Announcements

Conference: The 2026 Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research
Date: 8–11 June 2026
Location: Budapest, Hungary

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will participate in the 2026 Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR 2026), held in Budapest, Hungary, from 8 to 11 June 2026.

The 2026 Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR 2026) is a four-day congress dedicated to basic, preclinical and translational cancer research across a wide range of topics. The conference will highlight the latest research and bring together the cancer research community to inspire innovation and build knowledge, connections and collaborations.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Cancers;
• JPM;
• Current Oncology;
• Onco;
• JCM;
• Cells;
• Diseases;
• Epigenomes;
• CIMB;
• Biologics;
• Life;
• Gastrointestinal Disorders;
• Clinics and Practice;
• DNA;
• IJMS;
• Diagnostics.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #101 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://2026.eacr.org/.

MDPI will be attending NWO Life 2026, which will be held from 28 to 29 May 2026 in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands.

NWO Life is an annual scientific conference for life scientists, designed to inspire and connect researchers across disciplines. Attendees can engage with sessions led by world-leading keynote speakers and researchers, while also sharing their own work with a diverse community spanning all career stages.

The conference offers a dynamic platform to explore scientific knowledge beyond one’s immediate field. Over the course of two days, the programme is structured around a range of topics tailored to different research backgrounds, encouraging interdisciplinary learning and the exchange of fresh perspectives.

NWO Life supports researchers at every stage of their careers. Early career scientists gain valuable experience by presenting their research, while established researchers can discover new directions and build collaborations through plenary talks and poster sessions. With ample networking opportunities throughout, the conference fosters meaningful connections within the life sciences community.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Life;
• Applied Biosciences;
• Organoids;
• MPs;
• JDB;
• Metabolites;
• Cells;
• IJERPH;
• Stresses;
• BioMedInformatics.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth and start 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 the following link: https://nwolife.nl/.

We invite you to read the Editor’s Choice Articles published in the journal Cells (ISSN: 2073-4409). These papers present the latest insights and findings, and we trust they will infuse fresh inspiration and innovative thinking into your new research endeavors.

1. “Synthetic Small-Molecule Ligands Targeted to Adenosine Receptors: Is There Potential Towards Ischemic Heart Disease?”
by Qi Xu, Yaw Nana Opoku, Kalwant S. Authi and Agostino Cilibrizzi
Cells 2025, 14(15), 1219; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14151219
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/15/1219

2. “Short- and Long-Term Endothelial Inflammation Have Distinct Effects and Overlap with Signatures of Cellular Senescence”
by Barbora Belakova, José Basílio, Manuel Campos-Medina, Anna F. P. Sommer, Adrianna Gielecińska, Ulrike Resch and Johannes A. Schmid
Cells 2025, 14(11), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14110806
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/11/806

3. “Platelet-Derived Soluble CD40L and Its Impact on Immune Modulation and Anti-IL6R Antibody Treatment Outcome in Rheumatoid Arthritis”
by Carlos Zamora, Cesar Diaz-Torne, Maria Angels Ortiz, Patricia Moya, Hye Sang Park, Concepció Pitarch, Elisabet Cantó, Ruben Osuna-Gomez, Maria Mulet, Maisa Garcia-Arguinzonis et al.
Cells 2025, 14(9), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14090625
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/9/625

4. “The Role of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Vascular Dementia”
by Aseel Y. Altahrawi, Antonisamy William James and Zahoor A. Shah
Cells 2025, 14(8), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14080609
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/8/609

5. “Zebrafish as a Versatile Model for Cardiovascular Research: Peering into the Heart of the Matter”
by Ramcharan Singh Angom, Meghna Singh, Huzaifa Muhammad, Sai Manasa Varanasi and Debabrata Mukhopadhyay
Cells 2025, 14(7), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14070531
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/7/531

6. “Blockade of HSP70 Improves Vascular Function in a Mouse Model of Type 2 Diabetes”
by Mendoza Ochoa, Valentina, Amanda Almeida de Oliveira and Kenia Pedrosa Nunes
Cells 2025, 14(6), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14060424
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/6/424

7. “Metaboloepigenetics: Role in the Regulation of Flow-Mediated Endothelial (Dys)Function and Atherosclerosis”
by Francisco Santos, Hashum Sum, Denise Cheuk Lee Yan and Alison C. Brewer
Cells 2025, 14(5), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14050378
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/5/378

8. “Pro-Fibrotic Macrophage Subtypes: SPP1+ Macrophages as a Key Player and Therapeutic Target in Cardiac Fibrosis?”
by Moritz Uhlig, Sebastian Billig, Jan Wienhold and David Schumacher
Cells 2025, 14(5), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14050345
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/5/345

9. “The Link Between Venous and Arterial Thrombosis: Is There a Role for Endothelial Dysfunction?”
by Marco Paolo Donadini, Francesca Calcaterra, Erica Romualdi, Roberta Ciceri, Assunta Cancellara, Corrado Lodigiani, Monica Bacci, Silvia Della Bella, Walter Ageno and Domenico Mavilio
Cells 2025, 14(2), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14020144
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/2/144

10. “Defined Composition of Culture Media Promotes Rodent Neonatal Cardiomyocyte Maturation and Enables Functional Neuro-Cardiac Co-Culture”
by Giulia Borile, Lolita Dokshokova, Nicola Moro, Antonio Campo, Valentina Prando, Jose L. Sanchez-Alonso, Julia Gorelik, Giuseppe Faggian, Marco Mongillo and Tania Zaglia
Cells 2025, 14(18), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14181434
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/18/1434

MDPI is pleased to announce our participation in the 63rd ERA Congress, which will be held from 3 to 6 June 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

The 63rd ERA Congress will revolve around the theme of “Open your mind”. The seven main tracks can be explored via the following link: https://www.era-online.org/events/glasgow-2026/scientific-programme/.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Biomedicines;
• Journal of Clinical Medicine;
• Kidney and Dialysis;
• Cells;
• Anesthesia Research;
• Toxins;
• Diseases;
• Clinics and Practice;
• Diabetology;
• Transplantology;
• Medical Sciences;
• Journal of Molecular Pathology.

If you are attending 63rd ERA Congress, we invite you to visit us at our booth #D.250. Our representatives will be available to discuss publishing opportunities, the benefits of open access, and answer any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit its official website at https://www.era-online.org/events/glasgow-2026/.

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).

We are delighted to share a collection of papers on Alzheimer’s mechanisms published in Cells (ISSN: 2073-4409). In addition, we would like to highlight several Special Issues related to this topic that are currently open for submission.

1. “Non-Coding RNAs in Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Unraveling the Hidden Players in Disease Pathogenesis”
by Mirolyuba Simeonova Ilieva
Cells 2024, 13(12), 1063; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13121063
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/12/1063

2. “Epigenetic Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease: DNA Methylation and Histone Modification”
by Laura Maria De Plano, Alessandra Saitta, Salvatore Oddo and Antonella Caccamo
Cells 2024, 13(8), 719; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13080719
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/8/719

3. “From Genetics to Neuroinflammation: The Impact of ApoE4 on Microglial Function in Alzheimer’s Disease”
by Daniela Dias, Camila Cabral Portugal, João Relvas and Renato Socodato
Cells 2024, 14(4), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14040243
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/4/243

4. “Modulating Neuroinflammation as a Prospective Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer’s Disease”
by Eunshil Lee and Yongmin Chang
Cells 2024, 14(3), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14030168
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/3/168

5. “Lipidomic Analysis of Plasma Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Alzheimer’s Disease Patients”
by Marios G. Krokidis, Krishna A. Pucha, Maja Mustapic, Themis P. Exarchos, Panagiotis Vlamos and Dimitrios Kapogiannis
Cells 2024, 13(8), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13080702
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/8/702

6. “Neuroprotective Effects of Metformin Through the Modulation of Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress”
by Sarah Reed, Equar Taka, Selina Darling-Reed and Karam F. A. Soliman
Cells 2025, 14(14), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14141064
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/14/1064

7. “Neuroprotection of Cholinergic Neurons with a Tau Aggregation Inhibitor and Rivastigmine in an Alzheimer’s-like Tauopathy Mouse Model”
by Maciej Zadrozny, Patrycja Drapich, Anna Gasiorowska-Bien, Wiktor Niewiadomski, Charles R. Harrington, Claude M. Wischik, Gernot Riedel and Grazyna Niewiadomska
Cells 2024, 13(7), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13070642
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/7/642

8. “Porphyromonas gingivalis-Lipopolysaccharide Induced Caspase-4 Dependent Noncanonical Inflammasome Activation Drives Alzheimer’s Disease Pathologies”
by Ambika Verma, Gohar Azhar, Pankaj Patyal, Xiaomin Zhang and Jeanne Y. Wei
Cells 2025, 14(11), 804; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14110804
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/11/804

9. “Neuro-Cells Mitigate Amyloid Plaque Formation and Behavioral Deficits in the APPswe/PS1dE9 Model of Alzheimer Disease While Also Reducing IL-6 Production in Human Monocytes”
by Johannes de Munter, Kirill Chaprov, Ekkehard Lang, Kseniia Sitdikova, Erik Ch. Wolters, Evgeniy Svirin, Aliya Kassenova, Andrey Tsoy, Boris W. Kramer, Sholpan Askarova et al.
Cells 2025, 14(15), 1168; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14151168
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/15/1168

10. “PF-04691502, a PI3K/mTOR Dual Inhibitor, Ameliorates AD-like Pathology in a Mouse Model of AD”
by Marika Lanza, Rossella Basilotta, Antonella Caccamo, Giovanna Casili, Alberto Repici, Salvatore Oddo and Emanuela Esposito
Cells 2025, 14(18), 1474; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14181474
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/18/1474

Relevant Special Issues:

“Tau-Targeted Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Amritpal Mudher, Dr. Katerina Papanikolopoulou, Dr. Lovesha Sivanantharajah and Prof. Dr. Efthimios M. C. Skoulakis
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026

“Function of Stress Granules in Normal Cells and in Alzheimer’s Disease”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Paul D. Coleman and Prof. Benjamin Wolozin
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026 

“Latest Advances in Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Alzheimer’s Disease in Canada”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Jacques P. Tremblay
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 October 2026

We are pleased to announce that the Cells 2025 Outstanding Reviewer Award has been awarded to the following recipients, selected by the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Cord Brakebusch. Cells’ (ISSN: 2073-4409) Editorial Board and editorial team would also like to acknowledge the time and effort dedicated by all reviewers in evaluating manuscripts submitted to the journal. Their contributions are crucial to maintaining Cells’ reputation for high quality and a quick turnaround.

First prize:

CHF 500, a free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year and an electronic certificate.

Winner:

• Dr. Zhidong Zhou, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.

Second prize:

A free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year and an electronic certificate.

Winners:

• Dr. Alessio Reggio, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Italy;
• Dr. Yasuhiro Kosuge, Nihon University, Japan.

Cells Editorial Office

We are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Tu Youyou Award. Named after Nobel Laureate Tu Youyou, whose discovery of artemisinin has saved millions of lives, this award recognizes researchers whose work advances the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, while also contributing to human health.

Prize

– CHF 100,000;
– A medal;
– A certificate.

The monetary prize will be shared equally should there be multiple recipients.

Who May Be Nominated?

– Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Nominees must be individuals; team or group nominations are not permitted. Nominations are valid only for the current award cycle.

Who May Submit a Nomination?

– The director of the nominee’s host research institution or recognized scientists within the field.

Self-nominations will not be considered.

Nomination Materials

– A biographical sketch;
– A detailed description of the nominee’s contributions;
– 5–10 representative academic publications;
– A list of academic honors, awards, and funded projects;
– A nomination letter signed by two nominators.

How to Submit?

Submit nominations online via the following link: https://tuyouyouprize.org/nomination

Important Dates

– Nomination Deadline: 31 October 2026
– Winner Announcement: March 2027

For further information, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website (https://tuyouyouprize.org/). For any inquiries, please contact the Tu Youyou Award Team at tuyouyouaward@mdpi.com.

We are delighted to share a collection of papers on autophagy published in our journal Cells (ISSN: 2073-4409). These articles cover a range of critical topics, including the development, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other disorders.

In addition, we would like to highlight several Special Issues related to this topic that are currently open for submission.

1. “Effect of the Ketone Body, D-β-Hydroxybutyrate, on Sirtuin2-Mediated Regulation of Mitochondrial Quality Control and the Autophagy–Lysosomal Pathway”
by Juan Carlos Gómora-García, Teresa Montiel, Melanie Hüttenrauch, Ashley Salcido-Gómez, Lizbeth García-Velázquez, Yazmin Ramiro-Cortés, Juan Carlos Gomora, Susana Castro-Obregón and Lourdes Massieu
Cells 2023, 12(3), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12030486
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/3/486

2. “The Role of Bcl-2 and Beclin-1 Complex in “Switching” between Apoptosis and Autophagy in Human Glioma Cells upon LY294002 and Sorafenib Treatment”
by Adrian Zając, Aleksandra Maciejczyk, Joanna Sumorek-Wiadro, Kamil Filipek, Kamil Deryło, Ewa Langner, Jarosław Pawelec, Magdalena Wasiak, Mateusz Ścibiorski, Wojciech Rzeski et al
Cells 2023, 12(23), 2670; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12232670
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/23/2670

3. “Inhibition of Autophagy by Berbamine Hydrochloride Mitigates Tumor Immune Escape by Elevating MHC-I in Melanoma Cells”
by Jinhuan Xian, Leilei Gao, Zhenyang Ren, Yanjun Jiang, Junjun Pan, Zheng Ying, Zhenyuan Guo, Qingsong Du, Xu Zhao, He Jin et al.
Cells 2024, 13(18), 1537; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13181537
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/18/1537

4. “Discovery of Evolutionary Loss of the Ubiquitin-like Autophagy-Related ATG12 System in a Lineage of Apicomplexa”
by Xiaoxia X. Lin, Yun D. Bai, Sichang T. Wang, Akira Nozawa, Tatsuya Sawasaki, Tatsunori Masatani, Kenji Hikosaka, Masahito Asada and Hirokazu Sakamoto
Cells 2025, 14(2), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14020121
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/2/121

5. “Dopamine Receptor D3 Induces Transient, mTORC1-Dependent Autophagy That Becomes Persistent, AMPK-Mediated, and Neuroprotective in Experimental Models of Huntington’s Disease”
by Diego Luis-Ravelo, Felipe Fumagallo-Reading, Alejandro Febles-Casquero, Jonathan Lopez-Fernandez, Daniel J. Marcellino and Tomas Gonzalez-Hernandez
Cells 2025, 14(9), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14090652
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/9/652

6. “Autophagy and Breast Cancer: Connected in Growth, Progression, and Therapy”
by Qitong Wu, and Dipali Sharma.
Cells 2023, 12(8), 1156. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12081156
Available Online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/8/1156

7. “Autophagosome Biogenesis”
by Yan Zhen and Harald Stenmark
Cells 2023, 12(4), 668; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12040668
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/4/668

8. “Neuronal Autophagy: Regulations and Implications in Health and Disease”
by Caroline Liénard, Alexandre Pintart and Pascale Bomont
Cells 2024, 13(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13010103
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/1/103

9. “Autophagy in Crohn’s Disease: Converging on Dysfunctional Innate Immunity”
by Kibrom M. Alula and Arianne L. Theiss
Cells 2023, 12(13), 1779; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12131779
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/13/1779

10. “Role of Macroautophagy in Mammalian Male Reproductive Physiology”
by Doaa Kirat, Ahmed Mohamed Alahwany, Ahmed Hamed Arisha, Adel Abdelkhalek and Taku Miyasho
Cells 2023, 12(9), 1322; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12091322
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/9/1322

11. “Molecular Mechanisms of Autophagy Decline during Aging”
by Shaun H. Y. Lim, Malene Hansen and Caroline Kumsta
Cells 2024, 13(16), 1364; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13161364
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/16/1364

12. “Autophagy in Tissue Repair and Regeneration”
by Daniel Moreno-Blas, Teresa Adell and Cristina González-Estévez
Cells 2025, 14(4), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14040282
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/4/282

13. “Mechanistic Insights into Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death (ADCD): A Novel Avenue for Cancer Therapy”
by Md Ataur Rahman, Maroua Jalouli, Mohammed Al-Zharani, Ehsanul Hoque Apu and Abdel Halim Harrath
Cells 2025, 14(14), 1072; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14141072
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/14/1072

14. “Autophagy and Alzheimer’s Disease: Mechanisms and Impact Beyond the Brain”
by Zaw Myo Hein, Thirupathirao Vishnumukkala, Barani Karikalan, Aisyah Alkatiri, Farida Hussan, Saravanan Jagadeesan, Mohd Amir Kamaruzzaman, Muhammad Danial Che Ramli, Che Mohd Nasril Che Mohd Nassir and Prarthana Kalerammana Gopalakrishna
Cells 2025, 14(12), 911; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14120911
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/12/911

15. “Iron Metabolism and Muscle Aging: Where Ferritinophagy Meets Mitochondrial Quality Control”
by Rosa Di Lorenzo, Emanuele Marzetti, Helio José Coelho-Junior, Riccardo Calvani, Vito Pesce, Francesco Landi, Christiaan Leeuwenburgh and Anna Picca
Cells 2025, 14(9), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14090672
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/9/672

Relevant Special Issues:
“Autophagy in Neurological Disorders”
Guest Editors: Dr. Natalia Jimenez-Moreno and Prof. Dr. Ciro Isidoro
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026

“Molecular Mechanisms of Autophagy, Apoptosis and Senescence and Therapeutic Advances in Cancer Progression”
Guest Editors: Dr. Katerina Gioti and Prof. Dr. Apostolos Beloukas 
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026

“Autophagy in Stress Responses: From Molecular Mechanisms to Disease Relevance”
Guest Editors: Dr. Katrina F. Cooper and Dr. Kleiton Silva
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2026