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31 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #25 - 8,000 Staff Worldwide, Korea Visit, 100,000 Preprints, Malaysia Roundtable, Canada Consortium Deal

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

Talent Drives Our Progress

For the first time in MDPI’s history, we now have over 8,000 colleagues across the company. I would like to take a moment to celebrate this milestone and acknowledge the driving force behind our growth and success: our people.

As the world’s leading fully open access publisher, MDPI has grown thanks to the dedication, talent, and teamwork of colleagues across the company. Already halfway through 2025, we’ve welcomed nearly 2,000 new colleagues. 

“Our achievements are also about the people behind them”

We now manage over 475 journals, with 298 receiving an Impact Factor, and hundreds more indexed in major databases, including 343 in Scopus, and 92 by PubMed. As the reach and impact of our journals continues to grow, so does the need for dedicated and qualified teams to support that growth. Thus, attracting and retaining exceptional talent remains a cornerstone of our success.

Our achievements are not just about the results of journal expansion, however: they’re about the people behind them. From our hardworking editors to our meticulous English editing and production teams – from our journal relationship specialists, public relations, marketing and communications professionals to our conference teams and the project teams behind Preprints, Scilit, SciProfiles, JAMS and more. Our success reflects the work of thousands of people showing up each day, taking pride in their work, and committed to excellence and service.

What we’re doing to support talent:

  • Investing in onboarding and training to help new colleagues feel welcomed and empowered to thrive.
  • Creating clearer career paths across all functions, from editorial to communications and beyond.
  • Launching mentorship programs and internal knowledge-sharing sessions to promote growth and collaboration.
  • Evolving our recognition and rewards programs to better celebrate your contributions.
  • Expanding our training systems and platforms.

MDPI’s in-house training department offers over 215 training courses, covering topics from editorial development to cross-cultural collaboration. In 2024 alone, we had 44 full-time trainers and 196 part-time training assistants supporting the learning and development needs of colleagues worldwide. These efforts ensure our teams are equipped with the skills and confidence to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully.

Over two-thirds of our workforce is editorial, and of our more than 5,400 editors, 87% hold a Master’s degree and 6% a PhD. Their collective contributions are central to delivering a high-quality publishing experience and supporting global academic communication.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also aim to continue on a path of steady and sustainable growth, one that balances journal expansion with investment in people, outreach, processes, and innovation. Together, we are shaping the future of open access and academic publishing. Thank you for your hard work, your ideas, and your commitment to serving the global research community.

Let’s continue working together to create a culture where great talent grows and every colleague feels valued.

Impactful Research

Visiting South Korea: Building Connections and Supporting the MDPI Seoul Office

In July, I had the opportunity to visit our team in Seoul and engage directly with academic communities in South Korea. The visit focused on deepening MDPI’s relationships with local universities, institutions, and partners, and supporting the great work of our colleagues at the MDPI Seoul office.

Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference

A highlight of the visit was our participation in the Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference, where we presented to over 100 academic librarians. I delivered a keynote speech titled “The Evolving Publishing Landscape: Open Access and Beyond,” while my colleague Dr. Jisuk Kang (Public Affairs Specialist) shared insights in her presentation, “Inside MDPI: Editorial Practices & Research Integrity.”

Facts & Figures: South Korea

  • South Korea is MDPI’s sixth-largest publishing country by article volume (over 90,000 MDPI papers published to date).
  • In 2024, Korea ranked 16th globally by total publications, and 6th (among these top 20 countries) by citation impact.
  • 52% of Korean publications in 2024 were OA – and 73% of those were Gold OA.
  • MDPI published about 20% of all OA papers from Korea in 2024.
  • Over 2,000 active Editorial Board Members from South Korea contribute to MDPI journals, with 11 Section Editors-in-Chief.
  • We currently have 11 Institutional Open Access Program agreements and two society partnerships in Korea:
    • Korean Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (with MDPI journal Pharmaceutics)
    • Korean Tribology Society (with MDPI journal Coatings)

MDPI Seoul Office and the First Korea Salon

Our Seoul office serves as a regional hub for marketing, communications, and community engagement. It continues to grow in size and influence, prioritizing supporting scholar visits, conference sponsorships, and outreach events such as the recent MDPI Korea Salon.

The inaugural Salon, themed “Exploring Research Trends in Medical Publishing, Ethics, and AI,” brought together over 20 scholars and Editorial Board members serving MDPI journals.

Thank you to our guest speakers including Professors Young-Joon Surh of Seoul National University, Kwang-Sig Lee of Korea University, and Jin-Won Noh of Yonsei University who presented on the landscape of medicine in South Korea and across the globe. The Salon also included presentations from MDPI colleagues on Open Access, ethics, and how the IOAP can support researchers in this field.

“Our Seoul office continues to grow in size and influence”

Looking Ahead

MDPI is already the leading OA publisher in South Korea, yet challenges and misconceptions around OA and APCs remain. Visits like this one, along with the ongoing efforts of our Seoul office, are important to building understanding, trust, and long-term relationships with the local academic community.

A big thank-you to our colleagues in Seoul for their warm hospitality, professionalism, and energy! Our new office is well situated, staffed, and ready to grow. This visit marked an important step forward in our continued mission to support global research communities and advance Open Science.

Inside MDPI

Preprints.org Reaches 100,000 Preprints: A Major Milestone for MDPI and Open Science

In case you missed it, Preprints.org recently surpassed 100,000 preprints posted. This is a major milestone for our platform and one worth celebrating.

Preprints are a key pillar of the Open Science movement, which promotes transparency, equity, and faster knowledge-sharing through initiatives such as Open Access, Open Data, Open Source, and Open Peer Review. The benefits of Open Science extend beyond researchers, as they support funders, educators, policymakers, and the public in advancing discovery and innovation.

What is behind the 100,000 preprints milestone?

Since its launch in 2016, Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms, now ranked fifth globally by publication volume.

More than 350,000 researchers have contributed, helping shape this dynamic and collaborative space for sharing early-stage research across all disciplines.

Read the full announcement here:
https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/12202

“Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms”

Some quick facts worth noting:

  • About 56% of the preprints on Preprints.org are later published in peer-reviewed journals.
  • The platform is now indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Europe PMC, and Crossref, helping improve visibility and trust in the preprints shared.
  • Recent upgrades – including a revamped website, new features such as search subscriptions, curated reading lists, and community feedback tools (PREreview) – show our commitment to developing Preprints.org in line with researchers’ needs.

This growth and progress would not be possible without the dedication of the Preprints.org team, our Advisory Board members, screeners, and colleagues across MDPI who support the platform’s development. This milestone is a reminder of our shared mission: to accelerate scientific communication and build a more open, transparent, and inclusive research ecosystem.

I’m excited to see what’s ahead as we approach Preprints.org’s 10-year anniversary in 2026!

Coming Together for Science

Malaysia Media Roundtable: Educating on Open Access and MDPI’s Presence in Southeast Asia

At the end of June, I had the opportunity to participate in a strategic media roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, focused on raising awareness about the importance of Open Access (OA) and on MDPI’s growing presence in Southeast Asia.

We welcomed five Malaysian media outlets for an engaging private session that included presentations and open discussion.

I gave an overview of the benefits of Open Access, MDPI’s global developments, and our collaborations in Malaysia.

My colleague Yu Nwe Soe (Public Relations Specialist), presented on our editorial process, helping to clarify how MDPI supports authors and maintains research quality.

We were also joined by two local Editorial Board Members (EBMs) who offered first-hand insights into their experiences working with MDPI and how OA has shaped their publishing choices.

The discussion covered a range of questions from the press, from OA publishing models to editorial standards, and highlighted MDPI’s unique contribution to accelerating scientific communication in the region.

As the leading fully OA publisher, we see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities and the broader public on the impact of OA, especially in emerging and high-growth academic markets.

Spotlight on Malaysia

Malaysia continues to rise as a regional research hub, with five universities ranked in the global top 200 and 11 subjects in the global top 50. In 2024, Malaysia ranked 2nd in Southeast Asia in total publication output, 10th in Asia, and 25th globally.

MDPI’s presence in Malaysia:

  • Over 21,000 research articles published to date from Malaysian institutions
  • More than 1,100 articles published in 2024 alone
  • In the period 2020–2024, 54% of Malaysia’s total publications were OA
  • 36 EBMs from Malaysia, across 27 MDPI journals
  • Around 100 conferences sponsored in Malaysia in the past five years
  • MDPI is hosting the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers in Kuala Lumpur (29 July- 3 August 2025)

Media Coverage & Editorial Voices

Following the roundtable, we saw positive coverage across several local outlets, with articles highlighting MDPI’s role in empowering Malaysian researchers. Notable pieces included:

Our local EBMs also shared their perspectives:

Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum (Sunway University, EBM of MDPI journal Processes) and Prof. Lee (EBM of MDPI journal Bacteria) share their experiences with MDPI and the role Open Access plays in their publication decisions.

“We see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities on the impact of OA”

“I didn’t want my work stuck behind a paywall.”
— Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum, Sunway University, Processes Editorial Board Member

“Open Access opens doors for collaboration and visibility, especially in fast-developing regions like ours.”
— Prof. Lee, Bacteria Editorial Board Member

This roundtable marked another step in building trust, understanding, and collaboration in Southeast Asia. A big thank-you to the MDPI Malaysia team and all those who contributed to the event’s success.

Closing Thoughts

MDPI Signs First North American Agreement with Canadian Consortium

We are proud to announce a major milestone for MDPI Canada and an important step forward for OA in North America.

In July, our Toronto office finalized MDPI’s first North American consortium agreement with the Federal Science Libraries Network (FSLN). This is a significant achievement that strengthens our expansion in Canada and reinforces our global commitment to supporting Open Science.

This two-year agreement gives Canadian federal agencies access to MDPI’s IOAP, including discounted article processing charges for affiliated researchers across our portfolio of over 475 OA journals. It lowers barriers for Canadian scientists to share their work more openly and reach a global audience.


Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.

“The Open Science landscape in Canada is rapidly evolving, with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy set for renewal by the end of 2025. This reflects ongoing efforts to foster greater scientific transparency and accessibility at a national policy level,” says Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.

“Our new agreement with FSLN represents our shared commitment to further these efforts and foster wider readership. By aligning with these initiatives, we make progress towards research that’s both inclusive and impactful, benefiting local and global communities alike.”

Participating FSLN institutions include:

  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Health Canada
  • National Research Council Canada
  • Natural Resources Canada

By partnering with some of Canada’s largest science-based agencies, we reaffirm our goal of advancing OA across continents. We look forward to developing our support for Canadian researchers and continuing to drive progress in Open Science across North America and beyond.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

31 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Pediatric Oncology” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 from the “Pediatric Oncology” Section in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

Improving Treatment for Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Collaborative Approach through the European Paediatric Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study Group (EpSSG)
Guest Editors: Dr. Julia Chisholm, Prof. Dr. Janet Shipley and Dr. Johannes H. M Merks
Views: 37000+

Pediatric Cancer: From Molecular Targets to Effective Therapies
Guest Editor: Dr. Raushan Kurmasheva
Views: 20000+

Updates on Management and Clinical Trials in Pediatric Oncology
Guest Editors: Dr. Atsushi Makimoto, Dr. Yasuhiro Okamoto and Dr. Yuki Yuza
Views: 15000+

Pediatric and AYA Sarcoma and Intermediate Tumors
Guest Editor: Edited by Prof. Dr. Yoshihiro Nishida
Views: 12000+

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/.

Cancers Editorial Office

30 July 2025
Meet Us at the United European Gastroenterology Week Berlin 2025, 4–7 October 2025, Berlin, Germany


Conference: United European Gastroenterology Week Berlin 2025

Date: 4–7 October 2025

Location: Berlin, Germany

MDPI will be attending the upcoming United European Gastroenterology Week Berlin 2025 (UEG Week) as an exhibitor. This conference will be held in Berlin, Germany, from 4 to 7 October 2025 and is organized by the United European Gastroenterology.

As one of the largest GI congresses in Europe, UEG Week brings together digestive health experts from around the world to share the latest multidisciplinary research and advancements in gastroenterology.

Topics include the following:

  • Oesophageal, Gastric and Duodenal Diseases;
  • Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori);
  • Small Intestine;
  • Nutrition;
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD, including microscopic colitis);
  • Lower gastrointestinal tract (Lower GI, excluding IBD);
  • Liver;
  • Biliary System;
  • Pancreas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #4.32 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about this conference, please visit the following website: https://ueg.eu/week.

29 July 2025
Meet Us at the 5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Molecular Science, 26–29 August 2025, Kyoto, Japan


The 5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Molecular Science (ISFMS2025), organized by the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN: 1422-0067) and MDPI, will be held from 26 to 29 August 2025 in Kyoto, Japan.

This conference will present outstanding research results that elucidate the molecular mechanisms of biological functions and regulation and will also facilitate drug design based on molecular biology, biophysical characterization, in vivo environmental homeostasis, organ interactions based on sensory systems, the physiome, and AI-assisted analysis of protein structures and functions. It aims to bring together scientists, researchers, and engineers from across the world who are working in academia, national labs, and industry to discuss the latest advances in molecular science.

Topics that will be covered include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Protein structure and function;
  • Multidomain proteins;
  • Drug design and drug resistance;
  • Enzymes;
  • Molecular biology of galectins;
  • Glycobiophysics;
  • NMR spectroscopy;
  • Specific sensory systems;
  • Brain and systemic function.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at this conference:

  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences;
  • Current Issues in Molecular Biology;
  • Cells;
  • Bioengineering;
  • Biophysica;
  • BioTech;
  • Cancers;
  • International Journal of Translational Medicine;
  • Kinases and Phosphatases;
  • Microorganisms;
  • Molecules;
  • Synbio;
  • Antibiotics;
  • Antioxidants;
  • Applied Biosciences;
  • BioMed;
  • Biomedicines;
  • BioMedInformatics;
  • Membranes;
  • Antibodies.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to reach out online and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about this event, please click on the following link:  https://sciforum.net/event/ISFMS2025.

28 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Infectious Agents and Cancer” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Infectious Agents and Cancer” Section of Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

“Advances in HPV-Associated Cancers of Different Organs”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Adhemar Longatto-Filho and Prof. Dr. Kari Syrjanen
Submission deadline: 15 September 2024

“Microbiome in Cancer: Role in Carcinogenesis and Impact in Therapeutic Strategies-Volume II”
Guest Editor: Dr. Rui Ferreira
Submission deadline: 31 January 2024

“Hepatitis Viruses and Cancer”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. John Koskinas and Dr. Urania Georgopoulou
Submission deadline: 1 November 2024

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

28 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Tumor Microenvironment” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Tumor Microenvironment”  Section of Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

Targeting Signal Transduction Pathways in Cancer
Guest Editors: Dr. Mohd W. Nasser,Prof. Dr. Shahab Uddin,Prof. Dr. Klaus Podar, and Dr. Martin Sattler
Submission deadline: 31 March 2024

Unique Perspectives in Cancer Signaling
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Peiwen Fei
Submission deadline: 15 September 2024

Tumor Microenvironment in Primary Liver Cancer
Guest Editors: Dr. Stefania Mantovani and Dr. Barbara Oliviero
Submission deadline: 28 June 2024

Advances in Head and Neck Cancer Research
Guest Editor: Dr. Rasha Abu-Eid
Submission deadline: 8 August 2024

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

28 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Metastasis” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Metastasis” Section in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

  1. Invasion and Metastasis of Colon Cancer

Guest Editors: Dr. Océane Martin, Dr. Descarpentrie Jean and Prof. Dr. Antonio V. Sterpetti

  1. Advances in Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer–Implications on Diagnosis and Treatment as We Head towards 2024

Guest Editors: Dr. Nagashree Seetharamu and Dr. Morana Vojnic

  1. Novel Insights into Glioblastoma and Brain Metastases

Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Sanjay K. Srivastava

  1. Metastatic Cutaneous Neoplasms and Not Only: Current Knowledge and Perspectives

Guest Editors: Dr. Eliano Cascardi, Dr. Gerardo Cazzato and Dr. Giuseppe Ingravallo

  1. Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Cancer Metastasis

Guest Editors: Dr. Ray-chang Wu and Dr. Mei-Yi Wu

  1. The Biological Diversity and Therapeutic Implications of Medulloblastoma Metastases and Recurrence

Guest Editor: Dr. Laura Donovan

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

28 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention” Section in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

  1. Mitochondrial Functions in Cancer

Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Pierre Sonveaux and Prof. Dr. Rodrigue Rossignol

  1. Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiology and Prevention

Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Eero Pukkala

  1. Cancer and Nutrients

Guest Editors: Dr. Vikas Yadav, Dr. Hardeep Singh Tuli and Prof. Dr. Mukerrem Betul Yerer Aycan

  1. Side Effects of Anticancer Therapy: Prevention and Management

Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Fabio Puglisi and Dr. Mattia Garutti

  1. Innovations in Diagnosis, Prognostic Evaluation, and Therapeutic Management of Gynecologic Tumors

Guest Editors: Dr. Donatella Santini and Dr. Antonio De Leo

  1. Oral Cancer: Prevention and Early Detection

Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Umberto Romeo and Dr. Gianluca Tenore

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

27 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Drug Development” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Drug Development” Section in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products: From Computational Approaches to Clinical Studies
Guest Editors: Dr. Rajeev K. Singla and Prof. Dr. Anupam Bishayee
Viewed by: 38340+
The Roles of microRNAs in Cancer Aggressiveness and Drug Resistance, Volume II
Guest Editors: Dr. Bi-Dar Wang and Prof. Dr. Luciane R Cavalli
Viewed by: 12750+
Tissue Agnostic Drug Development in Cancer
Guest Editors: Dr. Shivaani Kummar and Dr. Kyaw Thein
Viewed by: 19600+
Molecular Mechanisms of Anti-Cancer Drugs Action
Guest Editor: Dr. Barbara Pucelik
Viewed by: 14580+
Cancer Cell Metabolism and Drug Targets
Guest Editors: Dr. Daniel S. Sitar and Prof. Dr. Donald Miller
Viewed by: 15170+
Melatonin and Cancer: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives
Guest Editors: Dr. Francisco López-Muñoz and Prof. Dr. Alejandro Romero Martínez
Viewed by: 12540+

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

27 July 2025
Cancers | Highly Cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Therapy” Section


We are delighted to share some highly cited Special Issues in 2024 in the “Cancer Therapy” Section in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of highly cited Special Issues can be viewed below:

Recent Research on Mesothelioma
Guest Editors: Dr. Jari Räsänen and Dr. Ilkka Ilonen
Viewed by: 71810+
Concepts to Improve Targeted Radionuclide Therapy in Cancer: Ligand Design Optimization and Application of Emerging Radionuclides and Combination Therapies
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Cristina Müller
Viewed by: 32980+
Feature Review for Cancer Therapy
Guest Editors: Dr. Robert Kleszcz and Dr. Jarosław Paluszczak
Viewed by: 75000+
Advances in Cancer Therapeutics
Guest Editors: Dr. Han Weidong and Dr. Yubin Zhou
Viewed by: 101410+
CAR T Cell Therapy for Cancers
Guest Editor: Dr. Simone Krebs
Viewed by: 39510+
Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy: Recent Advances and Challenges
Guest Editors: Prof. Stefano Maria Magrini, Prof. Michela Buglione and Dr. Alessandro Magli
Viewed by: 45390+

We invite you to read and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers using the following link:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

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