Announcements
6 November 2025
MDPI Launches the Michele Parrinello Award for Pioneering Contributions in Computational Physical Science
MDPI is delighted to announce the establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award. Named in honor of Professor Michele Parrinello, the award celebrates his exceptional contributions and his profound impact on the field of computational physical science research.
The award will be presented biennially to distinguished scientists who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of computational physical science—spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science.
About Professor Michele Parrinello
"Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking what is going to happen to me and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”
——Professor Michele Parrinello
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Born in Messina in 1945, he received his degree from the University of Bologna and is currently affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. Professor Parrinello is known for his many technical innovations in the field of atomistic simulations and for a wealth of interdisciplinary applications ranging from materials science to chemistry and biology. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, also known as the Car–Parrinello method, marking the beginning of a new era both in the area of electronic structure calculations and in molecular dynamics simulations. He is also known for the Parrinello–Rahman method, which allows crystalline phase transitions to be studied by molecular dynamics. More recently, he has introduced metadynamics for the study of rare events and the calculation of free energies. |
For his work, he has been awarded many prizes and honorary degrees. He is a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the German Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the British Royal Society, and the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which is the major academy in his home country of Italy.
Award Committee
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The award committee will be chaired by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, a computational condensed matter physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Department of Physics, Fudan University. Professor Xin-Gao Gong will lead a panel of several senior experts in the field to oversee the evaluation and selection process. The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University (Shanghai, China), led by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, will serve as the supporting institute for the award. |
"We hope the Michele Parrinello Award will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of computational condensed matter physics and at the same time set a benchmark for the younger generation, providing clear direction for their pursuit—this is precisely the original intention behind establishing the award."
——Professor Xin-Gao Gong
The first edition of the award was officially launched on 1 November 2025. Nominations will be accepted before the end of March 2026. For further details, please visit mparrinelloaward.org.
About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards 
The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing sustainable development through scientific progress and global collaboration. The foundation also oversees the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award. The establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award will further enrich the existing award portfolio, providing continued and diversified financial support to outstanding professionals across various fields.
In addition to these foundation-level awards, MDPI journals also recognize outstanding contributions through a range of honors, including Best Paper Awards, Outstanding Reviewer Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Editor of Distinction Awards, and others. These initiatives aim to recognize excellence across disciplines and career stages, contributing to the long-term vitality and sustainability of scientific research.
Find more information on awards here.
1 October 2025
2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers
6 November 2025
Meet Us at the Multiomics and Precision Medicine Joint Conference 2025 (MOPM2025), 8–9 November 2025, Taipei, Taiwan
6 November 2025
Cancers | Highly Viewed Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues Published in the “Cancer Therapy” Section
We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers in the “Cancer Therapy” Section that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in the first half of 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:
The list of relevant papers can be seen below:
“Recent Anti-KRASG12D Therapies: A “Possible Impossibility” for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma”
by Navid Sobhani, Matteo Pittacolo, Alberto D’Angelo and Giovanni Marchegiani
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040704
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/704
“Advancing Cancer Treatment: A Review of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Combination Strategies”
by Valencia Mc Neil and Seung Won Lee
Cancers 2025, 17(9), 1408; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17091408
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/9/1408
“Ancestry-Specific DNA Damage Repair Gene Mutations and Prostate Cancer”
by Talaibek Borbiev, Kevin Babcock, Kayleigh Sinopole, Gregory T. Chesnut and Gyorgy Petrovics
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040682
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/682
“Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance in the Context of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition”
by Ewa Błaszczak, Paulina Miziak, Adrian Odrzywolski, Marzena Baran, Ewelina Gumbarewicz and Andrzej Stepulak
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020228
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/228
“Optimizing Osimertinib for NSCLC: Targeting Resistance and Exploring Combination Therapeutics”
by Yan-You Liao, Chia-Luen Tsai and Hsiang-Po Huang
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030459
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/459
“Comprehensive Review of Early and Late Toxicities in CAR T-Cell Therapy and Bispecific Antibody Treatments for Hematologic Malignancies”
by Ayrton Bangolo, Behzad Amoozgar, Charlene Mansour, Lili Zhang, Sarvarinder Gill, Andrew Ip and Christina Cho
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020282
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/282
Special Issues:
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“New Insights into Cancer Radiotherapy” |
“Advances in Lung Cancer Treatment Strategies” |
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“Advances in the Treatment of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer” |
“Unique Perspectives in Cancer Signaling (2nd Edition)” |
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You can view and submit relevant papers to Cancers via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.
Cancers Editorial Office
5 November 2025
Cancers | Highly Viewed Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues in Pediatric Oncology
We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers in pediatric oncology that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in the first half of 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:
The list of relevant papers can be seen below:
“Updates in Diagnostic Techniques and Experimental Therapies for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma”
by Luke McVeigh, Tirth Patel, Madeline Miclea, Kallen Schwark, Diala Ajaero, Fareen Momen, Madison Clausen, Tiffany Adam, Rayan Aittaleb, Jack Wadden et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(6), 931; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17060931
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/6/931
“The Molecular Basis of Pediatric Brain Tumors: A Review with Clinical Implications”
by Elias Antoniades, Nikolaos Keffes, Stamatia Vorri, Vassilios Tsitouras, Nikolaos Gkantsinikoudis, Parmenion Tsitsopoulos and John Magras
Cancers 2025, 17(9), 1566; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17091566
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/9/1566
“Pre- and Postnatal Exposures to Residential Pesticides and Survival of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia”
by Seema Desai, Libby M. Morimoto, Alice Y. Kang, Mark D. Miller, Joseph L. Wiemels, Lena E. Winestone and Catherine Metayer
Cancers 2025, 17(6), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17060978
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/6/978
“The Role of Chronic Inflammation in Pediatric Cancer”
by Christine Mella, Panogiotis Tsarouhas, Maximillian Brockwell and Hope C. Ball
Cancers 2025, 17(1), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17010154
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/1/154
“Ultra-High Dose Oral ω3 Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), or Oxidation-Resistant Deuterated DHA Block Tumorigenesis in a MYCN-Driven Neuroblastoma Model”
by Vishwa Patel, Yan Ning Li, Lorraine-Rana E. Benhamou, Hui Gyu Park, Mariya Raleigh, J. Thomas Brenna and John T. Powers
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030362
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/362
“Atypical Pelvic Tumors in Children”
by Paulina Sobieraj and Monika Bekiesińska-Figatowska
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 619; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040619
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/619
Special Issues:
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| “New Advances in the Treatment of Pediatric Solid Tumors” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Myriam Weyl Ben-Arush and Dr. Oz Mordechai Submission deadline: 20 November 2025 |
“Recent Advances in Hematological Malignancies in Children” Guest Editor: Dr. Radosław Chaber Submission deadline: 30 December 2025 |
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| “Clinical and Biological Studies of Pediatric Adrenocortical Tumors, Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Ronald R. de Krijger, Prof. Dr. Verena Wiegering and Prof. Dr. Maria Candida Barisson Villares Fragoso Submission deadline: 31 December 2025 |
“Research Challenges in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer” Guest Editors: Dr. Lorna A. Fern and Dr. Jeremy Lewin Submission deadline: 31 December 2025 |
You can view and submit relevant papers to Cancers via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.
Cancers Editorial Office
4 November 2025
Cancers | Highly Viewed Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues on Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy
We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers on cancer immunology and immunotherapy that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in the first half of 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:
The list of relevant papers can be seen below:
“KRAS Mutations in Cancer: Understanding Signaling Pathways to Immune Regulation and the Potential of Immunotherapy”
by Priyanka Uniyal, Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Tapan Behl, Deepak Parashar and Ravi Rawat
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 785; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050785
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/5/785
“Immune-Based and Novel Therapies in Variant Histology Renal Cell Carcinomas”
by Justin W. Miller,Jeffrey S. Johnson,Christopher Guske,Gowtam Mannam, Firas Hatoum,Michelle Nassar,Marine Potez,Adnan Fazili,Philippe E. Spiess and Jad Chahoud
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020326
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/326
“Personalization of Cancer Treatment: Exploring the Role of Chronotherapy in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Efficacy”
by Rosalyn M. Fey, Avery Billo, Terri Clister, Khanh L. Doan, Elizabeth G. Berry, Deanne C. Tibbitts and Rajan P. Kulkarni
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050732
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/5/732
“Advancing Immunotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer: A Brief Review of Emerging Adoptive Cell Therapies”
by Deepak Sherpally and Ashish Manne
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 589; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040589
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/589
“Tumor Heterogeneity and the Immune Response in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Emerging Insights and Implications for Immunotherapy”
by Michael S. Oh, Jensen Abascal, Austin K. Rennels, Ramin Salehi-Rad, Steven M. Dubinett and Bin Liu
Cancers 2025, 17(6), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17061027
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/6/1027
“Personalized Immunity: Neoantigen-Based Vaccines Revolutionizing Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment”
by Ioanna Aggeletopoulou, Spyridon Pantzios and Christos Triantos
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030376
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/376
Special Issues:
“CAR T Cells in Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma”
Guest Editors: Dr. Javier Munoz and Dr. Julia Erin Wiedmeier-Nutor
Submission deadline: 31 January 2026
“Immune Microenvironment and Immunotherapy in Malignant Brain Tumors”
Guest Editors: Dr. Masaki Terabe and Prof. Dr. Mark R. Gilbert
Submission deadline: 30 April 2026
“Cancer Immunotherapy: Focus on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Immune Modulators”
Guest Editor: Dr. Katsuaki Ieguchi
Submission deadline: 30 March 2026
“Immunotherapy for Skin Cancers”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Reinhard Dummer and Dr. Lara Valeska Maul-Duwendag
Submission deadline: 10 March 2026
You can view and submit relevant papers to Cancers via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.
Cancers Editorial Office
4 November 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #28 - WSF11, Nobel Laureates, Proofig AI, Romania Summit, STM and FBF
Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.
In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.
Opening Thoughts
Highlights from the 11th World Sustainability Forum in Barcelona
I’m pleased to share some highlights from the 11th World Sustainability Forum (WSF 11), held in Barcelona on 2–3 October 2025 under the theme Sustainable and Resilient Cities.
Why WSF matters
The WSF series is a flagship initiative for MDPI and is supported by the MDPI Sustainability Foundation. It serves as a transdisciplinary platform for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to engage on sustainability challenges. WSF is now held annually as part of our commitment to maintain momentum in the sustainability discourse.
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This year’s Barcelona edition focused on urban resilience, landscape design, and social community impact in the sustainability space. Over 48 hours of sessions, we brought together leading minds across disciplines to translate vision into practice. With participants from 53 countries across all continents, WSF 11 was truly global in scope.
“WSF is now held annually as part of our commitment to maintain momentum in the sustainability discourse”
What made WSF 11 especially successful (from my vantage point) was the level of positive engagement with our participants. Chief editors, researchers, and attendees repeatedly told me how professionally executed the event was, highlighting the high energy, logistical smoothness and quality of MDPI’s event management. That kind of recognition from peers really builds our reputation as more than just a publisher, but as a convener of meaningful scientific dialogue.
Our conferences are a form of experiential marketing as they create memorable and immersive connections between a brand and attendees. These positive associations build promotion and brand loyalty, ultimately impacting the MDPI’s trust and reputation for the better.
WSF 11: By the numbers
Here’s a quick snapshot of WSF 11’s scale and reach:
- 181 registrations across global participants.
- 8 keynote speakers and 5 invited speakers.
- 144 abstracts accepted (over 355 submitted), resulting in 75 short talks and 69 posters.
- 53 countries were represented across all continents, making it a truly international event.
- First time that we ran parallel sessions for WSF (an ambitious program).
- A dedicated awards ceremony to honour outstanding sustainability research: World Sustainability Award (WSA) x 2 winners, and Emerging Sustainability Leader Award (ESLA) x 3 winners.
Interviews with our World Sustainability Award Winners
One of the most rewarding parts of WSF is recognizing researchers whose work advances sustainability in powerful ways. In our Blog series, Daniella Maritan-Thomson (Content Specialist, MDPI) interviewed the two winners of the World Sustainability Award, Professor Dr. Stuart Pimm and Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail, who offered insights to the human side of sustainability research, the people behind the data, and the stories behind the science.
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Prof. Stuart Pimm, whose decades of conservation work make him a leader in biodiversity preservation, reflected on his WSF Award experience and research in this interview: [Interview: Prof Stuart Pimm] |
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Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail, an expert in crop improvement and winner of the WSF Award, shares his journey and perspectives here: [Interview: Dr Abdelbagi M. Ismail] |
“Our conferences create memorable and immersive connections”
Emerging Sustainability Leader Award winners
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Prof. Dr. Vhahangwele Masindi, Dr. Katya Rhodes, and Prof. Dr. Myriam Ertz (left to right).
We also recognized three recipients of the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award: Prof. Dr. Vhahangwele Masindi, Dr. Katya Rhodes, and Prof. Dr. Myriam Ertz, for their contributions as early-career researchers advancing sustainability through innovation, impact, and academic excellence across the field.
What this means for MDPI
- Building our global identity in events
WSF is a marquee MDPI event, not just a gathering, but a statement of how we wish to position ourselves in the global sustainability ecosystem. The positive feedback helps us build on our approach for future editions, so that we remain a reference point for quality, relevance, and engagement. - Expanding capacity across offices
The success of WSF 11 in Barcelona’s would not have happened without great teamwork from Basel, Barcelona, Romania, the UK, and the APAC Conference team. Thanks to everyone for their work to bring this ambitious event to life. - Supporting MDPI’s mission
At this event, I had the opportunity to present on MDPI's role in Open Access, sustainability publishing, and the intersection of science and policy. WSF is not only about the science; it’s also a platform for us to position MDPI as a thought leader and a collaborator in shaping the future of sustainable research.
I look forward to the WSF momentum as we work towards WSF 12 in Hong Kong, which is scheduled for August 2026.
MDPI Colleagues at the 11th World Sustainability Forum in Barcelona, Spain, 2–3 October 2025.
Impactful Research
Celebrating 2025 Nobel Laureates who have published with MDPI
October is always an inspiring month in science. It’s when the world turns its attention to the Nobel Prize announcements, recognizing discoveries that have changed how we understand the world.
Over the years, many distinguished researchers who have received the Nobel Prize have chosen to publish their work with MDPI. These are scientists whose breakthroughs have shaped entire fields of research, and who have entrusted our Open Access journals to share their findings with the world.
“The work we support can be world-class and world-changing”
Congratulations to the 2025 Laureates
Dozens of Nobel Laureates have published in our journals: as at 2024, more than 40 laureates had contributed over 115 articles across more than 35 MDPI journals. Congratulations to the three 2025 Nobel prize-winners who have published with MDPI during their careers. Below are links to their MDPI publications and announcements for further reading:
- Omar M. Yaghi (Chemistry)
- Awarded for his pioneering work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MDPI published his article “Covalent Organic Frameworks: Organic Chemistry Beyond the Molecule” in Molecules (2017).
- MDPI Announcement: https://www.mdpi.com/news/13455
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry – The Science Behind the Prize
- Shimon Sakaguchi (Medicine)
- Recognized for discoveries in immune-system self-tolerance and regulatory T-cells. Published in Cancers (2021).
- MDPI Announcement: https://www.mdpi.com/news/13443
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine – The Science Behind the Prize
- John M. Martinis (Physics)
- Recognized for quantum tunnelling in electrical circuits. MDPI’s Journal of Nuclear Engineering (2025) includes his co-authored work.
- MDPI Announcement: https://www.mdpi.com/news/13450
- Nobel Prize in Physics – The Science Behind the Prize
These connections strengthen our mission to make research freely available and ensure that transformative ideas reach the widest possible audience.
Publishing at the leading edge of knowledge
The privilege of hosting such contributors resonates deeply with our editorial teams. It shows that top-tier scientific work has a home at MDPI, which builds our visibility in the research community. It signals that our publishing model, our editorial workflows, and our commitment to Open Access are respected at the very highest levels of science. It also gives our authors, reviewers, editors and staff the message that the work we support can be world-class and world-changing.
Publishing at the leading edge of knowledge isn’t just about individual papers – it’s about the ecosystem of support, transparency, and accessibility that makes discovery possible. Let’s continue to build a publishing platform and provide a service that attracts and enables both everyday research and the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Inside MDPI
Strengthening Research Integrity: MDPI partners with Proofig AI
I’m pleased to share that MDPI has entered a multi-year partnership with Proofig AI, a leader in AI-driven proofing and integrity software for scientific publishing. This follows the success of our pilot program, in which Proofig AI proved highly effective in detecting duplicated, altered, and manipulated images across biomedical submissions.
Safeguarding the credibility of the research we publish
Research integrity is at the core of MDPI’s mission. The life sciences, in particular, face increasing risks of image-related issues due to advanced editing tools and generative AI. By integrating Proofig AI into our workflows, we improve our ability to detect issues early, reduce post-publication corrections, and safeguard the credibility of the research we publish.
Pilot outcomes
- Successful detection of duplicated confocal and histology images, even when altered to disguise similarities.
- Early results showed a significant drop in post-publication image manipulation flags year-on-year.
- Positive feedback from editors and staff highlighted the tool’s ease of use and reliability.
Dr. Dror Kolodkin-Gal (co-founder and CEO of Proofig AI) said:
“The MDPI team conducted a highly professional and carefully monitored pilot, achieving excellent results in detecting problematic images.
Their fast and effective integration process was impressive, and we are excited to contribute to this important collaboration.”
Sanita Meijere (IT Product and Project Manager, MDPI), shared:
“For more than a year, we’ve tested all the available image manipulation detection tools. Proofig AI’s quality and ease of use, alongside positive feedback from our internal users, made their software a clear stand-out.
We’re thrilled to be moving forward with this partnership, ensuring we do our utmost to protect MDPI’s biomedical journals. Using this advanced image proofing software reaffirms MDPI’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in research integrity.”
Raising the bar for integrity
This partnership sets a new benchmark for quality control in biomedical publishing.
As Tim Tait-Jamieson (Head of Publication Ethics, MDPI), explains:
“The life sciences are disproportionately affected by research integrity issues, making vigilance in this field especially critical. This is driven, in part, by the increasing sophistication of image editing software and generative AI.
Whether accidental or deliberate, image manipulation can have a lasting impact on credibility. By integrating Proofig AI into our editorial workflows, we strengthen our ability to detect scientific misconduct early and reduce post-publication amendments.”
Faster and more accurate quality control
Proofig will automatically flag potentially problematic images during submission checks, giving our editors more confidence in the integrity of manuscripts and freeing up time to focus on editorial decisions. The tool will also reduce the burden of manual checks, while supporting faster and more accurate quality control. This partnership reinforces MDPI's reputation as a publisher that takes integrity seriously and continues to invest in tools to support authors, editors, and reviewers alike.
A big thank-you to all colleagues who supported the pilot and rollout. You can read more in our MDPI Blog post.
Coming Together for Science
The MDPI Romania Summit 2025
On 21–22 October, I had the pleasure of joining our colleagues in Bucharest for the MDPI Romania Summit 2025. The event was organized by our Romania Marketing team, with support from colleagues across our Romanian offices. It brought together academics, policymakers, and collaborators to discuss the country’s evolving research landscape.
Over two days, we welcomed more than 30 participants, including Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, and policy-makers from the Romanian research and education sectors, including representatives from the Romanian Academy and the National Commission for the Accreditation of Academic Titles (CNATDCU).
The discussions and presentations reflected the strength and growth of Romania’s research community and its active engagement in Open Access publishing.
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“The discussions and presentations reflected the strength and growth of Romania’s research community”
Romania’s role in Open Access
Romania loves Open Access and has emerged as one of MDPI’s most engaged national research communities. The numbers speak for themselves:
- 67% of all publications in Romania were Open Access in 2024.
- MDPI accounts for 39% of the country’s total OA publications (14,779 in 2024).
- Over the last five years (2020–2024), Romanian institutions published over 33,000 papers with MDPI.
- There are 460 active Editorial Board Members from Romania, including 8 Chief Editors.
- 29 institutions are part of our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), with 8 new members joining in 2025.
These numbers reflect the trust and reliable partnership we have built with the Romanian academic community.
Highlights from the Summit
The program covered a wide range of topics from MDPI’s achievements and updates to our editorial processes, peer-review quality, AI in publishing, IOAP and Open Access funding models, and publication ethics.
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Agenda Highlights:
- MDPI Introduction, Performance & Achievements, and Collaboration with Romania – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI).
- Trust the Process: Editorial Workflow and Quality in Publishing – Dr. Liliane Auwerter (Scientific Review Group).
- Publication Ethics at MDPI: Safeguarding the Integrity of the Published Scholarly Record – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist).
- Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI).
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Sanita Meijere (AI Product Manager).
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI).
Participants shared feedback and ideas for future collaborations, including organizing author workshops, possible conference collaborations, and strengthening our engagement with national institutions such as the Ministry of Education and Research and the National Council of Romanian Rectors.
As Acad. Dr. Nicolae-Victor Zamfir, Vice President of the Romanian Academy, noted during the discussions:
“The organization of the event is very timely, because MDPI is a publishing house in full development and expansion. The opinion of researchers is important for increasing the quality of published works.”
A collaborative future
Events like this remind us how essential it is to engage locally and listen directly to the voices of our editors, authors, and institutional partners. They help us build relationships, improve our understanding of the local market, and align our shared goals in advancing Open Access and research quality.
Thank you to everyone involved, especially our Romania Marketing team, who organized the event, and to all colleagues who continue to build relationships with our academic communities around the world.
Thank you!
A special thank-you to the Romanian Marketing team and all colleagues behind the scenes who made this Summit such a success. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum with future Summits in Europe and beyond.
Closing Thoughts
STM and FBF 2025: Connecting Through Science and Publishing
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) at STM Conference, Frankfurt, 14 October 2025.
On 13–14 October, I attended the STM Frankfurt Conference 2025, my fourth visit to the Frankfurt event, and it continues to be one of the most valuable gatherings in our industry.
The STM meeting brings together the publishing community and key opinion leaders to speak on current trends and challenges shaping our industry.
This year’s theme – “Science Diplomacy: What is it and How Does it Work?” – unpacked the growing intersection of science, policy, and publishing.
Discussion topics ranged from what is science diplomacy and how publishers can contribute to global collaboration to how science communication can help maintain trust during an era of disruption.
I was joined by Dr. Constanze Schelhorn, our Head of Indexing, who met with representatives from Scopus, Web of Science, Digital Science, ProQuest, and other partners. These meetings give us a chance to share feedback on our collaborations, learn about new updates being developed, and build our relationships with indexing bodies.
“The STM meeting brings together the publishing community and key opinion leaders”
STM also provides a space to connect with industry peers, as I did with colleagues from Elsevier, Frontiers, Clarivate, Sage, and STM itself, reinforcing MDPI’s engagement within the broader publishing community. It was also nice to bump into some former colleagues and see them continuing to grow in their publishing careers.
At the Frankfurt Book Fair
The MDPI booth at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair.
Following STM, I spent the next day at the Frankfurt Book Fair (15–19 October) – one of the largest and most influential events in the publishing world.
It’s always inspiring to see the scale and energy of this global gathering, which spans everything from books and education to digital innovation and academic publishing.
We set up an MDPI booth to host discussions with partners, vendors, and researchers.
The Fair ran into the weekend, with colleagues from several MDPI departments attending to represent the company and connect with the scholarly community.
Events like STM and FBF are a nice reminder of how dynamic and interconnected our industry is, and how important it is for MDPI to continue taking part in global conversations about science, communication, and the future of publishing.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
31 October 2025
Cancers | Highly Viewed Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues in the “Cancer Drug Development” Section
We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers in Section “Cancer Drug Development” that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in the first half of 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:
The list of relevant papers can be seen below:
“Current Progress and Future Perspectives of RNA-Based Cancer Vaccines: A 2025 Update”
by Matthias Magoola and Sarfaraz K. Niazi
Cancers 2025, 17(11), 1882; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17111882
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/11/1882
“Opportunities and Challenges in Antibody–Drug Conjugates for Cancer Therapy: A New Era for Cancer Treatment”
by Idil Buyukgolcigezli, Ates Kutay Tenekeci and Ibrahim Halil Sahin
Cancers 2025, 17(6), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17060958
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/6/958
“Petosemtamab, a Bispecific Antibody Targeting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and Leucine-Rich G Repeat-Containing Protein-Coupled Receptor (LGR5) Designed for Broad Clinical Applications”
by Ante S. Lundberg, Cecile A. W. Geuijen, Sally Hill, Jeroen J. Lammerts van Bueren, Arianna Fumagalli, John de Kruif, Peter B. Silverman and Josep Tabernero
Cancers 2025, 17(10), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17101665
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/10/1665
“Advancing Cancer Therapy with Quantum Dots and Other Nanostructures: A Review of Drug Delivery Innovations, Applications, and Challenges”
by Ashutosh Pareek, Deepanjali Kumar, Aaushi Pareek and Madan Mohan Gupta
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050878
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/5/878
“Advances in the Repurposing and Blood–Brain Barrier Penetrance of Drugs in Pediatric Brain Tumors”
by Julian S. Rechberger, Stephanie A. Toll, Subhasree Biswas, Hyo Bin You, William D. Chow, Nicholas Kendall, Pournima Navalkele and Soumen Khatua
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030439
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/439
“The Evolving Landscape in Multiple Myeloma: From Risk Stratification to T Cell-Directed Advanced Therapies”
by Carmen Besliu, Alina Daniela Tanase, Ionela Rotaru, Jose Espinoza, Laura Vidal, Martine Poelman, Manel Juan, Carlos Fernández de Larrea and Kamal S. Saini
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030525
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/525
Special Issues:
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“Development of Biomarkers and Antineoplastic Drugs in Solid Tumors” |
“Novel Drugs for Treating Gynecologic Cancers: 2nd Edition” |
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“Advances in Drug Delivery for Cancer Therapy” |
“Therapeutic Optimization of Anti-Tumor Drugs Based on Pharmacokinetics” |
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You can view and submit relevant papers to Cancers via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.
Cancers Editorial Office
29 October 2025
Cancers | Highly Viewed Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues on Methods and Technologies Development
We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers on methods and technologies development that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in the first half of 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:
The list of relevant papers can be seen below:
“Multimodal Imaging of Osteosarcoma: From First Diagnosis to Radiomics”
by Maurizio Cè, Michaela Cellina, Thirapapha Ueanukul, Gianpaolo Carrafiello, Rawee Manatrakul, Phatthawit Tangkittithaworn, Suphaneewan Jaovisidha, Praman Fuangfa and Donald Resnick
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040599
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/599
“Current Landscape and Future Directions in Cancer Immunotherapy: Therapies, Trials, and Challenges”
by Shehani Bandara and Sreejith Raveendran
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050821
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/5/821
“Unraveling the Role of Fusobacterium nucleatum in Colorectal Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Pathogenic Insights”
by Linda Galasso, Fabrizio Termite, Irene Mignini, Giorgio Esposto, Raffaele Borriello, Federica Vitale, Alberto Nicoletti, Mattia Paratore, Maria Elena Ainora, Antonio Gasbarrini et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030368
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/368
“Dermoscopy of Basal Cell Carcinoma Part 2: Dermoscopic Findings by Lesion Subtype, Location, Age of Onset, Size and Patient Phototype”
by Irena Wojtowicz and Magdalena Żychowska
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020176
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/176
“Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Global Breast Cancer Care: A Scoping Review of Applications, Outcomes, and Challenges”
by Jolene Li Ling Chia, George Shiyao He, Kee Yuen Ngiam, Mikael Hartman, Qin Xiang Ng and Serene Si Ning Goh
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020197
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/197
“Proximity Labeling: Precise Proteomics Technology for Mapping Receptor Protein Neighborhoods at the Cancer Cell Surface”
by Saman Rahmati and Andrew Emili
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020179
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/179
Special Issues:
| “Multicellular 3D Models of Cancer” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Marilena Loizidou and Prof. Dr. Eirini Velliou Submission deadline: 15 December 2025  |
“Personalized Radiotherapy in Cancer Care (2nd Edition)” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Bin S. Teh and Dr. Waqar M. Haque Submission deadline: 28 February 2026  |
| “Advances in Artificial Intelligence Methodologies and Applications in Cancer” Guest Editors: Dr. Jennifer G. Le-Rademacher and Dr. Nicholas Larson Submission deadline: 15 March 2026  |
“Advances in Locoregional Therapies for Gastrointestinal Cancer Metastases” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Mazin Al-Kasspooles Submission deadline: 15 May 2026  |
You can view and submit relevant papers to Cancers via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.
Cancers Editorial Office
29 October 2025
Cancers | Highly Viewed Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues on Cancer Informatics and Big Data
We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers on cancer informatics and big data that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in the first half of 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:
The list of relevant papers can be seen below:
“Advanced Brain Tumor Classification in MR Images Using Transfer Learning and Pre-Trained Deep CNN Models”
by Rukiye Disci, Fatih Gurcan and Ahmet Soylu
Cancers 2025, 17(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17010121
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/1/121
“A Scoping Review of Infrared Spectroscopy and Machine Learning Methods for Head and Neck Precancer and Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis”
by Shahd A. Alajaji, Roya Sabzian, Yong Wang, Ahmed S. Sultan and Rong Wang
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050796
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/5/796
“Global Literature Analysis of Tumor Organoid and Tumor-on-Chip Research”
by Jun-ya Shoji, Richard P. Davis, Christine L. Mummery and Stefan Krauss
Cancers 2025, 17(1), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17010108
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/1/108
“Genomic Characterization of Chordoma: Insights from the AACR Project GENIE Database”
by Beau Hsia, Gabriel Bitar, Saif A. Alshaka, Jeeho D. Kim, Bastien A. Valencia-Sanchez, Farhoud Faraji, Michael G. Brandel, Mariko Sato, John Ross Crawford, Michael L. Levy et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 536; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030536
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/536
“Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Oncology Diagnosis and Treatment: A Review”
by Mubashir Hassan, Saba Shahzadi and Andrzej Kloczkowski
Cancers 2025, 17(11), 1828; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17111828
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/11/1828
“The Use of an Integrated Digital Tool to Improve the Efficiency of Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards—A Prospective Trial in Taiwan”
by Linda Chia-Fang Chang, Hsuan-Chih Kuo, Hung-Ming Wang, Yung-Chia Kuo, Ching-Ting Wang, Li-Chin Chen and Jason Chia-Hsun Hsieh
Cancers 2025, 17(3), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17030444
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/3/444
Special Issues:
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“Feature Papers in Section “Cancer Informatics and Big Data”” Guest Editor: Dr. Jason Roszik Submission deadline: 31 December 2025
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“Advances in Cancer Data and Statistics: 2nd Edition” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Vesna Zadnik Submission deadline: 31 December 2025
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“Integrating Bioinformatics, AI, Imaging, and Clinical Informatics in Cancer Research” Guest Editor: Dr. Jason Li Submission deadline: 30 April 2026
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“Single-Cell and Spatial Data Analytics in Cancers” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Yu Shyr and Prof. Dr. Qi Liu Submission deadline: 31 May 2026
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You can view and submit relevant papers to Cancers via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.
Cancers Editorial Office
