Announcements

19 September 2025
MDPI Webinar | The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physiology or Medicine Roundtable, 6 October 2025


Coinciding with the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, this forum underscores the importance of recognizing outstanding achievements that push the boundaries of human knowledge and understanding. It represents a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas on the advancements driving scientific progress and to inspire the next generation of gifted scientists.

General topics of discussion for this event will include the following:

  • Breakthrough research shaping the future of physiology or medicine;
  • Reflecting on past Nobel Prize-winning work and its legacy;
  • The key trends driving innovation in physiology or medicine today;
  • Exploring the societal and scientific contributions of physiology or medicine research.

Date: 6 October 2025
Time: 3:30 p.m. CEST | 9:30 a.m. EDT | 9:30 p.m. CST (Asia)
Webinar ID: 852 3554 5031

Register now for free! 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Please register anyway; the session will be recorded, and we will let you know when the recording is available for viewing.

Program:

Speaker

Agenda

Time in CEST

Time in EDT

Time in CST Asia

MDPI Host

Opening Remarks

3:30–3:35 p.m.

9:30–9:35 a.m.

9:30–9:35 p.m.

Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Jacek Z. Kubiak
Prof. Dr. Carlos Moreno
Prof. Dr. Claus Jacob

Expert Commentary: Breakthroughs and Future Impacts of Physiology or Medicine Research

3:35–4:15 p.m.

9:35–10:15 a.m.

9:35–10:15 p.m.

 

Break

4:15–4:20 p.m.

10:15–10:20 a.m.

10:15–10:20 p.m.

MDPI Host

Stating the Prize Winner

4:20–4:25 p.m.

10:20–10:25 a.m.

10:20–10:25 p.m.

Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Jacek Z. Kubiak
Prof. Dr. Carlos Moreno
Prof. Dr. Claus Jacob

Reflective Discussion: What the Nobel Prize Means for Science and Society

4:25–4:45 p.m.

10:25–10:45 a.m.

10:25–10:45 p.m.

MDPI Host

Closing Remarks

4:45–4:50 p.m.

10:45–10:50 a.m.

10:45–10:50 p.m.


Webinar Keynote Speakers:

  • Prof. Dr. Jacek Z. Kubiak, CNRS/University Rennes UMR 6290, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes (IGDR), Rennes, France;
  • Prof. Dr Carlos S. Moreno, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Urology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA;
  • Prof. Dr Claus Jacob, Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Saarland, Saarland, Germany.

For more information about this webinar, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/NPR2025PM.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact webinar@mdpi.com.

MDPI Webinar Secretariat

19 September 2025
Welcoming New Early Career Editorial Board Members of Marine Drugs

Marine Drugs (ISSN: 1660-3397) is pleased to announce that the following 30 researchers have been added to the journal’s 2025–2026 Early Career Editorial Board and congratulates them on becoming part of the Marine Drugs community!

Name: Dr. Celso Alves
Affiliation: MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Polytechnic University of Leiria, 2520-630 Peniche, Portugal
Homepage: https://www.mare-centre.pt/en/user/486  
Research interests: marine natural products; biotechnological applications; pharmaceutical applications; signal transduction; anticancer activities; compounds isolation; anti-inflammatory activity; neuroprotective activity

Name: Dr. Piyush Baindara
Affiliation: Animal Science Research Center, Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Homepage: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=B5cdQW0AAAAJ&hl=en  
Research interests: discovery and characterization of novel antimicrobial peptides including bacteriocins, lanthipeptides, and human defensins; antimicrobial drug resistance; peptide-based vaccine development; infectious agents and disease pathogenesis; anticancer therapeutics

Name: Dr. Martina Čagalj
Affiliation: University Department of Marine Studies, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Homepage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcagalj/?originalSubdomain=hr  
Research interests: seaweeds; marine natural products; blue biotechnology

Name: Dr. Daniela Carbone
Affiliation: Department of Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi, 32-90123 Palermo, Italy
Homepage: https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/c/daniela.carbone  
Research interests: marine alkaloids; heterocycles; drug discovery; synthesis; bioactive compounds; antitumor activity; antibiofilm activity; kinase inhibitors; small molecules

Name: Dr. Marcello Casertano
Affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
Homepage: https://www.docenti.unina.it/#!/professor/4d415243454c4c4f434153455254414e4f4353524d434c39325232394239363353/riferimenti  
Research interests: marine bioactive products; organic chemistry; NMR spectroscopy; stereostructural elucidation; quinone reactivity; multitarget agents; diversity-oriented synthesis approach

Name: Dr. Angela Casillo
Affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy
Homepage: https://www.docenti.unina.it/#!/professor/414e47454c41434153494c4c4f43534c4e474c3838443434483933314f/riferimenti  
Research interests: polysaccharides; microbial glycans; bioactive molecules; lipopolysaccharides; extracellular membrane vesicles; NMR; mass spectrometry

Name: Dr. Zhongbin Cheng
Affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Homepage: https://pharm.hainanu.edu.cn/info/1200/9013.htm  
Research interests: marine fungi; penicillium; Aspergillus; metabolites; antitumor; antibacterial

Name: Dr. Xiaxia Di
Affiliation: NIVA―Norsk institutt for vannforskning/Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
Homepage: https://www.niva.no/en/employees/xiaxia-di  
Research interests: algae; biomass; marine natural products; anti-inflammatory; bioactivity; biotechnology

Name: Dr. Rafael Alexandre Faria da Costa Félix
Affiliation: LAVQ—Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, REQUIMTE—Network of Chemistry and Technology, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Homepage: https://www.cienciavitae.pt/portal/en/A315-5CB0-097C  
Research interests: cascade valorization of biomass for multi-industry development; natural products

Name: Dr. Carina Félix
Affiliation: MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal
Homepage: https://www.mare-centre.pt/pt/user/10097  
Research interests: biotechnology; marine resource valorization; microbiology; genomics

Name: Dr. Miguel García-Castro
Affiliation: Centro María Zambrano, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Málaga, Spain
Homepage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-garc%C3%ADa-castro-6b37778a/  
Research interests: organic chemistry; organic synthesis; medicinal chemistry; methodology development; antibiotics; nanotechnology

Name: Dr. Micaela Giani Alonso
Affiliation: Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies “Ramón Margalef”, University of Alicante, Ap. 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
Homepage: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X8MGmV0AAAAJ&hl=es  
Research interests: carotenoids; antioxidant; drug sciences; nanomedicine; pigments; archaea; anti-inflammatory; nutraceutical; bacterioruberin

Name: Dr. Jianying Han
Affiliation: Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Homepage: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/31838  
Research interests: natural product chemistry; microbial bioactive metabolites; microbial biology; structure elucidation; marine natural product; biosynthesis

Name: Dr. Tippabattini Jayaramudu
Affiliation: Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, 501 East St. Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701-3995, USA
Homepage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tippabattini-jayaramudu-ph-d-20a98926/  
Research interests: biomaterials; tissue engineering; nanomaterials; hydrogels; biopolymers; nanotechnology; cellulose; chitosan; polysaccharides and environmental remediation

Name: Prof. Dr. Seungrak Lee
Affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil 2, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/srlee17/professor  
Research interests: marine natural products; isolation and structural elucidation; microbiome; biosynthesis

Name: Dr. Feng Li
Affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China  
Homepage: https://www.pharm.sdu.edu.cn/info/1058/19263.htm  
Research interests: marine natural product biosynthesis; bioinformatics

Name: Dr. Xiaowei Luo
Affiliation: Institute of Marine Drugs, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
Homepage: https://www.gxtcmu.edu.cn/hyywyjy/yjdw/yjy/content_77551  
Research interests: marine natural products; drug discovery; lead compounds; pharmacological mechanism; marine microorganisms

Name: Dr. Elva Morretta  
Affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Tommaso De Amicis 95, 80131 Naples, Italy
Homepage: https://iris.unina.it/cris/rp/rp175564  
Research interests: functional proteomics; global proteomics; drug target deconvolution; mass spectrometry; biochemistry; marine bioactive compounds; nanoparticle protein corona; metabolomics; metabolite quantification

Name: Dr. Camilla Pecoraro
Affiliation: Department of Biological, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
Homepage: https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/p/camilla.pecoraro  
Research interests: cancer; kinase inhibitors; nitrogen heterocycles; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; biofilm

Name: Dr. Chin-Soon Phan
Affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/phanlab/  
Research interests: marine natural products; microbial natural products; biosynthesis; genome mining; enzymology

Name: Dr. Zhongyang Ren
Homepage: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4429-9924  
Affiliation: College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
Research interests: aquatic products; proteins; peptides; pickering emulsions

Name: Dr. Gonçalo Pereira da Rosa
Homepage: https://gba.uac.pt/member/goncalopereirarosa  
Affiliations: 1. Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Azorean Biodiversity Group & Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE), 9501-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; 2. LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Research interests: natural product chemistry; isolation and identification; chromatographic techniques; synthesis and structural modification; cosmeceutical activities

Name: Dr. Iván Cheng Sánchez
Affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
Homepage: www.linkedin.com/in/iván-cheng-sánchez  
Research interests: total synthesis; natural products; medicinal chemistry; PROTACs; degraders; methodology; antibiotics; antitumor; bioactive compounds

Name: Dr. Zhuo Shang
Affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
Homepage: https://faculty.sdu.edu.cn/shangzhuo/en/index.htm  
Research interests: marine natural products; structural elucidation; biosynthesis; antibiotics

Name: Dr. Lucía Soliño
Affiliation: IEO-CSIC (Vigo, Spain) and European Union Reference Laboratory for Monitoring of Marine Biotoxins, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Vigo, Spain  
Homepage: https://vgohab.com/en/personal/lucia-solino/  
Research interests: harmful algal blooms; marine biotoxins; emerging toxins; cell-based assays; LC-MS/MS

Name: Dr. Ming-Zhi Su
Affiliation: Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai 264117, China
Homepage: https://www.baridd.ac.cn/index.php?s=index/show/index&id=2136  
Research interests: marine organisms; marine natural products; chemical biology; drug discovery

Name: Dr. Soohyun Um
Affiliation: Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology, Kookmin University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Homepage: https://cst.kookmin.ac.kr/biotechnology/professor
Research interests: microbial secondary metabolites; natural product chemistry; chemical ecology; biosynthetic pathways; bioactive compounds from actinomycetes and cross-kingdom microbial interactions

Name: Dr. Qihao Wu
Affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Homepage: https://wulabpitt.com/  
Research interests: human microbiome; xenobiotic metabolism; analytical chemistry; natural products; drug discovery and development; biochemical pharmacology; pharmacogenetics

Name: Dr. Qingxia Yuan
Affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Institute of Marine Drugs, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530200, China
Homepage: https://www.gxtcmu.edu.cn/hyywyjy/rcpy/ssyjsds/content_78409
Research interests: marine polysaccharides; isolation and structural characterization; bioactivity; structure-activity relationships

Name: Dr. Marcello Ziaco
Affiliation: National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, NA, Italy
Homepage: https://iris.cnr.it/cris/rp/rp11706  
Research interests: organic chemistry; organic synthesis; glycolipids; drug discovery; mass spectrometry imaging; DESI-MSI

17 September 2025
Meet Us at the IUTOX 17th International Congress of Toxicology, 15–18 October 2025, Beijing, China


Conference: IUTOX 17th International Congress of Toxicology
Date: 15–18 October 2025
Location: Beijing, China

MDPI will be attending the IUTOX 17th International Congress of Toxicology, which will be held between 15 and 18 October 2025, as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

The theme of IUTOX ICTXVIl is “Toxicology for Safe Environment and Healthy Life”, dedicated to crafting an outstanding scientific program that highlights excellence and diversity in toxicology. Through the Deichmann lecture, plenary lectures, symposium sessions, continuing education courses, and workshops, participants will have the opportunity to delve into the latest advancements in toxicological science, emerging technologies, and regulatory matters. In addition to the scientific program, we will plan a series of social activities to ensure that your experience is truly memorable.

Beijing, our host city for IUTOX ICTXVII, is renowned as one of the world's most ancient capitals, with a rich history spanning three millennia. This city boasts magnificent imperial architecture and cultural heritage sites. You will discover a wide array of museums, theaters, parks, bustling shopping districts, and a diverse range of dining options. Furthermore, several world-famous heritage sites, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Ming Tomb, and the Summer Palace, are located just a short drive away from the city. We encourage you to explore the city during your stay in China.

The IUTOX 17th International Congress of Toxicology will be held at the Beijing Guoce International Conference and Exhibition Center in China. We are thrilled to extend our invitation to you to the lUTOX 17th International Congress of Toxicology.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:
Toxics;
Journal of Xenobiotics (JoX);
Toxins;
Epigenomes;
Marine Drugs.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://www.ict2025.com/en/web/index/14854.

12 September 2025
Meet Us at the 2025 CSBMB Annual Symposium, 23–26 October 2025, Nanchang, China


The 2025 CSBMB Annual Symposium, hosted by the Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CSBMB) and organized by Nanchang University, Jiangxi Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Wang Yinglai Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Development Foundation and Center for Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Science (CAS), with the theme “Evolving Biochemistry”, will be held from 23 to 26 October 2025 in Nanchang, China.

Topics that will be covered include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Gene expression and regulation;
  • RNA function and regulation;
  • Protein structure and function;
  • Carbohydrate and lipid biochemistry;
  • Metabolic homeostasis and networks;
  • Education and talent cultivation;
  • AI-enabled biochemistry;
  • Tumor biochemistry;
  • Gene editing and precision medicine;
  • Aging biochemistry;
  • Marine biotechnology;
  • International forum on molecular immunology;
  • Development and reflection of omics.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at this conference:

  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences;
  • Current Issues in Molecular Biology;
  • Biomolecules;
  • Biophysica;
  • Clocks & Sleep;
  • SynBio;
  • Antioxidants;
  • International Journal of Translational Medicine;
  • Kinases and Phosphatases;
  • Life;
  • Marine Drugs;
  • Proteomes.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to reach out online and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth #C07 and answering any questions you may have. For more information about this event, please click on the following link:  https://www.csbmb.org.cn/2025/.

12 September 2025
Meet Us at the 2025 Chinese Biomaterials Congress (CSBM 2025), 9–12 October 2025, Shaoxing, China


Conference: 2025 Chinese Biomaterials Congress (CSBM 2025)
Date: 9–12 October 2025
Location: Shaoxing, China

MDPI will be attending the 2025 Chinese Biomaterials Congress as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The Chinese Biomaterials Congress is the most comprehensive, largest, and highest-level comprehensive academic exchange platform in its field. The 2025 Chinese Biomaterials Congress ence and Exhibition of New Technologies, Products, and Instruments (CSBM 2025), hosted by the Chinese Society for Biomaterials and organized by the Zhejiang University Shaoxing Research Institute, will be held at the Zhejiang Shaoxing International Convention and Exhibition Center from 9 to 12 October 2025. Driven by the new quality productivity policy, biomaterials, as a key area of strategic emerging industries, are experiencing unprecedented development opportunities.

The conference will focus on cutting-edge biomaterials science, technological innovation, application of research findings, and regulatory science, sharing the latest research findings and practical experiences and discussing the future direction of the biomaterials field. Experts, scholars, researchers, physicians, and entrepreneurs from renowned research institutions, medical institutions, businesses, and regulatory agencies, engaged in the research, development, production, testing, regulation, and clinical practice of biomaterials and medical devices, will attend.

Here is a list of just a few of the cutting-edge topics for all:
1. Innovative bone regeneration biomaterials and bone health;
2. Cardiovascular and peripheral vascular materials and devices;
3. Advanced manufacturing cutting-edge technologies;
4. Tissue and organ regenerative medicine materials;
5. Biomedical metal materials;
6. Nanobiomaterials and pharmaceutical development;

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are planning to attend 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 website: https://2025.csbm.org.cn/.

3 September 2025
Join Us at the MDPI at the University of Toronto Career Fair, 23 September 2025, Toronto, ON, Canada


Date: 23 September 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m
Location: The Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard Street West, Toronto

MDPI is thrilled to announce our participation in the University of Toronto’s largest career fair, taking place at the St. George Downtown Campus. This exciting event brings together thousands of students, graduates, and professionals looking to connect with top employers and explore career opportunities.

We invite all attendees to visit the MDPI booth to discover how you can be part of one of the world’s leading open access academic publishers. Whether you are passionate about scientific research, editorial work, marketing, or supporting global innovation in publishing, we want to meet YOU!

What to expect at our booth:

  • Learn more about MDPI’s mission and global impact;
  • Explore exciting career opportunities in publishing, editorial, communications, and more;
  • Network with our team and ask questions about working at MDPI.

Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to take the next step, don’t miss this opportunity to connect with MDPI. Bring your resume, your curiosity, and your questions—we look forward to seeing you there!

For additional information on the Career Fair and Open MDPI positions, please visit the following links:

1 September 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO’s Letter #26 – CUJS, Head of Ethics, Open Peer Review, AIS 2025, Reviewer Recognition

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

Society of China University Journals (CUJS) visit to MDPI Basel

In August, we had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from the Society of China University Journals (CUJS) to our Basel headquarters. The visit was part of CUJS’s broader European tour, which included meetings with several major publishing organizations.

Purpose of the visit

The delegation’s stop in Basel involved an introductory meeting and knowledge-sharing with a view to identifying potential collaboration opportunities with MDPI. The CUJS team shared an overview of the Chinese scientific publishing landscape, including recent policy developments, and gave us insights into the journals and services they operate across China’s academic institutions.

MDPI presentations

We used the opportunity to introduce CUJS to MDPI’s mission, structure, and recent achievements. I presented on the latest developments at MDPI and our role in supporting global open access, addressing many follow-up questions from the delegation. Warm thanks are due to the following colleagues for their contributions to the session:

  • Liliane Auwerter (Conference Organizer, Scientific Officer and Sustainability Specialist) shared an overview of our editorial process, including the quality indicators we use to track peer-review performance.
  • Renato Merki (Publication Ethics Assistant) presented on behalf of our Research Integrity and Ethics team, emphasizing our commitment to responsible publishing.
  • Silvano Bonfatti (Product Manager) introduced the JAMS platform, highlighting how it supports efficient journal management for editors and publishers alike.
  • Aimar Xiong (Publisher, Section Managing Editor) and Giuliano Braccini (Office Manager) facilitated the meeting, offering clarity in response to specific questions, building the relationship during and beyond the meeting itself.

“Building relationships with organizations such as CUJS allows us to increase our visibility and reputation”

Why is this important?

China is one of the world’s largest producers of scientific research, with its universities and research institutes playing a key role in global scholarly publishing. Building strong relationships with influential organizations such as CUJS allows us to increase our visibility and reputation vis-à-vis the Chinese academic community, share best practices, learn from differing publishing models, and explore collaborations that have the potential to enhance the quality, reach, and diversity of our journals.

Looking ahead

It was a productive and friendly exchange that reflected our shared commitment to advancing scholarly communication and improving journal publishing practices. We value these visits, which allow us to create collaborations with stakeholders in the global academic community.

Our Basel office is a hub for hosting international delegations, partners, and collaborators. We look forward to creating more global connections that support our mission.

Impactful Research

Appointment of Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson as Head of Publication Ethics

As part of our ongoing commitment to research integrity and publishing excellence, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson as Head of Publication Ethics.

In this role, Tim will lead the development of our ethics strategy and oversee the continued growth of the Publication Ethics Department, which is based across our offices in Basel, Manchester, Belgrade/Novi Sad, and Cluj. Guided by the principles of effective prevention and efficient resolution, the department plays an essential role in ensuring the highest standards of integrity throughout our editorial processes.

Department focus

Working closely with internal teams and external partners, the Publication Ethics Department focuses on refining our policies, aligning our operations with international best practices, and addressing complex cases with fairness and transparency. This work is critical in supporting our editors, reviewers, and authors, reinforcing MDPI’s contribution to the global dialogue on research integrity.

“Research integrity is something to which we all contribute through our daily work at MDPI”

About Tim

Tim joined MDPI in 2021 and has held several roles within the Publication Ethics Department, most recently serving as Research Integrity Lead. Based in our Basel office, he brings a strong academic background, with a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and a proven track record of leadership in research integrity.

Research integrity is something to which we all contribute through our daily work at MDPI. I look forward to Tim’s leadership as we continue investing in the people, processes, and partnerships that uphold the trust and credibility of scholarly publishing.

Read more:

Inside MDPI

How and why MDPI offers Open Peer Review

At MDPI, we are committed to advancing openness and transparency in scholarly publishing. One area where we’ve taken a leadership role is peer review. Since 2014, MDPI has offered authors the option of open peer review, giving them the opportunity to publish reviewer comments alongside their papers. Each year, more authors are choosing this path, helping to build trust in the editorial process and provide valuable context for the research we publish.

Jack McKenna (Senior Content Specialist, MDPI) recently wrote an informative piece looking at the impact and importance of open peer review at MDPI. He highlights how this approach not only benefits readers but also gives well-deserved recognition to our reviewers, who generously dedicate their time and expertise to the academic community.

I encourage you to read this blogpost to see how MDPI is helping set standards for transparency in scholarly publishing.

Coming Together for Science

Recap of MDPI’s AIS 2025 Conference in Kuala Lumpur

Entering the month of August, we held The 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers (AIS 2025) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“AIS is quickly becoming a premier event in the field”

The second edition of AIS brought together 335 attendees from across Asia and beyond, including participants from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The event, chaired by Prof. Dr. Toshihiro Itoh (University of Tokyo), Prof. Dr. Sang-Woo Kim (Yonsei University), and Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee (National University of Singapore), continues to grow in reputation and has become an important platform for researchers and students to present their work, exchange ideas, and build international collaborations.

AIS is quickly becoming a premier event in the field, with participants highlighting its quality of service, its expanding academic network, and the value it delivers in the context of tightening research budgets in the region.

It was also excellent to see our new MDPI journal AI Sensors, which originated from a conference topic, host a successful launch party at the event.

Highlights from participant feedback:

  • Southeast University (China) sent a student delegation and considers AIS a regular fixture for Ph.D. students in need of international conference experience.
  • CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute sent a 10-member delegation and plans to further promote AIS internally.
  • Japanese researchers regard AIS as a must-attend event, placing it on a par with IEEE conferences and citing the benefits of networking and exchange.
  • Korean academics praised the organization and noted improved perceptions of MDPI among their institutions, viewing AIS as a strategic opportunity to deepen engagement in the region.

Award winners

We recognized the recipients of the Best Presentation, Best Scientist, Best Poster, and Best Student Paper awards, whose contributions set a standard for academic excellence. The full award announcement is available here.

Looking ahead

The 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers will be held from 5 to10 August 2026 in Jeju, Korea. The General Chairs will be Prof. Inkyu Park (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Prof. Zhou Li (Tsinghua University), Prof. Xinge Yu (City University of Hong Kong), and Prof. Chengkuo Lee (National University of Singapore). We look forward to bringing together innovators, researchers and experts who are shaping the future at the intersection of sensors, sensing technology, transducers and artificial intelligence.

Thank you

Our conference team managed this event with great agility and professionalism and are already planning improvements to make the conference even more accessible. Special thanks to the National University of Singapore for their support, and to our entire conference team and collaborators for their dedication.

AIS is gaining momentum, and we look forward to supporting its role as a bridge between MDPI and the global academic community.

“Our conference team managed this event with great agility and professionalism”

Closing Thoughts

Recognizing our outstanding reviewers

As we close this edition of the newsletter, I would like to spotlight MDPI’s 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Awards, which showcase a group of winners whose contributions often go unseen but are essential to the integrity of scholarly publishing: our reviewers.

In 2024, more than 215,000 reviewers dedicated their time and expertise to MDPI journals. From this community, we are proud to recognize 356 recipients of the Outstanding Reviewer Awards, who went above and beyond by providing timely, thorough and constructive feedback.

These awards are not only a token of our appreciation but also a reflection of the values we stand for: rigor, fairness and collaboration in advancing science.

To explore the full list of awardees across disciplines, from life sciences to the humanities, please visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards

To recognize the academic community, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. Serving as a source of recognition and inspiration, these awards help increase the influence of scholars who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their respective fields.

To explore more opening Outstanding Reviewer Awards, please click here.

To all our reviewers: thank you for being the foundation of trust that makes open access publishing possible!

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

14 August 2025
Meet Us at the XIV ECMNP European Conference on Marine Natural Products, 29 September–3 October 2025, Piran, Slovenia


Conference:
XIV ECMNP European Conference on Marine Natural Products
Date: 29 September–3 October 2025
Location: Piran, Slovenia

MDPI will be attending the XIV ECMNP European Conference on Marine Natural Products from 29 September to 3 October 2025. We welcome researchers from diverse backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

European Conference on Marine Natural Products is considered one of the most important forums to stay updated on the latest trends in marine natural products research. This is a face-to-face meeting to allow senior experts, emerging Marine Natural Products (MNP) stars, and early career scientists to present their research in an exciting combination of plenary lectures, invited talks, oral communications, and poster sessions, and share the latest scientific discoveries on MNP.

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

If you are planning to attend the conference, please feel free to get in contact with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://ecmnp25.eu/.

13 August 2025
Meet Us at the 34th Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials, 7–11 September 2025, Turin, Italy


MDPI is excited to announce its participation as an exhibitor at the 34th Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials, taking place in Turin, Italy, from 7 to 11 September 2025.

The motto of the ESB 2025 conference is “Biomaterials on the horizon”. The horizon opens our mind to new and at times unexpected discoveries and reminds us of the charming challenges of our research. The motto is inspired by the fast development of new sources for multifunctional materials, and groundbreaking technologies that enable new structures and devices that improve healthcare, prevent pathologies, and allow patient-oriented therapies.

With all this in mind, in an exciting and dynamic environment, participants to ESB 2025 will share and discuss traditional areas of research, such as clinical translation, regenerative medicine, in vitro models, drug delivery, and antibacterial treatments, but also emerging themes, such as biomaterial-assisted gene and cell therapy, investigations at the (bio)molecular and cell scale, as well as crosscutting topics, such as artificial intelligence in biomaterial research, ethics, the 3Rs principle, and regulatory frameworks. Particular attention will be given to the Sustainable Development Goals, in which the role of the biomaterials is increasingly relevant.

The following MDPI journals will be presented at the conference:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to get in contact with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #21 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://esb2025.org/.

31 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #25 - 8,000 Staff Worldwide, Korea Visit, 100,000 Preprints, Malaysia Roundtable, Canada Consortium Deal

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

Talent Drives Our Progress

For the first time in MDPI’s history, we now have over 8,000 colleagues across the company. I would like to take a moment to celebrate this milestone and acknowledge the driving force behind our growth and success: our people.

As the world’s leading fully open access publisher, MDPI has grown thanks to the dedication, talent, and teamwork of colleagues across the company. Already halfway through 2025, we’ve welcomed nearly 2,000 new colleagues. 

“Our achievements are also about the people behind them”

We now manage over 475 journals, with 298 receiving an Impact Factor, and hundreds more indexed in major databases, including 343 in Scopus, and 92 by PubMed. As the reach and impact of our journals continues to grow, so does the need for dedicated and qualified teams to support that growth. Thus, attracting and retaining exceptional talent remains a cornerstone of our success.

Our achievements are not just about the results of journal expansion, however: they’re about the people behind them. From our hardworking editors to our meticulous English editing and production teams – from our journal relationship specialists, public relations, marketing and communications professionals to our conference teams and the project teams behind Preprints, Scilit, SciProfiles, JAMS and more. Our success reflects the work of thousands of people showing up each day, taking pride in their work, and committed to excellence and service.

What we’re doing to support talent:

  • Investing in onboarding and training to help new colleagues feel welcomed and empowered to thrive.
  • Creating clearer career paths across all functions, from editorial to communications and beyond.
  • Launching mentorship programs and internal knowledge-sharing sessions to promote growth and collaboration.
  • Evolving our recognition and rewards programs to better celebrate your contributions.
  • Expanding our training systems and platforms.

MDPI’s in-house training department offers over 215 training courses, covering topics from editorial development to cross-cultural collaboration. In 2024 alone, we had 44 full-time trainers and 196 part-time training assistants supporting the learning and development needs of colleagues worldwide. These efforts ensure our teams are equipped with the skills and confidence to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully.

Over two-thirds of our workforce is editorial, and of our more than 5,400 editors, 87% hold a Master’s degree and 6% a PhD. Their collective contributions are central to delivering a high-quality publishing experience and supporting global academic communication.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also aim to continue on a path of steady and sustainable growth, one that balances journal expansion with investment in people, outreach, processes, and innovation. Together, we are shaping the future of open access and academic publishing. Thank you for your hard work, your ideas, and your commitment to serving the global research community.

Let’s continue working together to create a culture where great talent grows and every colleague feels valued.

Impactful Research

Visiting South Korea: Building Connections and Supporting the MDPI Seoul Office

In July, I had the opportunity to visit our team in Seoul and engage directly with academic communities in South Korea. The visit focused on deepening MDPI’s relationships with local universities, institutions, and partners, and supporting the great work of our colleagues at the MDPI Seoul office.

Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference

A highlight of the visit was our participation in the Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference, where we presented to over 100 academic librarians. I delivered a keynote speech titled “The Evolving Publishing Landscape: Open Access and Beyond,” while my colleague Dr. Jisuk Kang (Public Affairs Specialist) shared insights in her presentation, “Inside MDPI: Editorial Practices & Research Integrity.”

Facts & Figures: South Korea

  • South Korea is MDPI’s sixth-largest publishing country by article volume (over 90,000 MDPI papers published to date).
  • In 2024, Korea ranked 16th globally by total publications, and 6th (among these top 20 countries) by citation impact.
  • 52% of Korean publications in 2024 were OA – and 73% of those were Gold OA.
  • MDPI published about 20% of all OA papers from Korea in 2024.
  • Over 2,000 active Editorial Board Members from South Korea contribute to MDPI journals, with 11 Section Editors-in-Chief.
  • We currently have 11 Institutional Open Access Program agreements and two society partnerships in Korea:
    • Korean Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (with MDPI journal Pharmaceutics)
    • Korean Tribology Society (with MDPI journal Coatings)

MDPI Seoul Office and the First Korea Salon

Our Seoul office serves as a regional hub for marketing, communications, and community engagement. It continues to grow in size and influence, prioritizing supporting scholar visits, conference sponsorships, and outreach events such as the recent MDPI Korea Salon.

The inaugural Salon, themed “Exploring Research Trends in Medical Publishing, Ethics, and AI,” brought together over 20 scholars and Editorial Board members serving MDPI journals.

Thank you to our guest speakers including Professors Young-Joon Surh of Seoul National University, Kwang-Sig Lee of Korea University, and Jin-Won Noh of Yonsei University who presented on the landscape of medicine in South Korea and across the globe. The Salon also included presentations from MDPI colleagues on Open Access, ethics, and how the IOAP can support researchers in this field.

“Our Seoul office continues to grow in size and influence”

Looking Ahead

MDPI is already the leading OA publisher in South Korea, yet challenges and misconceptions around OA and APCs remain. Visits like this one, along with the ongoing efforts of our Seoul office, are important to building understanding, trust, and long-term relationships with the local academic community.

A big thank-you to our colleagues in Seoul for their warm hospitality, professionalism, and energy! Our new office is well situated, staffed, and ready to grow. This visit marked an important step forward in our continued mission to support global research communities and advance Open Science.

Inside MDPI

Preprints.org Reaches 100,000 Preprints: A Major Milestone for MDPI and Open Science

In case you missed it, Preprints.org recently surpassed 100,000 preprints posted. This is a major milestone for our platform and one worth celebrating.

Preprints are a key pillar of the Open Science movement, which promotes transparency, equity, and faster knowledge-sharing through initiatives such as Open Access, Open Data, Open Source, and Open Peer Review. The benefits of Open Science extend beyond researchers, as they support funders, educators, policymakers, and the public in advancing discovery and innovation.

What is behind the 100,000 preprints milestone?

Since its launch in 2016, Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms, now ranked fifth globally by publication volume.

More than 350,000 researchers have contributed, helping shape this dynamic and collaborative space for sharing early-stage research across all disciplines.

Read the full announcement here:
https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/12202

“Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms”

Some quick facts worth noting:

  • About 56% of the preprints on Preprints.org are later published in peer-reviewed journals.
  • The platform is now indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Europe PMC, and Crossref, helping improve visibility and trust in the preprints shared.
  • Recent upgrades – including a revamped website, new features such as search subscriptions, curated reading lists, and community feedback tools (PREreview) – show our commitment to developing Preprints.org in line with researchers’ needs.

This growth and progress would not be possible without the dedication of the Preprints.org team, our Advisory Board members, screeners, and colleagues across MDPI who support the platform’s development. This milestone is a reminder of our shared mission: to accelerate scientific communication and build a more open, transparent, and inclusive research ecosystem.

I’m excited to see what’s ahead as we approach Preprints.org’s 10-year anniversary in 2026!

Coming Together for Science

Malaysia Media Roundtable: Educating on Open Access and MDPI’s Presence in Southeast Asia

At the end of June, I had the opportunity to participate in a strategic media roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, focused on raising awareness about the importance of Open Access (OA) and on MDPI’s growing presence in Southeast Asia.

We welcomed five Malaysian media outlets for an engaging private session that included presentations and open discussion.

I gave an overview of the benefits of Open Access, MDPI’s global developments, and our collaborations in Malaysia.

My colleague Yu Nwe Soe (Public Relations Specialist), presented on our editorial process, helping to clarify how MDPI supports authors and maintains research quality.

We were also joined by two local Editorial Board Members (EBMs) who offered first-hand insights into their experiences working with MDPI and how OA has shaped their publishing choices.

The discussion covered a range of questions from the press, from OA publishing models to editorial standards, and highlighted MDPI’s unique contribution to accelerating scientific communication in the region.

As the leading fully OA publisher, we see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities and the broader public on the impact of OA, especially in emerging and high-growth academic markets.

Spotlight on Malaysia

Malaysia continues to rise as a regional research hub, with five universities ranked in the global top 200 and 11 subjects in the global top 50. In 2024, Malaysia ranked 2nd in Southeast Asia in total publication output, 10th in Asia, and 25th globally.

MDPI’s presence in Malaysia:

  • Over 21,000 research articles published to date from Malaysian institutions
  • More than 1,100 articles published in 2024 alone
  • In the period 2020–2024, 54% of Malaysia’s total publications were OA
  • 36 EBMs from Malaysia, across 27 MDPI journals
  • Around 100 conferences sponsored in Malaysia in the past five years
  • MDPI is hosting the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers in Kuala Lumpur (29 July- 3 August 2025)

Media Coverage & Editorial Voices

Following the roundtable, we saw positive coverage across several local outlets, with articles highlighting MDPI’s role in empowering Malaysian researchers. Notable pieces included:

Our local EBMs also shared their perspectives:

Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum (Sunway University, EBM of MDPI journal Processes) and Prof. Lee (EBM of MDPI journal Bacteria) share their experiences with MDPI and the role Open Access plays in their publication decisions.

“We see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities on the impact of OA”

“I didn’t want my work stuck behind a paywall.”
— Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum, Sunway University, Processes Editorial Board Member

“Open Access opens doors for collaboration and visibility, especially in fast-developing regions like ours.”
— Prof. Lee, Bacteria Editorial Board Member

This roundtable marked another step in building trust, understanding, and collaboration in Southeast Asia. A big thank-you to the MDPI Malaysia team and all those who contributed to the event’s success.

Closing Thoughts

MDPI Signs First North American Agreement with Canadian Consortium

We are proud to announce a major milestone for MDPI Canada and an important step forward for OA in North America.

In July, our Toronto office finalized MDPI’s first North American consortium agreement with the Federal Science Libraries Network (FSLN). This is a significant achievement that strengthens our expansion in Canada and reinforces our global commitment to supporting Open Science.

This two-year agreement gives Canadian federal agencies access to MDPI’s IOAP, including discounted article processing charges for affiliated researchers across our portfolio of over 475 OA journals. It lowers barriers for Canadian scientists to share their work more openly and reach a global audience.


Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.

“The Open Science landscape in Canada is rapidly evolving, with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy set for renewal by the end of 2025. This reflects ongoing efforts to foster greater scientific transparency and accessibility at a national policy level,” says Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.

“Our new agreement with FSLN represents our shared commitment to further these efforts and foster wider readership. By aligning with these initiatives, we make progress towards research that’s both inclusive and impactful, benefiting local and global communities alike.”

Participating FSLN institutions include:

  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Health Canada
  • National Research Council Canada
  • Natural Resources Canada

By partnering with some of Canada’s largest science-based agencies, we reaffirm our goal of advancing OA across continents. We look forward to developing our support for Canadian researchers and continuing to drive progress in Open Science across North America and beyond.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

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