Announcements

Conference: 5th MMCS: New Trends in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
Date: 14–17 May 2026, Beijing Time
Conference website: https://sciforum.net/event/MMCS2026

This conference is organized by the MDPI journal Molecules (ISSN: 1420-3049, IF: 4.2, and CiteScore: 7.4) and will take place in Beijing, China, from 14 to 17 May 2026 (Beijing time).

Conference Chairs:

• Prof. Dr. Xiaoguang Lei, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, China;
• Prof. Dr. Diego Muñoz-Torrero, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Spain.

Topics of interest:
S1. Chemical biology for drug discovery;
S2. AI for drug discovery;
S3. New proximity-based drug modalities;
S4. Natural products in drug discovery;
S5. Biocatalysis for natural product and drug synthesis;
S6. Drug discovery targeting GPCRs and ion channels;
S7. DNA-encoded libraries in drug discovery;
S8. Medicinal chemistry tales.

Important dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 16 January 2026;
Abstract acceptance notification: 9 February 2026;
Early bird registration deadline: 11 February 2026;
Covering author registration deadline: 11 February 2026;
Registration deadline: 14 May 2026.

Guide for authors:

To submit your abstract, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1319.

To register for the event, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/MMCS2026?section=#registration.

For more information, you may refer to the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/MMCS2026.

For any inquiries regarding the event, please contact mmcs2026@mdpi.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the 5th MMCS: New Trends in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery.

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

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

About Professor Michele Parrinello

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

——Professor Michele Parrinello

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

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

Award Committee

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

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

——Professor Xin-Gao Gong

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

About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards

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

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

Find more information on awards here.

We are honored to recognize the 2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers—scholars whose exemplary commitment to rigorous and constructive peer review is vital in upholding the highest standards of academic publishing.

Selected from a distinguished pool of 215,000 reviewers from 65 countries and regions worldwide, these honorees stand out for their exceptional expertise, diligence, and dedication to advancing research through timely and thoughtful reviews. Their constructive and impartial feedback ensures the publication of high-quality, impactful research, while their timely reviews facilitate swift revisions and faster publication of innovative work.

Peer review is the invisible foundation of academic progress. With gratitude and respect, we celebrate these 1000 scholars who made that foundation stronger in 2024. We respected all privacy preferences, with part of nominees opting for limited attribution.

The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

We are pleased to announce updates to our article template, aimed at improving the readability and visual appeal of our publications. The following updates will be applied to articles published in volumes in 2026, starting from 19 December 2025.

Left information bar:

• Updated the logo and URL for “Check for updates”;
• Removed the “Citation” section (Note: Citation details remain accessible via “Cite” in the online article version);
• Changed the link in “Copyright” to a hyperlink format.

Footer:

• Added a DOI link at the bottom-right corner of each page.

The updated template is now available for download from the Instructions for Authors page of each journal.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with better experience and make the process more convenient.

For any questions or suggestions, please contact our production team at production@mdpi.com.

Molecules (ISSN: 1420-3049) is recruiting a Section Editor-in-Chief for the Section “Analytical Chemistry”.

Molecules is a leading international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of chemistry, published semimonthly online by MDPI. The International Society of Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids (IS3NA), the Spanish Society of Medicinal Chemistry (SEQT), and the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry (ISHC) are affiliated with Molecules, and their members receive a discount on article processing charges.

The “Analytical Chemistry” Section publishes original research articles, communications, and reviews covering the full breadth of analytical science—from sampling and sample preparation to detection, data analysis, and the improvement of analytical methodologies. The Section welcomes contributions related to cutting-edge techniques and instrumentation, advancements in sensitivity and selectivity, omics workflows, chemometrics, microfluidics, environmental and food analysis, and other emerging research areas that shape the analytical chemistry landscape.

Section Editors-in-Chief are recognized leaders in their fields, responsible for ensuring the scientific quality, development, and visibility of their journal Section.

The initial term for this position is two years, and the role includes the following responsibilities:

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal, MDPI, and open access publishing;
• Making scientific decisions regarding the scope and direction of the Section;
• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board;
• Suggesting and promoting topics for Special Issues;
• Providing guidance and support to Editorial Board Members and editorial staff when needed;
• Overseeing the editorial process for submissions within the Section, including making the final decision on acceptance after peer review;
• Upholding and promoting MDPI’s editorial, peer review, and ethical guidelines.

If you are interested in becoming the Section Editor-in-Chief for the “Analytical Chemistry” Section of Molecules, if you would like to recommend potential candidates, or if you require further information, please contact the Molecules Editorial Office (molecules@mdpi.com) with the following items attached:

• A full academic CV;
• A brief cover letter describing your interest in and vision for the position.

We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Molecules Editorial Office

1. “Preparation of 4-Amino-3-hydrazino-1,2,4-triazol-5-thiol-Modified Graphene Oxide and Its Greatly Enhanced Selective Adsorption of Gallium in Aqueous Solution”
by Xi Zhu, Yong Guo, and Baozhan Zheng
Molecules 2024, 29(12), 2778; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 29122778
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/12/2778

2. “Advancing Graphene Synthesis: Low-Temperature Growth and Hydrogenation Mechanisms Using Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition”
by Šarūnas Meškinis, Algirdas Lazauskas, Šarūnas Jankauskas, Asta Guobienė and Rimantas Gudaitis
Molecules 2025, 30(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 30010033
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/1/33

3. “Development of Tailored Graphene Nanoparticles: Preparation, Sorting and Structure Assessment by Complementary Techniques”
by Kaiyue Hu, Luigi Brambilla, Patrizia Sartori, Claudia Moscheni, Cristiana Perrotta, Lucia Zema, Chiara Bertarelli and Chiara Castiglioni
Molecules 2023, 28(2), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28020565
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/2/565

4. “Synergistic Remediation of Organic Dye by Titanium Dioxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite”
by Martina Kocijan, Lidija Ćurković, Damjan Vengust, Tina Radošević, Vasyl Shvalya, Gil Gonçalves and Matejka Podlogar
Molecules 2023, 28(21), 7326; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28217326
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/21/7326

5. “Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction Based on Silica and Graphene Materials for Sensitive Analysis of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater with the Aid of UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS”
by Maria Kalaboka and Vasilios Sakkas
Molecules 2023, 28(5), 2277; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28052277
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/5/2277

6. “High-Performance Dual-Ion Battery Based on Silicon–Graphene Composite Anode and Expanded Graphite Cathode”
by Guoshun Liu, Xuhui Liu, Xingdong Ma, Xiaoqi Tang, Xiaobin Zhang, Jianxia Dong, Yunfei Ma, Xiaobei Zang, Ning Cao and Qingguo Shao
Molecules 2023, 28(11), 4280; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28114280
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/11/4280

7. “Graphene Modification by Curcuminoids as an Effective Method to Improve the Dispersion and Stability of PVC/Graphene Nanocomposites”
by Sławomir Wilczewski, Katarzyna Skórczewska, Jolanta Tomaszewska, Magdalena Osial, Agnieszka Dąbrowska, Kostiantyn Nikiforow, Piotr Jenczyk and Hubert Grzywacz
Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3383; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28083383
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/8/3383

8. “Release Profiles of Carvacrol or Chlorhexidine of PLA/Graphene Nanoplatelets Membranes Prepared Using Electrospinning and Solution Blow Spinning: A Comparative Study”
by Roberto Scaffaro, Luca Settanni and Emmanuel Fortunato Gulino
Molecules 2023, 28(4), 1967; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28041967
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/4/1967

9. “Sol-Gel Graphene Oxide-Coated Fabric Disks as Sorbents for the Automatic Sequential-Injection Column Preconcentration for Toxic Metal Determination in Distilled Spirit Drinks”
by Natalia Manousi, Abuzar Kabir, Kenneth G. Furton and Aristidis Anthemidis
Molecules 2023, 28(5), 2103; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28052103
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/5/2103

10. “Effect of the Addition of Graphene Flakes on the Physical and Biological Properties of Composite Paints”
by Natalia Bartczak, Jerzy Kowalczyk, Robert Tomala, Mariusz Stefanski, Damian Szymański, Maciej Ptak, Wiesław Stręk, Konrad Szustakiewicz, Tomasz Kurzynowski, Łukasz Szczepański et al.
Molecules 2023, 28(16), 6173; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28166173
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/16/6173

11. “A Comparative Review of Graphene and MXene-Based Composites towards Gas Sensing”
by Pushpalatha Vijayakumar Vaishag and Jin-Seo Noh
Molecules 2024, 29(19), 4558; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 29194558
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/19/4558

12. “Absorption and Fluorescence Emission Investigations on Supramolecular Assemblies of Tetrakis-(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin and Graphene Quantum Dots”
by Mariachiara Sarà, Salvatore Vincenzo Giofrè, Salvatore Abate, Mariachiara Trapani, Rosaria Verduci, Giovanna D’Angelo, Maria Angela Castriciano, Andrea Romeo, Giovanni Neri and Luigi Monsù Scolaro
Molecules 2024, 29(9), 2015; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 29092015
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/9/2015

13. “Exploring Spin Distribution and Electronic Properties in FeN₄-Graphene Catalysts with Edge Terminations”
by Ismail Can Oguz, Frederic Jaouen and Tzonka Mineva
Molecules 2024, 29(2), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 29020479
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/2/479

14. “Pedot:PSS/Graphene Oxide (GO) Ternary Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Applications”
by Giuseppe Greco, Antonella Giuri, Sonia Bagheri, Miriam Seiti, Olivier Degryse, Aurora Rizzo, Claudio Mele, Eleonora Ferraris and Carola Esposito Corcione
Molecules 2023, 28(7), 2963; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 28072963
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/7/2963

15. “Graphene-Based Hybrid Fillers for Rubber Composites”
by Jian Wang, Shijiu Li, Li Yang, Baohua Liu, Songzhi Xie, Rui Qi, Yanhu Zhan and Hesheng Xia
Molecules 2024, 29(5), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/Molecules 29051009
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/5/1009

MDPI would like to invite all Guest Editors, as esteemed experts in their respective disciplines, to participate in the 8th MDPI Guest Editor Club. This forum intends to highlight exciting topics in a comprehensive but efficient manner to allow Guest Editors to present their experience and discuss their achievements.

The Guest Editor Club will bring together a group of multi-disciplinary Guest Editors from all over the world to present and exchange ideas reported in Special Issues. We have, therefore, put together this platform to aid in your interactions with the journal, leading you through the most important aspects of the role and providing information on what you can expect from the process of editing a Special Issue. We are pleased to provide an exciting opportunity for all our Guest Editors to propose and develop new approaches, exchange perspectives, and encourage new lines of research, with a focus on publishing under the Chemistry & Material Science subject.

Date: 20 November 2025
Time: 2:00 p.m. CET | 8:00 a.m. EST | 9:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 840 2216 6365
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/MGEC2025-8-chem-materials

Register now for free!

Program:

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

Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Webinar Invited Speakers:

• Dr. Sanja J. Armaković, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad;
• Dr. Manuel Simões, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal;
• Dr. Simone Carradori, Department of Pharmacy, D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara, Italy.

Relevant Special Issues:

“Mechanisms in Biofilm Formation, Tolerance and Control: 3rd Edition”
Guest Editors: Dr. Manuel Simões and Dr. Lúcia Chaves Simões
Deadline for submission: 20 February 2026

“Application of NMR Spectroscopy in Food Analysis”
Guest Editors: Dr. Giacomo Di Matteo, Dr. Anatoly P. Sobolev and Dr. Simone Carradori
Deadline for submission: 28 February 2026

“Computational and Experimental Research on Materials for Environmental Applications”
Guest Editors: Dr. Sanja J. Armaković, Dr. Stevan Armaković and Dr. Maria M. Savanović
Deadline for submission: 30 April 2026

Molecules (ISSN: 1420-3049) is recruiting the Section Editor-in-Chief for the Section “Computational and Theoretical Chemistry”.

Molecules is the leading international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of chemistry, published semimonthly online by MDPI. The International Society of Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids (IS3NA), the Spanish Society of Medicinal Chemistry (SEQT) and the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry (ISHC) are affiliated with Molecules and their members receive a discount on the article processing charges.

Section Editors-in-Chief are leaders in their particular field, and are responsible for ensuring the scientific quality of a particular Section of a journal. The Section Editor-in-Chief is expected to oversee the growth and development of the journal Sections and their Board Members. The initial term for this position is 2 years, and it entails the following roles:

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal, MDPI and open access publishing;
• Making scientific decisions about the scope of their Section;
• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board;
• Suggesting topics for Special Issues;
• Providing support and guidance to Editorial Board Members and editorial staff when required;
• Maintaining oversight of the editorial process for individual manuscripts in their Section (mainly by making the final decision regarding whether a paper can be published after undergoing peer review and revisions);
• Understanding, leading and upholding MDPI’s peer review guidelines and ethics guidelines.

If you are interested in becoming an Editor-in-Chief for this Section of Molecules, recommending potential candidates, or requesting further information, please contact the Molecules Editorial Office (molecules@mdpi.com) with the following two files attached:

• A full academic CV;
• A short cover letter that details your interest and enthusiasm for the position.

We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Molecules Editorial Office

Molecules (ISSN: 1420-3049) is recruiting the Section Editor-in-Chief for the Section “Electrochemistry”.

Molecules is the leading international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of chemistry, published semimonthly online by MDPI. The International Society of Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids (IS3NA), the Spanish Society of Medicinal Chemistry (SEQT) and the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry (ISHC) are affiliated with Molecules and their members receive a discount on the article processing charges.

Section Editors-in-Chief are leaders in their particular field, and are responsible for ensuring the scientific quality of a particular Section of a journal. The Section Editor-in-Chief is expected to oversee the growth and development of the journal Sections and their Board Members. The initial term for this position is 2 years, and it entails the following roles:

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal, MDPI and Open Access publishing;
• Making scientific decisions about the scope of their Section;
• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board;
• Suggesting topics for Special Issues;
• Providing support and guidance to Editorial Board Members and editorial staff when required;
• Maintaining oversight of the editorial process for individual manuscripts in their Section (mainly by making the final decision regarding whether a paper can be published after undergoing peer review and revisions);
• Understanding, leading and upholding MDPI’s peer review guidelines and ethics guidelines.

If you are interested in becoming an Editor-in-Chief for this Section of Molecules, recommending potential candidates, or requesting further information, please contact the Molecules Editorial Office (molecules@mdpi.com) with the following two files attached:

• A full academic CV;
• A short cover letter that details your interest and enthusiasm for the position.

We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Molecules Editorial Office