Announcements

We are delighted to announce the 1st International Online Conference on Behavioral Sciences (IOCBS2026), chaired by Prof. Dr. Jerrell Cassady (Department of Educational Psychology, Ball State University, Muncie, 47306, United States), which will take place from 1 to 3 April 2026.

IOCBS2026 warmly invites researchers from academic institutions and professionals in the behavioral sciences industry to share their original research, innovative ideas, scientific insights, and practical experiences.

We welcome contributions that align with the following thematic areas:
S1. Psychiatric, emotional, and behavioral disorders;
S2. Cognition;
S3. Developmental psychology;
S4. Educational psychology;
S5. Social psychology;
S6. Health psychology;
S7. Child and adolescent psychiatry;
S8. Organizational behaviors;
S9. Experimental and clinical neurosciences.

Important deadlines:
Deadline for abstract submission: 4 January 2026;
Notification of acceptance: 29 January 2026;
Deadline for registration: 27 March 2026.

Guide for Authors:

To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1351.

To register for the event for free, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCBS2026?section=#registration.

For more information, you may refer to: https://sciforum.net/event/iocbs2026.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact us at iocbs2026@mdpi.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the 1st International Online Conference on Behavioral Sciences.

MDPI is delighted to announce the establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award. Named in honor of Professor Michele Parrinello, the award celebrates his exceptional contributions and his profound impact on the field of computational physical science research.

The award will be presented biennially to distinguished scientists who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of computational physical science—spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science.

About Professor Michele Parrinello

"Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking what is going to happen to me and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”

——Professor Michele Parrinello

Born in Messina in 1945, he received his degree from the University of Bologna and is currently affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. Professor Parrinello is known for his many technical innovations in the field of atomistic simulations and for a wealth of interdisciplinary applications ranging from materials science to chemistry and biology. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, also known as the Car–Parrinello method, marking the beginning of a new era both in the area of electronic structure calculations and in molecular dynamics simulations. He is also known for the Parrinello–Rahman method, which allows crystalline phase transitions to be studied by molecular dynamics. More recently, he has introduced metadynamics for the study of rare events and the calculation of free energies.

For his work, he has been awarded many prizes and honorary degrees. He is a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the German Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the British Royal Society, and the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which is the major academy in his home country of Italy.

Award Committee

The award committee will be chaired by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, a computational condensed matter physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Department of Physics, Fudan University. Professor Xin-Gao Gong will lead a panel of several senior experts in the field to oversee the evaluation and selection process. The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University (Shanghai, China), led by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, will serve as the supporting institute for the award.

"We hope the Michele Parrinello Award will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of computational condensed matter physics and at the same time set a benchmark for the younger generation, providing clear direction for their pursuit—this is precisely the original intention behind establishing the award."

——Professor Xin-Gao Gong

The first edition of the award was officially launched on 1 November 2025. Nominations will be accepted before the end of March 2026. For further details, please visit mparrinelloaward.org.

About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards

The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing sustainable development through scientific progress and global collaboration. The foundation also oversees the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award. The establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award will further enrich the existing award portfolio, providing continued and diversified financial support to outstanding professionals across various fields. 

In addition to these foundation-level awards, MDPI journals also recognize outstanding contributions through a range of honors, including Best Paper Awards, Outstanding Reviewer Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Editor of Distinction Awards, and others. These initiatives aim to recognize excellence across disciplines and career stages, contributing to the long-term vitality and sustainability of scientific research.

Find more information on awards here.

World Leprosy Day, which is observed annually on the last Sunday of January, will take place on 25 January this year. This international day provides an opportunity to honor people who have experienced leprosy, raise awareness of the disease, and call for an end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination. The theme for World Leprosy Day 2026, “Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma”, highlights the urgent need to address the social barriers that persist despite the availability of effective treatment.

Although leprosy is fully curable when diagnosed early, stigma continues to profoundly affect the lives of those impacted. Misconceptions surrounding the disease led to job loss, social exclusion, disrupted education, and family separation. Fear of discrimination often causes individuals to hide symptoms and delay seeking care, resulting in preventable complications and ongoing transmission. Addressing stigma is therefore essential not only for social justice, but also for effective disease control.

In support of World Leprosy Day 2026, MDPI journals aim to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and research on the medical, social, and public health dimensions of leprosy. Through Special Issues, research articles, and webinars, MDPI provides platforms to explore stigma, intersectionality, and inclusive approaches to care.

“Tissue Expression of NGF in Skin Lesions of HIV-Coinfected and Non-Coinfected Leprosy Patients and Its Relationship with Leprosy Neural Damage”
by Marília Brasil Xavier, Lucas dos Santos Fontes, Mariana Garcia Borges do Nascimento, Simone Rodrigues dos Passos, Débora Pinheiro Xavier, Larissa dos Santos Alcantara, Elza Baía de Brito, Cláudia Maria de Castro Gomes and Carlos Eduardo Pereira Corbett
Microorganisms 2025, 13(10), 2271; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13102271

“Hansen’s Disease in Ecuador: Current Status, Knowledge Gaps, and Research Priorities: A Literature Review”
by Manuel Calvopiña, Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy, Esteban Ortiz-Prado, Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez, Lorena Vaca and Elías Guamán
Pathogens 2025, 14(8), 832; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080832

“Vasculonecrotic Reaction Caused by Mycobacterium Lepromatosis Infection—A Case Report of an HIV/Leprosy-Coinfected Patient”
By Fernando Amador-Lara, Jorge L. Mayorga-Garibaldi, Felipe J. Bustos-Rodríguez, Luz A. González-Hernández, Pedro Martínez-Ayala and Jaime F. Andrade-Villanueva
Infect. Dis. Rep. 2025, 17(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/idr17030058

“Spatial, Social and Serological Factors in the Prevalence and Risk of Leprosy in Areas of High Endemicity: An Integrative Review”
by Daniele dos Santos Lages, Isabela Cristina Lana Maciel, Sarah Lamas Vidal and Francisco Carlos Félix Lana
Infect. Dis. Rep. 2025, 17(3), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/idr17030057  

“Correlation and Trends in Primary Health Care and Family Health Strategy Coverage of Leprosy Detection in Minas Gerais”
by Daniele dos Santos Lages, Isabela Cristina Lana Maciel, Sarah Lamas Vidal and Francisco Carlos Félix Lana
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(4), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040490

“Integrating Community Engagement in Zero Leprosy Efforts: A Pathway to Sustainable Early Detection, Control and Elimination”
by Anil Fastenau, Matthew Willis, Constanze Vettel, Sophie C. W. Stuetzle, Srilekha Penna, Priyanka Chahal, Fabian Schlumberger, Mowmita Basak Mow, Ngozi Ekeke, Joseph Ngozi Chukwu et al.
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(12), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9120296

“Genomic and Phenotypic Variations Among Thai-53 and Mycobacterium leprae Clinical Isolates: Implications for Leprosy Pathogenesis and Research”
by Tiago Araujo Gomes, Tatiana Pereira da Silva, Edson Machad, Sidra Ezidio Gonçalves Vasconcelos, Bruno Siqueira Mietto, Daniela Ferreira de Faria Bertoluci, Patricia Sammarco Rosa, Roberta Olmo Pinheiro, Philip Noel Suffys, Letícia Miranda Santos Lery et al.
Pathogens 2024, 13(11), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13110986

“Ecuador Towards Zero Leprosy: A Twenty-Three-Year Retrospective Epidemiologic and Spatiotemporal Analysis of Leprosy in Ecuador”
by Santiago Hernandez-Bojorge, Tatiana Gardellini, Jeegan Parikh, Neil Rupani, Benjamin Jacob, Ismael Hoare, Manuel Calvopiña and Ricardo Izurieta
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(10), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9100246

“Community-Based Intervention for Active Detection and Provision of Single-Dose Rifampicin Post-Exposure Prophylaxis to Household Contacts of Leprosy in Bolivia”
by Abundio Baptista Mora, Nimer Ortuño-Gutiérrez, Deisy Zurita Paniagua, Carlos Hurtado Solares, Anil Fastenau and Christa Kasang
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(5), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9050101  

“Self-Care Ability and Life Quality of Cured Leprosy Patients: The Mediating Effects of Social Support”
by Li Xu, Guangjie Jin, Xiang Li, Yuting Shao, Yunhui Li and Lianhua Zhang
Healthcare 2023, 11(23), 3059; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11233059

MDPI will be attending the 10th Asia Pacific Region Conference of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (APRC 2026) from 4 to 7 February 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. With over 1,000 experts and delegates expected from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, APRC 2026 will provide a dynamic platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and actionable solutions that shape the future of lung health worldwide.

The theme of APRC 2026 is “Transforming Lung Health and Creating a Future Free of Tuberculosis through Research, Innovation, and Networking”. The conference will cover the following:

• Tuberculosis research and treatment innovations;
• Emerging respiratory infectious diseases;
• Universal health coverage and access to care;
• Environmental and societal impacts on lung health;
• Breakthroughs in non-communicable respiratory diseases, including asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and interstitial lung disease.

The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:

• IJERPH;
• Medicina;
• TropicalMed;
• COVID;
• Vaccines;
• Epidemiologia;
• JMAHP.

We invite you to visit MDPI’s booth (#A45) to meet our representatives, explore our latest initiatives, and discuss potential collaborations. For more details about the conference, please visit the official website: https://aprc2026.org/.

We look forward to connecting with you in Bangkok!

Name: Dr. Jacob Carson
Affiliations: Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA

“Agreement Between Consumer and Research-Grade Physical Activity Monitors in a Public Health Intervention for Adolescent Latinas”
by Jacob Carson, David Wing, Job G. Godino, Michael Higgins and Britta Larsen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(11), 1663; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22111663
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/11/1663

We had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jacob Carson, whose recent publication in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601). Here, he shares insights into his academic journey, research focus, and the motivation behind his recent work.

The following is the interview with Dr. Jacob Carson:

1. Congratulations on your recent publication! Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research focus?

My name is Jacob Carson, and I am a fourth-year PhD candidate in Health Behavior in the joint doctoral program between the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University. My research focuses on the built environment and health, particularly on how walkability is measured and how policies can support walkable environments to promote physical activity.

2. What initially drew you to study physical activity monitoring in adolescents?

This interest developed through my work with the principal investigator, Dr. Britta Larseon, who has conducted physical activity promotion research using randomized controlled trials for some time. We became increasingly interested in how physical activity is measured, especially because traditional tools such as ActiGraph accelerometers can be expensive and burdensome for participants. With the rise of consumer wearables like Fitbits, an important question emerged regarding how these devices compare to established methods. While some validation work has been done in laboratory settings, much of physical activity promotion research occurs in free-living environments, which motivated us to examine these tools in real-world contexts.

3. Compared to existing studies (or literature), what are the differences or innovative aspects of your research?

One key difference is the sample size, which is larger than that used in many previous studies. More importantly, the study focuses on adolescent girls, a group that is among the least physically active in the United States. This is particularly relevant from a health equity perspective, especially given the inclusion of Latina adolescents as a subgroup. This study focused entirely on a cohort of Latina adolescents. Methodologically, we examined physical activity at both the minute level and the day level, which allowed us to assess granularity as well as aggregated patterns. We also used multiple cut points, reflecting the lack of a well-established standard for this age group and highlighting the need to reconsider how these thresholds are applied.

4. What do you think is the most important academic contribution or practical value of your research?

I see the study as a reflection point for researchers working in physical activity measurement. Many studies rely on cut points that were used in previous work without fully questioning their appropriateness. Our findings show substantial mismatches between Fitbit and ActiGraph measurements at the minute level, while aggregation changes how these differences appear. The main takeaway is that researchers should be more careful and intentional when deciding what they treat as a gold standard for physical activity measurement, rather than assuming that one device or approach is inherently superior. Moreover, I would like to see more work that breaks down specific activities and considers the environmental and contextual factors in free-living settings. Certain activities, such as weightlifting, cycling, or swimming, are not well captured by traditional accelerometry, while heart-rate-based devices can be influenced by stress or temperature. Understanding how different activities and contexts affect measurement accuracy is essential so that researchers can apply these tools more thoughtfully.

5. For other students who are also interested in conducting similar research, what suggestions do you have?

One important area for younger researchers to explore is the opacity of consumer wearables. These devices rely on proprietary algorithms, and researchers often do not fully understand how the data are generated. I believe wearables represent the future of physical activity measurement, particularly in research on 24-hour activity cycles that integrate sleep and movement. However, it is critical to move beyond treating these tools as black boxes, especially since algorithm updates can change how data is processed. I think we are clearly moving toward greater reliance on consumer wearables, regardless of ongoing debates. There is increasing interest in using data that already exists, often in collaboration with companies such as Google through Fitbit or other platforms like Garmin. This places us in a transitional period where it is essential to understand how historical measurement approaches compare with newer methods. Doing so allows us to maintain continuity in physical activity surveillance and make meaningful comparisons over time.

6. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? How was your experience submitting to IJERPH?

IJERPH has a broad scope that includes both public health and environmental research, which aligns well with the interdisciplinary nature of our work. There was also relevant research already published in this area, which made the journal feel like a natural fit. Additionally, I appreciated the relatively fast review turnaround, as lengthy review processes can be a challenge at other journals.

Throughout the fourth quarter of 2025, research published in IJERPH was featured over 157 times in news articles published by media sources such as Forbes, CNN News, New York Post and National Geographic. Learn more about this research below.

“A 2025 study published in Environmental Research and Public Health offers a simple suggestion to handle such thoughts. Researchers explored whether interacting with nature in a structured way, specifically tending to an indoor plant, could reduce rumination and improve mental well-being after stressful life events.”
Forbes—“3 Strategies To Pull You Out Of Your ‘Fall Funk,’ By A Psychologist”
IJERPH—“Thriving Through Stressful Life Events with Nature: A Mixed-Method Study on Tending Indoor Plants and Rumination Resilience”
Article link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/3/369

“Trudging through the snow might not sound like your idea of a good time, but a surprising study suggests you might want to grab your scarf and lace up your boots. Researchers in Poland and the UK found that walking in the snow can have an unexpected effect on your mental health — and even change how you feel when you look in the mirror.”
New York Post—“Walking in snow can have a surprising effect on your mental health—and body image”
IJERPH—“The Impact of a Woodland Walk on Body Image: A Field Experiment and an Assessment of Dispositional and Environmental Determinants”
Article link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14548

“Other studies show similar timing irregularities across other neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and certain executive-function disorders—any of which can disrupt time perception and task sequencing.”
National Geographic—“Some people are always late. Science can explain why.”
IJERPH—“Time Perception in Adult ADHD: Findings from a Decade—A Review”
Article link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3098

“…Le, lead author of a 2022 study that found young marijuana users between the ages of 12 and 25 were more likely to have oral lesions…”
CNN News—“Your mouth on weed is nothing to smile about”
IJERPH—“Associations between Oral Health and Cannabis Use among Adolescents and Young Adults: Implications for Orthodontists”
Article link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/22/15261

MDPI will be attending the 2026 Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention held in Barcelona, from 28 to 30 May 2026. The conference is being organized by the Association for Psychological Science, which is a scientific home to thousands of leading psychological science researchers, practitioners, teachers, and students from around the world dedicated to advancing scientific psychology across disciplinary and geographic borders.

This year’s program features six Integrative Science Symposia (ISS), each exploring complex scientific questions through research from multiple domains. Recognizing the transformative influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on our science and society, AI topics will be found throughout the program. Additionally, you can expect to find cutting-edge explorations of mental health, brain development, individual and collective cognition, language, culture, polarization, and threats to democracy. 

The 2026 Annual Convention will also include an Industry Day—programming that explores psychological science in non-academic settings. This is an outstanding opportunity to see how psychological science is being applied in real-world settings as well as the kind of work that psychological scientists do in non-academic environments. 

In addition to these new offerings, the APS Annual Convention is the international psychological science conference that features cutting-edge and integrative science symposia, posters, submitted talks, and flash talks from all areas of the field. 

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Behavioral Sciences;
• Adolescents;
• Disabilities;
• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH);
• Journal of Intelligence;
• Psychology International;
• Sexes;
• Youth;
• Challenges;
• European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (EJIHPE);
• Education Sciences;
• Languages;
• Trends in Public Health.

We have expanded our open access portfolio with eight new journals publishing their inaugural issues in December 2025, as well as three journal transfers. These additions span physical sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, environmental and Earth sciences, medicine and pharmacology, and public health and healthcare. We extend our sincere thanks to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who are shaping these journals’ direction. All journals uphold strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create more new journals, you are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).

Name: Dr. Elisa Kern de Castro
Affiliation: Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Egas Moniz School of Health and Science, 2829-511 Almada, Portugal

“Contributions of Health Psychology to Climate Change: A Review”
by Elisa Kern de Castro and Marta Reis
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(4), 634; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040634
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/4/634

We had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Elisa Kern de Castro, a psychologist and esteemed researcher in clinical and health psychology, whose recent publication in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) explores the intersection of ecological sustainability and health behavior. Here, she shares insights into her academic path, research focus, and motivation behind her recent work.

Below is the interview with Dr. Elisa Kern de Castro:

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research to our readers?
My name is Elisa Kern de Castro, and I am a psychologist with a PhD in clinical and health psychology. I’ve been engaged in the field of health psychology for over 20 years, primarily focusing on chronic diseases, health behavior, cancer, and self-regulation. In recent years, however, my interest has expanded into ecological behavior—essentially bridging sustainable actions with health psychology. I currently teach at the School of Health Psychology in Portugal, although I originally come from Brazil, where I worked for 15 years as a professor before relocating five years ago.

2. What were the main challenges and innovations in your research field?
One of the key challenges is the lack of integration between psychology—particularly health psychology—and other disciplines in ecological and clinical settings. While many researchers address environmental issues, they often overlook the human behavior component, which is vital. Health psychology offers a rich understanding of behavioral change, and we can contribute significantly to discussions on sustainability. What’s needed is recognition of the value this field brings to global issues such as climate change—not only in times of crisis, but through everyday behaviors that support ecological well-being.

3. What motivates your research in this area?
My motivation is both personal and academic. The immediate trigger was our university’s engagement with the WHO’s health model, which inspired me to incorporate it into my courses. Alongside my colleague, Marta Reis, we began exploring its relevance in health psychology and developed our recent publication. Additionally, being Brazilian, I have long been concerned about the Amazon and broader ecological issues. This deep-rooted concern has now evolved into a research agenda, and we are planning a new international project examining public perceptions and behaviors related to sustainability, starting with a survey involving diverse countries and contexts.

4. How do you see the research trends in this field, and what advice would you give to early career researchers?
Ecological health and climate-related research are inherently interdisciplinary. Many topics overlap with social psychology, public health, and political science. For early career researchers, my advice is to embrace collaboration across fields and consider how human behavior interacts with global crises like climate change. There is a growing need to understand how psychological insights can influence both policy and practice in sustainable living.

5. How did you hear about IJERPH and what was your publishing experience like?
I’ve been familiar with IJERPH for quite some time through reading articles published in the journal. My involvement began with an invitation to review a manuscript, which led me to consider the journal for our own work. The publishing process was smooth, efficient, and professional. The team was very responsive, and I appreciated how quickly the review and publication phases were handled.

Dr. Kern de Castro’s work is a compelling example of how health psychology can play a central role in addressing ecological challenges. Her dedication to bridging research and societal needs is both timely and inspiring. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of her future projects.