Announcements

MDPI is honored to announce the recipients of the 2025 Best Paper Awards, celebrating exceptional research for its scientific merit and broad impact. After a rigorous evaluation process conducted by Academic Editors, this year’s awards showcase papers that stand out for their innovation, relevance, and high-quality presentation.

Out of a highly competitive pool, 396 winning papers have been recognized for their exceptional contributions. We congratulate these authors for pushing the boundaries of their respective disciplines.

At MDPI, we are dedicated to broadening the reach of innovative science. To learn more about the award-winning papers and explore research projects in your field of study, please visit the following links:

• Biology and Life Sciences;
• Business and Economics;
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
• Computer Sciences and Mathematics;
• Engineering;
• Environmental and Earth Sciences;
• Medicine and Pharmacology;
• Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities;
• Physical Sciences;
• Public Health and Healthcare.

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the global research community and enhance academic dialogue, MDPI journals regularly host award programs across diverse scientific disciplines. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and whose work drives the advancement of their fields.

Explore the Best Paper Awards open for participation, please click here.

The conference is organized by the MDPI journal Optics (ISSN: 2673-3269, Impact Factor: 1.6) and chaired by Prof. Dr. Costantino De Angelis from the Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Italy and Prof. Dr. Thomas Seeger from the Institut Fluid - und Thermodynamik, Lehrstuhl für Technische Thermodynamik, Universität Siegen, Germany. It will take place virtually from 25 to 27 March 2026, Central European Time.

Latest schedule:
New abstract submission deadline: 16 January 2026;
New abstract acceptance notification date: 10 February 2026;
Registration deadline: 23 March 2026;
Conference date: 25–27 March 2026.

To register for the event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCO2026?section=#registration.

Topics of interest:
S1. Biomedical Optics
Session Chairs:

• Dr. Giuseppe Trusso Sfrazzetto, Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Italy;
• Dr. Francesco Chiavaioli, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IFAC), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

S2. Optoelectronics and Optical Engineering
Session Chair:

• Prof. Dr. Yuriy Garbovskiy, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, USA.

S3. Geometrical Optics
Session Chair:

• Dr. Davide Rocco, Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Italy.

S4. Photonics and Optical Communications
Session Chair:

• Dr. Jiahao Huo, School of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China.

S5. Laser Sciences and Technology
Session Chair:

• Dr. Guido Toci, National Institute of Optics, National Research Council of Italy, Italy.

S6. Quantum Optics
Session Chair: Dr. Andrea Salamon, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.

We look forward to welcoming you to this no-fee conference.

If you have already registered, we thank you.

Prof. Dr. Costantino De Angelis, Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Italy;
Prof. Dr. Thomas Seeger, Institut Fluid - und Thermodynamik, Lehrstuhl für Technische Thermodynamik, Universität Siegen, Germany

Conference Secretariat
ioco2026@mdpi.com

Following from our two previous successful editions, we invite you to submit your abstracts and participate in the 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers, taking place from 2 to 7 August 2026 in Jeju, South Korea.

Organized by MDPI and the open access journals Sensors, Micromachines, AI Sensors, Micro and Remote Sensing, this in-person conference will once again bring together experts and participating researchers who will share insights and innovations in sensors, sensing technology, transducers and artificial intelligence.

Start preparing your abstracts:
Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your work to peers and leading experts in AI-enhanced sensing systems and transducers. We will be announcing the session topics at AIS 2026 soon.

Find out more about the instructions for authors: https://sciforum.net/event/AIS2026?section=#instructions.

Find out more about the publication opportunities available for authors: https://sciforum.net/event/AIS2026?section=#Publicationopportunities.
Please feel free to share the information about this conference to your colleagues and students.

We look forward to welcoming you in Jeju!

The organizing committee of the 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers (AIS 2026).

As we draw closer to EGU 2026, taking place from 3 to 8 May, MDPI warmly invites you to visit us at Booth #19 in the Austria Center, Vienna. We have prepared a range of engaging activities and special gifts for the event, and our team looks forward to welcoming you and sharing this experience together.

EGU 2026 brings together over 20,000 geoscientists from around the world—a wonderful opportunity to openly address the pressing challenges of our time, including climate realities, energy shortages, and resource allocation, while exploring thoughtful pathways toward climate solutions.

Come and join MDPI’s special ‘Meet the Editor’ session at EGU26! Our academic editors will be at the booth, ready to chat with you on questions such as: (1) Paper writing and submission strategies; (2) Experiences as a reviewer, author, or editorial board member; (3) Featured questions collected from on-site participants.	Have burning questions about paper writing, peer review, or open access publishing? Write down your concerns on sticky note, and post it on the QA Hub board. See what others are asking, add your voice, and maybe hear your question answered on the spot. Selected questions will be answered live during the MDPI ‘Meet the Editor’ session.
Already following MDPI on LinkedIn? Or maybe you are new to MDPI—no worries! Just two simple steps, and you will get a chance to spin the wheel and win some fun surprises: (1) Follow MDPI on LinkedIn; (2) Scan the QR code to register as an MDPI Follower during EGU26. Once you are all set, spin the wheel and enjoy the excitement!	Step into the MDPI booth and make a promise to your academic journey. After successfully registering as an MDPI follower, write down a research-related wish or goal you hope to achieve within the next year—whether it is submitting your first paper, finishing a review, or celebrating a publication. Drop it into our Time Capsule, and patiently wait for one year. Let MDPI review your progress with you!

Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #19 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.egu26.eu/.

MDPI will be attending the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics 2026, which will be held from 17 to 21 May 2026, in Charlotte, USA.

With comprehensive, peer-reviewed technical sessions and market-focused programming, CLEO is the world’s premier international forum to learn about innovative advances, research and new technologies from the laser science industry. From quantum computing to advanced imaging technologies used to search for new life and planets in the galaxy, CLEO brings together all aspects of electro-optic technologies.

With a distinguished history as the industry’s leading event on laser science, the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) is the premier international forum for scientific and technical optics, uniting the fields of lasers and opto-electronics by bringing together all aspects of laser technology, from basic research to industry applications. A total of 2,000+ technical sessions organized by 29 topic categories are routinely presented at CLEO—from breakthrough ideas to real-world applications. Contributed talks are rigorously peer reviewed by the CLEO Committee.

The CLEO Expo is alive with energy, featuring Poster Sessions, Plenary Sessions, and engaging industry-focused presentations in the bustling Networking Lounge. It is a vibrant atmosphere where ideas spark, collaborations form, and the future of photonics comes to life.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Photonics;
• AppliedPhys;
• Applied Sciences;
• Electronics;
• Metrology;
• Optics;
• Electronic Materials;
• Magnetism;
• Quantum Beam Science.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth and have a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit https://cleoconference.org/.

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will participate in the 3rd Cross-Disciplinary Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Remote Sensing (AIRS 2026), held in Changsha, Hunan, China, from 15 to 17 May 2026.

The forum focuses on cutting-edge technologies, research outputs and practical applications in the AI4RS field, with the theme “AI4RS: New Perspectives on Smart Earth” and the slogan “Make RS More Intelligent!” It will gather experts, researchers and enterprise representatives from relevant fields to inspire integrated innovation, facilitate in-depth cooperation and promote the high-quality development of remote sensing intelligence.

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

• Remote Sensing;
• AI;
• AI Sensors;
• Sensors;
• Land;
• IJGI;
• Applied Sciences;
• Geohazards.

If you are planning to attend the above forum, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #1 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the forum, please visit the following website: https://www.airs.top/.

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

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

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

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

A Conversation with the Chair

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Tu Youyou Award

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of World Quantum Day on 14 April 2026. This event aims to promote public understanding of quantum science and technology and to highlight their profound impact on modern society.

Date: 14 April at 2:00 p.m. CEST | 8:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 894 4233 6040
Webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MWQDW2026-3

Register now for free:

Program:

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

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

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Davi Geiger, Courant Institute, New York University, USA;
• Dr. Michael C. Parker, University of Essex, UK.

MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of World Quantum Day on 14 April 2026. This event aims to promote public understanding of quantum science and technology and to highlight their profound impact on modern society.

Date: 14 April at 8:00 a.m. CEST | 2:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 831 5594 6905
Webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MWQDW2026-2

Register now for free:

Program:

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

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

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Dario Ferraro, University of Padova & ThinkQuantum, Italy;
• Dr. Lock Yue Chew, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore;
• Dr. Marco Avesani, Physics Department, University of Genoa, Italy.