Announcements

We are honored to announce the appointment of two academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as Honorary Editors-in-Chief of the journal Symmetry (ISSN: 2073-8994). We appreciate their recognition of our journal and their pledges of support.

Name: Prof. Dr. Ronggen Cai
Affiliation: Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
Interests: gravitational theory; cosmology

Name: Prof. Dr. Jiping Zhang
Affiliation: Peking University, Beijing, China
Interests: algebra

Further details about the Editorial Board of Symmetry can be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/symmetry/editors.

Symmetry Editorial Office

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.

Organized by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, the 2025 2nd International Conference on Computer Vision, Robotics and Automation Engineering will be held from 27 to 29 June 2025 in Shanghai, China.

This conference aims to serve as a platform for academic exchanges between specialists and scholars in computer vision, robotics and automation engineering, addressing the key challenges and research directions in this field. It seeks to promote the development and application of relevant theories and technologies in universities and enterprises and provide scholars, engineers and industry experts with the opportunity to present new ideas and research results.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Symmetry;
• Algorithms;
• Mathematics;
• Signals.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to visit our booth and talk to our representatives. We look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about this event, please visit the official website via https://www.ic-crae.org/.

The 12th Congress of the Balkan Physical Union will be held from 8 to 12 July 2025 in Bucharest, Romania, and is organized by the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest. 

The Balkan Physical Union (BPU) is a non-governmental, non-profit scientific organization, established in 1986. The first Balkan Physical Union Council meeting was held in Bucharest in 1987, when the first BPU Constitution was adopted. Starting from 2023, BPU became a legal entity with its headquarters established at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The Congress will consist of the following activities: atomic, molecular and optical physics; biophysics, life sciences, medical physics; condensed matter, materials and applied physics; etc.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Symmetry;
• QuBS;
• Condensed Matter;
• Quantum Reports;
• Physics;
• Particles.

If you are planning to attend the above-mentioned conference, we warmly welcome you to visit our booth and engage with our representatives. We look forward to meeting you in person and are here to assist with any questions that you may have. For more information about this conference, please visit the official website at https://bpu12.ucv.ro/.

SKA Pulsar Science Symposium 2025 will be held from 2 to 4 July 2025 in Qingdao, China, and is organized by Qingdao University of Technology.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an intergovernmental radio telescope project to be built in Australia and South Africa. The SKA, with a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometre, represents the next-generation radio telescope. A large group of scientists in China are working actively in the field of pulsar astronomy, and a platform like the SKA Pulsar Science Symposium (SPSS) is highly desirable for facilitating communication and cooperation among pulsar astronomers. SPSS will bring together experts in the field, advance scientific studies of pulsars, foster the young generation, and eventually make an impact on the global SKA community.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Symmetry;
• Universe;
• Galaxies.

If you are planning to attend the above-mentioned conference, we warmly welcome you to visit our booth and engage with our representatives. We look forward to meeting you in person and are here to assist with any questions that you may have. For more information about this conference, please visit the official website at https://psr.pku.edu.cn/conference/ska/ska2025/ska2025.html.

To further enhance the quality of Symmetry (ISSN: 2073-8994) and the papers published in it, under the guidance of our Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Sergei Odintsov, the journal has updated and revised the scope of its “Physics” Section. The original scope and the updated version are listed below:

For more detailed information, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/symmetry/about.

Symmetry Editorial Office

We cordially invite you to attend the 3rd International Online Conference on Universe (IOCU 2026) organized by MDPI’s Universe (ISSN: 2218-1997, Impact Factor 2.5), which will take place online via Sciforum platform from 4 to 6 March 2026, Central European Time (CET).

Conference Chair: Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Iorio, Ministero dell’Istruzione e del Merito, Italy.

Topics of interest:

S1. Gravitation and cosmology;

S2. Quantum gravity and field theory;

S3. High energy nuclear and particle physics;

S4. Foundations of quantum mechanics;

S5. Space and planetary sciences;

S6. Galaxies, clusters and compact objects;

S7. Solar and stellar physics.

Important Dates:

Deadline for abstract submission: 2 December 2025;
Notification of acceptance: 5 January 2026;
Deadline for Registration: 1 March 2026.

Submit your abstract here.
Register for the conference here.

For any inquiries regarding the event, please contact us at iocu2026@mdpi.com. We look forward to seeing you at IOCU 2026.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Francesco Bajardi, a researcher at Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM), Naples, Italy, has won the Symmetry 2024 Young Investigator Award. As the winner, he will receive an honorarium of CHF 2000, an electronic certificate, and a voucher to fully cover the article processing fees valid for one year.

Dr. Bajardi is a researcher at Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM) in Naples, Italy. He received his B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Palermo, Italy, in 2016; his M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics from the same university in 2017; and his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Naples "Federico II," Italy, in 2021. His research focuses on the study of symmetries in extended and alternative theories of gravity, with applications to astrophysics and cosmology. Over the past five years, Dr. Bajardi has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles, contributing to theories of gravity and cosmology, with a focus on uncovering symmetries to reconstruct cosmic history at both classical and quantum levels. Beyond academic articles, he has also published three books, including Noether Symmetries in Theories of Gravity (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) with Cambridge University Press and a textbook on mechanics and electromagnetism with EdiSES, a leading Italian academic publisher. Dr. Bajardi's work exemplifies excellence in theoretical physics, and this award recognizes his outstanding contributions to the field.

The following text comprises a short Q&A with Dr. Bajardi, who shared his vision for the journal as well as his views on research and open access publishing:

1. How did you first learn about the Symmetry journal, and what are your impressions of it?
I first encountered Symmetry in 2019, shortly after starting my Ph.D., when one of my early research papers was published in a Special Issue of the journal. Since then, I have published several other papers in Symmetry and even had the opportunity to serve as a Guest Editor for a Special Issue on Gravitational Theories. Given that my research focuses on symmetry (I have published papers and a book on the topic) I felt my work aligned well with the journal’s mission, which motivated me to apply for the Young Investigator Award.

2. Could you briefly introduce your current research focus and share some recent progress in your work?
My research centers on modified gravity from a theoretical perspective, exploring both its fundamental aspects and potential applications, such as in cosmology. I study theories that address cosmological and astrophysical observations while also tackling conceptual issues in gravitational physics. Symmetry plays a pivotal role in my work, helping me select viable models and simplify complex systems.

3. What was the biggest challenge you faced during your research?
Like many scientists, my journey has been marked by challenges, especially after completing my Ph.D. Research opportunities for recent graduates can be limited, but my advice is to persevere and keep pushing forward, even in the face of setbacks.

4. As a recipient of this Young Investigator Award, what advice or insights would you share with contemporary young researchers?
As a young researcher myself, I hesitate to offer advice, but I can share my perspective. What I find most rewarding is working on topics that genuinely interest me. However, research is often driven by the need to publish. Striking a balance between passion-driven projects and strategically aligned work is key to both personal fulfillment and career growth.

5. What are your thoughts on the impact of Open Access (OA) publishing on authors in academia?
Open Access is a valuable model that fosters the free dissemination of scientific knowledge. However, the associated costs pose a significant challenge, especially for early career scholars with limited funding. This is an issue the academic community must continue to address.

6. Can you share your acceptance speech?
I am deeply grateful to the committee for this honor. I also want to thank my Ph.D. supervisors, Prof. Carlo Altucci and Prof. Salvatore Capozziello, for their unwavering support and for encouraging me to pursue my ideas from the very beginning.

MDPI is excited to collaborate with Toronto Metropolitan University to host an engaging Scientific Publishing Workshop aimed at empowering scholars with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed in academic publishing. This workshop will delve into the key aspects of MDPI’s open access publishing framework, offering an in-depth exploration of journal selection, the editorial workflow, and the essentials of publication ethics. Participants will also gain practical advice on improving their scientific writing and effectively addressing reviewer comments, with guidance from an experienced professional. This session promises to equip attendees with valuable skills to elevate their publishing journey.

Workshop Highlights:

• Learn How to Better Write and Structure a Research Article;
• How to Choose Where to Publish Academic Work;
• How to Respond to Reviewer Comments;
• Reasons for Rejection During Pre-Check;
• How to Navigate Through Ethics and AI Use.

Date: 15 May 2025
Time: 12:00–1:30 p.m.
Venue: Toronto Metropolitan University

Program: