Announcements

14 May 2025
Electronics | Editor's Choice Articles from the Second Half of 2024 in the “Artificial Intelligence” Section

1. “Comprehensive Data Augmentation Approach Using WGAN-GP and UMAP for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis”
by Emi Yuda, Tomoki Ando, Itaru Kaneko, Yutaka Yoshida and Daisuke Hirahara
Electronics 2024, 13(18), 3671; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13183671
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/18/3671

2. “A Novel Wind Power Prediction Model That Considers Multi-Scale Variable Relationships and Temporal Dependencies”
by Zhanyang Xu, Hong Zhao, Chengxi Xu, Hongyan Shi, Jian Xu and Zhe Wang
Electronics 2024, 13(18), 3710; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13183710
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/18/3710

3. “Geometry of Textual Data Augmentation: Insights from Large Language Models”
by Sherry J. H. Feng, Edmund M-K. Lai and Weihua Li
Electronics 2024, 13(18), 3781; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13183781
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/18/3781

4. “Energy Efficiency Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms”
by Kalin Penev, Alexander Gegov, Olufemi Isiaq and Raheleh Jafari
Electronics 2024, 13(19), 3836; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13193836
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/19/3836

5. “Natural Language Inference with Transformer Ensembles and Explainability Techniques”
by Isidoros Perikos and Spyro Souli
Electronics 2024, 13(19), 3876; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13193876
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/19/3876

6. “Evolving Transparent Credit Risk Models: A Symbolic Regression Approach Using Genetic Programming”
by Dionisios N. Sotiropoulos, Gregory Koronakos and Spyridon V. Solanakis
Electronics 2024, 13(21), 4324; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13214324
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/21/4324

7. “Analysis of Molding Defection in IC Packaging and Testing Process”
by Bao Rong Chang, Hsiu-Fen Tsai and Chen-Chia Chen
Electronics 2024, 13(22), 4356; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13224356
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/22/4356

8. “Embedding Hierarchical Tree Structure of Concepts in Knowledge Graph Embedding”
by Jibin Yu, Chunhong Zhang, Zheng Hu and Yang Ji
Electronics 2024, 13(22), 4486; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13224486
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/22/4486

9. “End-to-End Deployment of Winograd-Based DNNs on Edge GPU”
by Pierpaolo Mori, Mohammad Shanur Rahman, Lukas Frickenstein, Shambhavi Balamuthu Sampath, Moritz Thoma, Nael Fasfous, Manoj Rohit Vemparala, Alexander Frickenstein, Walter Stechele and Claudio Passerone
Electronics 2024, 13(22), 4538; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13224538
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/22/4538

10. “ATGT3D: Animatable Texture Generation and Tracking for 3D Avatars”
by Fei Chen and Jaeho Choi
Electronics 2024, 13(22), 4562; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13224562
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/22/4562

11. “Design of a Cyber-Physical System-of-Systems Architecture for Elderly Care at Home”
by José Galeas, Alberto Tudela, Óscar Pons, Juan Pedro Bandera and Antonio Bandera
Electronics 2024, 13(23), 4583; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13234583
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/23/4583

12. “Adaptive Control of Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Large Language Models Through Reflective Tags”
by Chengyuan Yao and Satoshi Fujita
Electronics 2024, 13(23), 4643; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13234643
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/23/4643

13. “Machine-Learning-Based Validation of Microsoft Azure Kinect in Measuring Gait Profiles”
by Claudia Ferraris, Gianluca Amprimo, Serena Cerfoglio, Giulia Masi, Luca Vismara and Veronica Cimolin
Electronics 2024, 13(23), 4739; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13234739
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/23/4739

13 May 2025
Empowering Academic Growth with MDPI: A Scientific Publishing Exchange at Toronto Metropolitan University, 15 May 2025


MDPI is excited to collaborate with Toronto Metropolitan University to host an engaging Scientific Publishing Workshop aimed at empowering scholars with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed in academic publishing. This workshop will delve into the key aspects of MDPI’s open access publishing framework, offering an in-depth exploration of journal selection, the editorial workflow, and the essentials of publication ethics. Participants will also gain practical advice on improving their scientific writing and effectively addressing reviewer comments, with guidance from an experienced professional. This session promises to equip attendees with valuable skills to elevate their publishing journey.

Workshop Highlights:

  • Learn How to Better Write and Structure a Research Article;
  • How to Choose Where to Publish Academic Work;
  • How to Respond to Reviewer Comments;
  • Reasons for Rejection During Pre-Check;
  • How to Navigate Through Ethics and AI Use.

Date: 15 May 2025
Time: 12:00–1:30 p.m.
Venue: Toronto Metropolitan University

Program:

Speakers

Program and Content

Time

Dr. Stephen Mora

Introduction to MDPI

12:00–12:05 p.m.

 

How to Write and Structure a Research Article

12:05–12:45 p.m.

 

How to Respond to Reviewer Comments

12:45–1:30 p.m.

Dr. Stephen Mora has an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in kinesiology and health science from York University, Canada. He started working at MDPI in May 2024 and is now the Managing Editor of IJOM, a newly transferred society journal published by MDPI. During his graduate studies and MDPI tenure, Stephen has gained extensive experience in attending conferences, meeting with scholars, and hosting online and in-person presentations.

8 May 2025
MDPI Scientific Publishing Exchange: Empowering Academic Growth with MDPI Scientific Publishing Exchange at Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education, Held on 24 April 2025


The Academic Publishing Exchange, held last Thursday at the Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education, was an intensive, full-day session that brought together 24 attendees, including lecturers, professors, Ph.D. candidates, and master’s students. The event offered a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing and professional growth, with early-career and experienced scholars joining forces to learn about the ins and outs of academic publishing.

The day kicked off with “Reasons for Rejection at Pre-Checks”, presented by Dr. Nicholas Cho, Associate Editor for the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS, ISSN: 1422-0067). Drawing from real-world experience, Dr. Cho outlined common causes of early manuscript rejection—such as incomplete submissions, formatting issues, ethical concerns, and mismatches between manuscript focus and journal scope. His practical tips gave attendees a clearer understanding of what editors look for in the initial screening process.

Next, Dr. Wei Thye Lee tackled “How to Respond to Peer Reviewers”. The session was split into two parts. In the first, Dr. Lee discussed how to craft respectful and professional responses to reviewer comments, emphasizing clarity and constructive engagement. Using real examples, he provided attendees with a roadmap to turn peer review into an opportunity to strengthen their manuscripts.

The second part, “Skill Lab: Reviewer Says, You Respond”, gave participants a hands-on challenge. Groups were tasked with crafting thoughtful replies to real reviewer comments, applying the principles discussed. This interactive activity sparked lively discussion, collaboration, and a few laughs, making it one of the day’s most engaging moments.

After a well-deserved lunch break, the session resumed with “How to Write and Structure an Academic Paper”. Dr. Lee provided a clear framework for structuring research papers—from the introduction to the conclusion—while emphasizing the importance of writing style, clarity, and coherence. During the Q&A, participants discussed the differences in writing style between social sciences and hard sciences. Social sciences focus on argumentation and analysis, while hard sciences emphasize presenting data and facts directly, offering a fascinating exchange of ideas across disciplines.

In the afternoon, participants enjoyed “Skill Lab: Catchy Yet Clear”, where they transformed dull, uninspiring titles into catchy, attention-grabbing ones. The challenge encouraged creativity and strategic thinking, helping attendees appreciate the critical role a strong title plays in academic publishing.

By the end of the day, participants walked away with practical skills, strategies, and a deeper understanding of academic publishing. The event was filled with insightful discussions, engaging activities, and valuable takeaways, equipping attendees with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the world of academic publishing.

30 April 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #22 - 300 Journals in WoS, Norway & Sweden Consortiums, Self-citations

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

Over 300 MDPI Journals are Indexed in Web of Science

Indexing is essential to scholarly publishing as it promotes visibility and the impact of research. I’m excited to share that MDPI now has over 300 journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS). This milestone reflects the work of our authors, editors, reviewers, and the entire MDPI staff, contributing to greater visibility and impact for open access research.

Publish with MDPI, publish with impact.

Having over 300 MDPI journals indexed in the Web of Science is more than a numbers game. It represents a recognition of the quality, consistency, and relevance of the research published in our journals. For the academic community, it reflects the growing trust in MDPI as a reputable publisher, leading the way in open access publishing.

A closer look at the achievement

Being indexed in the WoS nvolves meeting a list of quality criteria, including 24 quality benchmarks for ESCI journals. 

For MDPI, rigorous editorial standards and scientific integrity are key. These enabled over 300 journals to pass the Web of Science quality criteria for indexing.

Here we share a blog post discussing the importance of this milestone for MDPI and open scholarly research. In this post, Constanze Schelhorn, Head of Indexing, at MDPI, and Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead, share their thoughts and insights on what this achievement means for our commitment to high-quality research.

“MDPI has a well-structured quality assurance framework that applies to all our journals. We also apply clear, standardized peer-review policies across our portfolio, ensuring transparency and consistency.” – Constanze Schelhorn, Head of Indexing

“This achievement is a step forward for Open Access research, reinforcing the mission to share scientific knowledge globally and facilitate research progress.” – Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead

Read the blog here: https://blog.mdpi.com/2025/04/03/300-mdpi-journals/

Looking to the future

This milestone is a testament to MDPI’s dedication to peer review, editorial excellence, and innovation in academic publishing. It highlights our role as leaders in open access publishing.

Personally, I see this as just the beginning. We will continue to support researchers, expand our contributions to scholarly communication, and push the boundaries of academic publishing.

Impactful Research

Nearly 920 partner institutions in MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

I’m pleased to share some exciting progress from MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), which now includes nearly 920 partner institutions worldwide. This is more than just a number. It reflects the growing trust and collaboration we’ve built with universities, libraries, and research organizations across the globe. 

The IOAP offers institutions discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs), access to a dedicated institutional dashboard, and transparency throughout the publishing process.

Norway’s Sikt Consortium Renews national agreement with MDPI

MDPI has renewed its national agreement with the Sikt Consortium, which now supports 36 institutions across Norway. New partners, such as Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, join long-standing collaborators such as NTNU, the University of Bergen, and UiT, The Arctic University of Norway. The agreement promotes affordable, high-quality open access publishing through centralized APC funding, and reinforces Norway’s leadership in open science.

These agreements reflect MDPI’s mission to remove barriers to scientific publishing and make research freely available to all. By collaborating with national consortia and institutions, we advance the open access and strengthen our global network and collaborations.

Our IOAP Team

A big thank-you to our IOAP team for driving these important collaborations. Their work includes increasing MDPI’s visibility in scholarly communications, strengthening relationships with IOAP partners, and building trust with key stakeholders.

These efforts not only help researchers to publish their work openly and affordably but also reinforce MDPI’s position as a trusted leader in open access.

What are the benefits of MDPI’s IOAP?

For Authors: Researchers affiliated with IOAP partner institutions benefit from automatic discounts on APCs, Book Processing Charges (BPCs), JAMS, and Author Services across MDPI’s journals. The process is seamless as there is no need for codes or special applications. The publishing experience is smoother and more affordable, and centralized invoicing helps simplify the process, allowing authors to focus on their research rather than administration.

For Libraries: Participating libraries receive access to a dedicated institutional dashboard with live metadata on submissions from affiliated authors, past and present. They also benefit from flexible invoicing options (direct, collective, or prepayment) to help streamline administration, while clear, transparent agreements ensure that there are no hidden clauses or small print. Automated deposits into Institutional Repositories further reduce manual work, supporting libraries in their mission to advance open access and serve their research communities.

Inside MDPI

MDPI Self-citation study shows industry alignment

Earlier this month, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Enric Sayas published a thoughtful and transparent article on the ALPSP blog, presenting a self-citation analysis across MDPI’s 237 journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

They found that MDPI's average self-citation rate in 2024 was 14.85%, well within industry norms and ranking 6th among the top ten publishers. Only 2.3% of MDPI journals were identified as outliers with high self-citation rates, compared to 4.7% among other leading publishers. An alternative approach, using weighted average by publication volume, shows MDPI’s self-citation rate rises from 14% to 19.7%, shifting our rank from 6th to 3rd. The study also shows that the impact of self-citation on journal quartile placement is minimal.

Read the full article on the ALPSP blog: https://blog.alpsp.org/2025/03/mdpi-self-citations-study-highlights.html

Why is this important?

As explained in the full article, the results “reinforce the fact that self-citations have minimal influence on MDPI journal rankings, emphasizing the integrity of editorial practices and the absence of any deliberate efforts to manipulate impact.”

Self-citation is a hot topic, and MDPI is sometimes unfairly singled out in this area. This analysis helps put some perspective to that narrative.

At MDPI, we are committed to transparency and to using data-driven insights to address common misconceptions about open access publishing. Our focus on self-citation reflects this commitment, and we plan to extend our efforts to other areas where the Gold OA model is often misunderstood.

About the authors

Dr. Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead, leverages her expertise in science communication, editorial processes, and Open Access (OA) promotion to address both institutional and country-specific challenges. She collaborates with teams across PR, Editorial Procedures, Institutional Partnerships, Research Integrity, AI and more, developing strategies to engage stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, and industry leaders. Her responsibilities include enhancing MDPI’s scientific network and promoting OA initiatives at events worldwide, supporting the efforts of various departments, and ensuring effective communication to both specialist and broader audiences.

Dr. Enric Sayas is a Business Analyst specializing in the integration of AI and Machine Learning in scientific publishing.

Within MDPI’s AI team, Enric combines his editorial expertise with his passion for AI to support the development of AI-driven solutions tailored to editorial needs, enhancing efficiency and improving decision-making.

Enric’s interests extend to data science methodologies applied to scientific publishing, as well as the broader impact of AI on open science, peer review, and the future of scientific publishing.

Coming Together for Science

 

Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security


Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando presenting at Plants 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

The MDPI Conference Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 31 March to 2 April 2025.

It was chaired by Editor-in-Chief of MDPI journal Plants (Q1 journal); Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando from the University of Manitoba, in Canada, and Section Editor-in-Chief of Plants; Dr. Fermín Morales from Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB) – CSIC, in Spain; and Prof. Dr. Oscar Vicente from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in Spain.

The conference brought plant scientists together to discuss innovations in sustainable agriculture, crop improvement, and environmental conservation.

With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the conference addressed key challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable agroecosystems through keynote talks and seven specialized sessions.

The conference gathered 111 attendees from 36 different countries, featuring 1 keynote speaker, 9 invited speakers, and 41 selected talks, along with 56 posters. The event received just over 200 submissions and 102 accepted abstracts.

From insightful talks, engaging poster sessions and engaging networking moments, Plants 2025 was a special experience. You can relive the highlights from the Plants 2025 conference here with our after movie!


Awards

Four awards were presented at the conclusion of the conference, sponsored by the journal Plants: two Best Poster Awards (€250 each) and two Best Oral Presentation Awards (€300 each).

Plants 2025 Conference Team

The Plants 2025 Conference was organized by colleagues from MDPI’s Conference Team: Ana Sanchis (Conference Manager), Cédric Spinnler (Senior Conference Organizer), Raquel Sellès (Conference Organizer) and Laura Perez (Conference Assistant).

Upcoming event

5–7 May 2025
The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Metals
Location: Online event (Central European Summer Time)

As one of the pillar technologies that support the development of modern society and metallurgy, IECME 2025 will present the state-of-the-art of Metallurgy and Metals.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

Swedish consortium renews partnership with MDPI

I’m pleased to share that MDPI has renewed its national partnership with Sweden’s Bibsam Consortium. This is a continued commitment to advancing open access publishing and supporting Sweden’s vision for fully open research.

Under this renewed agreement, 22 leading institutions including KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Linnaeus University, and Linköping University, will continue to benefit from MDPI’s IOAP. This provides discounts on APCs and a more streamlined, researcher-friendly publishing experience.

MDPI and Bibsam renew national agreement for Sweden

“With robust backing from national open science guidelines, Sweden’s open-access landscape is rapidly advancing,” says Becky Castellon, institutional partnerships manager at MDPI.

“In fact, fewer than 15% of all Swedish research outputs were locked behind paywalls in 2023. We are passionate about the positive impact our ongoing partnership with the Bibsam Consortium will have on Swedish research, paving the way for ground-breaking developments and a more inclusive, open scientific community. Through flexible solutions and tailored policies, we enable institutions to prioritize research, foster innovation, and enhance accessibility, driving the shift to full open access.”

Recent MDPI IOAP Consortium signings from 2025:

  • The UK’s Jisc Consortium extended its national agreement, continuing support for more than 60 institutions across the UK.
  • Switzerland’s CSAL (Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries) renewed its agreement, continuing our collaboration with top institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne.
  • In Germany, we signed a new national agreement with ZB MED that includes over 100 universities and research institutions, with 78 institutions joining under a central or flat-fee model to simplify APC coverage.
Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 April 2025
Announcing the Award Committee for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award

We are honored to introduce the award committee for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, composed of distinguished scientists from around the world whose research covers diverse areas of natural product chemistry, pharmacognosy, and drug discovery. Their broad expertise and pioneering contributions have significantly advanced medicinal and natural products research.

Through their collective insights, rigorous evaluation, the committee has carefully selected this year’s award recipients, recognizing exceptional achievements in the field.

We sincerely thank these distinguished scholars for their efforts and dedication to upholding the standards of the Tu Youyou Award.  Below is the list of committee members. For more information about the Tu Youyou Award, please visit https://tuyouyouprize.org/

Chair:


Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn
Ohio State University, USA
Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn is a leading expert in pharmacognosy and natural products research. He is recognized for his key contributions to discovering bioactive compounds from plants, especially in anticancer, cancer chemopreventive, and substances with a sweet taste and taste-modifying agents. His prolific contributions include over 590 peer-reviewed works and book chapters and edited or co-edited 40 scientific volumes.
Committee Members:

Prof. Angelo Fontana
University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy
Angelo Fontana is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Naples “Federico II” in Italy and serves as Director of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry at the National Research Council (CNR). His research focuses on bioactive small molecules derived from marine eukaryotes, with a particular interest on their pharmaceutical applications in immunology and oncology. He also explores their potential as molecular tools for probing and modulating complex biological systems. Prof. Fontana is a co-founder of BioSEArch SRL and has been recognized with numerous grants and honors, including the Apivita Award from the Phytochemical Society of Europe.

Prof. Binghe Wang
Georgia State University, USA
Prof. Binghe Wang’s lab works on drug design, drug delivery, click chemistry, chemical biology, new diagnostics, and gaseous signaling molecules such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. His interdisciplinary research supports advances in cancer, infectious diseases, organ protection, inflammation, and other areas.  

Dr. Diana Pinto
University of Aveiro, Portugal
Dr. Diana Pinto, an Associate Professor at the University of Aveiro, specializes in organic synthesis of bioactive heterocyclic compounds, sustainable catalysis (organo-, heterogeneous, and biocatalysis), and natural product research, including isolation, characterization, and total synthesis.

Prof. Hideaki Kakeya
Kyoto University, Japan
Prof. Hideaki Kakeya conducts cutting-edge research in chemical biology, high-throughput screening, and biosynthesis of bioactive natural products for system chemotherapy and other therapeutic applications.

Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel
University of Strathclyde, UK
Prof. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel heads the Natural Products Metabolomics Group (NPMG), specializing in marine natural products discovery and metabolomics-driven drug development. A recognized expert in bioactive metabolites, she collaborates with industry and academia to address antimicrobial resistance and sustainable bioprospecting. She serves on the Editorial Board of Marine Drugs and holds two patents in the field.

Prof. Thomas Prisinzano
University of Kentucky, USA
Prof. Thomas Prisinzano combines medicinal and natural product chemistry to explore neurotransmitter systems and develop treatments for drug abuse and pain. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Innovator Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence.

Prof. Wei Li
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA
A distinguished professor and Director of the Drug Discovery Center, Prof. Wei Li is also the founder of SEAK Therapeutics, and the 2025 Chair-Elect of the Drug Discovery and Development Division of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). His work focuses on medicinal chemistry and small molecule drug discovery, with over 200 publications and 15 issued US patents.

30 April 2025
Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award


We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

2024 Tu Youyou Award Laureates

Richard DiMarchi
Indiana University, USA
Prof. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University, USA. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single-molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism at related G-protein coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and their conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor.
—Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee
   

Rolf Müller
Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany;
Helmholtz Centre for Infections Research (HZI), Germany;
Saarland University, Germany
Prof. Rolf Müller is the Founding and Managing Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Saarland University, Germany. Having received his training from the University of Bonn, he held research positions at the University of Washington, USA, and Braunschweig University of Technology, Germany, prior to his appointment as professor to Saarland University. His laboratory has dedicated itself to the exploration of bacterial natural-product biosynthetic pathways for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in working with myxobacteria and other microbial producer strains. Starting from the isolation and characterization of new microorganisms, the scope of work includes microbiology-, biotechnology-, bioinformatics-, and chemistry-based approaches to exploit these isolates as sources of new drugs with a special focus on novel anti-infectives. Müller and his team apply a variety of state-of-the-art analytical methods and biological assays to perform biological and chemical characterizations of the identified compounds. Prof. Müller has received several awards, including the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, the PHOENIX Pharmacy Research Award, the DECHEMA Prize, and the Inhoffen Medal, as well as being an elected member of acatech, Leopoldina, and the German Academy of Sciences and Literature.
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members were highly impressed by the truly outstanding past and ongoing contributions of Professor Müller in both microbial natural products isolation chemistry and in biosynthesis, as well as in the development of lead compounds for their potential in treating human diseases, through his global connections with various major funding agencies. He is also a dedicated teacher who has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and he has lectured on his research in countries all over the world.
—Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee

The achievements of Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller highlight the transformative impact of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. We congratulate them and invite the global academic community and public to join us in celebrating their significant contributions.

2024 Award Committee
Committee Chair:

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Prof. Angelo Fontana, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy;
  • Prof. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University, USA;
  • Dr. Diana Pinto, University of Aveiro, Portugal;
  • Prof. Hideaki Kakeya, Kyoto University, Japan;
  • Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, University of Strathclyde, UK;
  • Prof. Thomas Prisinzano, University of Kentucky, USA
  • Prof. Wei Li, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA.

About the Tu Youyou Award:
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honor the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award honoring exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

25 April 2025
Interview with Dr. Jesús Ruiz–Santaquiteria Alegre—Winner of the Electronics 2024 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award


We congratulate Dr. Jesús Ruiz-Santaquiteria Alegre for winning the Electronics 2024 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award with his publication, “Improving the Effectiveness of Automatic Threat Recognition Methods in Video Surveillance Systems”.

Name: Dr. Jesús Ruiz-Santaquiteria Alegre
Affiliation: VISILAB-ETSII, University of Castilla-La Mancha, C/ Altagracia, 50, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
Research interests: computer vision; deep learning; artificial intelligence

The following is an interview with Dr. Jesús Ruiz-Santaquiteria Alegre:

1. Can you please briefly introduce the scientific research you conducted during your doctoral study?
My doctoral research was focused on the development of deep learning-based methods for threat recognition in video surveillance systems. In particular, I worked on the automatic detection of weapons in video sequences, which is a critical task for ensuring the safety and security of monitored areas. Several architectures and methods were proposed to improve the performance of existing object detection systems, addressing limitations such as undetected weapons or incorrect detections. Additionally, I explored the complementary task of human action recognition in surveillance videos, which is essential for a comprehensive surveillance system.

2. Did you encounter any difficulties in carrying out this research? How did you overcome them?
During my research, I encountered several challenges, including the need for large, annotated datasets for training deep learning models and the complexity of real-time processing in surveillance scenarios. To overcome these challenges, I focused on data augmentation techniques to enhance the diversity of training data and explored lightweight model architectures that could achieve high accuracy while maintaining real-time performance.

3. As an author, what aspects of a journal do you value the most when choosing a journal in which to publish your academic work?
When choosing a journal to publish my academic work in, I value the journal’s reputation, the quality of the peer review process, and the visibility it offers to my research. Additionally, I consider the journal’s focus on my specific field of study and its audience, as well as the speed of publication.

4. Many doctoral students experience pressure to publish papers and worry about delaying graduation. What advice do you have for doctoral students who have not yet graduated?
I understand that many doctoral students feel pressure to publish and worry about graduation timelines. My advice is to focus on the quality of your research rather than the quantity of publications. It's important to take the time to conduct thorough research and produce high-quality work. Additionally, seek guidance from your advisors and peers, and don't hesitate to ask for help when needed.

25 April 2025
Electronics | Notable Review Papers Published in 2024 in the Section “Computer Science & Engineering”


“IoT Solutions with Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Precision Agriculture: Definitions, Applications, Challenges, and Opportunities”
by Elisha Elikem Kofi Senoo, Lia Anggraini, Jacqueline Asor Kumi, Luna Bunga Karolina, Ebenezer Akansah, Hafeez Ayo Sulyman, Israel Mendonça and Masayoshi Aritsugi
Electronics 2024, 13(10),1894; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13101894
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/10/1894

“A Systematic Review of Synthetic Data Generation Techniques Using Generative AI”
by Mandeep Goyal and Qusay H. Mahmoud
Electronics 2024, 13(17), 3509; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13173509
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/17/3509

“The Challenges of Machine Learning: A Critical Review”
by Enrico Barbierato and Alice Gatti
Electronics 2024, 13(2), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13020416
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/2/416

“Survey on AI Applications for Product Quality Control and Predictive Maintenance in Industry 4.0”
by Tojo Valisoa Andrianandrianina Johanesa, Lucas Equeter and Sidi Ahmed Mahmoudi
Electronics 2024, 13(5), 976; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13050976
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/5/976

“Cardiac Healthcare Digital Twins Supported by Artificial Intelligence-Based Algorithms and Extended Reality—A Systematic Review”
by Zofia Rudnicka, Klaudia Proniewska, Mark Perkins and Agnieszka Pregowska
Electronics 2024, 13(5), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13050866
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/5/866

“Insights into Modern Intrusion Detection Strategies for Internet of Things Ecosystems”
by Bassey Isong, Otshepeng Kgote and Adnan Abu-Mahfouz
Electronics 2024, 13(12), 2370; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13122370
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/12/2370

“Artificial Intelligence-Based Algorithms in Medical Image Scan Segmentation and Intelligent Visual Content Generation—A Concise Overview”
Zofia Rudnicka, Janusz Szczepanski and Agnieszka Pregowska
Electronics 2024, 13(4), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13040746
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/4/746

“Hierarchical Text Classification and Its Foundations: A Review of Current Research”
by Alessandro Zangari, Matteo Marcuzzo, Matteo Rizzo, Lorenzo Giudice, Andrea Albarelli and Andrea Gasparetto
Electronics 2024, 13(7), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13071199
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/7/1199

“Deep Learning Innovations in Video Classification: A Survey on Techniques and Dataset Evaluations”
by Makara Mao, Ahyoung Lee and Min Hong
Electronics 2024, 13(14), 2732; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13142732
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/14/2732  

“Entering the Next Dimension: A Review of 3D User Interfaces for Virtual Reality”
by Adriel Yeo, Benjamin W. J. Kwok, Angelene Joshna, Kan Chen and Jeannie S. A. Lee
Electronics 2024, 13(3), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13030600
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/3/600

17 April 2025
Interview with Dr. Jiakang Zheng—Winner of the Electronics 2024 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award


We wish to congratulate Dr. Jiakang Zheng for winning the Electronics 2024 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award with his publication “Performance Analysis and Optimization Design of Cell-Free Massive MIMO Systems”.

Name: Dr. Jiakang Zheng
Affiliation: School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Research interests: MIMO systems; performance analysis; optimization design

The following is an interview with Dr. Jiakang Zheng:

1. Could you please briefly introduce the scientific research you conducted during your doctoral studies?
During my doctoral studies, I focused on the performance analysis and optimization of cell-free massive MIMO systems, which break traditional cell boundaries, increase the number of distributed access points, and leverage macro diversity gains to reduce signal interference and improve both edge user performance and overall network throughput. Specifically, I proposed a cell-free massive MIMO network architecture that is suitable for complex environments to provide continuous and uniform coverage. I also designed reliable channel estimation and efficient transceivers to enable ultra-reliable and low-latency transmission, as well as optimizing flexible interference management and intelligent power allocation schemes to support massive connectivity.

2. Did you encounter any difficulties in carrying out this research? How did you overcome them?
Yes, when I first started working on this research, I was not very familiar with the topic, and a lot of the concepts were hard to grasp. To get up to speed, I often asked my supervisor and senior lab mates for help, and I also collaborated with experts in the field. These experiences really helped me build a solid foundation and gradually gain a deeper understanding.

3. As an author, what aspects of a journal do you value most when choosing a journal to publish your academic work?
When choosing a journal, I mainly look for ones that focus on my research area. I usually prefer journals where most of the papers I read and cite are published. That way, I know my work will be seen by researchers who are really interested in the same topics.

4. Many doctoral students experience pressure to publish papers and worry about delaying graduation. What advice do you have for doctoral students who have not yet graduated?
Doing research takes time. It does not happen all at once. I would say just keep going and do not give up, because if you stick with it, you will see results. It is normal to feel stressed sometimes, but talking to the people around you can really help. A lot of the pressure comes from overthinking and trying to figure everything out on your own. Sometimes, taking a break and focusing on something else can spark new ideas.

17 April 2025
Electronics | Most Downloaded Papers in 2024 in the Section “Artificial Intelligence”


As all the articles published in Electronics (ISSN: 2079-9292) are open access, you have free and unlimited access to the full text of all articles. We welcome you to read our most downloaded papers in 2024 in the Section “Artificial Intelligence”, which are listed below.

1. “Intelligent Robotics—A Systematic Review of Emerging Technologies and Trends”
by Josip Tomo Licardo, Mihael Domjan and Tihomir Orehovački
Electronics 2024, 13(3), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13030542
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/3/542

2. “Leveraging AI in E-Learning: Personalized Learning and Adaptive Assessment through Cognitive Neuropsychology—A Systematic Analysis”
by Constantinos Halkiopoulos and Evgenia Gkintoni
Electronics 2024, 13(18), 3762; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13183762
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/18/3762

3. “A Review of Immersive Technologies, Knowledge Representation, and AI for Human-Centered Digital Experiences”
by Nikolaos Partarakis and Xenophon Zabulis
Electronics 2024, 13(2), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13020269
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/2/269

4. “A Contemporary Survey on Deepfake Detection: Datasets, Algorithms, and Challenges”
by Liang Yu Gong and Xue Jun Li
Electronics 2024, 13(3), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13030585
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/3/585

5. “Web Application for Retrieval-Augmented Generation: Implementation and Testing”
by Irina Radeva, Ivan Popchev, Lyubka Doukovska and Miroslava Dimitrova
Electronics 2024, 13(7), 1361; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13071361
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/7/1361

6. “IoT-Based Intrusion Detection System Using New Hybrid Deep Learning Algorithm”
by Sami Yaras and Murat Dener
Electronics 2024, 13(6), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13061053
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/6/1053

7. “Framework for Integrating Generative AI in Developing Competencies for Accounting and Audit Professionals”
by Ionuț-Florin Anica-Popa, Marinela Vrîncianu, Liana-Elena Anica-Popa, Irina-Daniela Cișmașu and Cătălin-Georgel Tudor
Electronics 2024, 13(13), 2621; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13132621
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/13/2621

8. “Survey of Deep Learning Accelerators for Edge and Emerging Computing”
by Shahanur Alam, Chris Yakopcic, Qing Wu, Mark Barnell, Simon Khan and Tarek M. Taha
Electronics 2024, 13(15), 2988; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13152988
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/15/2988

9. “Multi-Scale Fusion Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Detection Based on RT-DETR”
by Minling Zhu and En Kong
Electronics 2024, 13(8), 1489; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13081489
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/8/1489

10. “Combining Machine Learning and Edge Computing: Opportunities, Challenges, Platforms, Frameworks, and Use Cases”
by Piotr Grzesik and Dariusz Mrozek
Electronics 2024, 13(3), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13030640
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/3/640

You are invited to view and submit relevant papers to the journal Electronics.

Electronics Editorial Office

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