Announcements

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Richard DiMarchi Indiana University, USA	Prof. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University, USA. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single-molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism at related G-protein coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and their conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
“Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor.” —Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee
Rolf Müller Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Infections Research (HZI), Germany; Saarland University, Germany	Prof. Rolf Müller is the Founding and Managing Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Saarland University, Germany. Having received his training from the University of Bonn, he held research positions at the University of Washington, USA, and Braunschweig University of Technology, Germany, prior to his appointment as professor to Saarland University. His laboratory has dedicated itself to the exploration of bacterial natural-product biosynthetic pathways for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in working with myxobacteria and other microbial producer strains. Starting from the isolation and characterization of new microorganisms, the scope of work includes microbiology-, biotechnology-, bioinformatics-, and chemistry-based approaches to exploit these isolates as sources of new drugs with a special focus on novel anti-infectives. Müller and his team apply a variety of state-of-the-art analytical methods and biological assays to perform biological and chemical characterizations of the identified compounds. Prof. Müller has received several awards, including the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, the PHOENIX Pharmacy Research Award, the DECHEMA Prize, and the Inhoffen Medal, as well as being an elected member of acatech, Leopoldina, and the German Academy of Sciences and Literature.
“The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members were highly impressed by the truly outstanding past and ongoing contributions of Professor Müller in both microbial natural products isolation chemistry and in biosynthesis, as well as in the development of lead compounds for their potential in treating human diseases, through his global connections with various major funding agencies. He is also a dedicated teacher who has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and he has lectured on his research in countries all over the world.” —Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee

The achievements of Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller highlight the transformative impact of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. We congratulate them and invite the global academic community and public to join us in celebrating their significant contributions.

2024 Award Committee
Committee Chair:

• Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Ohio State University, USA.
  

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

• Prof. Angelo Fontana, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy;
• Prof. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University, USA;
• Dr. Diana Pinto, University of Aveiro, Portugal;
• Prof. Hideaki Kakeya, Kyoto University, Japan;
• Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, University of Strathclyde, UK;
• Prof. Thomas Prisinzano, University of Kentucky, USA
• Prof. Wei Li, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA.

About the Tu Youyou Award:
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honor the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award honoring exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

We are thrilled to share the updated Exceptional Reviewers List 2025. This program was designed to recognize and honor scholars who have delivered consistently exceptional review reports to our journal. Committed to fostering rigorous research and promoting knowledge exchange, Processes (ISSN: 2227-9717) recognize the significant role that our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to the surveys conducted in 2024, 92% of our authors rate the peer review as good or excellent, thanks to our pool of excellent reviewers.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the reviewers who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to assist in Processes’ peer-review process. Their dedication and attention to detail in evaluating manuscripts, offering valuable feedback, and contributing to academic rigor are truly commendable.

The Exceptional Reviewers List was introduced in 2025. Each quarter, we will be selecting a group of outstanding reviewers and will introduce them here.

Q1
Name: Dr. Hirotaka Sugiura
Affiliation: The University of Tokyo, Japan  

Name: Dr. Feiran Wang
Affiliation: University of Nottingham, UK

Name: Dr. Roksana Muzyka
Affiliation: Silesian University of Technology, Poland

Name: Dr. Amilton Barbosa Botelho Junior
Affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

Name: Dr. Klaus Stefan Drese
Affiliation: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Technology, Germany

Name: Dr. Rosa Di Maggio
Affiliation: Institute for Micromanufacturing, Louisiana Tech University, USA

Name: Dr. Jorge Guillermo Diaz Rodriguez
Affiliation: Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico

Name: Dr. Antonina Kalinichenko
Affiliation: University of Opole, Poland

Name: Dr. Anil K. Meher
Affiliation: University of Minnesota, USA
“Peer-reviewing for Processes has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to engage deeply with innovative research in analytical and applied chemistry.”

Name: Dr. Muhammad Usman
Affiliation: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
“Reviewing for Processes is both an honor and a learning opportunity, allowing me to critically engage with innovative research while contributing to advancements in sustainable process, energy, and environmental technologies.”

Conference: The 19th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (ICCE 2025)
Date: 8–12 June 2025
Location: Belgrade, Serbia

MDPI will be attending the 19th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

Continual knowledge development is essential to ensure a healthy environment and the safe progress of society. ICCE 2025 aims to accelerate this process by addressing a wide range of challenges and developments from the perspective of environmental chemistry, serving societal sustainability goals.

ICCE 2025 will provide an excellent platform for networking, exchange, and collaboration. It offers a unique opportunity to share and discuss research not only within the research community but also with industry professionals and competent authorities.

The following MDPI journals will be presented at the conference:

• Sustainability;
• Clean Technologies;
• Environments;
• Processes;
• Pollutants;
• ChemEngineering.

If you plan to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icce2025.com/.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Processes 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Processes (ISSN: 2227-9717) Editorial Board and editorial team gratefully acknowledge the time and effort dedicated by our reviewers to evaluating manuscripts submitted to this journal. Thanks to their efforts, the high quality and quick turnaround of Processes are maintained. 

Winners:

• Krzysztof Skrzypkowski, AGH University of Krakow, Poland;
• Seyed Kourosh Mahjour, Texas State University, United States;
• Qingchao Li, Henan Polytechnic University, China;
• Mihaela Toderaş, University of Petrosani, Romania;
• Meng Wang, The University of Texas, United States.

Prize:

• CHF 500;
• An opportunity to publish a paper free of charge in 2025 after peer review;
• A certificate. 

Processes Editorial Office

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Processes 2024 Young Investigator Award is Dr. Yi Yang.

Dr. Yi Yang is an exceptional young researcher and Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore and Beijing Normal University. Born in 1994, he completed his Ph.D. in 2020 and has made significant contributions to chemical engineering and environmental science, focusing on catalytic materials, adsorption technologies, and advanced oxidation mechanisms. His work has been published in high-impact journals, earning him an H-index of 18 and over 970 citations. As a prolific inventor, he holds numerous patents for innovative materials used in environmental remediation. Dr. Yang has also served on Editorial Boards and as a Guest Editor for leading journals, while providing industrial consultation for companies in environmental protection and chemical engineering. His achievements have earned him prestigious awards, including his position as a finalist for the IChemE Global Awards—Young Researcher Award and gold medals at international invention expos. His dedication to research and innovation continues to inspire the scientific community.

As the awardee, Dr. Yang will receive an honorarium of CHF 2000, a voucher to fully cover the article processing fees valid for one year for Processes after peer review, and an electronic certificate.

We would like to thank all the nominators from various fields of study for their participation and all the Award Committee Members for their evaluation of the many excellent nominations.

Processes Editorial Office

In order to further enhance the international influence of the journal Processes (ISSN: 2227-9717), promote the academic exchange of young scientists, and support the Editorial Board with additional expertise, Processes is inviting interested and eligible early career researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership.

A total of 200 Early Career Editorial Board Members are planned to be recruited. Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) Members will hold the position for two years with the possibility of renewal for a second term.

Application Eligibility:

• Completed their doctorate/Ph.D. degree in the past 10 years (considering exceptions for career interruptions, including medical and family leave);
• Evidence of significant research achievements in the fields of processes/systems in chemistry, biology, materials, energy, environment, food, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, automation control, catalysis, separation, particle, and allied engineering;
• Willingness to dedicate their time to the development of the journal with passion and enthusiasm;
• Researchers who are active and engaged in their community (e.g., experienced at presenting at academic conferences or involved in professional organizations).

Benefits of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:

• A certificate of appointment as an Early Career Editorial Board Member will be provided;
• The achievements of Early Career Editorial Board Members are publicized on journal media platforms to improve academic visibility;
• An opportunity to be promoted to Editorial Board Member based on contributions;
• The journal will regularly acknowledge those who participated in the peer-review process on the journal website;
• Opportunities to participate in or host annual meetings and online seminars organized by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board Members.

Responsibilities of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:

• Publicizing and promoting the journal at academic conferences and among peers;
• Selecting high-quality articles and preparing bilingual media content for promotion;
• Reviewing at least four manuscripts per year;
• Providing input on any new initiatives for journal development;
• Inviting submissions from local and overseas world-leading scientists in respective research fields.

Applications:

Please fill out the application form here and send the application form and your academic resume to processes@mdpi.com with the subject “Processes Early Career Editorial Board Application + Name + Institute + Research Expertise”.

Application deadline: 1 October 2025.

Selection Process and Announcement:
The selection process: initial screening of application materials → selection by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members → email notification → issuing a certificate of appointment.

The selection will be made within one month of the application deadline, and the results will be announced on the journal website.

MDPI will be attending the XVI International Mineral Processing and Recycling Conference, which will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, from 28 to 30 May 2025. IMPRC 2025 is organized every two years by the Technical Faculty in Bor, a member of the University of Belgrade, and co-organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. The conference aims to create an international forum for academics, researchers, and scientists from around the world to present their latest research results, ideas, and developments regarding issues related to mineral processing and recycling technologies and related areas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Minerals;
• Recycling;
• Environments;
• Processes;
• Sustainability;
• Waste;
• Metals.

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://imprc.tfbor.bg.ac.rs/.

The interest in mining for obtaining critical metals has increased in recent decades. Among these metals are cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, niobium, platinum-group metals, tantalum, titanium, vanadium, tungsten, and strontium. These critical metals are crucial for energy transition.

This webinar will discuss environmental and technical aspects of critical mineral recovery from secondary sources for application in green energy production. We will discuss technical aspects of battery recycling and challenges for future research on the global production of green hydrogen.

Date: 10 March 2025 at 3:00 p.m. CET | 9:00 a.m. EST| 10:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 820 8707 9177
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/Processes-5

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

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

Register now for free!

Program:

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Amilton Barbosa Botelho Junior, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA;
• Dr. Dilshan Sandaruwan Premathilake, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica (DICATAM), Università degli Studi di Brescia, Italy;
• Dr. Lucas Fonseca Guimarães, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica (DICATAM), Università degli Studi di Brescia, Italy;
• Dr. Bruno Ramos, Department of Chemical Engineering, FEI University Center, Brazil.
  

Relevant Special Issues:
“Advances in Metallurgical Processing and Involved Separation Techniques”
Guest Editor: Amilton Botelho Junior
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2025

“Advances in Recycling of Valuable Metals—2nd Edition”
Guest Editors: Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa, Daniel Assumpcao Bertuol and Amilton Botelho Junior
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2025

MDPI is pleased to share a significant milestone in its mission to advance scholarly research and promote the dissemination of knowledge—300+ MDPI journals are now indexed in Web of Science (WoS). This milestone highlights the global recognition, interdisciplinary impact and enhanced visibility of our journals. It also reflects our adherence to rigorous editorial standards, scientific integrity, and our mission to foster open scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. 

To explore the full list of our journals indexed in WoS, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals/wos. Beyond expanding the coverage of our publications in the leading academic databases, we are dedicated to ensuring that our journals are included in as many scope-specific databases as possible. This increases the visibility of our authors’ work and extends the reach of their significant data. 

This milestone would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of our academic editors, reviewers and authors. Their commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in creating an inclusive, accessible, and impactful publishing platform. We also extend our gratitude to the global research community for their trust as we continue to break new ground in academic publishing. This milestone is not just a celebration of MDPI’s progress but also recognition of the collective strides made by researchers worldwide. 

As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, MDPI remains steadfast in its commitment to open access publishing and ensuring that high-quality research reaches and inspires a global audience.