Announcements

Methods and Protocols (MPs, ISSN: 2409-9279) is an international, peer-reviewed, and open access journal aiming to establish and describe new experimental techniques in the biological and medical sciences, published bimonthly online by MDPI. This journal is now recruiting Editorial Board Members (EBMs) for the following Sections:

• “Biochemical and Chemical Analysis & Synthesis”;
• “Biomedical Sciences and Physiology”;
• “Molecular and Cellular Biology”;
• “Omics and High Throughput“;
• “Public Health Research”;
• “Synthetic and Systems Biology”;
• “Tissue Engineering and Organoids”.

The responsibilities of Editorial Board Members are as follows:

• Prescreening and making decisions on new submissions related to your research interests;
• Setting up at least one Special Issue during your term on a topic related to your research interests (or supervising Special Issues related to your research field);
• Providing input or feedback regarding journal policies;
• Helping to promote the journal among your peers or at conferences;
• Attending board meetings to suggest journal development strategies;
• Reviewing manuscripts.

For the full list of Editorial Board Members, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/mps/editors.

If you are interested in becoming an Editorial Board Member of Methods and Protocols, please send us your full academic CV and a short cover letter detailing your interest in and suitability for the position.

If you would like to recommend potential candidates or request further information, please contact the Methods and Protocols Editorial Office at mps@mdpi.com.

We look forward to working with you in the future.

We are very pleased to announce that Methods and Protocols (MPs, ISSN: 2409-9279) will receive an Impact Factor in June 2023. Thank you for your continued support of the open access journal Methods and Protocols.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the authors, editors, and reviewers whose efforts have helped us to achieve this milestone!

For more journal statistics, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/mps/stats.

MDPI will be attending the 15th European Public Health Conference 2022, held in Berlin, Germany, from 9 to 12 November 2022. The theme of Berlin 2022 is “Strengthening Health Systems: Improving Population Health and Being Prepared for the Unexpected”. This conference will aim to explore ways in which the public health community can rally around the principle of bringing about better population health. Meanwhile, the conference committee wants the discussions at the 15th EPH Conference to contribute to resilient health systems, universal health coverage (UHC), a well-trained and highly qualified clinical and public health workforce, and governance structures that take a stand and shape health systems globally.

During this conference, MDPI (at booth #13) will welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• IJERPH;
• Medicina;
• JCM;
• EJIHPE;
• Epidemiologia;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• Healthcare;
• Women;
• MPs;
• Nursing Report;
• COVID;
• Diseases;
• Data;
• Adolescents.

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth at #13. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please see the following link: https://ephconference.eu/index.php.

1. “Recent Advances in miRNA Delivery Systems”
   by Ishani Dasgupta et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2021, 4(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps4010010
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/4/1/10
2. “miRNA Targets: From Prediction Tools to Experimental Validation”
   by Giulia Riolo et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2021, 4(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps4010001
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/4/1/1
3. “Review of the Post-IR IRSL Dating Protocols of K-Feldspar”
   by Junjie Zhang et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2020, 3(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3010007
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/3/1/7
4. “Total Face Approach (TFA) 3D Cephalometry and Superimposition in Orthognathic Surgery: Evaluation of the Vertical Dimensions in a Consecutive Series”
   by Giovanna Perrotti et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2021, 4(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps4020036
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/4/2/36
5. “Become Competent within One Day in Generating Boxplots and Violin Plots for a Novice without Prior R Experience”
   by Kejin Hu
   Methods Protoc. 2020, 3(4), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3040064
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/3/4/64
6. “Concentration and Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater Using Polyethylene Glycol-Based Concentration and qRT-PCR”
   by Kata Farkas et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2021, 4(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps4010017
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/4/1/17
7. “An Optimised Step-by-Step Protocol for Measuring Relative Telomere Length”
   by Mugdha V. Joglekar et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2020, 3(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3020027
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/3/2/27
8. “Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci onto Chromosome-Scale Pseudomolecules in Flax”
   by Frank M. You et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2020, 3(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3020028
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/3/2/28
9. “Combined Fluorescence-Based in Vitro Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Cell Viability and Alkaline Phosphatase Activity during Osteogenic Differentiation of Osteoblast Precursor Cells”
   by Sebastian Wilkesmann et al.
   Methods Protoc. 2020, 3(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3020030
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/3/2/30
10. “Inactivation of Material from SARS-CoV-2-Infected Primary Airway Epithelial Cell Cultures”
    by Kaitlyn A. Barrow et al.
    Methods Protoc. 2021, 4(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps4010007
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9279/4/1/7

Peer Review Week began 19 September 2022 under the theme of “Research Integrity: Creating and Supporting Trust in Research”. Through various blog articles, podcast, and webinar, we discussed this crucial subject throughout the week, celebrating the essential role peer review plays in maintaining research quality.

To begin, we held a Webinar on the topic. Professor Peter W. Choate and Dr. Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi joined Dr. Ioana Craciun, one of MDPI’s scientific officers, for an in-depth discussion.

We invite you to view the event recording:

During the week, the MDPI Blog in a series articles highlighted how good Peer Review safeguards research integrity. The following topics were covered:

• Peer Review Week 2022
• Research Integrity
• What We’ve Learned About Peer Review Reports
• 4 Steps to the Perfect Peer Review Report
• How to Write the Perfect Peer Review Report: An Interview
• Inviting Great Peer Reviewers

In a new edition of Insight Faster, an MDPI podcast, we were delighted to talk to the co-chairs of the Peer Review Week committee, Jayashree Rajagopalan (Senior Manager of Global Community Engagement for CACTUS) and Danielle Padula (Head of Marketing and Community Development at Scholastica) to get their take on this year’s event and its related topics.

You can find the Podcast here.

We hope you enjoy the contents!

The 2021 citation metrics have been officially released in Scopus!

We are pleased to announce that 182 MDPI journals are included, of which:

● 21 journals received their first CiteScore.
● 85% of journals increased their CiteScore from 2020.
● 155 journals (85%) ranked above average, in at least one category.

The following 65 MDPI journals (36%) ranked among the top 25% of journals, in at least one category:

Source: 2021 CiteScores™ (Elsevier)

In order to acknowledge our reviewers, who so generously dedicate their time to reviewing papers and demonstrate diligence, professionalism, and timeliness when reviewing manuscripts, MDPI journals regularly offer outstanding reviewer awards to scholars who participate in the peer-review process.

We are proud to recognize winners for the year 2021 in the “Biology & Life Sciences” category for their outstanding contributions among extensive competition by presenting them with an Outstanding Reviewer Award.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners on their achievement.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community.

Biology:

• Enrico Vito Perrino, CIHEAM, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Italy
• Dhirendra Kumar, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, USA
• Carlos A. Viegas, Univesity of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
• Yuri Shavrukov, Flinders University, Australia
• Bipin Gaihre, Mayo Clinic, USA

Brain Sciences:

• Craig D. Workman, University of Iowa, USA
• Vivian Ciaramitaro, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA
• Yang Zhang, University of Minnesota, USA

Cells:

• Bonam Srinivasa Reddy, Université de Paris, France
• Homma Takujiro, Yamagata University, Japan
• Hwang, In Koo, Seoul National University, South Korea
• Kobeissy Firas, University of Florida, USA
• Rebelo, Sandra, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Diversity:

• Günter Gollmann, University of Vienna, Austria
• Stephan Koblmüller, University of Graz, Austria
• Emiliano Mori, Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri, Italy

Horticulturae:

• Joshua D. Klein, Agricultural Research Organization—The Volcani Center, Israel
• Ana Cristina S Figueiredo, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

Insects:

• Carmelo Peter Bonsignore, Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Italy
• Klaus H. Hoffmann, University of Bayreuth, Germany
• Ivan Milosavljević, University of California, USA

Metabolites:

• Remigiusz Bachor, University of Wrocław, Poland
• Nguyen Phuoc Long, Inje University College of Medicine, South Korea
• Chi Chen, University of Minnesota, USA

Nutrients:

• Jadwiga Hamułka, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland
• Grace Campbell, University of Sydney, Australia
• Nicholas Norwitz, Harvard Medical School, USA
• Stefan Kabisch, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Germany
• Luis Rodrigo, University of Oviedo, Spain

Veterinary Sciences:

• Carlos Viegas, Univesity of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
• Arvind Sharma, The University of Queensland, Australia

MDPI’s Young Investigator Awards recognize promising junior researchers, acknowledge their contributions, and enhance communication among scientists. We are proud to present the 2021 winners in the “Biology & Life Sciences” category. The winners were selected by the journals’ editors.

We warmly congratulate the awarded young investigators for their outstanding contributions.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community.

Agriculture:

• Carlos Guzmán, University of Cordoba, Spain

Animals:

• Katharina Hohlbaum, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Cells:

• Uri Ben-David, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Diversity:

• Enrico Lunghi, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China

Foods:

• Guodong Zhang, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

Horticulturae:

• Luke Bell, Temperate Horticulture, University of Reading, UK

International Journal of Molecular Sciences:

• Alessandro D’Urso, University of Catania, Italy.
• Apostolos Zaravinos, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
• Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez, University of Pennsylvania, USA
• Maria Teresa Caccamo, Messina University, Italy
• Tiziana Bonifacino, University of Genoa, Italy

Journal of Fungi:

• Federico Baltar, University of Vienna, Austria
• Rebecca Drummond, University of Birmingham, UK
• Miriam Oses-Ruiz, Public University of Navarre, Spain

Life:

• João Pedro da Silva Machado Lobo, University of Porto, Portugal
• Vincenzo Russo, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy

Metabolites:

• Gabriele Rocchetti, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Italy

Nutrients:

• Fiona Lavelle, Queen's University Belfast, UK
• Matthew Snelson, Monash University, Australia

Pathogens:

• Si Ming Man, Australian National University, Australia
• Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, University of Hong Kong, China

Plants:

• Stefania Sut, University of Padova, Italy
• Mohamed Ahmed El-Esawi, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

Vaccines:

• Nicholas M. Provine, University of Oxford, UK

Viruses:

• Nicholas S. Heaton, Duke University, USA