Announcements

MDPI is honored to announce the recipients of the 2025 Best Paper Awards, celebrating exceptional research for its scientific merit and broad impact. After a rigorous evaluation process conducted by Academic Editors, this year’s awards showcase papers that stand out for their innovation, relevance, and high-quality presentation.

Out of a highly competitive pool, 396 winning papers have been recognized for their exceptional contributions. We congratulate these authors for pushing the boundaries of their respective disciplines.

At MDPI, we are dedicated to broadening the reach of innovative science. To learn more about the award-winning papers and explore research projects in your field of study, please visit the following links:

• Biology and Life Sciences;
• Business and Economics;
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
• Computer Sciences and Mathematics;
• Engineering;
• Environmental and Earth Sciences;
• Medicine and Pharmacology;
• Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities;
• Physical Sciences;
• Public Health and Healthcare.

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the global research community and enhance academic dialogue, MDPI journals regularly host award programs across diverse scientific disciplines. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and whose work drives the advancement of their fields.

Explore the Best Paper Awards open for participation, please click here.

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

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

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

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

A Conversation with the Chair

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Tu Youyou Award

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

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

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

World Malaria Day, observed annually on 25 April, celebrates the importance of raising awareness of malaria and the preventive efforts to control the disease, with the ultimate goal of eradicating malaria worldwide.  With the development of new vaccines, treatments, malaria control tools, and pioneering technologies, ending malaria within our lifetime has become a real possibility.

In recognition of World Malaria Day, MDPI reaffirms its commitment to advancing cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research. Through open access publishing, we support the dissemination of discoveries in Public Health & Healthcare, Medicine & Pharmacology, Biology, Life Sciences, and related fields —ensuring knowledge is accessible and empowering researchers to contribute to the next generation of scientific and technological breakthroughs.

MDPI established the Tu Youyou Award in 2016 to honor Professor Tu Youyou’s remarkable contributions to human health and acknowledge exceptional scholars committed to the research fields of natural product and medicinal chemistry.

Prize:

• CHF 100,000 (to be divided equally should multiple recipients be awarded);
• An award medal and a certificate.

Nomination Deadline: 31 October 2026.

For further information, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website (https://tuyouyouprize.org/).
For any inquiries, please contact the Tu Youyou Award Team at tuyouyouaward@mdpi.com.

Prof. Eleni Patsoula, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece	Prof. Oleksii Skorokhod, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy	Prof. Dr. Toshio Hattori, Roken Akanpe Nursing Home, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan
Dr. Kostas Eleftheratos, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), South Africa	Dr. Michael Eisenhut, Cochrane Collaboration, UK

Register for this webinar for free here!

“Diagnostic Accuracy of Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Malaria Diagnostic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Icha Farihah Deniyati Faratisha, Khadijah Cahya Yunita,  Hanifa Rizky Rahmawati, Loeki Enggar Fitri, Nuning Winaris and Lailil Muflikah
Infect. Dis. Rep. 2026, 18(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/idr18010011

“Enduring Warning: A Holistic Comparison of the Establishment and Spread of P. falciparum Evolutionary Lineage Malaria in Ancient Rome and the Threat of Zoonotic P. knowlesi Malaria in Modern Southeast Asia”
by Mark Orsag, Giovanni Meledandri, Amanda McKinney and Melissa Clouse
Zoonotic Dis. 2025, 5(4), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/zoonoticdis5040034

“Evolutionary Trajectory of Plasmodium falciparum: From Autonomous Phototroph to Dedicated Parasite”
by Damian Pikor, Mikołaj Hurla, Alicja Drelichowska and Małgorzata Paul
Biomedicines 2025, 13(9), 2287; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13092287

“Correlation of Inflammatory Biomarkers and IgG4 Antibodies with Malaria in Cameroon’s Buea Municipality Children”
by Jerome Nyhalah Dinga, Flora Ayah, Emmanuel Fondungallah Anu, Haowen Qin, Stanley Dobgima Gamua, Anthony Kukwah Tufon, Magloire Essissima Amougou and  Rameshbabu Manyam
Diseases 2025, 13(4), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases13040123

“Alterations in von Willebrand Factor Levels in Patients with Malaria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Disease Severity”
by Suriyan Sukati, Rujikorn Rattanatham, Frederick Ramirez Masangkay, Ching-Ping Tseng and Manas Kotepui
Medicina 2025, 61(4), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61040767

“Genetic Diversity of Potential Drug Resistance Markers in Plasmodium vivax Isolates from Panama, Mesoamerica”
by Vanessa Vásquez, Ana María Santamaría, Dianik Moreno, Fergie Ruíz, Chystrie A. Rigg, Luis F. Chaves and José E. Calzada
Pathogens 2025, 14(3), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14030231

“Duplication of a Type-P5B-ATPase in Laverania and Avian Malaria Parasites and Implications About the Evolution of Plasmodium”
by Mark F. Wiser
Parasitologia 2025, 5(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia5010006

“Identification of Malaria-Selective Proteasome β5 Inhibitors Through Pharmacophore Modeling, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation”
by Muhammad Yasir, Jinyoung Park, Eun-Taek Han, Jin-Hee Han, Won Sun Park and Wanjoo Chun
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(22), 11881; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252211881

“Antimalarial Mechanisms and Resistance Status of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives”   
by Dan Zheng,  Tingting Liu, Shasha Yu, Zhilong Liu, Jing Wang and Ying Wang
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(9), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9090223

“Sensitivity Assessment of a Multiplex and Real-Time PCR Protocols for the Detection of Malaria in External Quality Control Samples in the Malaria Reference Center in Greece”
by Nikolaos Tegos, Christos Goumenopoulos, Anastasia Mpimpa, Vasilios Papavasilopoulos, Stavroula Beleri and Eleni Patsoula
Parasitologia 2024, 4(2), 150-161; https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia4020013

“Targeting Plasmodium Life Cycle with Novel Parasite Ligands as Vaccine Antigens”
by Shan Khan, Manas Paresh Patel, Aleem Damji Patni and Sung-Jae Cha
Vaccines 2024, 12(5), 484; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12050484

“Advances in Microparasite Research”  Guest Editors: Dr. Sofia Nolasco and Dr. Inês L. S. Delgado   Submission deadline: 31 July 2026	“Malaria in a Changing World” Guest Editors: Dr. Harry Tagbor and Dr. Luiz Shozo Ozaki Submission deadline: 20 August 2026
“Genetic and Molecular Research on the Malaria Parasite” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Hajime Hisaeda and Dr. Takashi Imai Submission deadline: 20 September 2026	“Advances in Tools for Battling Malaria” Guest Editors: Dr. Wenn-Chyau Lee and Dr. Meng Yee Lai Submission deadline: 31 December 2026

MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of World Malaria Day on 24 April 2026. This event will promote public understanding of malaria diagnosis and prevention, as well as highlight the development of pioneering technologies that have made malaria elimination possible.

Date: 24 April at 10:00 a.m. CEST | 4:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 847 7074 5022
Webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MWMDW

Register now for free:

Program:

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

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

Keynote Speakers:

• Prof. Eleni Patsoula, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece;
• Prof. Oleksii Skorokhod, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy;
• Prof. Dr. Toshio Hattori, Roken Akanpe Nursing Home, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan;
• Dr. Ashley Burke, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), South Africa;
• Dr. Michael Eisenhut, Cochrane Collaboration, UK.

Relevant Special Issues:
“Advances in Microparasite Research”
Guest Editors: Dr. Sofia Nolasco and Dr. Inês L. S. Delgado
Submission deadline: 31 July 2026

“Malaria in a Changing World”
Guest Editors: Dr. Harry Tagbor and Dr. Luiz Shozo Ozaki
Submission deadline: 20 August 2026

“Genetic and Molecular Research on the Malaria Parasite "
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Hajime Hisaeda and Dr. Takashi Imai
Submission deadline: 20 September 2026

“Advances in Tools for Battling Malaria”
Guest Editors: Dr. Wenn-Chyau Lee and Dr. Meng Yee Lai
Submission deadline: 31 December 2026

“Recent Advances in Malaria Vaccine Development—2nd Edition”
Guest Editors: Dr. Ahmad Rushdi Shakri and Dr. Dipak Raj
Submission deadline: 31 December 2026

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

We extend our gratitude to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who will shape the future course of these brand-new journals. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create a new journal, you are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).

We are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Tu Youyou Award. Named after Nobel Laureate Tu Youyou, whose discovery of artemisinin has saved millions of lives, this award recognizes researchers whose work advances the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, while also contributing to human health.

Prize

– CHF 100,000;
– A medal;
– A certificate.

The monetary prize will be shared equally should there be multiple recipients.

Who May Be Nominated?

– Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Nominees must be individuals; team or group nominations are not permitted. Nominations are valid only for the current award cycle.

Who May Submit a Nomination?

– The director of the nominee’s host research institution or recognized scientists within the field.

Self-nominations will not be considered.

Nomination Materials

– A biographical sketch;
– A detailed description of the nominee’s contributions;
– 5–10 representative academic publications;
– A list of academic honors, awards, and funded projects;
– A nomination letter signed by two nominators.

How to Submit?

Submit nominations online via the following link: https://tuyouyouprize.org/nomination

Important Dates

– Nomination Deadline: 31 October 2026
– Winner Announcement: March 2027

For further information, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website (https://tuyouyouprize.org/). For any inquiries, please contact the Tu Youyou Award Team at tuyouyouaward@mdpi.com.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Moriya Tsuji as the new Editor-in-Chief of Pathogens (ISSN: 2076-0817).

Name: Prof. Dr. Moriya Tsuji
Affiliation: School of Engineering Medicine, Texas A&M University, 2121 West Holcombe Blvd., Suite 1007, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: vaccines, adjuvant, humanized mice, NKT cells, malaria, HIV, cancer

Prof. Dr. Moriya Tsuji was a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He also held a professorship at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center prior to his move in March 2026 to the School of Engineering Medicine at Texas A&M University in Houston, Texas, USA.

Prof. Dr. Tsuji received his MD degree in 1983 from The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan, and his PhD in immunology in 1987 from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tokyo. He is widely recognized as a leader in the development of humanized mouse models that recapitulate the human immune system, as well as an expert in T cell–mediated immunity against infectious diseases and cancer, and in the development of glycolipid-based vaccine adjuvants.

Prof. Dr. Tsuji has authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including Nature, Nature Medicine, The Journal of Experimental Medicine, The Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. In 2021, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH). He has served on several prominent advisory bodies, including the Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council (VSPAC) of the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (2008–2012) and the Malaria Vaccine Consultation Group (MVCG) of NIAID/NIH (2010–2012). In addition, he served as a founding roster member of the Immunity and Host Defense (IHD) study section at NIAID/NIH from 2003 to 2008. Since 2015, he has been an International Advisory Member of the International Immunological Memory and Vaccine Forum (IIMVF).

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Moriya Tsuji, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing:

1. What motivated you to express interest in this role?
I have been involved with several MDPI journals for many years. I joined the Editorial Board of Biomolecules around 2015–2016 and have also served on the boards of a number of other MDPI journals. Through this work, I have become familiar with MDPI’s editorial processes and standards.
I have also followed the development of Pathogens over time and have found many of its articles to be both informative and relevant to the field. The journal’s scope aligns well with my research interests.
Although I initially hesitated because of my current workload, I decided to accept the invitation, as I see this as an opportunity to contribute to the journal’s continued development. Pathogens already has a strong foundation, and I believe there is room to further strengthen its impact by bringing in leading researchers, encouraging high-quality submissions, and maintaining rigorous peer review. I would be glad to support these efforts.
More broadly, I think it is important for journals like Pathogens to continue supporting and disseminating solid scientific work, especially at a time when research in infectious diseases is facing increasing challenges, including funding limitations and shifting priorities.

2. How do you see this research field evolving in the coming years?
Research on pathogens and infectious diseases will remain central to addressing global health challenges. At the same time, the field is undergoing notable shifts, particularly in funding landscapes and regional research priorities, which are likely to influence both the direction and pace of scientific progress.
In this evolving environment, scientific journals have an especially important role in sustaining momentum within the field. Journals such as Pathogens can provide a critical platform for disseminating new findings, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting the continued growth of the research community.
In particular, it will be important to actively support early-career investigators and to ensure that the journal remains a compelling venue for innovative and impactful work. By upholding rigorous peer-review standards while promoting high-quality contributions, Pathogens is well positioned to further strengthen its standing as a respected journal in the field.

3. What is your vision for the journal moving forward?
My vision for Pathogens is to further establish the journal as a leading venue for high-quality, mechanistic, and translational research in pathogen biology and infectious diseases. As the field evolves, the journal should prioritize studies that bridge fundamental discovery with clinical relevance, including work that leverages advanced human-relevant model systems and innovative therapeutic approaches.
Maintaining rigorous and efficient peer review will be essential to ensure both scientific quality and a positive author experience. At the same time, the journal should remain accessible and attractive to emerging investigators, while encouraging interdisciplinary contributions that reflect the increasingly integrative nature of the field.
By focusing on scientific rigor, translational impact, and community engagement, Pathogens can continue to strengthen its position as a respected and influential journal.

4. What are your views on the future of open access publishing?
Open access publishing has become an essential component of the modern scientific ecosystem. By removing paywalls, it enables broader and more equitable access to research findings, allowing investigators, clinicians, and institutions around the world to engage with new knowledge more readily and to build upon it.
At the same time, the financial model underpinning open access—particularly article processing charges—can create challenges, especially for researchers working in resource-limited settings or without dedicated funding support. It will therefore be important for publishers and funding bodies to develop transparent, fair, and flexible mechanisms to ensure that the ability to publish is not constrained by financial considerations.
Looking ahead, I expect open access to continue expanding in both scope and influence. If coupled with rigorous editorial standards and thoughtful policies, it has the potential to serve as a truly inclusive platform that accelerates scientific exchange and fosters global collaboration.

As a pioneer in open access publishing, MDPI maintains rigorous publication standards. This mission relies on the dedication and expertise of our reviewers, who invest their time and knowledge to ensure the quality and integrity of the research we publish.

In 2025, over 209,000 reviewers contributed to the peer-review process at MDPI, providing more than 1.3 million review reports for our journals. To express our gratitude, MDPI’s Reviewer Recognition Program highlights reviewers across over 400 journals, featuring those who have assessed at least one manuscript and agreed to be acknowledged.

In addition, MDPI has identified its Top 1000 Reviewers of 2024 to recognize those whose expertise, dedication, and thoughtful evaluations were particularly outstanding.

Many journals have also established Outstanding Reviewer Awards to honor our reviewers’ commitment to publication excellence. Together with the Exceptional Reviewer List, we showcase the importance of reviewers’ work and their time and dedication.

These initiatives serve to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude towards the whole reviewer community. In recognition of their contributions, we also welcome new researchers to join this community. If you would like to contribute to open access publishing, learn more about the reviewers’ benefits and sign up to join us.

Tuberculosis is a disease that is both preventable and treatable, significantly affecting people’s health and quality of life worldwide. Every year, we commemorate World Tuberculosis Day to raise public awareness of the devastating health, social, and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to intensify efforts to end the global TB epidemic. The date signifies the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacterium responsible for TB, which paved the way for diagnosing and curing this disease.

The theme of World TB Day 2026, “Yes! We can End TB! Led by Countries, Powered by People”, is a bold call to action and a message of hope, affirming that it is possible to get back on track and turn the tide on the TB epidemic, even in a challenging global environment. With decisive country leadership, increased domestic and international investment, rapid uptake of new WHO recommendations and innovations, accelerated action, and strong multisectoral collaboration, ending TB is not just aspirational—it is achievable.

We hope that established journals in the fields of biology, life sciences, medicine, and pharmacology at MDPI will continue to serve as a communication platform for innovative ideas regarding prevention and treatment.

 “Trends in Tuberculosis Incidence and Mortality in South Africa and Bulgaria (2000–2023): The Impact of Income, Poverty, Unemployment, and Universal Health Coverage”
by Siyabonga Kave, Joana Simeonova, Antoniya Yanakieva, Alexandrina Vodenitcharova, Denisha Govender, Yandisa Sikweyiya and Nelisiwe Khuzwayo
Epidemiologia 2026, 7(2), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia7020039

“Humoral Immune Activation Against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Through Oral Immunization with Engineered Salmonella”
by Azar Motamedi Boroojeni, Nikoo Veiskarami, Elena Rita Simula, Leonardo Antonio Sechi and Abdollah Derakhshandeh
Bacteria 2025, 4(3), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/bacteria4030047

“History of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Accelerates Early Onset and Severity of COPD: Evidence from a Multicenter Study in Romania”
by Ramona Cioboata, Silviu Gabriel Vlasceanu, Denisa Maria Mitroi, Ovidiu Mircea Zlatian, Mara Amalia Balteanu, Gabriela Marina Andrei, Viorel Biciusca and Mihai Olteanu
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(17), 5980; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14175980

“Integration of AI and ML in Tuberculosis (TB) Management: From Diagnosis to Drug Discovery”
by Sameeullah Memon, Shabana Bibi and Guozhong He
Diseases 2025, 13(6), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases13060184

“Three-Dimensional-Printed Isoniazid Chewable Gels for On-Demand Latent Tuberculosis Treatment in Children”
by Amanda de O. E. Moreira, Lêda Maria S. Azevedo Neta, Márcia Pietroluongo, Ana Paula dos S. Matos, Beatriz B. Correa, Beatriz H. Ortiz, André da S. Guimarães, Marcio Nele, Carollyne M. Santos, Ana Elizabeth C. Fai et al.
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(5), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17050658

“Prevalence and Associated Factors of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Healthcare Workers in a Mexican Tertiary Care Hospital”
by José Ángel Hernández-Mariano, Mónica Alethia Cureño-Díaz, Verónica Fernández-Sánchez, Estibeyesbo Said Plascencia-Nieto, Dulce Milagros Razo-Blanco-Hernández, Claudia Vázquez-Zamora, Víctor Hugo Gutiérrez-Muñoz, Beatriz Leal-Escobar, Erika Gómez-Zamora and Yanelly Estrella Morales-Vargas
Diseases 2025, 13(6), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases13060173

“The Complex Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Hyperglycemia”
by Michelle Byers and Elizabeth Guy
Diagnostics 2024, 14(22), 2539; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14222539

“The Role of mTOR in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection”
by Ami Patel, Lannhi Nguyen, Christina Shea, Sunjum Singh and Vishwanath Venketaraman
Biomedicines 2024, 12(10), 2238; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12102238

“Tuberculosis-Induced Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy: A Challenging Case Scenario in a Non-Endemic Country”
by Agnese Colpani, Davide Astorri, Andrea De Vito, Giordano Madeddu, Sandro Panese and Nicholas Geremia
Reports 2024, 7(4), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/reports7040082

“Adherence to Short-Duration Treatment (3HP) for Latent Tuberculosis among International Migrants in Manaus, Amazonas: Evaluation of the Efficacy of Different Treatment Modalities”
by Yan Mathias Alves, Thaís Zamboni Berra, Sonia Vivian de Jezus, Vânia Maria Silva Araújo, Jair dos Santos Pinheiro, Lara Bezerra de Oliveira de Assis, Marvis Canelonez, Daniel Souza Sacramento, Freddy Perez, Ethel Leonor Noia Maciel et al.
Microorganisms 2024, 12(8), 1629; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081629

“A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Management of Eales Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature”
by Maria Filoftea Mercut, Oana Maria Ică, Cornelia Andreea Tănasie, Răzvan Mercuț, Carmen Luminița Mocanu, Andreea Mihaela Nicolcescu and Ciprian Danielescu
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(3), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14030235

“Mycobacterium tuberculosis Deficient in PdtaS Cytosolic Histidine Kinase Displays Attenuated Growth and Affords Protective Efficacy against Aerosol M. tuberculosis Infection in Mice”
by Kelly A. Prendergast, Gayathri Nagalingam, Nicholas P. West and James A. Triccas
Vaccines 2024, 12(1), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12010050

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