Announcements

1 October 2025
2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers


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:

Abbas Yazdinejad

Hany H. Arab

Oscar De Lucio

Abdessamad Belhaj

Hao Zang

Otilia Manta

Abdolreza Jamilian

Hatem Amin

Panagiotis D. Michailidis

Abdul Waheed

Henry Alba

Panagiotis Simitzis

Abiel Aguilar-González

Hiroyuki Noda

Paola Prete

Adina Santana

Hitoshi Tanaka

Paolo Trucillo

Aditya Velidandi

Horst Lenske

Patricia Kara De Maeijer

Adrian Stancu

Hossein Azadi

Patrícia Pires

Adriana Borodzhieva

Houlin Yu

Paulo Schwingel

Adriana Cristina Urcan

Huaifu Deng

Pavel Loskot

Adriano Bressane

Huamin Jie

Pedro García-Ramírez

Agbotiname Imoize

Hugo Lisboa

Pedro Pablo Zamora

Agustin L. Herrera-May

Igor L. Zakharov

Pedro Pereira

Ahmed Arafa

Igor Litvinchev

Pei-Hsun Wang

Ahmet Cagdas Seckin

Igor Vujović

Pellegrino La Manna

Ailton Cesar Lemes

Ildiko Horvath

Petar Ozretić

Akash Kumar

Ilya A. Khodov

Petko Petkov

Akihiko Murayama

Ilya Zavidovskiy

Petr Komínek

Alain E. Le Faou

Imran Ali Lakhiar

Petras Prakas

Alain Massart

Ines Aguinaga-Ontoso

Petro Pukach

Alejandro Plascencia

Ioan Hutu

Petru Alexandru Vlaicu

Aleksandar Ašonja

Ioan Petean

Phil Chilibeck

Aleksandra Głowacka

Irena M. Ilic

Pia Lopez-Jornet

Aleksandra Nesić

Isaac Lifshitz

Pietro Geri

Alessio Ardizzone

Ismael Cristofer Baierle

Pingfan Hu

Alessio Faccia

I-Ta Lee

Piotr Cyklis

Alexander E. Berezin

Itzhak Aviv

Piotr Gauden

Alexander Lykov

Iustinian Bejan

Piotr Gawda

Alexander Robitzsch

Ivan Matveev

Pradeep Kumar Panda

Alexandre Landry

Ivan Pavlenko

Pradeep Varadwaj

Alexey Chubarov

Ivana Mitrović

Presentación Caballero

Alexey Morgounov

Iyyakkannu Sivanesan

Pu Xie

Alexis Rodríguez

Jacek Abramczyk

Qingchao Li

Alfredo Silveira De Borba

Jacques Cabaret

Qinghua Qiu

Ali Hashemizdeh

Jaime A. Mella-Raipán

Qingwei Chen

Alison De Oliveira Moraes

Jaime Taha-Tijerina

Radoslaw Jasinski

Aliyu Aliyu

James Chun Lam Chow

Radu Racovita

Alok Dhaundiyal

James Chung-Wai Cheung

Rafael Galvão De Almeida

Álvaro Antón-Sancho

James O. Finckenauer

Rafael Melo

Amit Ranjan

Jan Cieśliński

Rafal Kukawka

Amritlal Mandal

Ján Moravec

Rafał Watrowski

Ana Isabel Roca-Fernández

Jarbas Miguel

Raffaele Pellegrino

Ana Tomić

Jaroslav Dvorak

Rajender Boddula

Anas Alsobeh

Jarosław Przybył

Ralf Hofmann

Anastasios Karayiannakis

Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić

Ran Wang

Andre Luiz Costa

Jasmina Lukinac

Ranko S. Romanić

Andrea Bianconi

Jawad Tanveer

Ratna Kishore Velamati

Andrea Sonaglioni

Jean Carlos Bettoni

Rebecca Creamer

Andrea Tomassi

Jennie Golding

Reggie Surya

Andrés Fernando Barajas Solano

Jerzy Chudek

Rehan Siddiqui

Andrés Novoa

Jhih-Rong Liao

Renato Maaliw

Andreu Comas-Garcia

Jiachen Li

Reuven Yosef

Andrew Lane

Jianzhu Liu

Ricardo García-León

Andrew Lothian

Jiaquan Yu

Richard Murray

Andrew Sortwell

Jibing Chen

Robert Boyd

Andrius Katkevičius

Jie Gao

Robert H. Eibl

Andromachi Nanou

Jie Hua

Robert James Crammond

Andrzej Kielian

Jill Channing

Robert Oleniacz

Andrzej Kozłowski

Jinfeng Li

Roberto Passera

Andrzej Zolnowski

Jinle Xiang

Rodolpho Fernando Vaz

Ángel Josabad Alonso-Castro

Jinliu Chen

Rodrigo Galo

Ángel Llamas

Jinyao Lin

Roger E. Thomas

Angelo Ferlazzo

Jinyu Hu

Roger W. Bachmann

Angelo Marcelo Tusset

Jiří Remr

Rogério Leone Buchaim

Anil K. Meher

Jiying Liu

Roman Trach

Animesh Kumar Basak

João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro

Roman Trochimczuk

Anita Silvana Ilak Peršurić

Joao Pessoa

Romil Parikh

Anna Kharkova

Joaquim Carreras

Romina Fucà

Anna Lenart-Boroń

John Adams Sebastian

Ronald Nelson

Anna Piotrowska

John Van Boxel

Rosie Yagmur Yegin

Anne Anderson

Jonathan Puente-Rivera

Roxana Lucaciu

Antiopi-Malvina Stamatellou

Jordi-Roger Riba

Rui Sales Júnior

Antonia Kondou

Jorge De Andres-Sanchez

Rui Vitorino

Antonio Miguel Ruiz Armenteros

Jorge Guillermo Diaz Rodriguez

Ruo Wang

Anusorn Cherdthong

Jorge Luis Zambrano-Martinez

Ryoma Michishita

Aram Cornaggia

José F. Fontanari

Sabina Necula

Ariana Saraiva

José Felipe Orzuna-Orzuna

Sabina Umirzakova

Ariel Soares Teles

José Francisco Segura Plaza

Said EL-Ashker

Aristeidis Karras

José Luis Díaz

Saïf Ed-Dı̂n Fertahi

Arnaud Dragicevic

José Luis Rivera-Armenta

Salvatore Romano

Artem Obukhov

Jose M. Miranda

Sándor Beszédes

Arvind Kumar Shukla

Jose M. Mulet

Santiago Lain

Arvind Negi

Jose Navarro-Pedreño

Sara Black Brown

Athanasios A. Panagiotopoulos

José Pedro Cerdeira

Sarat Chandra Mohapatra

Augustine Edegbene

Jouni Räisänen

Sarunas Grigaliunas

Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul

Jui-Yang Lai

Saša Milojević

Aurel Maxim

Juliana Fernandes

Sawsan A. Zaitone

Barbara Symanowicz

Julio Plaza Díaz

Scott E. Hendrix

Bartosz Płachno

Juliusz Huber

Seong-Gon Kim

Bela Kocsis

Jun Liu

Sergii Babichev

Benedetto Schiavo

Junyu Chen

Sergio Da Silva

Bernhard Koelmel

Karan Nayak

Sérgio Felipe

Bhupendra Prajapati

Karel Allegaert

Sergio Guzmán-Pino

Bierng-Chearl Ahn

Katarina Aškerc Zadravec

Seyed Kourosh Mahjour

Bo Zhou

Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka

Seyed Masoud Parsa

Bohong Zhang

Katarzyna Peta

Shedrach Benjamin Pewan

Bonface Ombasa Manono

Katarzyna Tandecka

Shehwaz Anwar

Bozhidar Stefanov

Katherine Bussey

Shengwen Tang

Brach Poston

Katsuya Ichinose

Shih-Lin Lin

Byeong Yong Kong

Kazuharu Bamba

Shilong Li

Caio Sampaio

Kazuhiko Kotani

Shing-Hwa Liu

Caius Panoiu

Kazuhiko Nakadate

Shu Yuan

Caiyun Wang

Keigi Fujiwara

Shuohong Wang

Calin Mircea Gherman

Keith Rochfort

Shuolin Xiao

Camelia Delcea

Kenneth Waters

Shuping Wu

Cardellicchio Angelo

Keren Dopelt

Sihui Dong

Carlos Alberto Ligarda Samanez

Kira E. Vostrikova

Sławomir Rabczak

Carlos Almeida

Kit Leong Cheong

Sojung Kim

Carlos Balsas

Konstantinos Vergos

Songli Zhu

Carlos López-de-Celis

Koyeli Girigoswami

Soonhee Hwang

Carlos Marcuello

Krzysztof R. Karsznia

Soo-Whang Baek

Carlos Pascual-Morena

Krzysztof Szwajka

Soufiane Haddout

Carlos Torres-Torres

Krzysztof Wołk

Sousana Papadopoulou

Casey Watters

Kumar Ganesan

Spiros Paramithiotis

Castillo Castillo

Lan Lin

Spyridon Kaltsas

Changmin Shi

László Radócz

Srecko Stopic

Chao Chen

Laurent Donzé

Srinivasan Sathiyaraj

Chao Gu

Lei He

Stefano Mancin

Chao Zhang (China)

Lei Huang

Subhadeep Das

Chao Zhang (Singapore)

Leonard-Ionut Atanase

Sumedha Nitin Prabhu

Chellapandian Maheswaran

Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias

Sushant K. Rawal

Cheonshik Kim

Leonie Brummer

Svetoslav Todorov

Chia Hung Kao

Levon Gevorkov

Szymon Janczar

Chiachung Chen

Li Fu

Tadeusz Kowalski

Chiara Cinquini

Lidija Hauptman

Tadeusz Sierotowicz

Chieh-Chih Tsai

Lin-Fu Liang

Taha Koray Sahin

Christian Rojas

Ling Yang

Tahir Cetin Akinci

Chu Zhang

Lingli Deng

Takuo Sakon

Chuanyu Sun

Ljubica Kazi

Tamara Lazarević-Pašti

Chun-Wei Yang

Lotfi Boudjema

Tao Zhang

Claudia Bita-Nicolae

Louis Moustakas

Taras P. Pasternak

Constant Mews

Luca Ulrich

Tarek Eldomiaty

Cristian Vacacela Gomez

Luis Adrian De Jesús-González

Taro Urase

Cristiano Matos

Luis Alfonso Díaz-Secades

Tenzer Robert

Cristian-Valeriu Stanciu

Luis Filipe Almeida Bernardo

Thawatchai Phaechamud

Cristóbal Macías Villalobos

Luis Nestor Apaza Ticona

Thomas Michael

Dalia Calneryte

Luis Puente-Díaz

Tiberiu Harko

Daniel Hernandez-Patlan

Luiz Antonio Alcântara Pereira

Timea Claudia Ghitea

Daniele Ritelli

Łukasz Rakoczy

Timothy John Mahony

Daniel-Ioan Curiac

Łukasz Szeleszczuk

Timothy Omara

Daniil Olennikov

Maciej Kruszyna

Tomasz Hikawczuk

Daodao Hu

Magdalena Jaciow

Tomasz M. Karpiński

Daqin Guan

Maha Nasr

Tomasz Trzepiecinski

Daria Chudakova

Maharshi Bhaswant

Triantafyllos Didangelos

Daria Mottareale-Calvanese

Maksim Zavalishin

Tsvetelin Zaevski

Dariusz Dziki

Małgorzata Jeleń

Ulrich J. Pont

Dariusz Gozdowski

Man Fai Leung

Vadim Kramar

David Kieda

Manickam Minakshi

Vagner Lunge

David Luviano-Cruz

Manickam Minakshi

Valério Monteiro-Neto

Da-Zhi Sun

Marcel Sari

Van Giap Do

Debra Wetcher-Hendricks

Marcello Iasiello

Van-An Duong

Demin Cai

Marco Limongiello

Vanni Nicoletti

Dennis Dieks

Marco Zucca

Vasilios Liordos

Deokho Lee

Marconi Batista Teixeira

Vedran Mrzljak

Deyu Li

Marcos Vinícius Da Silva

Vicente Romo Pérez

Diego Romano Perinelli

Marek Cała

Victor-Alexandru Briciu

Dimitris Tatsis

Maria G. Ioannides

Viktor V. Brygadyrenko

Dirceu Ramos

Maria João Lima

Vinícius Silva Belo

Dmitrii Pankin

Maria Kantzanou

Violeta Popovici

Dmitriy Yambulatov

Maria Leonor Abrantes Pires

Viorel Dragos Radu

Dmitry Kultin

Mariana Buranelo Egea

Viswas Raja Solomon

Dongwei Di

Mariana Magalhães

Viviani Oliveira

Dorota Formanowicz

Marija Strojnik

Vlad Rotaru

Dragan Marinkovic

Marijn Speeckaert

Vladica Stojanović

Drazenko Glavic

Marina G. Holyavka

Volodymyr Hrytsyk

Duguleana Mihai

Marina Gravit

Volodymyr Ponomaryov

Dušan S. Dimić

Mario Cerezo Pizarro

Waldemar Studziński

E Terasa Chen

Mario Ganau

Wanming Lin

Edoardo Bucchignani

Mariusz Ptak

Waseem Jerjes

Eduard Zadobrischi

Marlen Vitales-Noyola

Wei-Chieh Lee

Edwin Villagran

Marta Forte

Weiming Fang

Eitan Simon

Martha Rocío Moreno-Jimenez

Weiren Luo

Elena Chitoran

Marwan El Ghoch

Weiwei Jiang

Elena Marrocchino

Marzena Włodarczyk-Stasiak

Wenan Yuan

Elisabeta Negrău

Massimiliano Schiavo

Wenguang Yang

Elisavet Bouloumpasi

Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali

Wenluan Zhang

Elochukwu Ukwandu

Mateusz Rozmiarek

Wiesław Przygoda

Emil Smyk

Matt Smith

Wilian Paul Arévalo Cordero

Emilio Bucio

Matteo Riccò

Wilian Pech-Rodríguez

Emmanouil Karampinis

Matthias Müller

Wislei R. Osório

Ericsson D. Coy-Barrera

Mauro Lombardo

Wi-Young So

Eugeniusz Koda

Md. Ataur Rahman

Wojciech Sałabun

Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka

Md. Biddut Hossain

Wojciech Zabierowski

Ewa Tomaszewska

Meisam Abdollahi

Xiaofei Du

Ezhaveni Sathiyamoorthi

Meng-Hwan Lee

Xiaolong Ji

Fabio Corti

Meng-Yao Li

Xiaomin Xu

Fahmi Zairi

Meysam Keshavarz

Xiaoshuang Ma

Fanzhi Kong

Michael Eisenhut

Xiaoying Liu

Fasih Ullah Haider

Michael Gerlich

Xiao-Yong Wang

Fayez Tarsha-Kurdi

Mihaela Brindusa Tudose

Xinming Zhang

Fekete Mónika

Mihaela Niculae

Xinqiao Liu

Felipe Jiménez

Mihaela Tinca Udristioiu

Xinqing Xiao

Feng Wen

Mihaela Toderaş

Xuechen Zheng

Ferdinando Di Martino

Mihai Crenganis

Xueming Zhang

Fernanda Tonelli

Mika Simonen

Xuezhen Wang

Fernando Lessa Tofoli

Milan Toma

Xuguang Cai

Fernando Viadero-Monasterio

Miloš Lichner

Yair Wiseman

Fethi Ouallouche

Milos Seda

Yang Xu

Flavio Arroyo

MIloš Zrnić

Yangwon Lee

Flor H. Pujol

Min Xia

Yanhong Peng

Florin Dumitru Bora

Mina Tadros

Yao Ni

Florin Nechita

Mingren Shen

Yaoxiang Li

Francesco Di Bello

Mircea Neagoe

Yasushige Shingu

Francesco Galluzzo

Mirela-Fernanda Zaltariov

Yaswanth Kuthati

Francisco Haces Fernandez

Mirjana Ljubojević

Yaxin Liu

Francisco Rego

Mirko Stanimirović

Ygor Jessé Ramos

Francisco Solano

Mirza Pojskić

Yi Xu

Frédéric Muttin

Modesto Pérez-Sánchez

Yifan Zhao

Fredrick Eze

Mohammad Ali Sahraei

Yih Jeng

Gabriel Milan

Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki

Yiyang Chen

Gabriel Zazeri

Mohammad Qneibi

Yoichi Shiraishi

Galina Ilieva

Mohammed Gamal

Yong Hwan Kim

Gary Van Vuuren

Mohammed Sayed

Yongqi Yin

Gennadiy Kolesnikov

Mounia Tahri

Young-joo Ahn

George E. Mustoe

Muhammad Ahsan Asghar 

Yousi Fu

George Lazaroiu

Muhammad N. Mahmood

Yuan Meng

George Xiroudakis

Muhammad Syafrudin

Yuefei Zhuo

Georgiy Gamov

Muhammed Yildirim

Yugang He

Gerald Cleaver

Murilo E. C. Bento

Yuliia Trach

Ghassan Ghssein

Muthuraj Arunpandian

Yuliya Semenova

Gian Mario Migliaccio

Narcis Eduard Mitu

Yuri Jorge Peña-Ramirez

Giancarlo Trimarchi

Naser Alsharairi

Yuri Konstantinov

Gianmarco Ferrara

Natale Calomino

Yusheng Xiang

Giovanni Tesoriere

Natanael Karjanto

Yutaka Ohsedo

Giuseppe Brunetti

Nataša Nastić

Zaihua Duan

Giuseppe Di Martino

Naveed Ahmad

Zelaya-Molina Lily Xochilt

Giuseppe Losurdo

Nebojsa Pavlovic

Zenon Pogorelić

Giuseppina Uva

Neli Milenova Vilhelmova

Zhang Ying

Glauber Cruz

Nguyen Dinh-Hung

Zhanni Luo

Glenn Morrison

Nguyen Quoc Khuong

Zhao Ding

Gloria Cerasela Crisan

Nicola Magnavita

Zhengmao Li

Gordana Wozniak-Knopp

Nicoleta Dospinescu

Zhengwei Huang

Gordon Alderink

Nicoletta Cera

Zhidong Zhou

Grazia Giuseppina Politano

Nidhi Puranik

Zhijun Li

Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos

Nikita Osintsev

Zhixiong Lu

Grzegorz Woroniak

Nikita V. Martyushev

Zhizhong Zhang

Grzegorz Zieliński

Nikola Stanisic

Zhong-Gao Jiao

Guadalupe Gabriel Flores-Rojas

Nilakshi Barua

Zia Muhammad

Guanxi Yan

Nobuo Funabiki

Žiga Laznik

Guoyou Zhang

Octavian Vasiliu

Zigmantas Gudžinskas

Gustavo Henrique Nalon

Oguzhan Der

Zishan Ahmad

Hai-Yu Ji

Oimahmad Rahmonov

Zivan Gojkovic

Hamza Faraji

Olga Morozova

Zoran Mijić

Hamza Sohail

Onur Dogan

Zsuzsanna Bacsi

Hanane Boutaj

Ophir Freund

2 October 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #27 - OASPA 2025, COUNTER 5.1, UK Summit in London, MDPI at the Italian Senate

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

MDPI at OASPA 2025: Embracing the Complexity of Open Access

From 22 to 24 September, I joined the OASPA 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium, where the theme, “Embracing the Complexity – How do we get to 100% Open Access?” tackled the hard questions about the future of scholarly communication.

With MDPI a longstanding member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) and Platinum sponsor of the conference, I was invited to present and participate in important discussions on how we can continue to move the needle in Open Access (OA) publishing.

From 50% to 100% Open Access

Last year’s OASPA conference celebrated a major milestone – reaching 50% of global research outputs published as OA. But, as noted during the conference, this was the “easy” part. The challenge ahead is much tougher: how do we take OA from 50% to 100%? For many academics and institutions, OA is still relatively new, and thus it is essential for us to continue educating people as to what OA is, how it works, and why it matters.


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) presenting at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.

MDPI’s perspective

At MDPI, we are fully committed to this. As a 100% OA publisher, our growth is inseparable from the success of OA itself. In many ways, MDPI is a byproduct of the global adoption of OA, and we play an important role in helping to advance it further.

I had the opportunity to share MDPI’s perspective in the panel discussion entitled: "Hello from the other side: views from fully Open Access journals using APCs," alongside industry colleagues from PLOS, eLife, AOSIS, and Frontiers.

Instead of giving a standard presentation, I highlighted aspects of MDPI that the audience might not be aware of. I also presented on the opportunities and challenges facing publishers that are already fully OA, the importance of diverse models in achieving 100% OA, and why OA is the baseline while Open Science is the future.

 Recognizing Gold OA

As part of the panel, I had undertaken to make some bold and provocative statements. I therefore emphasized a point that is sometimes overlooked: we didn’t reach 50% OA without Gold OA – it accounts for more than half of all OA publications today. And we certainly won’t reach 100% OA without it.

“By educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level”


“When people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should ‘put some respek on our name.”

MDPI is a leader in Gold OA and has been a driver of this progress at scale.

While Gold OA and MDPI are sometimes slighted, both deserve recognition for their contributions to advancing Open Science globally.

I closed my presentation with a reminder that the good we do is sometimes overlooked, and that when people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should "put some respek on our name."

I’m pleased to have seen attendees sharing positive experiences with MDPI, reminding us that we bring real value to the OA movement and deserve a stronger reputation. We also engaged in constructive conversations about various topics, including cost transparency.

A few themes that I took away from the conference:

  • Quality and integrity matter as much as access. OA publishers must not lose sight of research integrity, inclusivity, and sustainability while pursuing 100% OA.
  • Global collaboration is essential. Policies, funding models, and infrastructure differ around the world, and we will need cross-border collaboration to make OA a truly global reality.
  • Open Science is the bigger story. OA is just the first step – the future lies in open data, open peer review, research reproducibility, etc.

“MDPI’s scale allows us to better support authors, reinvest in communities, and push Open Science forward”

How we communicate MDPI’s role

For us at MDPI, this is also a reminder of how we communicate externally. When we tell our story, we shouldn’t forget to start with the bigger picture – Open Science and Open Access. Then we connect it to MDPI, our journals, services, and initiatives, exemplifying the fact that we are part of a mission larger than ourselves.


MDPI colleagues Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships), Marta Colomer (External Affairs), Stefan Tochev (CEO), and Nikola Paunovic (Scilit), at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.

The journey to 100% OA will not be simple. But by educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level.

Impactful Research

MDPI becomes COUNTER 5.1 compliant across 480+ Journals

I’m pleased to share that MDPI has officially become COUNTER 5.1 compliant and has joined the COUNTER Registry.

For those who might not be familiar with it, COUNTER provides international standards for tracking and reporting how research is being used. By becoming COUNTER 5.1 compliant, MDPI can now deliver credible, comparable, and transparent usage reports across our entire journal portfolio.

“MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers”

Why is this important?

Because usage statistics aren’t just numbers: they’re powerful tools that help our authors, institutions, and consortia understand the real impact of their research. With COUNTER compliant reports, our institutional partners can now make more informed decisions about publishing agreements, funding allocations, and the long-term value of Open Access.

In practical terms, MDPI will now provide Platform, Title, and Item Reports, with standardized usage views available at the institute and consortium level. These reports cover usage from January 2024 onwards and will be updated monthly. Institutions will be able to access them via SuSy, or automatically through the COUNTER API.

I’d like to highlight and thank Becky Castellon, our Institutional Partnerships Manager, who has played a key role in driving this project forward. Becky captured it perfectly when she said: "Through these usage reports, our global research community can access trustworthy data about how their work is being used and accessed

This information is often vital for reviewing publishing partnership agreements and for making informed decisions about future funding allocations."

We also received encouraging feedback from Tasha Mellins-Cohen, Executive Director at COUNTER Metrics:

"We’re delighted to see born-OA publishers engaging with COUNTER. Our normalised usage metrics are relied on as the basis for credible return-on-investment calculations by libraries worldwide. By adopting the COUNTER standard, MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers."

For MDPI, this milestone is another step in our commitment to transparency, trust, and impact. By adopting COUNTER’s standards, we’re not just aligning with best practice; we’re ensuring that Open Access publishing is measured on the same terms as traditional publishing, proving its value in concrete and globally recognized ways.

This is an important milestone for MDPI, but more importantly for the researchers, librarians, and institutions we serve. Transparency builds trust, and COUNTER compliance helps us show the global reach and influence of Open Access publishing in the clearest way possible.


Inside Research


Lin Li (Publisher, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI, Prof. Chengkuo Lee (Editor-in-Chief, AI Sensors), and Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing) at restaurant in Basel, Switzerland.

Welcoming Prof. Lee (EiC of AI Sensors) to Basel

On 11 September, we welcomed Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee, Editor-in-Chief of our new journal AI Sensors, to our Basel office. Prof. Lee is a high profiled researcher (h-index 104, 37,000+ citations), a longtime collaborator with MDPI (25 published articles), and has already chaired several AI Sensors (AIS)-related conferences with us, including the recent event in Kuala Lumpur, where AI Sensors held its first editorial board meeting.


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) showing Special Issue reprint books as part of a tour of MDPI’s Basel office.

Every journal has a story

During his visit, we exchanged ideas on how to build the journal’s identity and impact. A key takeaway that I shared was that every journal has a story: its vision, its purpose, and the community it brings together.

That story is what connects with readers and authors, beyond metrics alone.

I encouraged everyone working on journals to reflect: What is the story of your journal? And how can you bring that story to the forefront in how you communicate about it?

How MDPI supports new journals


Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) presenting on the MDPI indexing process at the company’s headquarters in Basel.

We also shared with Prof. Lee how MDPI supports journals through our Institutional Open Access Program, indexing expertise, and the work of our Journal Relationship Specialists.

Launching a new journal is ambitious, but with our strong track record (93% Scopus and 87% Web of Science acceptance rates in 2024), Prof. Lee felt confident that AI Sensors will find its place in the scholarly landscape.

Having spent some hours together, it’s clear that Prof. Lee is not only an Editor-in-Chief but also an ambassador for MDPI. His leadership and collaboration reflect the mission MDPI by which MDPI lives: accelerating Open Access and advancing Open Science.

Special thanks to Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing), Ting Leng (JRS, Managing Editor, AI Sensors), Lin Li (Publisher, AI Sensors), Aimar Xiong (Publisher), and Christian Eberhard (Office Administrator, Basel), for organizing and hosting the meeting.

Coming Together for Science

Highlights from the MDPI UK Summit in London

I was pleased to be back in the UK in September, supporting our Manchester team in hosting their first MDPI Summit in London. This day-and-a-half private event brought together 25 Chief Editors and Associate Editors to exchange knowledge, learn about latest developments at MDPI, and engage in discussions on advancing Open Science. The program included MDPI and guest presentations, and Q&A sessions.

Why these summits matter

Our Summits provide a platform to:

  • Share updates on the latest developments at MDPI, our editorial processes, research integrity practices, and indexing.
  • Highlight collaborations with institutions and societies in the region.
  • Offer external perspectives from guest speakers.
  • Create space for Chief Editors to share their insights, ask questions, network, and help shape MDPI’s path forward.

These gatherings are more than updates: they improve our relationships with Chief Editors, who serve not only as leaders of their journals but also as ambassadors for MDPI within the research community. We often hear that this type of event is unique, something many other publishers do not provide. It shows that we care and are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators.

MDPI and the UK: Key facts

  • With over 80,000 publications, the UK is MDPI’s eighth-largest contributor.
  • MDPI is the fourth-largest publisher in the UK, accounting for 11% of the country’s 89,526 Open Access publications in 2024.
  • We collaborate with more than 4,000 active UK Editorial Board Members, 48% of whom have an H-index above 26. This includes 49 Editors-in-Chief and 74 Section Editors-in-Chief.
  • MDPI maintains over 1,000 IOAP agreements worldwide, with 63 from the UK.

“We are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators”

Agenda highlights:

  • MDPI Overview, Open Access, and UK Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
  • MDPI Editorial Process – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
  • Research Integrity and Publication Ethics – Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist, MDPI)
  • Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI)
  • Promoting and Developing Your Journal – Prof. Fabio Tosti (Editor-in-Chief of NDT)
  • Indexing to Impact – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
  • Engaging our Academic Community – Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager, MDPI)
  • Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)


MDPI colleagues Stefan Tochev (CEO), Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager), Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead), Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager), Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist) at the MDPI UK 2025 Summit in London.

Thank you!

A special thank-you to the Manchester team and all colleagues behind the scenes who made this Summit a success. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum with future Summits in Europe and beyond.


Closing Thoughts


Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI) and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) participating in a press conference at the Italiane Senate in Rome to promote the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM)

MDPI at the Italian Senate: Promoting Environmental Medicine and Open Science

On 16 September, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead) and I had the honour of participating in a press conference at the Italian Senate in Rome, organized by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA) to promote the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM) (20–21 November 2025).

This is an important event for MDPI, as we are the exclusive publishing partner for ICEM and have recently launched a new journal with SIMA, further building our presence both in Italy and within this important field of research.

Why this matters

  • The promotion of ICEM has received extensive national media coverage (more than 15 mentions in major Italian outlets; see links below).
  • The press conference brought together leading policymakers, academics, and Nobel Laureates to emphasize the impact of environmental exposures and epigenetics on human health.
  • We were introduced to government ministries, university rectors, and influential stakeholders, which helps us bolster MDPI’s visibility and reputation in Italy.

Highlights

Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts joined the discussion, underlining the importance of environmental medicine in shaping future health outcomes. Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Tong Zhu (Peking University) will also speak at the November conference.

Institutional representatives included the Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, the Italian Undersecretary for Health, and senior officials from the World Health Organization.

In my closing remarks, I highlighted that:

“Over the past five years, about 65% of research published in Italy has been Open Access, compared to an average of 55% worldwide.”

Italian research ranked seventh among the top 20 countries in average citations during this period, reflecting its strong international influence. Not only is Italy producing a high volume of research; it is also producing research of outstanding quality.

MDPI’s role

This event was not only about promoting ICEM but also about showcasing MDPI’s commitment to Open Access and our ability to connect scientific publishing with leading academic, medical, and policy institutions.

As Giulia Stefenelli noted:

“This event was highly relevant for MDPI, as it not only showcased our strong commitment to OA but also emphasized our role in advancing important fields such as Environmental Medicine.”

Learn more

This moment at the Italian Senate shows how MDPI can connect publishing with science, policy, and society to help advance both Open Science and environmental health research on a global stage.

In Rome with Sir Richard Roberts (photo left) and Prof. Giuseppe Novelli (EiC of MDPI journal COVID).

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 September 2025
Nobel Prize — The Science Behind the Prize


Nobel Prizes are the world’s most prestigious recognition of scientific breakthroughs, honoring discoveries that push the boundaries of knowledge and reshape entire fields. They bring into the public eye researchers whose work might otherwise remain known only within specialized circles.

For many, winning a Nobel Prize is a surreal experience. Laureates often describe a mix of joy, humility, reflection, and gratitude for the teams and collaborators whose contributions made the achievement possible. Behind every Nobel-winning idea lies years of careful, incremental work—a process that often goes unseen.

When Prof. Steven Weinberg won the Nobel Prize in Physics in October 1979, his wife Louise, a legal scholar, reminded him to keep doing the ordinary hard work of science, joking: “Now you have to write some unimportant papers.” True to form, Weinberg continued to push the boundaries of our understanding of the Universe, showing that curiosity and dedication extend far beyond the moment of recognition (Hofmann 2025: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/17/6/840).

Discover the science behind the world’s most transformative ideas

Over the years, dozens of Nobel laureates have published their work with MDPI, entrusting our open access journals to disseminate their findings to a global audience. As of 2024, more than 40 laureates have contributed over 115 articles across 35 journals, ranging from pioneering research on microRNAs and mRNA therapeutics, to fundamental insights in theoretical physics, and advances in structural biology.

We regularly spotlight how Nobel Prize–winning research intersects with the contributions of our authors. This not only celebrates the achievements of the laureates, but also underscores the role of open access in ensuring that transformative science reaches the widest possible audience.

On this page, we invite you to explore selected works by Nobel laureates within the MDPI portfolio, and to join us in celebrating the global impact of their ideas.


The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 will be announced on October 6 at 11:30 am CEST (at the earliest), awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.

 

 

The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physiology or Medicine Roundtable
6 October 2025, 03:30 pm (CEST)
Free to register for this webinar here!

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 will be announced on October 7 at 11:45 am CEST (at the earliest), awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.

 

 

The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physics Roundtable
7 October 2025, 02:30 pm (CEST)
Free to register for this webinar here!


The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 will be announced on October 8 at 11:45 am CEST (at the earliest), awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.

 

 

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

19 August 2025
Meet Us at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association, 25–27 September 2025, Kanazawa, Japan


MDPI will be attending the 84th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association from 25 to 27 September 2025 in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. We welcome researchers from diverse backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

The Annual Meeting is a major event regularly organized by the Japanese Cancer Association to disseminate the latest achievements in cancer research. The 84th Annual Meeting, held under the theme “Believe in the power of cancer research”, emphasizes innovative basic research to deepen our understanding of cancer biology and drive the development of new therapeutic strategies. A total of 20 symposia will be held, each focusing on a specific, cutting-edge research topic, and special lectures will be presented by world-leading cancer researchers. The conference will provide participants with the opportunity to engage with the forefront of international research.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

We welcome you to visit the MDPI booth (#J-2) at the Hotel Nikko Kanazawa. Our representatives are excited to meet you in person and address any questions you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.c-linkage.co.jp/jca2025/en/.

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

16 July 2025
Meet Us at the ESMO Congress 2025, 17–21 October 2025, Berlin, Germany


The ESMO Congress is a significant global oncology platform for clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, journalists and healthcare industry representatives from all over the world. ESMO 2025 aims to converge groundbreaking discoveries, innovative treatments and collaborative approaches to shape the future of cancer care. This event provides the opportunity to learn from internationally renowned experts, engage in thought-provoking discussions and connect with fellow oncology professionals who are advancing diagnosis, treatment and survivorship in this field.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at this conference:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #P2007 and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about this conference, please visit the following website: https://www.esmo.org/meeting-calendar/esmo-congress-2025.

9 July 2025
Onco | Top 10 Viewed Papers in the First Half of 2025


We are pleased to share a selection of papers from the first half of 2025, published in the journal Onco (ISSN: 2673-7523). Below is a list of high-quality papers that we believe you will find insightful and engaging.

1. “The Role of Therapeutic Vaccines in Cancer Immunotherapy”
by Constantin N. Baxevanis, Ourania E. Tsitsilonis, Maria Goulielmaki, Nikolaos Tsakirakis and Angelos D. Gritzapis
Onco 2025, 5(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5010011
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/1/11

2. “Dual Approaches in Oncology: The Promise of siRNA and Chemotherapy Combinations in Cancer Therapies”
by Carolina Sousa and Mafalda Videira
Onco 2025, 5(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5010002
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/1/2

3. “Targeting Pathways and Mechanisms in Gynecological Cancer with Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Phytochemical Drugs”
by Sandhya Shukla, Arvind Kumar Shukla, Navin Ray, Adarsha Mahendra Upadhyay, Fowzul Islam Fahad, Sayan Deb Dutta, Arulkumar Nagappan and Raj Kumar Mongre
Onco 2025, 5(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5020024
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/2/24

4. “Dormant Tumor Cells: Current Opportunities and Challenges in Clinical Practice”
by Emma Boydell, Maxime Borgeaud and Petros Tsantoulis
Onco 2025, 5(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5010003
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/1/3

5. “Molecular Insight and Antioxidative Therapeutic Potentials of Plant-Derived Compounds in Breast Cancer Treatment”
by Sandhya Shukla, Arvind Kumar Shukla, Adarsha Mahendra Upadhyay, Navin Ray, Fowzul Islam Fahad, Arulkumar Nagappan, Sayan Deb Dutta and Raj Kumar Mongre
Onco 2025, 5(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5020027
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/2/27

6. “HCC and Immunotherapy: The Potential Predictive Role of Gut Microbiota and Future Therapeutic Strategies”
by Carmelo Laface, Eleonora Lauricella, Girolamo Ranieri, Francesca Ambrogio, Felicia Maria Maselli, Elena Parlagreco, Giulia Bernardi, Elena Fea and Gianmauro Numico
Onco 2025, 5(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5010009
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/1/9

7. “Perfusion Bioreactor Technology for Organoid and Tissue Culture: A Mini Review”
by Paola Avena, Lucia Zavaglia, Ivan Casaburi and Vincenzo Pezzi
Onco 2025, 5(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5020017
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/2/17

8. “Advancing Bladder Cancer Biomarker Discovery: Integrating Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Imaging”
by Vadanasundari Vedarethinam
Onco 2025, 5(2), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5020013
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/2/13

9. “Disparities in Immunotherapy Use Prior to First-Line Approval for Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States”
by Manav Shah, Abdullah Khalid, Oliver Standring, Neda Amini, Lyudmyla Demyan, Shruti Koti, Emma Gazzara, Grace Wu, Nandan Vithlani, Danielle DePeralta et al.
Onco 2025, 5(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5010006
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/1/6

10. “Adult B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Antigens and Enriched Pathways Identify New Targets for Therapy”
by Eithar Mohamed, Sara Goodman, Leah Cooksey, Daniel M. Fletcher, Olivia Dean, Viktoriya B. Boncheva, Ken I. Mills, Kim H. Orchard and Barbara-ann Guinn
Onco 2025, 5(2), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco5020019
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7523/5/2/19

You can view and submit relevant papers to Onco via https://www.mdpi.com/journal/onco.

Onco Editorial Office

8 July 2025
MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Oncology


According to the World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of mortality and accounted for approximately 10 million deaths in 2020. Therefore, continued research regarding understanding, diagnosing, and treating cancer is a global priority. The ever-evolving field of oncology spans innovations and discoveries in tumor biology, immunotherapy, targeted treatments, early detection, and personalized medicine.

The mission of MDPI’s cluster of oncology-related journals is to publish high-impact research with potential to redefine cancer treatment and care. Addressing topics from solid tumors to hematologic malignancies, from rare cancers to novel therapeutics, these journals provide a dynamic platform for groundbreaking discoveries and clinical advancements that shape the future of oncology.

The four participating journals are as follows:

  • Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) focuses on publishing high-quality clinical, translational, and basic science research on cancer prevention, initiation, progression, and treatment, as well as other related topics. In particular, it showcases the most seminal studies in the rapidly growing areas of immunology, immunotherapy, and tumor microenvironment research. Cancers is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Samuel C. Mok;
  • Current Oncology (ISSN: 1718-7729) is dedicated to advancing cancer care and therapy via publishing clinically relevant research with direct applications to oncology practice. Since its establishment in 1994, the journal has played an important role in disseminating new knowledge across the entire cancer care continuum, spanning the prevention, early detection, and diagnosis of cancer; treatment, including systemic therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery; supportive care; and survivorship care. Additionally, it highlights the critical role of biomarkers and biomarker-driven research in guiding personalized oncology. Affiliated with several key cancer societies, Current Oncology provides a global platform to share scientific progress in oncology. The journal is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Shahid Ahmed;
  • Onco (ISSN: 2673-7523) functions as a scientific forum integrating novel preclinical, translational, and clinical cancer research and is focused on (but not limited to) the following topics: cancer cell signaling; cancer genetics and molecular targets; cancer epigenetics and heterogeneity; carcinogenesis and cancer evolution; microbiomes and cancer; cancer metabolomics; cancer biomarkers; cancer dormancy; novel targeted and immune cancer therapies; randomized clinical trials; oncotargets; cancer therapies; and clinical reports proposing novel therapeutic regimens. Onco is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Constantin N. Baxevanis;
  • Targets (ISSN: 2813-3137) is centered on, but not limited to, discovering novel molecules which act as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, establishing new bionic recognition systems for biosensing and bioimaging, developing novel approaches for biomarker detection, related applications of biological interaction monitoring and targeted therapy, designing new signal amplification strategies for biosensing and cellular or in vivo imaging, utilizing molecular recognition for single-molecule or single-cell analysis, elucidating new pathways or mechanisms in disease development and progression, and synthesizing smart nanomaterials for activatable imaging and responsive drug release. Targets is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Huangxian Ju.

 

Launch Year

Impact Factor (2024)

CiteScore (2024)

Time to First Decision (Median)

APC (CHF)

2009

4.4

8.8

17.4 days

2900

1994

3.4

4.9

19.8 days

2200

2021

/

/

27.8 days

1000

2023

/

/

28.4 days

1000

MDPI’s mission and values:

As a pioneer in academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms and across all disciplines. MDPI's guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:

  • Open Access—All our content is published in open access format and distributed under a Creative Commons License, providing free access to the latest research and allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
  • Timeliness and Efficiency—We rapidly publish novel research through a thorough editorial process, ensuring that a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and that papers are published within 7–10 days upon acceptance;
  • Simplicity—We offer user-friendly tools and services on our integrated system to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
  • High-Quality Service—We support scholars and their work by providing a range of options, such as publication in journals at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and the publication of conferences at sciforum.net, to positively impact research;
  • Flexibility—We adapt and develop new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
  • Rooted in Sustainability—We ensure the long-term preservation of published papers and support the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards.

By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open-science practices.

Selected Topics:

Selected Articles:

Cancers
Generation of Hydrogen Peroxide in Cancer Cells: Advancing Therapeutic Approaches for Cancer Treatment
Cancers 2024, 16(12), 2171; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16122171

Current Oncology
Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Review of Available Therapies and Clinical Scenarios Encountered in Myeloma Relapse
Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(2), 2322-2347; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30020179

Onco
Significance of PET/CT Imaging in Myeloma Assessment: Exploring Novel Applications beyond Osteolytic Lesion Detection and Treatment Response
Onco 2024, 4(1), 15-36; https://doi.org/10.3390/onco4010002

Targets
Potential of MMP-2 and MMP-9 Gelatinase Blockade as a Therapeutic Strategy in Fibrosarcoma Treatment: A Decadal Review
Targets 2024, 2(2), 104-125; https://doi.org/10.3390/targets2020007

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