Announcements

The 2nd International Conference on Bioengineering (BIOENG 2026), Bioengineering in an Era of AI, is pleased to announce its distinguished lineup of Plenary, Keynote, and Invited Speakers. Taking place from 10 to 13 November 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, the conference will bring together leading researchers, engineers, clinicians, and innovators to explore the latest advances shaping the future of bioengineering.

Conference: The 2nd International Conference on Bioengineering: Bioengineering in an Era of AI (BIOENG 2026)
Date: 10–13 November 2026
Place: Barcelona, Spain
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/BIOENG2026

Distinguished Plenary Speakers

BIOENG 2026 is honored to welcome two internationally renowned leaders in bioengineering and regenerative medicine:

• Prof. Dr. Sir Cato T. Laurencin—University of Connecticut, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Dame Molly Stevens—University of Oxford, UK.

Keynote Speakers:

The keynote program features experts representing a broad range of disciplines across bioengineering, AI, biomedical technologies, and biomechanics:

• Prof. Dr. Louis Andrew Lyon—Chapman University, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Anthony Guiseppi-Elie—Texas A&M University, USA; President and Sr. Fellow, AIIMSEI;
• Prof. Dr. Wei Gao—Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Franz Konstantin Fuss—University of Bayreuth, Germany.

Invited Speakers:

The conference will also feature an international group of invited experts whose work spans regenerative medicine, biomaterials, biosensing, biomedical engineering, AI, diagnostics, human–machine interaction, and global health:

• Prof. Dr. Ennio Tasciotti—San Raffaele University, Italy;
• Prof. Dr. Stelios Andreadis—State University of New York in Buffalo, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Dana Al-Sulaiman—King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia;
• Prof. Dr. Carmen Mayorga—UPC—Peruvian University of Applied Sciences, Peru;
• Dr. Selim Bozkurt—Ulster University, UK;
• Prof. Dr. Leopoldo Angrisani—University of Naples Federico II, Italy;
• Prof. Dr. Maribel Vazquez—Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Silviya Petrova Zustiak—Saint Louis University, USA;
• Dr. Hana Lísalová—Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic;
• Prof. Dr. Gianluca Di Flumeri—Sapienza University of Rome, Italy;
• Dr. Luciano Sappia—Scientific Advisor and Innovation Consultant, TotemXR, Catalonia, Spain;
• Dr. Claudio Parolo—Ramón y Cajal Fellow, Universitat Rovira i Virgili; Co-founder, Global Health Innovative Solutions, Spain.

Together, these speakers will contribute to a diverse scientific program addressing emerging technologies, translational research, and the growing role of AI across bioengineering and healthcare.

Late-Breaking Poster Submissions Are Now Open

Missed the initial abstract submission deadline? Late-breaking poster submissions are now open, providing a final opportunity to present your latest research at BIOENG 2026.

Researchers are invited to submit their work for consideration in the conference poster sessions. The submission portal will remain open for a limited time, so we encourage interested researchers to submit their abstracts as soon as possible.

Submit your late-breaking poster abstract here: https://sciforum.net/submissions/BIOENG2026/link/1.

Join us in Barcelona from 10 to 13 November 2026 for four days of scientific exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and networking with the international bioengineering community.

We are pleased to announce that the inaugural Michele Parrinello Award has been conferred upon Prof. Ursula Röthlisberger, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to computational chemistry and molecular simulation, particularly through her pioneering work in ab initio molecular dynamics and QM/MM multiscale simulation methods. This award celebrates researchers whose work embodies the spirit of scientific innovation and rigor that Professor Parrinello has championed throughout his career. We warmly congratulate Prof. Röthlisberger on this well-deserved recognition.

The achievements of Prof. Ursula Röthlisberger highlight the profound impact of computational methods on our understanding of complex chemical, biological, and materials systems. We invite the global scientific community to join us in celebrating her outstanding contributions to computational science.

“Professor Ursula Röthlisberger has been recognized by the 2026 Michele Parrinello Award Committee as an exceptional leader in computational chemistry and molecular simulation. Her innovative research has significantly advanced the predictive modeling of complex chemical and biological systems and has created lasting impact across multiple scientific disciplines. Through her outstanding scientific achievements, dedication to education, and leadership in the international research community, she has played a vital role in shaping the development of modern computational science.”

—Prof. Dr. Xin-Gao Gong, Chair of the Award Committee

2026 Michele Parrinello Award Laureate

2026 Award Committee

Committee Chair:

• Prof. Dr. Xin-Gao Gong, Fudan University, China.

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

• Prof. Alessandro Laio, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Italy;
• Prof. Michiel Sprik, University of Cambridge, UK;
• Prof. David J. Srolovitz, the University of Hong Kong, China;
• Prof. Mark E. Tuckerman, New York University, USA;
• Prof. Su-Huai Wei, Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, China.

Note: The 2026 Award Committee comprises six members, including one anonymous member.

2026 Award Ceremony
The inaugural Michele Parrinello Award Ceremony will take place on 7 November 2026, at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, China, as part of the 2026 MDPI Materials Science Conference. Further information and updates will be available on the official Michele Parrinello Award website.

About the Michele Parrinello Award
The Michele Parrinello Award was established in November 2025 to honor Professor Michele Parrinello’s enduring legacy in advancing computational science. This biennial international award recognizes senior researchers who have made outstanding contributions to computational physical sciences, encompassing physics, chemistry, and materials science. The recipient will receive a monetary prize of 50,000 EUR, a commemorative medal, and a certificate.

For further information about the award and the laureate, please visit the Michele Parrinello Award website.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Hao Lin has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Molecular Informatics” of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS, ISSN 1422-0067), and he will be working alongside the current Section Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Antonio Rescifina of the University of Catania, to jointly lead the development of the Section and journal.

Prof. Dr. Lin received his PhD in biophysics in 2007 from Inner Mongolia University (Supervisor: Qian-Zhong Li). His research field is bioinformatics and systems biology. Facing the frontier of life medicine science, aiming at the key problem of high noise and insufficient feature extraction of biomedical data, a variety of feature extraction and optimization algorithms have been developed, and some research results have been achieved in the fields of sorting and sequence representation of biological macromolecular data, clinical data analysis and disease risk prediction.

Prof. Dr. Lin was recognized as a 2018 Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate, a 2020 Highly Cited Chinese Researcher from Elsevier and one of the World’s Top 2% Scientists 2021 from Stanford University. He also obtained Outstanding Young Scientific and Technological Talents in Sichuan Province (2019) and the Science and Technology Progress Awards of Sichuan (2012) and Hebei (2015). He is a member of the Center for Informational Biology and the Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of the Ministry of Education at UESTC. He is also a member of the Special Committee on Bioinformatics in CCF and a member of ACM.

Prof. Dr. Lin was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Sichuan Provincial Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and the Scientific Research Foundation of Sichuan Province. Now he serves as the editor of some journals including Current Bioinformatics, iMeta and Cancer Medicine. He often serves as a reviewer for over 100 international journals.

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Hao Lin:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?
What attracts me to this journal, first and foremost, is its strong alignment with my research interests and long-term academic work. In recent years, artificial intelligence, big data, and computational methods have been profoundly transforming molecular biology research, and I believe the journal has significant potential for development at this interdisciplinary interface.
I would like to serve as Editor-in-Chief not simply to participate in the journal’s academic management, but also to work with the Editorial Board, editorial team, and research community to further enhance the journal’s academic influence and international recognition, while providing a more open, efficient, and professional platform for high-quality research.

2. What are your expectations and suggestions for the future development of the journal?
I hope the journal can further clarify and strengthen its academic positioning, highlighting its strengths in artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, computational biology, and the intersection of AI and life sciences and medicine.
In the future, I believe we should focus on several areas. First, we should increase the proportion of high-quality original research and authoritative reviews, while also publishing more commentaries and perspective-oriented articles, such as editorials and perspectives, so that the journal can participate more actively in academic discussions and help shape emerging research directions. Second, we should further expand the participation of international authors, reviewers, and editorial board members to enhance the journal’s international profile.
At the same time, while maintaining rigorous academic standards, I hope the journal can further improve the efficiency of peer review and publication and provide authors with a more professional, transparent, and efficient publishing experience.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
I believe the deep integration of artificial intelligence with life sciences and medicine will be one of the most important directions for future research.
Future research will move beyond using machine learning simply to classify or predict individual types of data, toward the integrated analysis of multi-omics, multimodal, and multiscale data. For example, genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, single-cell, spatial omics, and clinical electronic health record data can be integrated, with deep learning and large language models used to develop more comprehensive models for understanding and predicting diseases.
At the same time, AI will gradually evolve from a traditional “auxiliary analytical tool” into an important tool for scientific discovery, contributing to biomarker discovery, disease-mechanism research, clinical decision-making, molecular drug design, and drug development. In particular, AI has the potential to substantially improve the efficiency of drug discovery through molecular structure generation, virtual screening, protein structure prediction, drug-target interaction prediction, and candidate-drug optimization. However, I believe the real challenge is not simply applying AI to drug design, but integrating AI deeply with knowledge from chemistry, biology, and medicine to establish intelligent research systems capable of generating scientifically testable hypotheses.

4. Do you have any suggestions for young researchers in this field?
I believe young researchers should first build a solid foundation rather than simply follow the latest algorithms or technologies.
AI is developing extremely rapidly, but research with lasting value must still address meaningful biomedical questions. I therefore encourage young researchers to develop interdisciplinary expertise across biology, medicine, and computational science. They should master AI and data-analysis methods while also developing a genuine understanding of the biological questions they are studying.
More importantly, I hope young researchers will maintain genuine interest and curiosity about scientific questions and conduct research because they are interested in discovering something new, rather than simply pursuing publications or following trends. They should also be able to distinguish clearly between science and technology: technology is primarily concerned with “how to do something,” whereas science is more fundamentally concerned with “what” and “why.” AI is a powerful technology, but using the latest model does not automatically create a scientific question or constitute a scientific discovery.
In the long term, I believe it is more valuable to formulate important questions, generate reliable evidence, and explain the underlying scientific mechanisms than simply to pursue better model performance.

5. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
I believe open access has become an important trend in academic publishing. It lowers barriers to the dissemination of research and allows scientific findings to be accessed and used more rapidly and widely by researchers around the world.
This is particularly important in rapidly developing fields such as AI and biomedicine, where timely dissemination of research can accelerate scientific progress.
At the same time, open access must go hand in hand with rigorous peer review and publication ethics. Open access should never mean lower academic standards. In particular, when authors are required to pay article processing charges, authors, reviewers, and editors all have a responsibility to uphold scientific standards, and commercial considerations must not influence academic decisions. I also believe that the scholarly labor of reviewers deserves greater recognition. Where feasible, journals should explore appropriate forms of reviewer incentives and compensation, together with mechanisms for evaluating and monitoring review quality. This would help encourage high-quality peer review while protecting its independence and fairness.

Conference: IV Congress of the Serbian Biological Society
Date: 16–20 September 2026
Place: Divčibare, Serbia 

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will attend the IV Congress of the Serbian Biological Society as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Divčibare, Serbia, from 16 to 20 September 2026. 

The conference is held under the patronage of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) and Matica srpska, in cooperation with the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation. The conference is of national importance and will be accredited by the Institute for the Improvement of Education and Care (ZUOV), allowing teachers to earn professional development points. 

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Stresses;
• IJMS;
• Life. 

If you are planning to attend the conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://biologijakp.com/blog/desavanja/cetvrti-kongres-biologa-srbije-najznacajniji-naucni-skup-srpskog-bioloskog-drustva-u-2026-godini/.

Conference: The 24th International Conference of the Genetics Society of Thailand (iGST2026) and the 3rd Asian Genetics Consortium Conference 2026 (AGCC 2026)
Date: 7–8 September 2026
Location: Diamond Dome, 22nd Floor, Queensland Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
Theme: Genomics for World Biodiversity and Sustainability

MDPI will participate as an exhibitor at the 24th International Conference of the Genetics Society of Thailand (iGST2026) and the 3rd Asian Genetics Consortium Conference 2026 (AGCC 2026). We welcome researchers, scientists, clinicians, educators, students, and other professionals to visit our booth and engage with our team.

The conference is hosted by the Genetics Society of Thailand and the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, and co-hosted by the Royal College of Pathologists of Thailand and the College of Pharmacogenomics and Precision Pharmacy, The Royal College of Pharmacy, Mahidol University.

About the conference:
Under the theme “Genomics for World Biodiversity and Sustainability,” the conference will provide an international platform for scientific exchange, professional networking, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The scientific program includes keynote lectures, symposia, oral presentations, and poster presentations covering a broad spectrum of genetics and genomics research.

The conference will focus on the following scientific tracks:
Track 1: Genomics for Sustainable Agriculture, Animal Genomics, Plant Genomics, and Environmental Genomics, including Biodiversity;
Track 2: Genomics for Health and Life Sciences, Genomic Medicine, Precision Medicine, and Microbial Genetics;
Track 3: Population Genetics and Genomics for Conservation and Biodiversity.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Biology;
• ncRNA;
• Cardiogenetics;
• Epigenomes;
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS);
• Journal of Developmental Biology (JDB);
• Journal of Genome Biotechnology and Genetics (JGBG);
• Journal of Developmental Biology (JDB).

Conference: The 19th Congress of the International Union of Microbiological Societies
Organization: Kenes Group
Date: 4–6 November 2026
Place: Lisbon, Portugal

Based on the success of the last IUMS meeting held in Florence in 2024, IUMS2026 is expected to be an excellent opportunity to continue the discussion of the latest advancements in microbiology, bringing together scientists working on bacteriology, virology, and mycology worldwide.

Key topics will include microbial genetics, molecular and synthetic biology, gene regulation, proteomics, and applied microbiology in fields such as biotechnology, clinical and medical sciences, industrial applications, and environmental sustainability—with a strong emphasis on the preservation of ecosystems and oceans. Special attention will be paid to how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can affect any aspect of microbiology.

Beyond scientific advancements, this meeting aims to highlight the crucial role of microbes in sustaining life on Earth. Microorganisms are fundamental to global health, food security, energy production, industry, carbon sequestration, agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and scientific progress.

Additionally, the 2026 IUMS meeting will be focused on “Beyond the Microscope: AI & Innovation in Microbiology” to discuss the growing impact of AI on microbiology research and practice. Networking and collaboration opportunities, new partnerships and multidisciplinary co-creation links will be promoted. In addition, efforts will be dedicated to engaging microbiologists worldwide, ensuring participation from both low- and high-income countries.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Pathogens;
• Microorganisms;
• Viruses;
• JoF;
• Microbiology Research;
• IJMS;
• Parasitologia;
• Life;
• SynBio;
• Applied Microbiology;
• Toxins.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth, #10. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link:
https://iums2026.com/.

The 6th International Conference on Materials will be held from 16 to 18 September 2026, organized by MDPI in Manchester, UK.

This conference aims to bring together researchers, industry professionals, and experts from around the world to share the latest advancements, exchange ideas, and foster collaborations in the field of materials science. Over the course of three days, the conference will explore a wide range of topics—biomaterials and bioelectronics; materials for the environment; energy, electronics, and magnetic materials; and materials for catalysis—through keynote lectures, oral presentations, and poster sessions.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Materials;
• Nanomaterials;
• Polymers;
• Coatings;
• IJMS;
• Adhesives;
• Applied Nano;
• Alloys;
• Sustainable Chemistry;
• Magnetism.

If you are attending this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link:
https://sciforum.net/event/ICM2026/home.

1. “The Multifaceted Role of Macrophages in Biology and Diseases”
by Jan Brancewicz, Natalia Wójcik, Zuzanna Sarnowska, Julia Robak and Magdalena Król
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 2107; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052107
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/5/2107
Viewed by 15940+ | Cited by 70

2. “Anti-Inflammatory Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors: Focus on Macrophages”
by Elena Y. Rykova, Vadim V. Klimontov, Elena Shmakova, Anton I. Korbut, Tatyana I. Merkulova and Julia Kzhyshkowska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(4), 1670; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26041670
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/4/1670
Viewed by 10285+ | Cited by 69

3. “Macrophage Polarization and Functions in Pathogenesis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease”
by Gun-Dong Kim, Eun Yeong Lim and Hee Soon Shin
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 5631; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25115631
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/11/5631
Viewed by 12110+ | Cited by 43

4. “Targeting Macrophage Polarization for Reinstating Homeostasis following Tissue Damage”
by Qiran Du, Anna Dickinson, Pruthvi Nakuleswaran, Susan Maghami, Savindu Alagoda, Andrew L. Hook and Amir M. Ghaemmaghami
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7278; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137278
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/13/7278
Viewed by 8870+ | Cited by 36
 
5. “Direct Current Electrical Stimulation Shifts THP-1-Derived Macrophage Polarization towards Pro-Regenerative M2 Phenotype”
by Santiago Bianconi, Liudmila Leppik, Elsie Oppermann, Ingo Marzi and Dirk Henrich
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7272; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137272
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/13/7272
Viewed by 8220+ | Cited by 34

6. “The Role of the Immune System in the Course of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: The Current State of Knowledge”
by Karolina Wrońska, Maciej Hałasa and Małgorzata Szczuko
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 6883; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136883
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/13/6883
Viewed by 20720+ | Cited by 47

7. “Autoimmunity, New Potential Biomarkers and the Thyroid Gland—The Perspective of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Its Treatment”
by Ewa Tywanek, Agata Michalak, Joanna Świrska and Agnieszka Zwolak
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4703; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094703
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/9/4703
Viewed by 23030+ | Cited by 54

8. “The Role of NK and T Cells in Endometriosis”
by José Lourenço Reis, Natacha Nurdine Rosa, Catarina Martins, Miguel Ângelo-Dias, Luís Miguel Borrego and Jorge Lima
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810141
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/18/10141
Viewed by 3845+ | Cited by 22
 
9. “Primary Human M2 Macrophage Subtypes Are Distinguishable by Aqueous Metabolite Profiles”
by Amanda L. Fuchs, Stephanann M. Costello, Sage M. Schiller, Brian P. Tripet and Valérie Copié
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(4), 2407; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25042407
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/4/2407
Viewed by 4675+ | Cited by 21

10. “The Dual Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in Sepsis and Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Comparative Analysis across Murine Models”
by Antonia Kiwit, Yuqing Lu, Moritz Lenz, Jasmin Knopf, Christoph Mohr, Yannick Ledermann, Michaela Klinke-Petrowsky, Laia Pagerols Raluy, Konrad Reinshagen, Martin Herrmann, Michael Boettcher and Julia Elrod
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3787; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073787
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/7/3787
Viewed by 4780+ | Cited by 19

We are delighted to announce the 1st International Online Conference on Healthy Ageing (IOCHA 2027), chaired by Prof. Dr. Lydia Gimenez Llort, which will take place from 14 to 15 June 2027.

IOCHA 2027 warmly invites researchers and scholars to present their latest research, participate in interactive discussions, and join live Q&A sessions that will further advance research and innovation in the field of Healthy Ageing.

We welcome contributions that align with the following thematic areas:

1. Biological foundations of healthy ageing;
2. Brain, cognition, and mental health in ageing;
3. Nutrition, lifestyle, and disease prevention in ageing;
4. Technology, healthcare systems, and age-friendly societies.

Important deadlines:
Deadline for abstract submission: 15 February 2027;
Notification of acceptance: 15 March 2027;
Deadline for free registration: 8 June 2027.

Guide for Authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/submissions/IOCHA2027/1.

To register for the event for free, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/registration/IOCHA2027/tickets.

For more information, you may refer to: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCHA2027.

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

We look forward to seeing you at the 1st International Online Conference on Healthy Ageing.