Announcements
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.
 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 |
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 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 |
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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:
- Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Ohio State University, USA.
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.
3 July 2025
Meet Us at the 22nd International Conference on Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols (ICNAA), 24–29 August 2025, Vienna, Austria
2 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #24 - 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScore, MDPI Summits France & USA, Tu Youyou Award
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
MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights
For those of our readers who are new to academic publishing, you may have heard some news in June around the Impact Factor release. Every year, typically in June, Clarivate releases its annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which include Journal Impact Factors (JIF). This metric is widely used in academic publishing to reflect the average number of citations received by recent articles in each journal.
While Impact Factor is just one of many indicators of journal influence, it remains a major milestone for authors, editors, and publishers. It’s used to assess journal visibility, researcher recognition, and scholarly reach. Throughout our international meetings and events, it’s clear that the Impact Factor is something many of our authors and editorial board members care about, as it can influence where they choose to submit an article and the funding they receive for their research.
“These results reflect the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI”
MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights
- 298 MDPI journals received a Journal Impact Factor.
- 60 journals earned their first-ever Impact Factor
- To put this in perspective: MDPI’s 60 new journal acceptances into the Web of Science was the second highest number of any publisher in 2024, behind Elsevier and ahead of Springer Nature. Our 87% acceptance rate for journals submitted to Web of Science shows the strength of our editorial process and our proven ability to develop journals aligned with Clarivate’s 24 evaluation criteria.
- Notably, Textiles, Mathematics, International Journal of Neonatal Screening, Smart Cities, Systems, and Pharmaceutics ranked in the top 10% in their respective categories, highlighting their growing influence and prestige within their academic fields. This shows that high-quality indexing goes beyond visibility; it upholds credibility and trust.
- 193 MDPI journals are now ranked in the top 50% (Q1/Q2) of their subject categories.
- What does this mean, and why is it important? Journals are ranked by quartiles within their field, based on their Impact Factor. Q1 represents the top 25% of journals in their category, Q2 the next 25%, and so on. Being in Q1 or Q2 shows that a journal is performing well relative to other journals in its category. Authors and institutions often look at quartile rankings when choosing where to publish – it’s an important indicator of visibility and recognition, within its respective category.
- 116 of our previously ranked journals increased their Impact Factor.
- 14 MDPI journals achieved an Impact Factor of 5.0 or higher, suggesting a high degree of influence and visibility.
These results reflect our staff's hard work: from our editorial and production teams to our indexing, communications, and data teams, and beyond. This also reflects the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI, reinforcing the message that when researchers publish with MDPI, they publish with impact.
Open Access with Impact
As the leading fully open access publisher, our journals have received a total of 18.4 million citations in the Web of Science by the end of 2024, reflecting the growing reach and engagement of research published with MDPI. We are committed to making scientific research freely accessible to everyone, everywhere. With the support of more than 4.2 million contributing authors, we’re proud to support the global shift toward open access.
Further Reading
If you’d like to better understand how journals get indexed and why Impact Factors matter, please read this recent interview with Dr. Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing). It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the role our indexing team plays in supporting journal indexing and visibility.
You can also read our official news announcement shared last week: MDPI Journals in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports.
Thank you to everyone, from our authors and reviewers to our editors and internal teams, who contributed to the progress of our journal indexing in 2024. We’re continuing to build journals that are recognized and trusted across disciplines.
Impactful Research
MDPI Journals See Continued Growth in 2024 CiteScore Results
Continuing our indexing updates, I’m pleased to share that MDPI has achieved strong results in the latest CiteScore metrics, released on 5 June by Scopus. These results reflect the collective efforts of our editors, reviewers, authors, and internal teams, with their dedication to quality and visibility in scientific publishing. You can read the full announcement here.
2024 Highlights:
- 322 MDPI journals received a CiteScore (up from 274 last year).
- 283 journals (88%) are ranked in Q1 or Q2 of their subject categories.
- 237 journals (85%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
- 48 journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
- 39 journals are now placed in the top 10% of their subject areas.
“This growth highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science”
What is CiteScore and how is it measured?
CiteScore metrics are developed by Elsevier as an alternative to the Impact Factor. They measure the citation impact of journals and can be accessed freely on Scopus. The metric represents the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal. If you’re interested in learning more about citation metrics and how we use them, check out this blog post.
Why is this important?
These results show the growing recognition for, and impact of, MDPI journals across disciplines. CiteScore rankings help researchers, institutions, and funders assess where high-quality work is being published. This growth improves our journals’ positioning in the publishing landscape and highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science.
Inside MDPI
Highlights from the MDPI USA Summit in Boston (5–6 June)
With several Summits already behind us, I think this is a good time to reflect on the purpose of these Summits.
Why do we organize MDPI Summits?
These one-and-a-half-day, invite-only gatherings are designed to improve our relationships with Chief Editors who lead our journals and are respected voices in their fields. The Summits aim to:
- Share MDPI’s values, achievements, editorial practices, and local market collaborations.
- Collect feedback on MDPI operations and journal practices.
- Empower Chief Editors to confidently represent MDPI beyond the Summit.
While Chief Editors know their journals well, these events help them better understand MDPI. We want them to be ambassadors for our brand. The aim is for them to walk away informed, engaged, and equipped to share positively about MDPI.
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About the Boston Summit
Held on 5–6 June, our first USA Summit gathered over 25 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in the USA. The program included presentations, Q&A, and a panel discussion.
Agenda Highlights:
Moderated by Summer Huggard (Operations Manager [Toronto], MDPI), the program featured:
- MDPI Overview and USA Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Feichi Lu (Junior Data Scientist, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
- Panel Discussion – Stefan, Feichi, Giulia, Claudia
- Society Partnerships – Dr. Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships Senior Manager, MDPI)
- Voice of the Customer and Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
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MDPI & the USA: Facts and Figures
- With over 216,000 publications, the USA is MDPI’s second-largest contributor after China.
- In 2024, the USA ranked 2nd in total submissions and 2nd in total MDPI publications, with more than 28,200 publications.
- As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from the USA until April 2025 was 352,099.
- As at April 2025, there are more than 12,035 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from the USA, with 55% having an H-index over 26.
- Among them, 96 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 218 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
- MDPI has more than 920 Institutional Open Access Program agreements worldwide, with over 130 from the USA.
A special thanks to our Toronto team, and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this event run smoothly.
Coming Together for Science
Highlights from the MDPI France Summit in Paris (12–13 June)
We completed our first MDPI France Summit in Paris last week, and it was a special event. Attendees were engaged from beginning to end, remaining after hours to network and collaborate.
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Why a France Summit?
We chose to host a France Summit in view of the recent challenges MDPI has faced with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). What we took away from the event is that our authors and editors very much appreciate and enjoy working with us, but we need to address the concerns raised by CNRS, around Article Processing Charges (APCs) and the funding of gold open access publications.
“Our authors and editors very much enjoy working with us”
Some of the claims made in the June 2023 interview with Alain Schuhl, the Deputy CEO for Science at the CNRS, are simply not factual. For example, they state that MDPI’s “average APC charges per article are now around the same as Springer Nature’s.” Here is the relevant passage, reproduced verbatim:
This is not accurate.
A recent preprint analysing APC data from Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, PLOS, MDPI, and Frontiers (2019–2023) shows that MDPI’s average APCs remain significantly lower than those of Springer Nature and several other major publishers.
The MDPI Summits are part of our outreach and communication efforts to address misconceptions and clarify MDPI’s position as one of the most accessible and affordable major gold open access publishers in the world.
Summit Overview
Held on 12–13 June, the France Summit gathered over 20 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in France. Many of these editors are influential in their institutions and professional societies. Several also have connections to CNRS, which makes this an important opportunity to clarify how we operate and build trust through open and transparent communication and hopefully turn our editors into informed advocates of MDPI.
Summit Feedback
The feedback has been very positive, with most attendees completing the post-event survey and all rating the experience as Excellent or Good. A few highlights:
- “The whole thing was highly professional and, above all, provided quantified details that will allow us to better answer questions surrounding MDPI.”
- “The summit was an opportunity to meet personally various people directly engaged in the organization and policies of MDPI, which made it possible to clarify some important points concerning publishing with MDPI.”
- “Very well organized! A great opportunity to see all French MDPI partners and editors.”
Program Highlights:
Moderated by Miruna Adelina Nicolcioiu (Senior Conference Producer), the program featured:
- MDPI Overview and France Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO)
- MDPI Editorial Process and Peer-Review Quality – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist)
- Institutional Partnerships and Open Access Funding Models – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager)
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist)
- Publication Ethics: Global Trends – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist)
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev
- Panel Discussion – Diana, Becky, Prof. Dr. Patrick Da Cost, and Stefan
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MDPI & France: Facts and Figures
- With over 51,000 publications, France is MDPI's tenth-largest contributor, and fifth largest among EU countries after Italy, Spain, Germany, and Poland.
- As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from France until April 2025 was 87,592.
- As at April 2025, there are more than 2,800 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from France, with 59% having an H-index over 26.
- Among them, 22 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 61 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
- In 2024, IJMS, JCM, and Molecules were the top three MDPI journals in terms of submissions from French-affiliated authors.
Special thanks to our colleagues from Romanian offices for organizing this successful event.
Closing Thoughts
Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award
As we wrap up this month’s newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the winners of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, presented by our journal Molecules. I am pleased to share 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.
I invite you to read the editorial co-authored by the Tu Youyou Award Committee, which highlights the significance of the award and the remarkable impact of the recipients’ research.
A sincere thank-you to the 2024 Award Committee for their dedication and selection process, and congratulations once again to this year’s honourees. Your work exemplifies the kind of research MDPI is proud to support and amplify.
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About the Tu Youyou Award For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website. |
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
30 June 2025
International Day of the Tropics, 29 June 2025
The International Day of the Tropics, observed on June 29, draws attention to the unique challenges faced by tropical regions, which cover 40% of the Earth’s surface and support nearly 80% of global biodiversity. This observance highlights the critical role tropical countries play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in combating climate change—a goal especially urgent for the Tropics due to rising sea levels, extreme weather, and ecosystem degradation threatening biodiversity, agriculture, and livelihoods.
To support awareness and research on these pressing issues, MDPI journals in the field of Environmental and Earth Sciences, such as Atmosphere, Climate, Conservation, Environments, Insects, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), Land, Meteorology, and Wild, provide platforms for scientific collaboration and knowledge sharing, helping to advance solutions and build resilience in tropical regions.
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“Recurrent Flooding and Household Food Access in Central Java, Indonesia”
by Breanne K. Langlois, Aris Ismanto, Leah Beaulac, Katherine Berry, Magaly Koch, Timothy Griffin, Erin Coughlan de Perez and Elena N. Naumova
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(10), 1370; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101370
“Seasonal Ecophysiological Dynamics of Erythroxylum pauferrense in an Open Ombrophilous Forest of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest”
by João Everthon da Silva Ribeiro, Ester dos Santos Coêlho, Francisco Romário Andrade Figueiredo, Walter Esfrain Pereira, Thiago Jardelino Dias, Marlenildo Ferreira Melo, Lindomar Maria da Silveira, Aurélio Paes Barros Júnior and Manoel Bandeira de Albuquerque
Climate 2024, 12(9), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12090128
“Quantifying the Potential of the Tropical Dry Region of the Gulf of Mexico to Provide Tree Species with Traditional Uses for Forest-Reliant Communities”
by Natalia Mesa-Sierra, Patricia Moreno-Casasola and Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer
Wild 2024, 1(1), 1-16; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010001
“Tropical and Subtropical South American Intraseasonal Variability: A Normal-Mode Approach”
by André S. W. Teruya, Víctor C. Mayta, Breno Raphaldini, Pedro L. Silva Dias and Camila R. Sapucci
Meteorology 2024, 3(2), 141-160; https://doi.org/10.3390/meteorology3020007
“How Can Plants Help Restore Degraded Tropical Soils?”
by Renaud Massoukou Pamba, Vincent Poirier, Pamphile Nguema Ndoutoumou and Terence Epule Epule
Land 2023, 12(12), 2147; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12122147
“Intercomparison of Different Sources of Precipitation Data in the Brazilian Legal Amazon”
by Fabrício Daniel dos Santos Silva, Claudia Priscila Wanzeler da Costa, Vânia dos Santos Franco, Helber Barros Gomes, Maria Cristina Lemos da Silva, Mário Henrique Guilherme dos Santos Vanderlei, Rafaela Lisboa Costa, Rodrigo Lins da Rocha Júnior, Jório Bezerra Cabral Júnior, Jean Souza dos Reis et al.
Climate 2023, 11(12), 241; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11120241
“Changing Characteristics of Tropical Extreme Precipitation–Cloud Regimes in Warmer Climates”
by William K. M. Lau, Kyu-Myong Kim, Bryce Harrop and L. Ruby Leung
Atmosphere 2023, 14(6), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14060995
“A Connectivity Approach to Agricultural Diffuse Pollution in Tropical Montane Catchments Dominated by Swidden Landscapes”
by Luc Sandevoir, Laurent Lespez and Candide Lissak
Land 2023, 12(4), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040784
“Living in a Thermally Diverse Environment: Field Body Temperatures and Thermoregulation in Hermann’s Tortoise, Testudo hermanni, in Montenegro”
by Ana Vujović, Vladimir Pešić, Roger Meek
Conservation 2023, 3(1), 59-70; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3010005
“Detection of Arthropod-Borne Bacteria and Assessment of MALDI-TOF MS for the Identification of Field-Collected Immature Bed Bugs from Mauritania”
by Jacques Sevestre, Mohamed Aly Ould Lemrabott, Jean-Michel Bérenger, Adama Zan Diarra, Ali Ould Mohamed Salem Boukhary and Philippe Parola
Insects 2023, 14(1), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14010069
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“Policies, Programs and Tools for Conservation and Sustainability in Tropical Landscapes” |
“Integrated Pest Management of Mosquitoes and Biting Flies” |
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“Perspectives in Tropical Climate Variability and Related Effects” |
“Research on Global Health Economics and Policy” |
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23 June 2025
Environments Receives an Updated Impact Factor of 3.7
19 June 2025
Environments Receives an Updated CiteScore of 5.7
16 June 2025
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought—“Restore the Land, Unlock the Opportunities”, 17 June 2025
Desertification and drought continue to threaten ecosystems, food systems, and livelihoods around the world. As climate pressures rise, the need to protect and restore our land becomes increasingly urgent. The 2025 theme, “Restore Land, Unlock Opportunities”, shines a light on the vast potential that lies in healthy, resilient landscapes—from boosting food security to driving economic growth and environmental sustainability.
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought calls on all of us—researchers, policymakers, and communities—to work together toward land restoration and drought resilience. Scientific research plays a critical role in shaping real-world solutions and inspiring action where it is needed most.
To support this global effort, MDPI is proud to feature selected articles from Atmosphere, Biology, Climate, Conservation, Ecologies, Environments, Hydrology, Land and Sustainability. These contributions explore key issues around land degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, helping to unlock the knowledge and innovation needed for a more sustainable future.
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“Response Characteristics of Biological Soil Crusts Under Different Afforestation Measures in Alpine Sandy Land”
by Shaobu Du, Huichun Xie, Gaosen Zhang, Feng Qiao, Guigong Geng and Chongyi E
Biology 2025, 14(5), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050532
“Does Participatory Forest Management Reduce Deforestation and Enhance Forest Cover? A Comparative Study of Selected Forest Sites in Adaba-Dodola, Ethiopia”
by Lemma Tiki, Jumanne M. Abdallah, Kristina Marquardt and Motuma Tolera
Ecologies 2024, 5(4), 647-663; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies5040038
“Estimating Non-Stationary Extreme-Value Probability Distribution Shifts and Their Parameters Under Climate Change Using L-Moments and L-Moment Ratio Diagrams: A Case Study of Hydrologic Drought in the Goat River Near Creston, British Columbia”
by Isaac Dekker, Kristian L. Dubrawski, Pearce Jones and Ryan MacDonald
Hydrology 2024, 11(9), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11090154
“Drought Dynamics and Drought Hazard Assessment in Southwest Bulgaria”
by Nina Nikolova, Kalina Radeva, Leonid Todorov and Simeon Matev
Atmosphere 2024, 15(8), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080888
“Analysis of Precipitation and Drought in the Main Southeastern Iberian River Headwaters (1952–2021)”
by María José Estrela, David Corell, Juan Javier Miró and Raquel Niclós
Atmosphere 2024, 15(2), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15020166
“Ecovoltaics: Maintaining Native Plants and Wash Connectivity inside a Mojave Desert Solar Facility Leads to Favorable Growing Conditions”
by Tamara Wynne-Sison, Dale A. Devitt and Stanley D. Smith
Land 2023, 12(10), 1950; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12101950
“Assessment of Precipitation and Hydrological Droughts in South America through Statistically Downscaled CMIP6 Projections”
by Glauber Willian de Souza Ferreira, Michelle Simões Reboita, João Gabriel Martins Ribeiro and Christie André de Souza
Climate 2023, 11(8), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11080166
“Standardized Description of Degraded Land Reclamation Actions and Mapping of Actors’ Roles: A Key Step for Action in Combatting Desertification (Niger)”
by Abou-Soufianou Sadda, Maud Loireau, Nouhou Salifou Jangorzo, Hassane Bil-Assanou Issoufou and Jean-Luc Chotte
Land 2023, 12(5), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12051064
“CiXTH29 and CiLEA4 Role in Water Stress Tolerance in Cichorium intybus Varieties”
by Monica De Caroli, Patrizia Rampino, Lorenzo M. Curci, Gabriele Pecatelli, Sara Carrozzo and Gabriella Piro
Biology 2023, 12(3), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12030444
“Heatwave Variability and Structure in South Africa during Summer Drought”
by Innocent L. Mbokodo, Mary-Jane M. Bopape, Thando Ndarana, Sifiso M. S. Mbatha, Tshimbiluni P. Muofhe, Mukovhe V. Singo, Nkosinathi G. Xulu, Tumelo Mohomi, Kingsley K. Ayisi and Hector Chikoore
Climate 2023, 11(2), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11020038
| “Global Warming and Extreme Drought” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Michelle Simões Reboita, Prof. Dr. Rosmeri Porfírio da Rocha and Dr. Shaukat Ali Submission deadline: 31 July 2025 |
“Land and Drought: An Environmcental Assessment Through Remote Sensing” Guest Editors: Dr. Keyvan Soltani, Prof. Dr. Silvio José Gumiere and Dr. Isa Ebtehaj Submission deadline: 31 July 2025 |
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| “Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes, Control and Restoration” Guest Editors: Dr. Jianye Li, Dr. Weida Gao, Dr. Wei Hu, Dr. Qiang Chen and Prof. Dr. Xingyi Zhang Submission deadline: 25 September 2025 |
“Innovative Strategies for Enhancing Plant Tolerance to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses and Ensuring Food Safety in Changing Climates” Topic Editors: Dr. José Ramón Acosta-Motos, Dr. Sara Álvarez, Dr. María del Rosario Álvarez Morales, Dr. María José Clemente-Moreno, Dr. María del Rosario Conesa-Saura, Dr. Juan de Dios Franco-Navarro, Dr. María José Gómez-Bellot, Dr. Isabel M. Martínez Alcalá and Dr. Víctor Meseguer Sánchez |
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6 June 2025
World Oceans Day—“Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”, 8 June 2025
The ocean covers over 70% of the planet and is our life source, providing sustenance to humanity and every other organism on Earth. With 90% of large fish populations depleted and 50% of coral reefs destroyed, we are taking more from the ocean than can be replenished. There is an urgent need for us to work together to create a new balance with the ocean—one that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life.
“Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us” is the theme for World Oceans Day 2025. We hope that established MDPI journals in the field of Environmental & Earth Sciences, including Atmosphere, Biology, Climate, Coasts, Conservation, Environments, Fishes, Geosciences, Genes, Hydrology, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Meteorology, Oceans, Remote Sensing, Sustainability, Taxonomy and Water, will provide a valuable platform for the exchange of innovative ideas regarding ocean protection.
| ● Atmosphere; | ● Biology; | ● Climate; | ● Coasts; |
| ● Conservation; | ● Environments; | ● Fishes; | ● Geoscience; |
| ● Genes; | ● Hydrology; | ● Journal of Marine Science and Engineering; | ● Meteorology; |
| ● Oceans; | ● Remote Sensing; | ● Sustainability; | ● Taxonomy. |
| ● Water; |
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“Sea Surface Temperature and Marine Heat Wave Predictions in the South China Sea: A 3D U-Net Deep Learning Model Integrating Multi-Source Data”
by Bowen Xie, Jifeng Qi, Shuguo Yang, Guimin Sun, Zhongkun Feng, Baoshu Yin and Wenwu Wang
Atmosphere 2024, 15(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15010086
Special Issues:
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“The Occurrence and Distribution of Persistent and Emerging Organic Contaminants in the Coast” |
“Long-Term Signature of Carbon Cycle in Marine Systems: Evidence from Geochemistry” |
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“Simulation of Seawater Intrusion and Upconing Processes in Mediterranean Aquifer in Response to Climate Change (Plana de Castellón, Spain)”
by Barbara del R. Almazan-Benitéz, Maria V. Esteller-Alberich, Arianna Renau-Pruñonosa and José L. Expósito-Castillo
Hydrology 2024, 11(12), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11120205
“Estimating the Temporal Impacts of Nearshore Fisheries on Coastal Ocean-Sourced Waste Accumulation in South Korea Using Stepwise Regression”
by Seung-Hyun Lee, Seung-Kweon Hong, Jongsung Lee, Ji-Won Yu, Hong-Tae Kim and Tae-Hwan Joung
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5663; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135663
“Mercury Biogeochemistry and Biomagnification in the Mediterranean Sea: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects in the Context of Climate Change”
by Roberto Bargagli and Emilia Rota
Coasts 2024, 4(1), 89-107; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4010006
Special Issues:
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“Physical Interactions Between Ocean-Atmosphere Boundary Layers from Turbulent to Climate Scales” |
“Air-Sea Interactions: Recent Trends, Current Progress and Future Directions” |
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| “The Dynamics and Impacts of Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling on Regional and Global Climate” Guest Editors: Dr. Aixue Hu and Dr. Mengrong Ding Submission deadline: 31 January 2026 |
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“The Impact of Marine Heatwaves on Isotherm Displacement and Tuna Distribution in Vanuatu”
by Hannah Weinberg, Jessica Bhardwaj, Andrew B. Watkins and Yuriy Kuleshov
Climate 2024, 12(11), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12110181
“Typical Marine Ecological Disasters in China Attributed to Marine Organisms and Their Significant Insights”
by Lulu Yao, Peimin He, Zhangyi Xia, Jiye Li and Jinlin Liu
Biology 2024, 13(9), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13090678
“Diatom Flora from Time-Series Sediment Trap in the Kuroshio Extension Region of the Northwestern Pacific”
by Joon Sang Park, Hyung Jeek Kim, Kyun-Woo Lee, Hyun Ju Ha and Yun Jae Kim
Taxonomy 2024, 4(3), 507-547; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy4030025
“Ecological Impacts of Coastal Protection on the Vegetation of Sandy Coasts at the German Baltic Sea Coast”
by Daniela Glueck, Ulf Schiefelbein and Hendrik Schubert
Coasts 2024, 4(2), 437-453; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4020022
“Growth Performance and Environmental Quality Indices and Biomarkers in a Co-Culture of the European Sea Bass with Filter and Deposit Feeders: A Case Study of an IMTA System”
by Efthimia Cotou, Helen Miliou, Evanthia Chatzoglou, Eirini Schoina, Nektarios Politakis, Dimitra Kogiannou, Eleni Fountoulaki, Afrodite Androni, Aggeliki Konstantinopoulou, Georgia Assimakopoulou et al.
Fishes 2024, 9(2), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9020069
“Stage-Specific Transcriptomes of the Mussel Mytilus coruscus Reveals the Developmental Program for the Planktonic to Benthic Transition”
by Yu-Qing Wang, Qi Liu, Yan Zhou, Lizhi Chen, Yue-Ming Yang, Xue Shi, Deborah M. Power and Yi-Feng Li
Genes 2023, 14(2), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14020287
Special Issues:
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“Genetic Status and Perspectives of Fisheries Resources” |
“Environmental DNA (eDNA) for Assessment of Coastal Marine Biodiversity” |
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“Sustainable Fisheries Dynamics” |
“Coastal Ecosystems Under Pressure: Research on Biogeochemistry, Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management” |
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“Social Sciences in Marine Ecology Conservation” |
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“IchthyNet: An Ensemble Method for the Classification of In Situ Marine Zooplankton Shadowgraph Images”
by Brittney Slocum and Bradley Penta
Oceans 2025, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/oceans6010007
“Exploring the Potential of Sentinel-1 Ocean Wind Field Product for Near-Surface Offshore Wind Assessment in the Norwegian Arctic”
by Eduard Khachatrian, Patricia Asemann, Lihong Zhou, Yngve Birkelund, Igor Esau and Benjamin Ricaud
Atmosphere 2024, 15(2), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15020146
“CanStoc: A Hybrid Stochastic–GCM System for Monthly, Seasonal and Interannual Predictions”
by Shaun Lovejoy and Lenin Del Rio Amador
Meteorology 2023, 2(4), 509-529; https://doi.org/10.3390/meteorology2040029
Special Issues:
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“Oceans from Space V” |
“Characterization and Monitoring of Coastal Hydrological Environment for Assessing the Impact of Seawater Intrusion on Coastal Aquifers” |
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3 June 2025
World Environment Day—“Beat Plastic Pollution”, 5 June 2025
World Environment Day is an urgent call to action as nature suffers from the devastating impacts of human activity. Annual plastic production exceeds 400 million tons, half of which is single-use plastic, with under 10% recycled. 11 million tons of plastic (equal to 2,200 Eiffel Towers) pollute waterways yearly. Microplastics contaminate our food, water, and air, with humans ingesting over 50,000 particles annually. This pollution harms health and ecosystems globally. A solution does exist, however. Governments, businesses, and individuals must adhere to the 5Rs—Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink. Join #BeatPlasticPollution this World Environment Day to create a sustainable future.
On this significant day, we are proud to present a curated collection of articles and initiatives dedicated to groundbreaking research and innovative solutions for protecting the environment and beating plastic pollution. We invite readers to explore these resources and join us in our shared mission of a sustainable vision of the future. Together, we can pave the way for a cleaner, healthier planet.
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Environmental & Earth Sciences |
Biology & Life Sciences Chemistry & Materials Science |
Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities Engineering |
“Enhanced Separation of Palladium from Nuclear Wastewater by the Sulfur-Rich Functionalized Covalent Organic Framework”
by Junli Wang, Chen Luo, Wentao Wang, Hui Wang, Yao Liu, Jianwei Li and Taihong Yan
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(10), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15100714
“Prevention of Biofouling Due to Water Absorption of Natural Fiber Composites in the Aquatic Environment: A Critical Review”
by Cristiano Fragassa, Sara Mattiello, Martina Fronduti, Jo’ Del Gobbo, Radmila Gagic and Carlo Santulli
J. Compos. Sci. 2024, 8(12), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs8120532
“Testing the Effectiveness of an Ecomedia Literacy Environmental Education Lesson”
by Ludovica Lo Iacono, Ludovica Lo Iacono and Emilio Paolo Visintin
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120645
“Airborne Microplastics: Challenges, Prospects, and Experimental Approaches”
by Alexey R. Rednikin, Yulia A. Frank, Artem O. Rozhin, Danil S. Vorobiev and Rawil F. Fakhrullin
Atmosphere 2024, 15(11), 1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15111380
“Emerging Technologies for Remote Sensing of Floating and Submerged Plastic Litter”
by Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy, Victor Martínez-Vicente, Heidi M. Dierssen, Valentina Raimondi, Erio Gandini, Robert Foster and Ved Chirayath
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(10), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16101770
“The Other Side of Fire in a Changing Environment: Evidence from a Mediterranean Country”
by Dimitrios Kalfas, Stavros Kalogiannidis, Fotios Chatzitheodoridis and Nikolaos Margaritis
Fire 2024, 7(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7020036
“A Review of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling: Technologies, Sustainability, and Open Issues”
by Alessandra Zanoletti, Eleonora Carena, Chiara Ferrara and Elza Bontempi
Batteries 2024, 10(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries10010038
“A Comparative Analysis of Different Hydrogen Production Methods and Their Environmental Impact”
by Somtochukwu Godfrey Nnabuife, Caleb Kwasi Darko, Precious Chineze Obiako, Boyu Kuang, Xiaoxiao Sun and Karl Jenkins
Clean Technol. 2023, 5(4), 1344-1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol5040067
“Screening of Microplastics in Aquaculture Systems (Fish, Mussel, and Water Samples) by FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Micro-Raman Spectroscopies”
by Kleopatra Miserli, Christos Lykos, Angelos G. Kalampounias and Ioannis Konstantinou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9705; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179705
“Microplastics, Additives, and Plasticizers in Freshwater Bivalves: Preliminary Research of Biomonitoring”
by Giulia Cesarini, Fabiana Corami, Beatrice Rosso and Massimiliano Scalici
Water 2023, 15(14), 2647; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15142647
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Guest Editors: Dr. Ramona Riedel and Prof. Dr. Giulio Malucelli Submission deadline: 20 August 2025 |
“Novel Sources, Designs and After-Use Pathways for Plastics in a Circular Economy” Guest Editor: Dr. María José Arévalo-Caballero Submission deadline: 31 August 2025 |
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“Airborne Micro and Nanoplastics: Detection, Dynamics, and Exposure Assessment” Guest Editor: Dr. Yangyang Liu Submission deadline: 30 September 2025 |
“Aquatic Microplastic Pollution: Occurrence and Removal” Guest Editor: Dr. Lixin Zhu Submission deadline: 25 October 2025 |
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“Innovative Strategies to Mitigate the Impact of Mining” Topic Editors: Prof. Dr. Chongchong Qi, Dr. Qiusong Chen and Dr. Danial Jahed Armaghani Submission deadline: 31 October 2025 |
“Enabling Strategies and Policies Toward a Sustainable Environment, 2nd Edition” Topic Editors: Dr. Abdul Majeed, Prof. Dr. Yuantao Xie and Prof. Dr. Judit Oláh Submission deadline: 31 October 2025 |
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3 June 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #23 - MDPI Summits Spain & Italy, Ei Compendex, and Editorial Independence
Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.
In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.
Opening Thoughts
Highlights from the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona (21-22 May)
In May we hosted the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona – our second summit in the city following the inaugural one in November 2023.
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) at the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona, 22 May 2025.
Creating a space for exchange of views
The goal of our summits is to bring together Chief Editors of MDPI journals from across disciplines and institutions. These intimate gatherings provide a platform to present the latest developments at MDPI and to initiate open conversations about our journals, the future of open access, and the evolving landscape of scientific publishing.
Most importantly, these are opportunities for in-person connection, providing a more meaningful space for the exchange of views and for building long-term relationships.
Exploring the future of scientific publishing in Spain
The summit took place on 21–22 May and featured a mix of MDPI presentations (including two guest presentations), roundtable discussions, and Q&A sessions. On the first day, we held a focused session with our Chief Editors to gather feedback and have open discussions on their journal development, the peer-review process, and local accreditation systems.
Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI, presents MDPI’s Editorial Process and Peer Review Quality Metrics at the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona, 22 May 2025.
I had the pleasure of opening the Summit with a welcome address and an overview of MDPI’s recent milestones. The agenda then included the following sessions:
- MDPI and Recent Developments in the Spanish Market – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process and Peer Review Quality Metrics – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
- Open Access in Spain – Dr. Remedios Melero (Researcher, CSIC – guest speaker)
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Dr. Enric Sayas (Business Analyst, MDPI), Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist, MDPI), and Dr. Alexandre López-Borrull (Researcher, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya – guest speaker)
- Publication Ethics – Ana Stankovic (Research Integrity and Publication Ethics, MDPI)
- Opening and Closing remarks were provided by Rocksy Zhang (Editorial Director, MDPI)
We are extremely grateful for the strong engagement shown by our Editors, who were clearly appreciative of the event and the discussions we had. They felt seen and heard, which is a vital prerequisite for building open channels of communication and cultivating productive long-term collaborations.
MDPI colleagues during MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona (22 May 2025).
A big thank-you to the entire Barcelona team for organizing such a successful event!
Upcoming MDPI Summit events:
- Italy Summit – Rome (26–27 May)
- US Summit – Boston, MA (5–6 June)
- France Summit – Paris (12–13 June)
- US Summit – Houston, TX (26–27 June)
- UK Summit – London (16–17 September)
- Germany Summit – Berlin (18–19 September)
- Romania Summit – Bucharest (23–24 October)
...with more in between, and more to follow.
Impactful Research
50 MDPI Journals Now Indexed in Ei Compendex
Indexing is a key indicator of a journal’s scientific impact. An indexed journal gives research greater visibility and credibility within the global academic community and is recognized for its quality and relevance. While many of our journals are included in major databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, MDPI also places strong emphasis on journal inclusion in subject-specific indexing platforms that align with each journal’s scope. This ensures that when you publish with MDPI, you publish with impact.
I’m pleased to share that as at May 2025, 51 of our journals are now indexed in Ei Compendex, a leading bibliographic database for engineering and applied sciences. This is a major milestone that reflects both the quality or our editorial processes and the relevance of the research we publish in these fields.
“When you publish with MDPI, you publish with impact”
Discoverability and reach
Inclusion in Ei Compendex means greater discoverability for our authors and broader reach of our journals in the fields of engineering and technology. It improves our ability to support global research and innovation, while building MDPI’s reputation in the applied sciences. This recognition is the result of the dedicated work of our editorial teams, reviewers, and authors, and of our overall commitment to excellence in publishing.
You can read our full announcement here.
Appreciative thanks to everyone involved in reaching this milestone.
Inside MDPI
One Year of MDPI’s Seoul Office
On 29 April, we marked one year since the opening of our Seoul office, MDPI’s first local hub in South Korea. South Korea is a key market for MDPI, currently ranking as our sixth-largest contributor to the company’s total publications, with over 89,000 MDPI articles authored by individuals affiliated with Korean institutions. Over the past 12 months, the Seoul team has made great strides in building our visibility, networks, and presence in the region.
A few highlights from the past year
Claude Seo (MDPI Korea Office Manager, Seoul)
Claude Seo, who has over 15 years of experience in the academic publishing industry, is the Office Manager of the Seoul office.
In its inaugural year, the Seoul office focused primarily on marketing and promotional activities to support the MDPI brand locally. During that time, the team concentrated on scholar visits to local institutions, attending academic conferences, and hosting editorial board meetings.
The team also secured 10 Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) renewals, signed three new IOAP agreements, and established one new Society affiliation.
The Seoul office also hosted its first library book fair and reached over 1,000 followers on its LinkedIn channel, which is an encouraging indication of local visibility and engagement.
“The Seoul team has made strides in building our visibility, networks, and presence in the region”
Growth plans
Later this year, we are working on opening a new Seoul office in a more central location, with room for our growing team. The new space will bring us closer to other publishing partners and provide easier access to and from the airport. The Seoul office will continue to expand its efforts in outreach and engagement as its builds its presence in South Korea.
Warm thanks to the entire Seoul team for their hard work and dedication, and to all MDPI colleagues who have contributed to this exciting chapter in our global journey.
Coming Together for Science
Highlights from the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (26–27 May)
We closed the month of May by hosting the first MDPI Italy Summit in Rome. This was an important event for us, as Italy has consistently ranked among the top ten countries globally for open access publications over the past decade.
MDPI and Italy: Facts & Figures
- With over 144,000 publications (as at 31 May 2025), Italy is MDPI’s third largest contributor after China and the USA.
- In 2024, MDPI was the second-largest publishing house in Italy.
- The 7,165 Editorial Board Members (EBMs) drawn from Italian institutions represent 8.9% of all MDPI academic editors.
- Among these, 319 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiCs) or Section Editors-in-Chief (SEiCs).
- Eleven Italian EBMs were recognized as 2024 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers.
- In 2024, MDPI received 24,873 review reports and collaborated with 88,578 reviewers from Italy.
- 23,131 Guest Editors from Italian institutions led 4,827 Special Issues across 248 MDPI journals.
- MDPI partners with over 900 institutions globally, of which 17 are in Italy.
The MDPI Italy Summit in Rome
Dr. Prof. Giulio Cerullo, EiC of Applied Sciences, at the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (27 May 2025).
Held on 26–27 May, the MDPI Italy Summit brought together 25 Chief Editors from across our journal portfolio, including some of our largest journals such as Applied Sciences, to discuss MDPI’s latest developments and collaborations in the Italian market, our use of data intelligence and AI to support strategic decision-making, a look into our editorial process, peer-review quality metrics, and conversations around research integrity and community engagement.
The Summit featured MDPI presentations followed by Q&A and concluded with a roundtable discussion. On the evening of the 26th, we hosted a dinner with our Editors to connect personally, learn more about their research, and hear feedback on journal operations and the broader academic landscape in Italy.
Gathering of Editors-in-Chief and MDPI staff at the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (27 May 2025).
Event Agenda – 27 May
Moderated by Maddalena Favaretto (Conference Scientific Advisor, MDPI), the program featured:
- MDPI Overview, Achievements, Latest News and Future Developments – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
- Country Report: Italy – Dr. Laura Perez Martin (Conference Assistant, MDPI)
- AI in Publishing and MDPI’s Actions – Dr. Andrea Perlato (Head of Data Analytics, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
- Panel Discussion – Stefan, Andrea, Giulia
Panel Discussion with Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI), Dr. Andrea Perlato (Head of Data Analytics, MDPI) during the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (27 May 2025).
A big thank-you to our Conference team and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make these events run smoothly.
Closing Thoughts
Upholding Editorial Independence in Scholarly Publishing
A recent MDPI blog post written by Dr. Ioana Craciun (Scientific Communications Specialist, MDPI), “Editorial Independence and Publisher Support: Collaborating to Uphold Integrity,” highlights the important balance between editorial autonomy and publisher collaboration in academic publishing.
As the leading fully Open Access scholarly publisher, we are proud to champion editorial independence within our publishing process.
Drawing from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, the article emphasizes that while editors must have the freedom to make decisions based on scholarly merit, publishers play a critical role in providing the necessary infrastructure and tools to support the editorial process. This collaborative approach ensures the integrity of the peer review process, builds trust among authors and readers, and upholds the quality and relevance of published content.
MDPI highlights its commitment to this model by investing in research integrity specialists, AI tools for plagiarism detection, and administrative support, all aimed at empowering editors to make independent, informed decisions.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
