Announcements

Conference: The 13th Chinese National Conference on Chemical Biology
Date: 11–15 April 2025
Location: Changsha, China

MDPI will be attending the 13th Chinese National Conference on Chemical Biology as an exhibitor. The conference will be held from 11 to 15 April 2025. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The 13th Chinese National Conference on Chemical Biology (CNCCB 2025) is the largest and highest-caliber academic event in the field of chemical biology research in China, and an important gathering of scientific and technological workers who are engaged in research relating to chemical biology. The conference will focus on the recent achievements and progress made by Chinese chemical biology research and related disciplines, promote interdisciplinary exchange and innovation, and serve the national strategy of healthy China. The conference will invite recognized scholars from home and abroad to give presentations and is organized into eleven thematic sessions and four special forums to build a platform for academic exchange and the introduction of new talents in the field.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• IJMS;
• Proteomes;
• BioChem;
• CIMB;
• Biomolecules;
• Chemistry;
• Biomedicines;
• SynBio.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.chemsoc.org.cn/meeting/CNCCB2025/.

MDPI is pleased to share a significant milestone in its mission to advance scholarly research and promote the dissemination of knowledge—300+ MDPI journals are now indexed in Web of Science (WoS). This milestone highlights the global recognition, interdisciplinary impact and enhanced visibility of our journals. It also reflects our adherence to rigorous editorial standards, scientific integrity, and our mission to foster open scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. 

To explore the full list of our journals indexed in WoS, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals/wos. Beyond expanding the coverage of our publications in the leading academic databases, we are dedicated to ensuring that our journals are included in as many scope-specific databases as possible. This increases the visibility of our authors’ work and extends the reach of their significant data. 

This milestone would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of our academic editors, reviewers and authors. Their commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in creating an inclusive, accessible, and impactful publishing platform. We also extend our gratitude to the global research community for their trust as we continue to break new ground in academic publishing. This milestone is not just a celebration of MDPI’s progress but also recognition of the collective strides made by researchers worldwide. 

As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, MDPI remains steadfast in its commitment to open access publishing and ensuring that high-quality research reaches and inspires a global audience.

MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), Singapore, proudly announce the successful conclusion of the first edition the MDPI Early Career Researcher Awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to medical and biomedical research, were presented to six exceptional researchers during an awards ceremony held at LKCMedicine HQ Building on 28 November 2024.

Honoring Excellence in Research

The awards recognize exceptional postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students who have demonstrated outstanding originality, innovation, and impact in their respective fields. We are honored to announce the winners of the 2024 edition:

Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Award:

• Dr. Theresia Handayani Mina, “Adiposity and Metabolic Health in Asian Populations: An Epidemiological Study Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Singapore”;
• Dr. Erfan Rezvani Ghomi, “Wound Healing Improvement by Novel Aligned Antimicrobial Nanofibrous 3D Scaffolds”;
• Dr. Yadollah Ranjbar Slamloo, “Functional Alterations of The Prefrontal Circuit Underlying Cognitive Aging in Mice”.

Early Career Researcher (Ph.D.) Award:

• Pritisha Rozario, “Mechanistic Basis for Potassium Efflux-Driven Activation of the Human NLRP1 Inflammasome”;

• Michelle Law Cheok Yien, “Chikungunya Virus Nonstructural Protein 1 is a Versatile RNA Capping and Decapping Enzyme”;
• Yin Ruoyu, “The Use of Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing Tools in Older Adults: A Mixed Method Study”.

Our collaboration highlights a shared commitment to recognizing exceptional talent and research within the academic community, addressing today’s healthcare challenges, and inspiring continued innovation.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Building on the success of the first edition, MDPI and LKCMedicine are excited to announce that the 2025 MDPI Early Researcher Awards will continue to celebrate excellence and innovation in medical research. The next edition promises to expand its scope, introducing new categories and providing even greater recognition for impactful research.

Further details on the 2025 awards, including nomination criteria and timelines, will be shared in the coming months. We remain committed to fostering a culture of research excellence and collaboration within the global scientific community.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Buyong Ma as the new Editor-in-Chief of BioChem (ISSN: 2673-6411).

Name: Prof. Dr. Buyong Ma
Affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
Interests: computational chemistry and biology; computational immunology; protein–protein interaction; protein aggregation diseases; neurodegenerative disease; Alzheimer’s disease; cancer and inflammation; antigen

Prof. Dr. Buyong Ma is a Full Professor at the Shanghai Jiaotong University, China. His research interests mainly focus on (1) molecular mechanisms of action and drug design; (2) computational biology of cancer and immunology; (3) protein dynamics and function; and (4) antibody/antigen design and protein engineering and design. He has more than 220 scientific publications, which have received over 17000 citations (h-index 61 according to Scopus). He is a pioneer in the computational study of protein conformational dynamics and ligand interactions, protein interaction hot spots, and protein aggregation. He was also among the first to elucidate the structure and mechanism of protein amyloid formation.

We are confident that his vision and leadership will steer BioChem towards new heights of success.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Buyong Ma, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Editor-in-Chief?
I have been serving as the Associate Editor of BioChem since its inception in 2021 and was actively involved in launching the journal. BioChem is an international and interdisciplinary open access journal that spans a wide array of fields, including molecular biology, cell biology, structural biology, nucleic acid biology, chemical biology, synthetic biology, disease biology, biophysics, and theoretical biochemistry. With the support of our strong editorial team, BioChem has successfully attracted and published numerous high-quality papers. Taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief presents an exciting opportunity to collaborate closely with the editorial team to further elevate BioChem's scientific impact and reputation.

2. What is your vision for the journal?
My vision for elevating BioChem's scientific impact and reputation is to attract contributions from researchers at top-tier institutions, as well as those deeply engaged in biochemistry-related teaching and applied research. I envision BioChem as not just a journal for publishing scientific findings, but as a platform that fosters the integration of diverse scientific fields, supports the development of young scientists, and advocates for scientific integrity.
In addition to traditional areas of biochemistry, such as molecular biology and cell biology, we aim to broaden our focus by introducing special issues in emerging and impactful fields, including structural biology, nucleic acid biology, chemical biology, synthetic biology, disease biology, and theoretical biochemistry. These initiatives will not only diversify our content but also position BioChem as a leading voice in advancing scientific dialogue and discovery in biochemistry and its related disciplines.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
As I mentioned during the announcement of BioChem's inception, the advances in biological sciences have fundamentally transformed our world and deepened our understanding of humanity. Progress, whether it involves a single biochemical reaction or systems-level biology, has always stemmed from interdisciplinary collaboration across diverse scientific fields. This principle holds especially true for the present and future study of biochemistry, which remains at the core of biological sciences.
Looking ahead, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into scientific research promises a paradigm shift in the field. AI's ability to analyze complex data, predict outcomes, and accelerate discoveries will undoubtedly redefine how we approach and study a wide range of biochemical topics. These advancements will open new avenues for exploration and innovation, shaping the future of research in profound ways.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Open access has undeniably transformed the publishing landscape by increasing accessibility, leading to higher impact and citation rates. It facilitates the faster dissemination of knowledge and fosters broader collaboration across disciplines and geographic regions. To fully realize the benefits of open access, the scientific community must work collectively to develop sustainable funding models, address equity concerns, and uphold the highest standards of peer review and editorial practices.

We wish Prof. Dr. Buyong Ma every success in his new position, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.

The editorial team at BioChem extends our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated reviewers whose expertise and commitment have been key to the journal's success in 2024. Last year, BioChem received 100 review reports from 68 reviewers representing 20 countries and regions worldwide.

To recognize the invaluable time, effort, and attention to detail that each reviewer dedicates, BioChem expresses its sincere gratitude through an annual acknowledgment of reviewers.

We are honored to recognize the reviewers who allowed us to publish their names each year. The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

Nine new journals covering multiple subjects launched their inaugural issues in December 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of the Editorial Board Members, and each journal will ensure its high-quality output by using excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

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

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Zhaoyang Dong City University of Hong Kong, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	energy storage technologies; energy storage system management; energy storage applications; strategies in renewable energy generation grid integration; distributed storage systems; economics and markets for energy storage View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Yang-Hui He 1. London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Royal Institution, UK 2. University of Oxford, UK Editorial | View inaugural issue	Euclidean geometry; differential geometry; algebraic geometry; complex geometry; discrete geometry; computational geometry; geometric group theory;  convex geometry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Michel Planat Université de Franche-Comté, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	differential topology; algebraic topology; manifold topology; homology theory; low-dimensional topology; fuzzy sets View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Rashid Al Abri 1. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman 2. Oman Medical Association, Oman Editorial | View inaugural issue	clinical practices as well as research and innovation in medical education, risk management in healthcare, and patient safety View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili* New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA *Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili passed away before the completion of the inaugural issue. His dedication and vision for JPBI will always be remembered and serve as a guiding inspiration. Editorial | View inaugural issue	early drug discovery and development; product characterization and pre-clinical testing; drug delivery systems and drug design; active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Weiyong Liu Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	theories, methodologies, technologies, and applications in the fields of laboratory medicine and clinical chemistry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar University of Granada, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	scientometrics; informetrics; bibliometrics; altmetrics; webometrics; research evaluation View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Fei Fan Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	regional growth theory and methods; regional system modeling and optimization; regional development policy; regional spatial evolution; environmental policy and instrument choice View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione Université Catholique de Lille, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	wild species and their habitats; wild environments and biodiversity; natural environment management; wild land preservation View journal scope | Submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

More than 100 German universities and research institutions have entered into a national agreement with MDPI. The publication agreement negotiated by ZB MED comes into effect on 1 January 2025 and is valid until the end of 2026. Joining the consortium is still possible until the beginning of 2025. We are delighted by the high level of interest this agreement has already garnered, reflecting the strong demand for accessible and cost-effective open access publishing solutions among German research institutions.

This new cooperation aims to make scientific gold open access publishing more affordable and less administratively burdensome for researchers in Germany. The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs) for corresponding authors from participating institutions. It offers flexible payment options, including centralized invoicing or individual payment of fees by researchers or their institutions. Additionally, the agreement features a flat-fee model that enables institutions to precisely plan expenses and optimize their library budgets.

"MDPI can look back on over a decade of successful partnerships with German research institutions," says Peter Roth, MDPI Head of Publishing. "The new agreement marks another milestone in the long-standing co-operation between MDPI and the German scientific community. It emphasizes our commitment to developing up-to-date and inventive solutions for the diverse needs of scientific institutions to promote open research for the benefit of researchers."

Petra Labriga, Head of Strategic License Management at ZB MED, highlighted the agreement's significance: "As one of the world's leading Gold OA publishers, MDPI plays a central role in the German publishing landscape. We are particularly pleased that we were able to achieve considerable potential cost savings for scientific institutions and their authors at a national level through our negotiations."

The partnership reflects a common goal of advancing the idea of open access and supporting researchers in making their scientific excellence internationally visible.

"We would like to thank the ZB MED consortium team for their excellent collaboration," added Adrian Stefan Zamfir, MDPI Institutional Partnership Manager for the DACH region. "We are delighted that this agreement will give even more researchers in Germany access to our tried-and-tested and reliable publication platform."

Franziska Fischer (right), Commercial Director at ZB MED, an Peter Roth (left), Head of Publishing at MDPI, celebrate the signing of the new national open access agreement between MDPI and the ZB MED Consortium.

More Information

• Conditions and participation opportunities (German): Link
• Frequently asked questions (German): Link

Contact

• ZB MED: Team Konsortiallizenzen ([email protected]) - Website
  MDPI: Adrian Stefan Zamfir, Institutional Partnership Manager ([email protected])
  
  

About ZB MED

ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences is an infrastructure and research centre for life science information and data. Its aim is to support and strengthen research for people and the environment: from medicine to biodiversity and environmental protection.

The work of ZB MED is orientated towards the strategic guidelines:

• Research + Networking: We conduct research together with the regionally, nationally, European and globally networked research community.
• Data science: We enable data analyses and generate new knowledge through research.
• Access to information: We provide sustainable access to information, literature and data as a central information infrastructure.
• Open + FAIR: We promote open and reproducible science in line with open science and FAIR principles.
• Knowledge and skills transfer: We actively impart knowledge, competences and skills.

More information at www.zbmed.de.

About MDPI

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI is one of the world's leading open access publishers with a current portfolio of more than 440 journals in all scientific disciplines. MDPI‘s goal is to advance open science worldwide through greater transparency, efficiency and collaboration. To date, more than 3.7 million researchers have published their results in MDPI journals. The editorial process is overseen by a large network of dedicated reviewers and editors and supported by more than 6500 MDPI employees. MDPI currently works with over 800 academic institutions and 180 scientific societies worldwide, which benefit from a wide range of MDPI services and products.

We are pleased to announce a series of updates to our template, aimed at improving the readability and overall aesthetics of our publications. These changes have been meticulously designed to enhance the user experience and ensure consistency across all our publications. The updated template will be available for download from the Instructions for Authors page.

The following updates will be applied to articles published in the 2025 volumes, starting on 24 December 2024:

• Main text: The line spacing has been increased to improve the readability of publications;
• Header and footer: The link to the journal website will be removed, as a hyperlink has been integrated into the journal logo. Additionally, the DOI link will be moved from the left-hand side to the right-hand side, and both the header and footer will be slightly raised to achieve a better balance;
• Left information bar: The information provided here has been rearranged for better organization; the CC-BY logo will be removed;
• Font size: The font size used for the abstract, keywords, and first-level headings will be increased.

Furthermore, MDPI journals will continue to use article numbers. This approach enables us to maintain a rapid and efficient production process by being able to define pagination as soon as a paper is accepted.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with a better experience and make the process more convenient.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 685 Editorial Board Members of our journals – from 39 different countries and territories – who have been recognized as Highly Cited Researchers for 2024 by Clarivate. This distinction highlights their exceptional scientific achievements and significant contributions, which transcend academic boundaries to advance global knowledge, sustainability, security, and well-being.

Clarivate's annual Highly Cited Researcher™ list identifies the most influential scientists of the past decade, whose work has had a profound and widespread impact across various scientific and social science disciplines. Their impactful papers rank among the top 1% by citations in one or more of the 21 fields analyzed within the "Essential Science Indicators," marking them as leaders in their respective domains.

"Highly Cited Researchers have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research," according to Clarivate. In 2024, a total of 6,886 Highly Cited Researcher designations were awarded to 6,636 individuals.

The following is a list of MDPI's Editorial Board Members named Highly Cited Researchers in 2024. We congratulate them for their achievement and their contributions to advancing knowledge in their respective fields.

Conference: Plant & Animal Genome 32 Conference
Organization: Scherago International
Date: 10–15 January 2025
Place: San Diego, CA, USA

MDPI journals will be attending the Plant & Animal Genome 32 Conference as exhibitors. This meeting will be held at the Town & Country Resort and Conference Center, San Diego, USA, from 10 to 15 January 2025. 

The Plant & Animal Genome Conference (PAG) will bring together the leading genetic scientists and researchers involved in plant and animal research and related areas. With 62 countries typically represented, the Plant & Animal Genome Conference provides an established forum for the exchange of information internationally as well as in the USA. Approximately 39% of attendees travel to the PAG from outside the USA, making the conference a truly global event. Of the attendees, 73% checked “Plant” and 27% checked “Animal” as their areas of interest.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Plants;
• Agronomy;
• Life;
• Epigenomes;
• Biochem;
• Current Issues in Molecular Biology (CIMB);
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS);
• Animals;
• International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB);
• Taxonomy;
• Crops;
• Agriculture;
• Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens (JZBG);
• Horticulturae;
• Genes;
• Grasses;
• Seeds.