Announcements

Conference: Plant Biology Europe 2025

Organization: The Federation of the European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB) and the Hungarian Society for Plant Biology

Date: 25–28 June 2025

Place: Budapest, Hungary

MDPI journals will be attending Plant Biology Europe 2025 as exhibitors. This meeting will be held at the Budapest Congress Center, Budapest, Hungary, from 25 to 28 June 2025.

The 24th Congress of FESPB will cover both traditional and emerging topics of plant biology across multiple disciplines and scales during the four-day program.

Among the many issues addressed during the meeting, particular emphasis will be placed on challenges caused by climate change since many of these are significant plant stress factors. We are convinced that plant science is green science, and our research can contribute significantly to solving the problems and mitigating the consequences of our changing environment, as well as helping adapt to it.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Plants;
• Agronomy;
• International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB);
• Current Issues in Molecular Biology (CIMB);
• Horticulturae;
• Epigenomes;
• Genes;
• Proteomes;
• Antioxidants;
• J — Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal;
• Diversity;
• BioTech;
• Cells.

If you will be attending this conference, please feel free to visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

MDPI is excited to announce its participation as an exhibitor at the 2025 International Association for Landscape Ecology—North America (IALE-NA) Annual Meeting, which will be held in Raleigh, United States, from 13 to 17 April 2025. 

The theme of this year’s meeting, “Landscapes of Change: Dynamic Interactions between Nature and People”, will bring together over 500 professionals and students from diverse fields, including geology, ecology, biology, geography, urban and regional planning, and landscape management and design. Discover how MDPI can support your research and academic goals. Our team will be at the booth to discuss MDPI’s submission process, editorial support, and the benefits of open access publishing. Plus, enjoy exciting gifts and exclusive resources that are only available at our booth! Do not miss out on this exciting opportunity.

The following MDPI journals will be present at the conference:

• Land;
• Sustainability;
• Urban Science;
• IJGI;
• Earth;
• Diversity;
• Ecologies;
• Geographies;
• Environments;
• Resources.

We would like to invite you to attend the 1st International Online Conference on Taxonomy, organized by MDPI’s journal Taxonomy (ISSN: 2673-6500, Impact Factor: 1.5, CiteScore: 2.4), which will take place from 3 to 4 December 2025, CET, online. 

Conference Chair:

• Prof. Dr. Mathias Harzhauser, Natural History Museum, Austria. 

The topics of interest:
S1. Advances in Molecular Systematics;
S2. Microbial Taxonomy;
S3. Animal Taxonomy;
S4. Plant Taxonomy;
S5. “Paleotaxonomy”. 

Important dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 1 September 2025;
Notification of acceptance: 2 October 2025;
Free registration deadline: 27 November 2025. 

Guide for authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1273. 

To register for this event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCTX2025?section=#registration. 

For details regarding abstract submission, poster and slide submission, and publication opportunities, please refer to the “Instructions for Authors” section via the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCTX2025?section=#instructions. 

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact ioctx2025@mdpi.com. 

We look forward to seeing you at IOCTX 2025.

22 March marks World Water Day, a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of water resources. The theme for World Water Day 2025, “Glacier Preservation”, underscores the critical role glaciers play in sustaining life on Earth. Glaciers are vital natural reservoirs, providing meltwater that is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production, and the health of ecosystems. However, the rapid melting of glaciers due to climate change is creating uncertainty in water availability, with profound consequences for communities, economies, and the planet.

As glaciers shrink, the world faces increasing risks of water scarcity, disruption to ecosystems, and heightened vulnerability to natural disasters. Protecting these frozen water resources is not just an environmental imperative but a necessity for ensuring a sustainable future.

Echoing the mission of safeguarding glaciers for generations to come, MDPI’s established journals in the Environmental and Earth Sciences field serve as leading platforms for scientific communication. By sharing cutting-edge research and practical solutions, MDPI contributes to global efforts to address the water crisis and protect these invaluable natural assets.

Join us in celebrating World Water Day 2025 and supporting initiatives that prioritize glacier preservation. Together, we can work toward a future where water resources are protected, ecosystems thrive, and communities are resilient in the face of climate challenges.

Feel free to register for this webinar here!

“Physical Vulnerability of The Gambia’s Coastline in the Context of Climate Change”
by Muhammad Leroy Albert Gomez, Kissao Gnandi, Chrétien Ngouanet, Ibrahima Pouye and Joshua Ntajal
World 2025, 6(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/world6010017

“Segmentation of Glacier Area Using U-Net through Landsat Satellite Imagery for Quantification of Glacier Recession and Its Impact on Marine Systems”
by Edmund Robbins, Robert D. Breininger, Maxwell Jiang, Michelle Madera, Ryan T. White and Nezamoddin N. Kachouie
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(10), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12101788

“Evaluating Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Water Scarcity Mitigation in Small Greek Islands under Climate Change”
by Elissavet Feloni and Panagiotis T. Nastos
Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2592; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062592

“Snow Water Equivalent Monitoring—A Review of Large-Scale Remote Sensing Applications”
by Samuel Schilling, Andreas Dietz and Claudia Kuenzer
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(6), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16061085

“Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention”
by Stefanos Stefanidis, Nikolaos Proutsos, Vasileios Alexandridis and Giorgos Mallinis
Land 2024, 13(6), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060765

“Comparison of Multiple Methods for Supraglacial Melt-Lake Volume Estimation in Western Greenland During the 2021 Summer Melt Season”
by Nathan Rowley, Wesley Rancher and Christopher Karmosky
Glacies 2024, 1(2), 92-110; https://doi.org/10.3390/glacies1020007

“Microbial Community Abundance and Metabolism Close to the Ice-Water Interface of the Blomstrandbreen Glacier (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard): A Sampling Survey Using an Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle”
by Maria Papale, Gabriella Caruso, Giovanna Maimone, Rosabruna La Ferla, Angelina Lo Giudice, Alessandro Ciro Rappazzo, Alessandro Cosenza, Filippo Azzaro, Roberta Ferretti, Rodolfo Paranhos et al.
Water 2023, 15(3), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15030556

“Projected Future Flooding Pattern of Wabash River in Indiana and Fountain Creek in Colorado: An Assessment Utilizing Bias-Corrected CMIP6 Climate Data”
by Swarupa Paudel, Neekita Joshi and Ajay Kalra
Forecasting 2023, 5(2), 405-423; https://doi.org/10.3390/forecast5020022

“Mountain Cryosphere Landscapes in South America: Value and Protection”
by Sebastián Ruiz-Pereira, Voltaire Alvarado Peterson and Darío Trombotto Liaudat
Conservation 2023, 3(1), 232-246; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3010017

“Diversity and Variability of the Course of Ice Phenomena on the Lakes Located in the Southern and Eastern Part of the Baltic Sea Catchment Area”
by Rajmund Skowron, Pavel Kirvel, Adam Choiński and Ivan Kirvel
Limnol. Rev. 2023, 23(1), 33-49; https://doi.org/10.3390/limnolrev23010003

The International Day of Forests, observed annually on 21 March, highlights the indispensable role forests play in sustaining life on Earth. Forests are pillars of global food security and nutrition, providing livelihoods for millions of families worldwide. They are a vital source of essential foods for indigenous and rural communities, offering fruits, nuts, and other resources that are integral to their diets and cultures. Beyond food, forests are a cornerstone of sustainable energy, agriculture, and environmental health. They support pollinators, enrich soil, regulate the climate, and conserve biodiversity, making them critical to the balance of our planet's ecosystems. 

However, deforestation, climate change, and unsustainable practices threaten forests and the countless benefits they provide. In alignment with the 2025 theme for International Day of Forests, “Forests and Food” and Goal 13 of the SDG Publishers Compact: Climate Action,  MDPI’s established journals in Section “Environmental and Earth Sciences” serve as vital platforms for scientific communication to recognize the urgent need to protect and restore these natural treasures. 

Join us in celebrating International Day of Forests and supporting initiatives that protect these vital ecosystems. Together, we can work toward a future where forests continue to nourish and sustain life for generations to come. 

Invited speakers: 

  Feel free to register for this webinar here! 

“Forest Fire Prediction: A Spatial Machine Learning and Neural Network Approach”
by Sanjeev Sharma and Puskar Khanal
Fire 2024, 7(6), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7060205 

“High-Severity Wildfires Alter Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Foraging Assemblage Structure in Montane Coniferous Forests and Grasslands in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA”
by Jonathan Knudsen, Robert Parmenter, Theodore Sumnicht and Robin Verble
Conservation 2024, 4(4), 830-846; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4040049 

“Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Storage in Mangrove Forests in Southeastern Mexico”
by Carlos Roberto Ávila-Acosta, Marivel Domínguez-Domínguez, César Jesús Vázquez-Navarrete, Rocío Guadalupe Acosta-Pech and Pablo Martínez-Zurimendi
Resources 2024, 13(3), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13030041 

“A Nature-Based Approach Using Felled Burnt Logs to Enhance Forest Recovery Post-Fire and Reduce Erosion Phenomena in the Mediterranean Area”
by Giuseppe Bombino, Daniela D’Agostino, Pasquale A. Marziliano, Pedro Pérez Cutillas, Salvatore Praticò, Andrea R. Proto, Leonardo M. Manti, Giuseppina Lofaro and Santo M. Zimbone
Land 2024, 13(2), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020236 

“Effects of Climate Change on Greek Forests: A Review”
by Panagiotis P. Koulelis, Nikolaos Proutsos, Alexandra D. Solomou, Evangelia V. Avramidou, Ermioni Malliarou, Miltiadis Athanasiou, Gavriil Xanthopoulos and Panos V. Petrakis
Atmosphere 2023, 14(7), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14071155 

“Assisted Migration of Sequoiadendron Genotypes for Conservation and Timber: Performance and Morphology in a Warmer Climate Outside of Their Range”
by Christopher M. Valness, William J. Libby and John-Pascal Berrill
Conservation 2023, 3(4), 543-568; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3040035 

“Analysis of Accelerometer Data Using Random Forest Models to Classify the Behavior of a Wild Nocturnal Primate: Javan Slow Loris (Nycticebus javanicus)”
by Amanda Hathaway, Marco Campera, Katherine Hedger, Marianna Chimienti, Esther Adinda, Nabil Ahmad, Muhammed Ali Imron and K. A. I. Nekaris
Ecologies 2023, 4(4), 636-653; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4040042 

“Pinus contorta Alters Microenvironmental Conditions and Reduces Plant Diversity in Patagonian Ecosystems”
by Rafael A. García, Eduardo Fuentes-Lillo, Lohengrin Cavieres, Ana J. Cóbar-Carranza, Kimberley T. Davis, Matías Naour, Martín A. Núñez, Bruce D. Maxwell, Jonas J. Lembrechts and Aníbal Pauchard
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030320 

“Characterizing the Change of Annual Cone Production in Longleaf Pine Forests”
by Xiongwen Chen and John L. Willis
Seeds 2023, 2(2), 220-231; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds2020017 

“Physiological Potential of Seeds of Handroanthus spongiosus (Rizzini) S. Grose (Bignoniaceae) Determined by the Tetrazolium Test”
by Jailton de Jesus Silva, Raquel Araujo Gomes, Maria Aparecida Rodrigues Ferreira, Claudineia Regina Pelacani and Bárbara França Dantas
Seeds 2023, 2(2), 208-219; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds2020016

World Wildlife Day celebrates the beauty and diversity of wild animals and plants, and also provides an opportunity to raise public awareness and enable the public to gain a deeper understanding of the many benefits of protecting wildlife for humans.

The theme of World Wildlife Day 2025 is “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet”, highlighting the importance of supporting wildlife conservation through financial investment. The theme calls on the global community to increase investment in conservation projects to ensure the health and sustainable development of ecosystems. Protecting wildlife is not only to maintain biodiversity but also to safeguard the future of mankind. By investing in conservation projects, we can reduce the risk of species extinction, improve ecological conditions, and create sustainable economic opportunities for communities. Financial support can be used to establish protected areas, combat illegal trade, restore habitats, and promote scientific research. Investing in wildlife conservation is investing in the future of humanity and the planet, ensuring we can coexist in harmony with nature.

In order to jointly explore methods and possibilities for wildlife protection, we have brought together research results from multiple MDPI journals on the relationship between wildlife and human sustainable development and provided an open communication platform. All results are open access, and we hope that researchers and the public around the world can obtain the latest scientific knowledge and promote innovative research and practice in wildlife conservation.

We invite everyone to join this important movement and contribute to the protection of wildlife and the future of our planet and people.

MDPI World Wildlife Day Webinar
3 March 2025, 3:00 p.m. (GET)
Free to register for this webinar!
Recordings will be available on Sciforum shortly afterward.

“Birds of Game Abundances in Evergreen Forests in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Campeche, Mexico”
by Héctor M. J. López-Castilla, Fernando M. Contreras-Moreno, Daniel Jesús-Espinosa,
José M. Méndez-Tun, Khiavett Sánchez-Pinzón, Pedro Bautista-Ramírez, Lizardo Cruz-Romo
and Sandra Petrone
Wild 2025, 2(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild2010003

“Vulnerability of Agricultural Households to Human–Wildlife Conflicts around Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Northern Benin”
by Sylvain Efio, Etotépé A. Sogbohossou, Yves Z. Magnon, Bertrand Hamaide, Rigobert C. Tossou
and Brice A. Sinsin
Land 2024, 13(9), 1473; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091473

“Managing Landscape Urbanization and Assessing Biodiversity of Wildlife Habitats: A Study of Bobcats in San Jose, California”
by Yongli Zheng, Yuxi Wang, Xinyi Wang, Yuhan Wen and Shuying Guo
Land 2024, 13(2), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020152

“Description of Bisbalus, a New Genus for the Gray Brocket, Mazama cita Osgood, 1912 (Mammalia, Cervidae), as a Step to Solve the Neotropical Deer Puzzle ^†”
by Eluzai Dinai Pinto Sandoval, Wlodzimierz J˛edrzejewski, Jesús Molinari, Miluse Vozdova,
Halina Cernohorska , Svatava Kubickova, Agda Maria Bernegossi, Renato Caparroz
and José Mauricio Barbanti Duarte
Taxonomy 2024, 4(1), 10-26; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy4010002

“Biomass Quantification of the Critically Endangered European eel from Running Waters Using Environmental DNA”
by Sara Fernandez, Álvaro Gutiérrez, Dumas Deconinck, Jose Luis Martinez, Almudena Alvarez,
Isabel Marquez, Gonzalo Machado-Schiaffino and Eva Garcia-Vazquez
Fishes 2023, 8(6), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8060279

“Genomic Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in Wildlife”
by Carmen Martínez-Seijas, Patricia Mascarós, Víctor Lizana, Alba Martí-Marco,
Alberto Arnau-Bonachera, Eva Chillida-Martínez, Jesús Cardells, Laura Selva, David Viana,
and Juan M. Corpa
Animals 2023, 13(6), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061064

“Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on the At-Risk Species Anaxyrus microscaphus (The Arizona Toad): A Local and Range-Wide Habitat Suitability Analysis”
by Sam M. Driver, Cord B. Eversole, Daniel R. Unger, David L. Kulhavy, Christopher M. Schalk
and I-Kuai Hung
Ecologies 2023, 4(4), 762-778; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4040050

“Identification of Urban and Wildlife Terrestrial Corridor Intersections for Planning of Wildlife-Vehicle Collision Mitigation Measures”
by Andrius Kuˇcas, Linas Balˇciauskas and Carlo Lavalle
Land 2023, 12(4), 758; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040758

“Spatiotemporal Patterns of Wolves, and Sympatric Predators and Prey Relative to Human Disturbance in Northwestern Greece”
by Maria Petridou, John F. Benson, Olivier Gimenez and Vassiliki Kati
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020184

Special Issues

“Global Trends in Climate Suitability of Bees: Ups and Downs in a Warming World”
by Ehsan Rahimi and Chuleui Jung
Insects 2024, 15(2), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15020127

“Monarch Butterflies in Western North America: A Holistic Review of Population Trends, Ecology, Stressors, Resilience and Adaptation”
by David G. James
Insects 2024, 15(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15010040

“Illuminating Firefly Diversity: Trends, Threats and Conservation Strategies”
by Sara M. Lewis, Wan F. A. Jusoh, Anna C. Walker, Candace E. Fallon, Richard Joyce
and Vor Yiu
Insects 2024, 15(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15010071

“Optimizing Wildlife Habitat Management in Socio-Ecological Systems: An Evolutionary Game Theory Approach”
by Rui Wang, Wenhui Chen and Xingyue Liang
Forests 2023, 14(10), 1940; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14101940

“Edible Halophytes and Halo-Tolerant Species in Apulia Region (Southeastern Italy): Biogeography, Traditional Food Use and Potential Sustainable Crops”
by Rita Accogli, Valeria Tomaselli, Paolo Direnzo, Enrico Vito Perrino, Giuseppe Albanese,
Marcella Urbano and Gaetano Laghetti
Plants 2023, 12(3), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030549

“Crop Wild Relatives: A Valuable Source of Tolerance to Various Abiotic Stresses”
by Aliki Kapazoglou, Maria Gerakari, Efstathia Lazaridi, Konstantina Kleftogianni, Efi Sarri, Eleni Tani and Penelope J. Bebeli
Plants 2023, 12(2), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12020328

“The Societal Value of the Modern Zoo: A Commentary on How Zoos Can Positively Impact on Human Populations Locally and Globally”
by Phillip J. Greenwell, Lisa M. Riley, Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo, James E. Brereton,
Andrew Mooney and Paul E. Rose
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(1), 53-69; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4010006

Special Issues

On World Seagrass Day, we celebrate the crucial role that seagrasses play in maintaining the health of our planet and highlight the urgent need for global action to protect them and the ecosystems they maintain. Seagrasses support food security, mitigate climate change, enrich biodiversity, purify water, protect coastlines, and control diseases. The enhancement of ecosystem services and functions are essential to the achievement of international Sustainable Development Goals. Raising awareness of the crucial role of seagrasses in ecosystem maintenance and facilitating their conservation is therefore of great importance.

In celebration of this day, we invite you to explore a selection of insightful articles, journals, and Special Issues in the fields of environment and ecology. These resources aim to deepen our understanding of the importance of seagrass ecosystems and outline the necessary steps to conserve, protect, and restore these vital habitats. By fostering dialogue between researchers, policymakers, local communities, and other stakeholders, we can ensure that efforts to protect seagrasses are effective and inclusive.

Together, we can safeguard the future of seagrasses and, in turn, our planet.

“Restoration of Posidonia oceanica Meadow Using Cuttings from an Area Impacted by Harbor Extension Project”
by Mario De Luca, Luigi Piazzi, Ivan Guala, Maria Francesca Cinti, Paolo Marras, Arianna Pansini, Federico Pinna, Alessandra Puccini, Antonio Santonastaso, Myriam Stelletti et al.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13010003

“Impacts of Marine Plastic Pollution on Seagrass Meadows and Ecosystem Services in Southeast Asia”
by Janine Douglas, Holly Niner and Samantha Garrard
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(12), 2314; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12122314

“Seagrass-Associated Biodiversity Influences Organic Carbon in a Temperate Meadow”
by Lowri O’Neill, Bettina Walter and Richard K. F. Unsworth
Oceans 2024, 5(4), 874-888; https://doi.org/10.3390/oceans5040050

“Diversity and Composition of Posidonia oceanica-Associated Bacterial and Fungal Communities: Effect of Boat-Induced Mechanical Stress in the Villefranche-sur-Mer Bay (France)”
by Sara Frasca, Annamaria Alabiso, Marco M. D’Andrea, Raffaela Cattaneo and Luciana Migliore
Diversity 2024, 16(10), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16100604

“Native and Non-Indigenous Biota Associated with the Cymodocea nodosa (Tracheophyta, Alismatales) Meadow in the Seas of Taranto (Southern Italy, Mediterranean Sea)”
by Giuseppe Denti, Fernando Rubino, Ester Cecere and Antonella Petrocelli
Diversity 2024, 16(7), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070368

“Spatial and Temporal Variation of C, N, and S Stable Isotopes and Seagrass Coverage Related to Eutrophication Stress in Zostera marina”
by Jerrica M. Waddell, Christina C. Pater, Michael R. S. Coffin, Robert F. Gilmour, Jr., Simon C. Courtenay and Michael R. van den Heuvel
Coasts 2024, 4(2), 419–436; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4020021

“Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation”
by Tsiaranto Felan-Ratsimba Fanoro, Maria Perpétua Scarlet and Salomão Olinda Bandeira
Diversity 2023, 15(6), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060772

“Dynamics of Marine Communities—Second Edition” Guest Editor:  Dr. Joo Myun Park Submission deadline:  31 October 2025	“Social Sciences in Marine Ecology Conservation” Guest Editors: Dr. Chia-Hsuan Hsu and Dr. Jiefeng Kang Submission deadline:  31 December 2025

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.

Conference: Entomology Congress 2025
Organization: German Society of General and Applied Entomology; DGaaE
Date: 17–20 March 2025
Location: Hochschule Geisenheim University (HGU), Geisenheim, Germany

The Entomology Congresses are international events encompassing a wide range of scientific research topics on insects and other arthropods. Scientists of all entomological disciplines and interested guests meet here and have the opportunity to discuss contemporary scientific issues, novel methods and strategies. Congress languages will be English and German.

Key Sections:

• Chemical Ecology & Behavior;
• Biogeography & Faunistics;
• Biological Control;
• Forest Entomology;
• Global Change Entomology;
• Insect Biotremology & Communication;
• Insect Control in Plants & Stored Products;
• Insect–Microorganism Interactions;
• Invasive Arthropods;
• Functional Biodiversity in Permanent Crops;
• Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation;
• Medical Entomology;
• Morphology, Systematics & Evolution;
• Artificial Intelligence in Entomology.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Insects;
• Agrochemicals;
• Diversity;
• Agriculture;
• Plants;
• Forests;
• Agronomy.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.dgaae.de/en/entomology-congress-2025-overview.html.

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.