach and contribution of published research.

Thank You

These results reflect the sustained effort of thousands of editors-in-chief, editorial board members, reviewers, and authors across every field MDPI serves. The metrics are the outcome; the work is yours.