Announcements

Conference: The 23rd International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB 2026)
Organization: IMLB and Volt-Age CONCORDIA
Date: 14–19 June 2026
Place: Montréal Convention Centre, Montreal, Canada

The IMLB 2026 Scientific and Organizing Committees are pleased to invite you to the 23rd International Meeting on Lithium Batteries in Montréal, Canada from 14 to 19 June 2026.

IMLB 2026 is the premier international conference on the state of lithium battery science and technology, as well as current and future applications in transportation, commercial, aerospace, biomedical, and other promising sectors. Convening in Montréal, the conference is expected to draw around 2,000 experts, researchers, and company representatives involved in the lithium battery field.

This international meeting will provide an exciting forum to discuss recent progress in advanced lithium batteries for energy storage and conversion. The programme will focus on both basic and applied research findings that have improved Li battery materials and led to a deeper understanding of the fundamental processes determining and controlling electrochemical performance. A major (but not exclusive) theme of the meeting will address recent advances beyond lithium-ion technologies, covering a wide range of topics in lithium battery science and technology.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Batteries;
• Clean Technologies;
• Solids;
• Electricity;
• Metals;
• ChemEngineering;
• Safety;
• Vehicles;
• Energy Storage and Applications;
• Physchem;
• Micro;
• Membranes;
• Powders;
• Materials;
• Reactions;
• Electrochem;
• Surfaces;
• Applied Nano;
• Electronic Materials.

If you are attending the 23rd International Meeting on Lithium Batteries, we invite you to visit us at our booth. Our representatives will be available to discuss publishing opportunities and the benefits of open access, as well as answer any questions that you may have.

Join us in Montreal to discover what is next in lithium battery science and technology! For more information about the conference, please visit its official website at https://imlb.org/.

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will be participating in the 2026 International Congress on Membranes and Membrane Processes (ICOM 2026), organized by the North American Membrane Society, taking place from 18 to 25 July 2026 in San Antonio, Texas, USA.

The ICOM 2026 presents a unique opportunity for international and regional communities to collaborate together toward the aim of advancing scalable membrane engineering. Visit our booth to discover MDPI’s latest publications, Special Issues, and open access initiatives in hydrogen technologies and related fields. Our Editors will be on hand to discuss your research and answer any questions about publishing with MDPI.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at this conference:

• Membranes;
• ChemEngineering;
• Purification;
• Materials;
• Applied Sciences;
• Separations;
• Processes;
• Water;
• Clean Technologies.

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 and answering any questions you may have. For more information about this event, please click the following link: https://www.membranes.org/icom2026.

We would like to invite you to attend the 1st International Online Conference on Membranes organized by MDPI’s journal Membranes (ISSN: 2077-0375, Impact Factor: 3.6), which will take place online from 22 to 23 June 2027.

Conference Chair

• Prof. Dr. Spas D. Kolev, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.

The topics of interest:
S1. Biological membranes & biomimetic membranes;
S2. Membrane fabrication, materials and characterization;
S3. Membrane technologies for energy applications;
S4. Membrane technologies for water & wastewater treatment;
S5. Membrane technologies for gas separation & cross-disciplinary fields.

Important dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 22 February 2027;
Notification of acceptance: 22 March 2027;
Registration deadline: 17 June 2027.

Guide for authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link:
https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1852.

To register for this event, please visit the following link:
https://sciforum.net/event/IOCMBS2027?section=#registration.

For details regarding abstract submission, poster and slide submission, and publication opportunities, you may refer to the “Instructions for Authors” Section:
https://sciforum.net/event/IOCMBS2027?section=#instructions.

For any inquiries regarding this event, please contact iocmbs@mdpi.com.

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

Conference: 51st IUPAC World Polymer Congress (MACRO 2026)
Date: 28–31 July 2026
Place: Kuching, Malaysia

We are excited to announce that MDPI journals will be participating as exhibitors at the 51st IUPAC World Polymer Congress (MACRO 2026), which will take place in Kuching, Malaysia, from 28 to 31 July 2026.

MACRO 2026 is a prestigious international scientific event dedicated to polymer science and engineering. Hosted by the Institut Kimia Malaysia (IKM) under the auspices of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the congress will bring together leading researchers, academicians, and industry experts from around the world to share the latest advancements, trends, and innovations in polymer research.

The congress offers a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering dialogue across fundamental and applied polymer science, sustainable materials, and emerging technologies. Through plenary lectures, symposia, and poster sessions, MACRO 2026 aims to inspire new ideas and partnerships that will shape the future of polymers for science, industry, and society.

The congress will feature a diverse range of sessions, including:

• Advances in Polymer Synthesis;
• Polymer Physics and Characterization;
• Advances in Green Polymer Processing;
• Advanced Functional Polymeric Materials and Membranes;
• Biological, Biomedical, and Environmentally Friendly Polymers;
• Polymeric Materials for Clean and Sustainable Energy;
• Elastomers and Latexes: Durability and Performance;
• Polymer Materials for Planetary Health: Education, Sustainability, Policy, and Societal Dimensions;
• Polymers in Advanced Manufacturing and Smart Systems;
• Data-Driven and Digital Approaches for Polymer Systems;
• From Molecules to Materials: Bridging Pure and Applied Chemistry.

The following MDPI journals will be presenting at the conference:

• Polymers;
• Macromol;
• Polysaccharides;
• Microplastics;
• Membranes;
• Gels;
• Textiles;
• Adhesives;
• Marine Drugs.

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://macro2026.org/.

We are honored to announce that Prof. Dr. William Gerwick will serve as the Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee.

A world-renowned authority in marine natural products chemistry and pharmacology, Professor Gerwick is a Distinguished Professor at both the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). His pioneering work at the intersection of ocean sciences and drug discovery makes him a fitting leader for an award centered on transformative medicinal breakthroughs.

Under Professor Gerwick’s stewardship, the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee will focus on recognizing innovative and impactful research in natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, particularly work with the potential to drive meaningful advances in both scientific understanding and human health.

To provide further insight into his perspectives, we include below an interview with Professor Gerwick, in which he reflects on his scientific journey, his views on the field, and his vision for the Tu Youyou Award.

A Conversation with the Chair

1. Could you please introduce yourself and your research journey?

My research focuses on the natural products of marine algae and cyanobacteria, their application in medicine, their biosynthesis using genomic approaches, and innovative methods in the structure elucidation of natural products.

I received my BS degree from the University of California at Davis, my PhD from the University of California at San Diego, and conducted postdoctoral work at the University of Connecticut. After a couple of years in a junior faculty position at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, I spent 21 years as Professor of Pharmacy at Oregon State University. In 2005, I returned to my PhD institution at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC San Diego, where I am currently a Distinguished Professor of Oceanography and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to advancing the field through both leadership and mentorship. I have served as president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, chaired and co-chaired several major research conferences, and served as an associate editor for the Journal of Natural Products. I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and of the American Society of Pharmacognosy. I have trained over 100 doctoral and postdoctoral students, and my research group has published nearly 500 papers and more than 25 patents on topics in the natural product sciences and medicinal chemistry.

2. What motivated you to accept the role of Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee?

Of course, I am a huge supporter of all awards that are given in recognition of excellent scientific research, and especially so in the natural products sciences and medicinal chemistry. However, this award is truly special in that it recognizes scientific excellence as well as impact, and is given in the name of an individual, Tu Youyou, who clearly had many challenges along the path to reach the pinnacle of her success. Not only was she the first Chinese person to win a Nobel prize in this area, but she was also the first Chinese woman to receive a Nobel prize, and this was achieved without graduate education in China or elsewhere. It’s a true testament to what can be achieved by hard work, determination, and vision. To read the history of her extraordinary approach to discovering novel antimalarial compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine is truly inspirational. It is, therefore, the inspiration provided by the extraordinary life and career of Tu Youyou that motivated me to accept the Chair of the Award Committee for 2026.

3. How do you view the role of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry in today’s scientific landscape, and what major advances over the past decade have shaped this field?

A quite remarkable integration of fields is currently transforming natural products science and medicinal chemistry. In natural products, we are seeing integration of different omics methods, from metabolites to proteins to nucleic acids. Sophisticated biological and pharmacological approaches are driving the discovery of exquisitely potent and selective natural products. Advances are being made to integrate molecular-level recognition of natural products with chemical ecological studies, and sophisticated methods of structure determination using Artificial Intelligence or pioneering new tools such as microED are being applied with increasing frequency. High-level synthetic methodologies, such as protecting group-free synthetic routes, are enhancing medicinal chemistry, accelerating the identification of lead molecules with attractive pharmaceutical properties at an increasing pace.

4. How do you consider the balance between fundamental discovery (e.g., new molecules or mechanisms) and practical impact (e.g., therapeutic applications)?

Many individuals are excellent scientists and mentors, and have essential roles in developing our culture that values science and the scientific method. It should also be pointed out that not all scientific discoveries are going to have a broad societal impact, but they are nevertheless critical to the overall body and structure of science. But it is a truly remarkable individual who makes a key scientific discovery, recognizes its potential value to society in general, and then has the skills and determination to bring it forward as a useful product. That was the type of person the Tu Youyou is, and that is the type of person who is honored by the prize in her name.

5. What do you see as the key challenges or opportunities currently facing the field?

We are on the crux of an amazing revolution in many of the sciences, including natural products and medicinal chemistry; the purposeful application of Artificial Intelligence to solving many of the difficulties involved in the search for new pharmaceuticals from Nature. AI is transforming how we select organisms for study, what pharmaceutical targets to go after, rapidly resolving the chemical structures of new compounds, identifying efficient routes to their chemical synthesis, understanding their molecular mechanisms of action, and finally, designing their clinical application. The role of people in these pursuits is changing. Increasingly, the human role will be providing overall vision: what can we do? What should we do? And it is important to remember that AI is providing hypotheses, not truth. Scientists with expert domain knowledge will be critical for discerning the correctness of hypotheses put forth by AI. Altogether, advances in technology, expanding knowledge, and the appropriate use of AI methods are preparing society to be able to address emerging diseases, such as pandemics, as well as conditions that are not effectively treated by currently existing therapeutics.

6. How do you expect the Tu Youyou Award to contribute to the advancement of natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and human health over the coming years?

The Tu Youyou Award is potentially transformative for the broad fields of natural products science and medicinal chemistry as it brings a significantly increased level of visibility to these topics and their contributions to human health. It will be crucial to have excellent communication to news agencies, social media and other communication outlets so that the general public is informed and educated on the high impact of these natural product/medicinal chemistry contributions. This will bring increased funding, attract promising students, and generally enrich the interface of these fields with the health sector.

7. What message would you like to convey to the research community and the public during this open nomination phase?

This prize gives broad societal visibility to the role that natural products have had in shaping a majority of our current medicines, as well as understanding the life forms with whom we share the planet. Further, it recognizes a woman scientist working under sub-optimal conditions who could persevere and make discoveries of global impact. The prize and what it represents, therefore, inspires current and future generations to engage in the study of Nature and its relationship to Human Health, to overcome adversity, and to aspire to making one’s life impactful.

About the Tu Youyou Award

Established in 2016, the Tu Youyou Award seeks to honor those who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. This award offers a total prize of CHF 100,000, which will be equally divided among the winners if there is more than one, with each recipient receiving an award medal and a certificate.

The 2026 Tu Youyou Award is open for nominations until 31 October 2026. We encourage all eligible candidates to participate in this prestigious recognition, as this award not only honors individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exchange, exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website for more information on the nomination requirements.

Membranes (ISSN: 2077-0375) is proud to present the Membranes Young Investigator Award to Dr. Lu Elfa Peng!

The following is an interview with Dr. Lu Elfa Peng:

1. Could you please briefly introduce yourself, including your current affiliation and the specific focus of your membrane research?
Hi, I’m Elfa Peng Lu. I earned my PhD from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) under the supervision of Professor Chuyang Tang. Currently, I am a Research Assistant Professor at HKU. My research mainly focuses on developing advanced nanofiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for water treatment applications.

2. How does it feel to be recognized with the Membranes Young Investigator Award?
Thank you! It is a great honor to receive the Membranes Young Investigator Award, which encourages me a lot. This award not only recognizes my research efforts over the past few years but also motivates me to continue dedicating myself to the membrane research field. Membrane technology not only plays a crucial role in sustainable water treatment but also holds great potential for interdisciplinary applications, such as in biomedicine and energy. Its versatile nature opens up a broad and promising future across various fields. I hope to expand my research in the future, generating meaningful scientific insights and practical benefits across a variety of disciplines.

3. Can you tell us about the specific research project or breakthrough that led to this recognition? What potential impact do you foresee this work having on the broader membrane community (e.g., in water treatment, energy, or biomedical applications)?
The most recognized research contribution, I believe, is the series of works on nanofoaming theoretical framework for the development of RO membranes, published in seven papers. These works systematically investigated the chemistry–morphology–performance relationship of thin film composite RO membranes. In particular, they focus on the spontaneous formation of nanovoids and related “ridge-and-valley” roughness features in RO membranes—a topic that has puzzled researchers for decades, and revealed the underpinning mechanisms. My developed theoretical framework of interfacial nanofoaming provides critical guidance to membrane design and synthesis toward more efficient desalination and water reuse. For the first time, my work demonstrated the benefits of rough polyamide containing nanovoids on membrane surface in anti-fouling performance of RO membranes, which challenges the traditional wisdom of ‘rougher surface leading to more severe fouling’. It has important implications to membrane-based freshwater production and pollution control.

4. What have been some of the major technical or career challenges you faced when transitioning from a student to an independent faculty member or group leader? How did you overcome them?
For me, the biggest challenge is role transition, from student to principal investigator (PI) of projects. I have to shift my mindset—from concentrating solely on specific research topics, to managing a broader framework that includes project management, teaching, and other responsibilities. Balancing time and energy across these diverse tasks needs significant adjustment, but I believe that with increasing experience, I will continue to improve in managing these demands effectively.

5. Based on your journey, what specific advice would you give to young researchers or PhD students who are just starting their careers in membrane science and technology?
If planning to continue with research as future career, staying true to the pure curiosity and passion for the work itself will make the journey much more fulfilling and enjoyable.

Our portfolio of journals available for publishing up-to-date research in immediate open access format has been further expanded. In the first quarter of 2026, nine new journals released their inaugural issues and three transferred journals released their first issue as part of MDPI, covering the subjects of clinical medicine, chemistry, computer science & mathematics, engineering, environment & ecology, and social sciences & psychology.

We extend our gratitude to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who will shape the future course of these brand-new journals. Each journal is dedicated to upholding 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 a new journal, you are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).

The Membranes Young Investigator Award was established in 2019 to acknowledge the achievements of young investigators in the field of membranes. Nominations are accepted from April to December every year, with winners notified by the end of March the following year.

Prize:

• CHF 1000;
• An electronic certificate;
• A voucher to fully cover the article processing fees, valid for one year.

Number of winners: 1.

Eligibility and requirements:

• Must have received their PhD no more than 10 years prior to 31 December 2026;
• Must have produced ground-breaking research and made a significant contribution to the advancement of membranes;
• Must be nominated by senior scientists.

List of documents for nomination:

• Detailed Curriculum vitae, including an updated publication list and a list of the researcher’s own research grants;
• Scanned copy of doctorate certificate;
• Signed nomination letters from two established senior scientists.

Membranes Travel Award was launched in 2017, and it is presented every year to encourage junior scientists to present their latest research at academic conferences in the field of membranes, which helps to grow their profile. The application process is open from April to October every year and winners are announced by the end of December.

Prize:

• CHF 500;
• A certificate.

Number of winners: 1.

Eligibility and requirements:

• Postdoctoral fellows or PhD students;
• Plans to attend an international conference in 2027 (oral presentation or poster).

List of documents for application:

• Information of the conference the applicant is planning to attend and the abstract that will be submitted;
• Curriculum vitae and list of publications;
• Justification letter describing the focus of the research (max. 800 words);
• Letter of recommendation from the supervisor, research director, or department head, which also confirms the applicant’s status.