Announcements

6 November 2025
MDPI Launches the Michele Parrinello Award for Pioneering Contributions in Computational Physical Science


MDPI is delighted to announce the establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award. Named in honor of Professor Michele Parrinello, the award celebrates his exceptional contributions and his profound impact on the field of computational physical science research.

The award will be presented biennially to distinguished scientists who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of computational physical science—spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science.


About Professor Michele Parrinello

"Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking what is going to happen to me and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”

——Professor Michele Parrinello

Born in Messina in 1945, he received his degree from the University of Bologna and is currently affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. Professor Parrinello is known for his many technical innovations in the field of atomistic simulations and for a wealth of interdisciplinary applications ranging from materials science to chemistry and biology. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, also known as the Car–Parrinello method, marking the beginning of a new era both in the area of electronic structure calculations and in molecular dynamics simulations. He is also known for the Parrinello–Rahman method, which allows crystalline phase transitions to be studied by molecular dynamics. More recently, he has introduced metadynamics for the study of rare events and the calculation of free energies.

For his work, he has been awarded many prizes and honorary degrees. He is a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the German Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the British Royal Society, and the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which is the major academy in his home country of Italy.


Award Committee

The award committee will be chaired by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, a computational condensed matter physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Department of Physics, Fudan University. Professor Xin-Gao Gong will lead a panel of several senior experts in the field to oversee the evaluation and selection process.

The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University (Shanghai, China), led by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, will serve as the supporting institute for the award.

"We hope the Michele Parrinello Award will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of computational condensed matter physics and at the same time set a benchmark for the younger generation, providing clear direction for their pursuit—this is precisely the original intention behind establishing the award."

——Professor Xin-Gao Gong

The first edition of the award was officially launched on 1 November 2025. Nominations will be accepted before the end of March 2026. For further details, please visit mparrinelloaward.org.


About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards

The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing sustainable development through scientific progress and global collaboration. The foundation also oversees the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award. The establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award will further enrich the existing award portfolio, providing continued and diversified financial support to outstanding professionals across various fields. 

In addition to these foundation-level awards, MDPI journals also recognize outstanding contributions through a range of honors, including Best Paper Awards, Outstanding Reviewer Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Editor of Distinction Awards, and others. These initiatives aim to recognize excellence across disciplines and career stages, contributing to the long-term vitality and sustainability of scientific research.

Find more information on awards here.

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

Hanane Boutaj

Ophir Freund

Abdessamad Belhaj

Hany H. Arab

Oscar De Lucio

Abdolreza Jamilian

Hao Zang

Otilia Manta

Abdul Waheed

Hatem Amin

Panagiotis D. Michailidis

Abiel Aguilar-González

Henry Alba

Panagiotis Simitzis

Adina Santana

Hiroyuki Noda

Paola Prete

Aditya Velidandi

Hitoshi Tanaka

Paolo Trucillo

Adrian Stancu

Horst Lenske

Patricia Kara De Maeijer

Adriana Borodzhieva

Hossein Azadi

Patrícia Pires

Adriana Cristina Urcan

Houlin Yu

Paulo Schwingel

Adriano Bressane

Huaifu Deng

Pavel Loskot

Agbotiname Imoize

Huamin Jie

Pedro García-Ramírez

Agustin L. Herrera-May

Hugo Lisboa

Pedro Pablo Zamora

Ahmed Arafa

Igor L. Zakharov

Pedro Pereira

Ahmet Cagdas Seckin

Igor Litvinchev

Pei-Hsun Wang

Ailton Cesar Lemes

Igor Vujović

Pellegrino La Manna

Akash Kumar

Ildiko Horvath

Petar Ozretić

Akihiko Murayama

Ilya A. Khodov

Petko Petkov

Alain E. Le Faou

Ilya Zavidovskiy

Petr Komínek

Alain Massart

Imran Ali Lakhiar

Petras Prakas

Alejandro Plascencia

Ines Aguinaga-Ontoso

Petro Pukach

Aleksandar Ašonja

Ioan Hutu

Petru Alexandru Vlaicu

Aleksandra Głowacka

Ioan Petean

Phil Chilibeck

Aleksandra Nesić

Irena M. Ilic

Pia Lopez-Jornet

Alessio Ardizzone

Isaac Lifshitz

Pietro Geri

Alessio Faccia

Ismael Cristofer Baierle

Pingfan Hu

Alexander E. Berezin

I-Ta Lee

Piotr Cyklis

Alexander Lykov

Itzhak Aviv

Piotr Gauden

Alexander Robitzsch

Iustinian Bejan

Piotr Gawda

Alexandre Landry

Ivan Matveev

Pradeep Kumar Panda

Alexey Chubarov

Ivan Pavlenko

Pradeep Varadwaj

Alexey Morgounov

Ivana Mitrović

Presentación Caballero

Alexis Rodríguez

Iyyakkannu Sivanesan

Pu Xie

Alfredo Silveira De Borba

Jacek Abramczyk

Qingchao Li

Ali Hashemizdeh

Jacques Cabaret

Qinghua Qiu

Alison De Oliveira Moraes

Jaime A. Mella-Raipán

Qingwei Chen

Aliyu Aliyu

Jaime Taha-Tijerina

Radoslaw Jasinski

Alok Dhaundiyal

James Chun Lam Chow

Radu Racovita

Álvaro Antón-Sancho

James Chung-Wai Cheung

Rafael Galvão De Almeida

Amit Ranjan

James O. Finckenauer

Rafael Melo

Amritlal Mandal

Jan Cieśliński

Rafal Kukawka

Ana Isabel Roca-Fernández

Ján Moravec

Rafał Watrowski

Ana Tomić

Jarbas Miguel

Raffaele Pellegrino

Anas Alsobeh

Jaroslav Dvorak

Rajender Boddula

Anastasios Karayiannakis

Jarosław Przybył

Ralf Hofmann

Andre Luiz Costa

Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić

Ran Wang

Andrea Bianconi

Jasmina Lukinac

Ranko S. Romanić

Andrea Sonaglioni

Jawad Tanveer

Ratna Kishore Velamati

Andrea Tomassi

Jean Carlos Bettoni

Rebecca Creamer

Andrés Fernando Barajas Solano

Jennie Golding

Reggie Surya

Andrés Novoa

Jerzy Chudek

Rehan Siddiqui

Andreu Comas-Garcia

Jhih-Rong Liao

Renato Maaliw

Andrew Lane

Jiachen Li

Reuven Yosef

Andrew Lothian

Jianzhu Liu

Ricardo García-León

Andrew Sortwell

Jiaquan Yu

Richard Murray

Andrius Katkevičius

Jibing Chen

Robert Boyd

Andromachi Nanou

Jie Gao

Robert H. Eibl

Andrzej Kielian

Jie Hua

Robert James Crammond

Andrzej Kozłowski

Jill Channing

Robert Oleniacz

Andrzej Zolnowski

Jinfeng Li

Roberto Passera

Ángel Josabad Alonso-Castro

Jinle Xiang

Rodolpho Fernando Vaz

Ángel Llamas

Jinliu Chen

Rodrigo Galo

Angelo Ferlazzo

Jinyao Lin

Roger E. Thomas

Angelo Marcelo Tusset

Jinyu Hu

Roger W. Bachmann

Anil K. Meher

Jiří Remr

Rogério  Leone Buchaim

Animesh Kumar Basak

Jiying Liu

Roman Trach

Anita Silvana Ilak Peršurić

João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro

Roman Trochimczuk

Anna Kharkova

Joao Pessoa

Romil Parikh

Anna Lenart-Boroń

Joaquim Carreras

Romina Fucà

Anna Piotrowska

John Adams Sebastian

Ronald Nelson

Anne Anderson

John Van Boxel

Rosie Yagmur Yegin

Antiopi-Malvina Stamatellou

Jonathan Puente-Rivera

Roxana Lucaciu

Antonia Kondou

Jordi-Roger Riba

Rui Sales Júnior

Antonio Miguel Ruiz Armenteros

Jorge De Andres-Sanchez

Rui Vitorino

Anusorn Cherdthong

Jorge Guillermo Diaz Rodriguez

Ruo Wang

Aram Cornaggia

Jorge Luis Zambrano-Martinez

Ryoma Michishita

Ariana Saraiva

José F. Fontanari

Sabina Necula

Ariel Soares Teles

José Felipe Orzuna-Orzuna

Sabina Umirzakova

Aristeidis Karras

José Francisco Segura Plaza

Said EL-Ashker

Arnaud Dragicevic

José Luis Díaz

Saïf Ed-Dı̂n Fertahi

Artem Obukhov

José Luis Rivera-Armenta

Salvatore Romano

Arvind Kumar Shukla

Jose M. Miranda

Sándor Beszédes

Arvind Negi

Jose M. Mulet

Santiago Lain

Athanasios A. Panagiotopoulos

Jose Navarro-Pedreño

Sara Black Brown

Augustine Edegbene

José Pedro Cerdeira

Sarat Chandra Mohapatra

Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul

Jouni Räisänen

Sarunas Grigaliunas

Aurel Maxim

Jui-Yang Lai

Saša Milojević

Barbara Symanowicz

Juliana Fernandes

Sawsan A. Zaitone

Bartosz Płachno

Julio Plaza Díaz

Scott E. Hendrix

Bela Kocsis

Juliusz Huber

Seong-Gon Kim

Benedetto Schiavo

Jun Liu

Sergii Babichev

Bernhard Koelmel

Junyu Chen

Sergio Da Silva

Bhupendra Prajapati

Karan Nayak

Sérgio Felipe

Bierng-Chearl Ahn

Karel Allegaert

Sergio Guzmán-Pino

Bo Zhou

Katarina Aškerc Zadravec

Seyed Kourosh Mahjour

Bohong Zhang

Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka

Seyed Masoud Parsa

Bonface Ombasa Manono

Katarzyna Peta

Shedrach Benjamin Pewan

Bozhidar Stefanov

Katarzyna Tandecka

Shehwaz Anwar

Brach Poston

Katherine Bussey

Shengwen Tang

Byeong Yong Kong

Katsuya Ichinose

Shih-Lin Lin

Caio Sampaio

Kazuharu Bamba

Shilong Li

Caius Panoiu

Kazuhiko Kotani

Shing-Hwa Liu

Caiyun Wang

Kazuhiko Nakadate

Shu Yuan

Calin Mircea Gherman

Keigi Fujiwara

Shuohong Wang

Camelia Delcea

Keith Rochfort

Shuolin Xiao

Cardellicchio Angelo

Kenneth Waters

Shuping Wu

Carlos Alberto Ligarda Samanez

Keren Dopelt

Sihui Dong

Carlos Almeida

Kira E. Vostrikova

Sławomir Rabczak

Carlos Balsas

Kit Leong Cheong

Sojung Kim

Carlos López-de-Celis

Konstantinos Vergos

Songli Zhu

Carlos Marcuello

Koyeli Girigoswami

Soonhee Hwang

Carlos Pascual-Morena

Krzysztof R. Karsznia

Soo-Whang Baek

Carlos Torres-Torres

Krzysztof Szwajka

Soufiane Haddout

Casey Watters

Krzysztof Wołk

Sousana Papadopoulou

Castillo Castillo

Kumar Ganesan

Spiros Paramithiotis

Changmin Shi

Lan Lin

Spyridon Kaltsas

Chao Chen

László Radócz

Srecko Stopic

Chao Gu

Laurent Donzé

Srinivasan Sathiyaraj

Chao Zhang (China)

Lei He

Stefano Mancin

Chao Zhang (Singapore)

Lei Huang

Subhadeep Das

Chellapandian Maheswaran

Leonard-Ionut Atanase

Sumedha Nitin Prabhu

Cheonshik Kim

Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias

Sushant K. Rawal

Chia Hung Kao

Leonie Brummer

Svetoslav Todorov

Chiachung Chen

Levon Gevorkov

Szymon Janczar

Chiara Cinquini

Li Fu

Tadeusz Kowalski

Chieh-Chih Tsai

Lidija Hauptman

Tadeusz Sierotowicz

Christian Rojas

Lin-Fu Liang

Taha Koray Sahin

Chu Zhang

Ling Yang

Tahir Cetin Akinci

Chuanyu Sun

Lingli Deng

Takuo Sakon

Chun-Wei Yang

Ljubica Kazi

Tamara Lazarević-Pašti

Claudia Bita-Nicolae

Lotfi Boudjema

Tao Zhang

Constant Mews

Louis Moustakas

Taras P. Pasternak

Cristian Vacacela Gomez

Luca Ulrich

Tarek Eldomiaty

Cristiano Matos

Luis Adrian De Jesús-González

Taro Urase

Cristian-Valeriu Stanciu

Luis Alfonso Díaz-Secades

Tenzer Robert

Cristóbal Macías Villalobos

Luis Filipe Almeida Bernardo

Thawatchai Phaechamud

Dalia Calneryte

Luis Nestor Apaza Ticona

Thomas Michael

Daniel Hernandez-Patlan

Luis Puente-Díaz

Tiberiu Harko

Daniele Ritelli

Luiz Antonio Alcântara Pereira

Timea Claudia Ghitea

Daniel-Ioan Curiac

Łukasz Rakoczy

Timothy John Mahony

Daniil Olennikov

Łukasz Szeleszczuk

Timothy Omara

Daodao Hu

Maciej Kruszyna

Tomasz Hikawczuk

Daqin Guan

Magdalena Jaciow

Tomasz M. Karpiński

Daria Chudakova

Maha Nasr

Tomasz Trzepiecinski

Daria Mottareale-Calvanese

Maharshi Bhaswant

Triantafyllos Didangelos

Dariusz Dziki

Maksim Zavalishin

Tsvetelin Zaevski

Dariusz Gozdowski

Małgorzata Jeleń

Ulrich J. Pont

David Kieda

Man Fai Leung

Vadim Kramar

David Luviano-Cruz

Manickam Minakshi

Vagner Lunge

Da-Zhi Sun

Marcel Sari

Valério Monteiro-Neto

Debra Wetcher-Hendricks

Marcello Iasiello

Van Giap Do

Demin Cai

Marco Limongiello

Van-An Duong

Dennis Dieks

Marco Zucca

Vanni Nicoletti

Deokho Lee

Marconi Batista Teixeira

Vasilios Liordos

Deyu Li

Marcos Vinícius Da Silva

Vedran Mrzljak

Diego Romano Perinelli

Marek Cała

Vicente Romo Pérez

Dimitris Tatsis

Maria G. Ioannides

Victor-Alexandru Briciu

Dirceu Ramos

Maria João Lima

Viktor V. Brygadyrenko

Dmitrii Pankin

Maria Kantzanou

Vinícius Silva Belo

Dmitriy Yambulatov

Maria Leonor Abrantes Pires

Violeta Popovici

Dmitry Kultin

Mariana Buranelo Egea

Viorel Dragos Radu

Dongwei Di

Mariana Magalhães

Viswas Raja Solomon

Dorota Formanowicz

Marija Strojnik

Viviani Oliveira

Dragan Marinkovic

Marijn Speeckaert

Vlad Rotaru

Drazenko Glavic

Marina G. Holyavka

Vladica Stojanović

Duguleana Mihai

Marina Gravit

Volodymyr Hrytsyk

Dušan S. Dimić

Mario Cerezo Pizarro

Volodymyr Ponomaryov

E Terasa Chen

Mario Ganau

Waldemar Studziński

Edoardo Bucchignani

Mariusz Ptak

Wanming Lin

Eduard Zadobrischi

Marlen Vitales-Noyola

Waseem Jerjes

Edwin Villagran

Marta Forte

Wei-Chieh Lee

Eitan Simon

Martha Rocío Moreno-Jimenez

Weiming Fang

Elena Chitoran

Marwan El Ghoch

Weiren Luo

Elena Marrocchino

Marzena Włodarczyk-Stasiak

Weiwei Jiang

Elisabeta Negrău

Massimiliano Schiavo

Wenan Yuan

Elisavet Bouloumpasi

Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali

Wenguang Yang

Elochukwu Ukwandu

Mateusz Rozmiarek

Wenluan Zhang

Emil Smyk

Matt Smith

Wiesław Przygoda

Emilio Bucio

Matteo Riccò

Wilian Paul Arévalo Cordero

Emmanouil Karampinis

Matthias Müller

Wilian Pech-Rodríguez

Ericsson D. Coy-Barrera

Mauro Lombardo

Wislei R. Osório

Eugeniusz Koda

Md. Ataur Rahman

Wi-Young So

Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka

Md. Biddut Hossain

Wojciech Sałabun

Ewa Tomaszewska

Meisam Abdollahi

Wojciech Zabierowski

Ezhaveni Sathiyamoorthi

Meng-Hwan Lee

Xiaofei Du

Fabio Corti

Meng-Yao Li

Xiaolong Ji

Fahmi Zairi

Meysam Keshavarz

Xiaomin Xu

Fanzhi Kong

Michael Eisenhut

Xiaoshuang Ma

Fasih Ullah Haider

Michael Gerlich

Xiaoying Liu

Fayez Tarsha-Kurdi

Mihaela Brindusa Tudose

Xiao-Yong Wang

Fekete Mónika

Mihaela Niculae

Xinming Zhang

Felipe Jiménez

Mihaela Tinca Udristioiu

Xinqiao Liu

Feng Wen

Mihaela Toderaş

Xinqing Xiao

Ferdinando Di Martino

Mihai Crenganis

Xuechen Zheng

Fernanda Tonelli

Mika Simonen

Xueming Zhang

Fernando Lessa Tofoli

Milan Toma

Xuezhen Wang

Fernando Viadero-Monasterio

Miloš Lichner

Xuguang Cai

Fethi Ouallouche

Milos Seda

Yair Wiseman

Flavio Arroyo

MIloš Zrnić

Yang Xu

Flor H. Pujol

Min Xia

Yangwon Lee

Florin Dumitru Bora

Mina Tadros

Yanhong Peng

Florin Nechita

Mingming Ge

Yao Ni

Francesco Di Bello

Mingren Shen

Yaoxiang Li

Francesco Galluzzo

Mircea Neagoe

Yasushige Shingu

Francisco Haces Fernandez

Mirela-Fernanda Zaltariov

Yaswanth Kuthati

Francisco Rego

Mirjana Ljubojević

Yaxin Liu

Francisco Solano

Mirko Stanimirović

Ygor Jessé Ramos

Frédéric Muttin

Mirza Pojskić

Yi Xu

Fredrick Eze

Modesto Pérez-Sánchez

Yifan Zhao

Gabriel Milan

Mohammad Ali Sahraei

Yih Jeng

Gabriel Zazeri

Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki

Yiyang Chen

Galina Ilieva

Mohammad Qneibi

Yoichi Shiraishi

Gary Van Vuuren

Mohammed Gamal

Yong Hwan Kim

Gennadiy Kolesnikov

Mohammed Sayed

Yongqi Yin

George E. Mustoe

Mounia Tahri

Young-joo Ahn

George Lazaroiu

Muhammad Ahsan Asghar 

Yousi Fu

George Xiroudakis

Muhammad N. Mahmood

Yuan Meng

Georgiy Gamov

Muhammad Syafrudin

Yuefei Zhuo

Gerald Cleaver

Muhammed Yildirim

Yugang He

Ghassan Ghssein

Murilo E. C. Bento

Yuliia Trach

Gian Mario Migliaccio

Muthuraj Arunpandian

Yuliya Semenova

Giancarlo Trimarchi

Narcis Eduard Mitu

Yuri Jorge Peña-Ramirez

Gianmarco Ferrara

Naser Alsharairi

Yuri Konstantinov

Giovanni Tesoriere

Natale Calomino

Yusheng Xiang

Giuseppe Brunetti

Natanael Karjanto

Yutaka Ohsedo

Giuseppe Di Martino

Nataša Nastić

Zaihua Duan

Giuseppe Losurdo

Naveed Ahmad

Zelaya-Molina Lily Xochilt

Giuseppina Uva

Nebojsa Pavlovic

Zenon Pogorelić

Glauber Cruz

Neli Milenova Vilhelmova

Zhang Ying

Glenn Morrison

Nguyen Dinh-Hung

Zhanni Luo

Gloria Cerasela Crisan

Nguyen Quoc Khuong

Zhao Ding

Gordana Wozniak-Knopp

Nicola Magnavita

Zhengmao Li

Gordon Alderink

Nicoleta Dospinescu

Zhengwei Huang

Grazia Giuseppina Politano

Nicoletta Cera

Zhidong Zhou

Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos

Nidhi Puranik

Zhijun Li

Grzegorz Woroniak

Nikita Osintsev

Zhixiong Lu

Grzegorz Zieliński

Nikita V. Martyushev

Zhizhong Zhang

Guadalupe Gabriel Flores-Rojas

Nikola Stanisic

Zhong-Gao Jiao

Guangnian Xiao

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

22 December 2025
Vaccines | Notable Papers Published in 2024 in the “Vaccines, Clinical Advancement, and Associated Immunology” Section

1. “Immunosenescence: Aging and Immune System Decline”
by Priyanka Goyani, Rafail Christodoulou and Evros Vassiliou
Vaccines 2024, 12(12), 1314; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12121314
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1314

2. “Plaque Psoriasis Exacerbation and COVID-19 Vaccination: Assessing the Characteristics of the Flare and the Exposome Parameters”
by Emmanouil Karampinis, Myrto-Maria Papadopoulou, Kleoniki Chaidaki, Konstantina-Eirini Georgopoulou, Stavroula Magaliou, Angeliki Viktoria Roussaki Schulze, Dimitrios P. Bogdanos and Efterpi Zafiriou
Vaccines 2024, 12(2), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12020178
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/2/178

3. “Vaccines for the Elderly and Vaccination Programs in Europe and the United States”
by Cleo Anastassopoulou, Stefanos Ferous, Snežana Medić, Nikolaos Siafakas, Fotini Boufidou, Georgia Gioula and Athanasios Tsakris
Vaccines 2024, 12(6), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12060566
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/6/566

4. “Combating Emerging Respiratory Viruses: Lessons and Future Antiviral Strategies”
by Palaniyandi Muthukutty, Jaime MacDonald and So Young Yoo
Vaccines 2024, 12(11), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12111220
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/11/1220

5. “Seroprevalence for Measles, Varicella, Mumps and Rubella in the Trainee Obstetric Population: A Survey in Southern Italy”
by Brunella Perfetto, Giovanna Paduano, Elena Grimaldi, Vincenza Sansone, Giovanna Donnarumma and Gabriella Di Giuseppe
Vaccines 2024, 12(3), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12030335
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/3/335

6. “Breakthrough Infections in SARS-CoV-2-Vaccinated Multiple Myeloma Patients Improve Cross-Protection against Omicron Variants”
by Angelika Wagner, Erika Garner-Spitzer, Claudia Auer, Pia Gattinger, Ines Zwazl, René Platzer, Maria Orola-Taus, Peter Pichler, Fabian Amman, Andreas Bergthaler et al.
Vaccines 2024, 12(5), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12050518
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/5/518

7. “T Cell Responses during Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Mycobacterium tuberculosis Coinfection”
by José Alejandro Bohórquez, Chinnaswamy Jagannath, Huanbin Xu, Xiaolei Wang and Guohua Yi
Vaccines 2024, 12(8), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12080901
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/8/901

8. “Durability of Adaptive Immunity in Immunocompetent and Immunocompromised Patients Across Different Respiratory Viruses: RSV, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2”
by Achilleas Livieratos, Lars Erik Schiro, Charalambos Gogos and Karolina Akinosoglou
Vaccines 2024, 12(12), 1444; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12121444
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1444

9. “Immunity to Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Infections of the Female Genital Tract: Toward Effective Vaccines”
by Kacy S. Yount and Toni Darville
Vaccines 2024, 12(8), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12080863
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/8/863

10. “Comparative Evaluation of Recombinant and Acellular Pertussis Vaccines in a Murine Model”
by Kyu-Ri Kang, Ji-Ahn Kim, Gyu-Won Cho, Han-Ul Kang, Hyun-Mi Kang, Jin-Han Kang, Baik-Lin Seong and Soo-Young Lee
Vaccines 2024, 12(1), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12010108
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/108

19 December 2025
Meet Us at the ESCMID Global 2026, 17–21 April 2026, Munich, Germany


MDPI will be attending the ESCMID Global 2026, which will be held from 17 to 21 April 2026, in Munich, Germany.

ESCMID Global 2026 stands as the largest international conference in the fields of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases, dedicated to connecting scientists, doctors, veterinarians and other healthcare professionals worldwide. Centered on combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), this annual congress serves as a pivotal platform for driving innovation and collaboration in the sector.

The conference covers a wide spectrum of key areas, including scientific research, infection management, and innovations in therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines. Attendees will have the opportunity to access the latest scientific breakthroughs, transformative treatments and rapid diagnostic technologies, making it an essential event for those looking to connect, learn and lead the future of infectious disease control.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth at #G46 and have a conversation with us. 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 link: https://www.escmid.org/congress-events/escmid-global/munich-2026/.

17 December 2025
Vaccines | Notable Papers Published in 2024 in the “Vaccination Against Cancer and Chronic Diseases” Section

1. “New Emerging Targets in Cancer Immunotherapy: The Role of B7-H3”
by Ioannis-Alexios Koumprentziotis, Charalampos Theocharopoulos, Dimitra Foteinou, Erasmia Angeli, Amalia Anastasopoulou, Helen Gogas and Dimitrios C. Ziogas
Vaccines 2024, 12(1), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12010054
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/54

2. “Centrosomal Protein 55 (CEP55) Drives Immune Exclusion and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer”
by Dechen Wangmo, Travis J. Gates, Xianda Zhao, Ruping Sun and Subbaya Subramanian
Vaccines 2024, 12(1), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12010063
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/63

3. “Exosome-like Systems: From Therapies to Vaccination for Cancer Treatment and Prevention—Exploring the State of the Art”
by Hamid Heydari Sheikhhossein, Francesca Iommelli, Natalia Di Pietro, Maria Cristina Curia, Adriano Piattelli, Rosanna Palumbo, Giovanni N. Roviello and Viviana De Rosa
Vaccines 2024, 12(5), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12050519
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/5/519

4. “Dendritic Cells as a Therapeutic Strategy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Vaccines”
by Francisca Palomares, Alejandra Pina, Hala Dakhaoui, Camila Leiva-Castro, Ana M. Munera-Rodriguez, Marta Cejudo-Guillen, Beatriz Granados, Gonzalo Alba, Consuelo Santa-Maria, Francisco Sobrino et al.
Vaccines 2024, 12(2), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12020165
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/2/165

5. “Synergistic Effects of Metal–Organic Nanoplatform and Guanine Quadruplex-Based CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides in Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines with Different Tumor Antigens”
by Xia Li, Mitsuhiro Ebara, Naoto Shirahata, Tomohiko Yamazaki and Nobutaka Hanagata
Vaccines 2024, 12(6), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12060649
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/6/649

6. “Characterization of the Anti-Viral and Vaccine-Specific CD8+ T Cell Composition upon Treatment with the Cancer Vaccine VSV-GP”
by Tamara Hofer, Lisa Pipperger, Sarah Danklmaier, Krishna Das and Guido Wollmann
Vaccines 2024, 12(8), 867; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12080867
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/8/867

7. “Oncolytic Adenovirus Armed with a Novel Agonist of the CD137 Immune Checkpoint Stimulator Suppresses Tumor Growth”
by Martin R. Ramos-Gonzalez, Mohammad Tarique, Lalit Batra, Feyza Arguc, Rodolfo Garza-Morales, Haval Shirwan, Esma S. Yolcu and Jorge G. Gomez-Gutierrez
Vaccines 2024, 12(3), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12030340
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/3/340

8. “TLR7 Agonist-Loaded Gadolinium Oxide Nanotubes Promote Anti-Tumor Immunity by Activation of Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses”
by Xiupeng Wang, Motohiro Hirose and Xia Li
Vaccines 2024, 12(4), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12040373
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/4/373

9. “Anti-Tumor Immunity to Patient-Derived Breast Cancer Cells by Vaccination with Interferon-Alpha-Conditioned Dendritic Cells (IFN-DC)”
by Caterina Lapenta, Stefano Maria Santini, Celeste Antonacci, Simona Donati, Serena Cecchetti, Patrizia Frittelli, Piera Catalano, Francesca Urbani, Iole Macchia, Massimo Spada et al.
Vaccines 2024, 12(9), 1058; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12091058
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/9/1058

10. “GSK-3β in Dendritic Cells Exerts Opposite Functions in Regulating Cross-Priming and Memory CD8 T Cell Responses Independent of β-Catenin”
by Chunmei Fu, Jie Wang, Tianle Ma, Congcong Yin, Li Zhou, Björn E. Clausen, Qing-Sheng Mi and Aimin Jiang
Vaccines 2024, 12(9), 1037; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12091037
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/9/1037

11 December 2025
Article Layout and Template Revised for Future Volumes

We are pleased to announce updates to our article template, aimed at improving the readability and visual appeal of our publications. The following updates will be applied to articles published in volumes in 2026, starting from 19 December 2025.

Left information bar:

  • Updated the logo and URL for “Check for updates”;
  • Removed the “Citation” section (Note: Citation details remain accessible via “Cite” in the online article version);
  • Changed the link in “Copyright” to a hyperlink format.

Footer:

  • Added a DOI link at the bottom-right corner of each page.

The updated template is now available for download from the Instructions for Authors page of each journal.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with better experience and make the process more convenient.

For any questions or suggestions, please contact our production team at production@mdpi.com.

1 December 2025
World AIDS Day, 1 December 2025


1 December is World AIDS Day, the day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care around the world. It has become one of the most widely recognized international health days.

In recognition of this day, we recommend the following related articles, Special Issues, and journals spanning multidisciplinary fields, including clinical medicine and biology. We believe that sharing such research can raise the public’s awareness and understanding of AIDS. The aim is to strengthen scientific cooperation in response to increased awareness about HIV/AIDS and to demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.

Biology & Life Science Medicine & Pharmacology Social Science, Art and Humanities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Progress and Challenges in HIV-1 Vaccine Research: A Comprehensive Overview
by Alex C. Boomgarden and Chitra Upadhyay
Vaccines 2025, 13(2), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13020148

Drug-Drug Interactions Between HIV Antivirals and Concomitant Drugs in HIV Patients: What We Know and What We Need to Know
by Emanuela De Bellis, Danilo Donnarumma, Adele Zarrella, Salvatore Maria Mazzeo, Annarita Pagano, Valentina Manzo, Ines Mazza, Francesco Sabbatino, Graziamaria Corbi, Pasquale Pagliano et al.
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17010031

High Prevalence of High-Risk HPV Among People with and Without HIV: Insights into Risk Factors for Tailored Screening Approaches
by Elena Bruzzesi, Federica Gandini, Sara Diotallevi, Riccardo Lolatto, Massimo Cernuschi, Caterina Candela, Angelo Roberto Raccagni, Flavia Passini, Andrea Marco Tamburini, Roberto Burioni et al.
Microorganisms 2024, 12(12), 2571; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12122571

Association Between Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction, Systemic Inflammation, and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in HIV-Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy
by Madalina-Ianca Suba, Bogdan Hogea, Ahmed Abu-Awwad, Voichita Elena Lazureanu, Ovidiu Rosca, Daniela Gurgus, Sorina Maria Denisa Laitin and Alina Abu-Awwad
Diseases 2024, 12(12), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12120313

NSC95397 Is a Novel HIV-1 Latency-Reversing Agent
by Randilea Nichols Doyle, Vivian Yang, Yetunde I. Kayode, Robert Damoiseaux, Harry E. Taylor and Oliver I. Fregoso
Viruses 2024, 16(11), 1783; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16111783

HIV Self-Testing: A Discussion on the Benefits, Limitations, and Implications for Public Health with a Focus on Poland
by Aleksandra Kozieł, Igor Domański, Aleksandra Szymczak, Tomasz Dudzik, Brygida Knysz and Bartosz Szetela
Diagnostics 2024, 14(22), 2475; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14222475

Tumor Initiation and Progression in People Living on Antiretroviral Therapies
by Seun E. Olufemi, Daniel A. Adediran, Temitope Sobodu, Isaac O. Adejumo, Olumide F. Ajani and Elijah K. Oladipo
Biologics 2024, 4(4), 390-406; https://doi.org/10.3390/biologics4040024

J3ExoA: A Novel Anti-HIV Immunotoxin Fusion of Anti-Gp120 J3VHH and PE38 Fragment of Pseudomonas Exotoxin A
by Seth H. Pincus, Kun Luo, Tami Peters, James T. Gordy, Frances M. Cole, Grant Klug, Kelli Ober, Tamera K. Marcotte and Richard B. Markham
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(9), 1305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18091305

A Memo on Factors Associated with Perception of Stigma Attached to PrEP: Evidence from the Keeping It LITE Study
by Shahin Davoudpour, Gregory L. Phillips II, Pedro A. Serrano, Audrey L. French and Sybil G. Hosek
Sexes 2024, 5(3), 300-316; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes5030023

Effects of E-Cigarettes on the Lung and Systemic Metabolome in People with HIV
by Aline Zaparte, Courtney J. Christopher, Connie Arnold, Lauren Richey, Adairre Castille, Kyle Mistretta, Christopher M. Taylor, Huiyi Lin, Steve Nelson, John P. Kirwan, John W. Apolzan, Shawn R. Campagna and David A. Welsh
Metabolites 2024, 14(8), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14080434

Bone Tissue Changes in Individuals Living with HIV/AIDS: The Importance of a Hierarchical Approach in Investigating Bone Fragility
by Jelena Jadzic, Gordana Dragovic, Relja Lukic, Bozana Obradovic and Marija Djuric
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(8), 791; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14080791

Advanced Therapies for Human Immunodeficiency Virus
by Daniel Josef Lindegger
Med. Sci. 2024, 12(3), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci12030033

Antiretroviral Therapy Switch in HIV-Infected Adults from a Regional HIV/AIDS Center in NE Romania
by Isabela Ioana Loghin, Șerban Alin Rusu, Andrei Vâţă, Mihaela Cobaschi, Ion Cecan, Carmen Manciuc and Carmen Mihaela Dorobăţ
Medicina 2024, 60(6), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60060854

Alterations in the Gut Microbiome Composition of People Living with HIV in the Asia–Pacific Region: A Systematic Review
by Paul Benedic U. Salvador, Patrick Josemaria d. R. Altavas, Mark Angelo S. del Rosario, Eric David B. Ornos and Leslie Michelle M. Dalmacio
Clin. Pract. 2024, 14(3), 846-861; https://doi.org/10.3390/clinpract14030066

Systematic Review: HIV, Aging, and Housing—A North American Perspective, 2012–2023
by Arthur S. Chaminuka, Gayle Prybutok, Victor R. Prybutok and William D. Senn
Healthcare 2024, 12(10), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12100992

The Role of MicroRNAs in HIV Infection
by Nicolas Morando, Mara Cecilia Rosenzvit, Maria A. Pando and Jens Allmer
Genes 2024, 15(5), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15050574

HIV-TB Co-Infection and Pediatric Pathogen Dynamics
Guest Editor: Dr. Boris Kevin Tchounga
Submission deadline: 15 March 2026

HIV Expression in Diverse Cell Types: Mechanisms, Regulation, and Pathogenesis
Guest Editor: Dr. Rosemary Kiernan
Submission deadline: 20 March 2026

Research on HIV/AIDS Vaccine
Guest Editors: Dr. Portia Chipo Mutevedzi and Dr. Nagesh Kolishetti
Submission deadline: 31 May 2026

Gene and Cell Therapy: New Findings from Medical Research and Treatment
Guest Editors: Dr. Lorella Tripodi and Dr. Antonio Di Stasi
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

Emerging Knowledge on Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Guest Editors: Dr. Giota Lourida and Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Paraskevis
Submission deadline: 22 July 2026

Nutrition Intervention in HIV Patients
Guest Editors: Dr. Meena Mahadevan
Submission deadline: 10 August 2026

4 November 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #28 - WSF11, Nobel Laureates, Proofig AI, Romania Summit, STM and FBF

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

Highlights from the 11th World Sustainability Forum in Barcelona

I’m pleased to share some highlights from the 11th World Sustainability Forum (WSF 11), held in Barcelona on 2–3 October 2025 under the theme Sustainable and Resilient Cities.

Why WSF matters

The WSF series is a flagship initiative for MDPI and is supported by the MDPI Sustainability Foundation. It serves as a transdisciplinary platform for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to engage on sustainability challenges. WSF is now held annually as part of our commitment to maintain momentum in the sustainability discourse.

This year’s Barcelona edition focused on urban resilience, landscape design, and social community impact in the sustainability space. Over 48 hours of sessions, we brought together leading minds across disciplines to translate vision into practice. With participants from 53 countries across all continents, WSF 11 was truly global in scope.

“WSF is now held annually as part of our commitment to maintain momentum in the sustainability discourse”

What made WSF 11 especially successful (from my vantage point) was the level of positive engagement with our participants. Chief editors, researchers, and attendees repeatedly told me how professionally executed the event was, highlighting the high energy, logistical smoothness and quality of MDPI’s event management. That kind of recognition from peers really builds our reputation as more than just a publisher, but as a convener of meaningful scientific dialogue.

Our conferences are a form of experiential marketing as they create memorable and immersive connections between a brand and attendees. These positive associations build promotion and brand loyalty, ultimately impacting the MDPI’s trust and reputation for the better.

WSF 11: By the numbers

Here’s a quick snapshot of WSF 11’s scale and reach:

  • 181 registrations across global participants.
  • 8 keynote speakers and 5 invited speakers.
  • 144 abstracts accepted (over 355 submitted), resulting in 75 short talks and 69 posters.
  • 53 countries were represented across all continents, making it a truly international event.
  • First time that we ran parallel sessions for WSF (an ambitious program).
  • A dedicated awards ceremony to honour outstanding sustainability research: World Sustainability Award (WSA) x 2 winners, and Emerging Sustainability Leader Award (ESLA) x 3 winners.

Interviews with our World Sustainability Award Winners

One of the most rewarding parts of WSF is recognizing researchers whose work advances sustainability in powerful ways. In our Blog series, Daniella Maritan-Thomson (Content Specialist, MDPI) interviewed the two winners of the World Sustainability Award, Professor Dr. Stuart Pimm and Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail, who offered insights to the human side of sustainability research, the people behind the data, and the stories behind the science.

Prof. Stuart Pimm, whose decades of conservation work make him a leader in biodiversity preservation, reflected on his WSF Award experience and research in this interview: [Interview: Prof Stuart Pimm]

Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail, an expert in crop improvement and winner of the WSF Award, shares his journey and perspectives here: [Interview: Dr Abdelbagi M. Ismail]

“Our conferences create memorable and immersive connections”

Emerging Sustainability Leader Award winners


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Prof. Dr. Vhahangwele Masindi, Dr. Katya Rhodes, and Prof. Dr. Myriam Ertz (left to right).

We also recognized three recipients of the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award: Prof. Dr. Vhahangwele Masindi, Dr. Katya Rhodes, and Prof. Dr. Myriam Ertz, for their contributions as early-career researchers advancing sustainability through innovation, impact, and academic excellence across the field.

What this means for MDPI

  1. Building our global identity in events
    WSF is a marquee MDPI event, not just a gathering, but a statement of how we wish to position ourselves in the global sustainability ecosystem. The positive feedback helps us build on our approach for future editions, so that we remain a reference point for quality, relevance, and engagement.
  2. Expanding capacity across offices
    The success of WSF 11 in Barcelona’s would not have happened without great teamwork from Basel, Barcelona, Romania, the UK, and the APAC Conference team. Thanks to everyone for their work to bring this ambitious event to life.
  3. Supporting MDPI’s mission
    At this event, I had the opportunity to present on MDPI's role in Open Access, sustainability publishing, and the intersection of science and policy. WSF is not only about the science; it’s also a platform for us to position MDPI as a thought leader and a collaborator in shaping the future of sustainable research.

I look forward to the WSF momentum as we work towards WSF 12 in Hong Kong, which is scheduled for August 2026.


MDPI Colleagues at the 11th World Sustainability Forum in Barcelona, Spain, 2–3 October 2025.

Impactful Research

Celebrating 2025 Nobel Laureates who have published with MDPI

October is always an inspiring month in science. It’s when the world turns its attention to the Nobel Prize announcements, recognizing discoveries that have changed how we understand the world.

Over the years, many distinguished researchers who have received the Nobel Prize have chosen to publish their work with MDPI. These are scientists whose breakthroughs have shaped entire fields of research, and who have entrusted our Open Access journals to share their findings with the world.

“The work we support can be world-class and world-changing”

Congratulations to the 2025 Laureates

Dozens of Nobel Laureates have published in our journals: as at 2024, more than 40 laureates had contributed over 115 articles across more than 35 MDPI journals. Congratulations to the three 2025 Nobel prize-winners who have published with MDPI during their careers. Below are links to their MDPI publications and announcements for further reading:

These connections strengthen our mission to make research freely available and ensure that transformative ideas reach the widest possible audience.

Publishing at the leading edge of knowledge

The privilege of hosting such contributors resonates deeply with our editorial teams. It shows that top-tier scientific work has a home at MDPI, which builds our visibility in the research community. It signals that our publishing model, our editorial workflows, and our commitment to Open Access are respected at the very highest levels of science. It also gives our authors, reviewers, editors and staff the message that the work we support can be world-class and world-changing.

Publishing at the leading edge of knowledge isn’t just about individual papers – it’s about the ecosystem of support, transparency, and accessibility that makes discovery possible. Let’s continue to build a publishing platform and provide a service that attracts and enables both everyday research and the breakthroughs of tomorrow.

Inside MDPI

Strengthening Research Integrity: MDPI partners with Proofig AI

I’m pleased to share that MDPI has entered a multi-year partnership with Proofig AI, a leader in AI-driven proofing and integrity software for scientific publishing. This follows the success of our pilot program, in which Proofig AI proved highly effective in detecting duplicated, altered, and manipulated images across biomedical submissions.

Safeguarding the credibility of the research we publish

Research integrity is at the core of MDPI’s mission. The life sciences, in particular, face increasing risks of image-related issues due to advanced editing tools and generative AI. By integrating Proofig AI into our workflows, we improve our ability to detect issues early, reduce post-publication corrections, and safeguard the credibility of the research we publish.

Pilot outcomes

  • Successful detection of duplicated confocal and histology images, even when altered to disguise similarities.
  • Early results showed a significant drop in post-publication image manipulation flags year-on-year.
  • Positive feedback from editors and staff highlighted the tool’s ease of use and reliability.

Dr. Dror Kolodkin-Gal (co-founder and CEO of Proofig AI) said: 

“The MDPI team conducted a highly professional and carefully monitored pilot, achieving excellent results in detecting problematic images.

Their fast and effective integration process was impressive, and we are excited to contribute to this important collaboration.”

Sanita Meijere (IT Product and Project Manager, MDPI), shared:

“For more than a year, we’ve tested all the available image manipulation detection tools. Proofig AI’s quality and ease of use, alongside positive feedback from our internal users, made their software a clear stand-out.

We’re thrilled to be moving forward with this partnership, ensuring we do our utmost to protect MDPI’s biomedical journals. Using this advanced image proofing software reaffirms MDPI’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in research integrity.”

Raising the bar for integrity

This partnership sets a new benchmark for quality control in biomedical publishing.

As Tim Tait-Jamieson (Head of Publication Ethics, MDPI), explains:

“The life sciences are disproportionately affected by research integrity issues, making vigilance in this field especially critical. This is driven, in part, by the increasing sophistication of image editing software and generative AI.

Whether accidental or deliberate, image manipulation can have a lasting impact on credibility. By integrating Proofig AI into our editorial workflows, we strengthen our ability to detect scientific misconduct early and reduce post-publication amendments.”

Faster and more accurate quality control

Proofig will automatically flag potentially problematic images during submission checks, giving our editors more confidence in the integrity of manuscripts and freeing up time to focus on editorial decisions. The tool will also reduce the burden of manual checks, while supporting faster and more accurate quality control. This partnership reinforces MDPI's reputation as a publisher that takes integrity seriously and continues to invest in tools to support authors, editors, and reviewers alike.

A big thank-you to all colleagues who supported the pilot and rollout. You can read more in our MDPI Blog post.

Coming Together for Science

The MDPI Romania Summit 2025

On 21–22 October, I had the pleasure of joining our colleagues in Bucharest for the MDPI Romania Summit 2025. The event was organized by our Romania Marketing team, with support from colleagues across our Romanian offices. It brought together academics, policymakers, and collaborators to discuss the country’s evolving research landscape.

Over two days, we welcomed more than 30 participants, including Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, and policy-makers from the Romanian research and education sectors, including representatives from the Romanian Academy and the National Commission for the Accreditation of Academic Titles (CNATDCU).

The discussions and presentations reflected the strength and growth of Romania’s research community and its active engagement in Open Access publishing.

“The discussions and presentations reflected the strength and growth of Romania’s research community”

Romania’s role in Open Access

Romania loves Open Access and has emerged as one of MDPI’s most engaged national research communities. The numbers speak for themselves:

  • 67% of all publications in Romania were Open Access in 2024.
  • MDPI accounts for 39% of the country’s total OA publications (14,779 in 2024).
  • Over the last five years (2020–2024), Romanian institutions published over 33,000 papers with MDPI.
  • There are 460 active Editorial Board Members from Romania, including 8 Chief Editors.
  • 29 institutions are part of our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), with 8 new members joining in 2025.

These numbers reflect the trust and reliable partnership we have built with the Romanian academic community.

Highlights from the Summit

The program covered a wide range of topics from MDPI’s achievements and updates to our editorial processes, peer-review quality, AI in publishing, IOAP and Open Access funding models, and publication ethics.

Agenda Highlights:

  • MDPI Introduction, Performance & Achievements, and Collaboration with Romania – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI).
  • Trust the Process: Editorial Workflow and Quality in Publishing – Dr. Liliane Auwerter (Scientific Review Group).
  • Publication Ethics at MDPI: Safeguarding the Integrity of the Published Scholarly Record – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist).
  • Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI).
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Sanita Meijere (AI Product Manager).
  • Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI).

Participants shared feedback and ideas for future collaborations, including organizing author workshops, possible conference collaborations, and strengthening our engagement with national institutions such as the Ministry of Education and Research and the National Council of Romanian Rectors.

As Acad. Dr. Nicolae-Victor Zamfir, Vice President of the Romanian Academy, noted during the discussions:

“The organization of the event is very timely, because MDPI is a publishing house in full development and expansion. The opinion of researchers is important for increasing the quality of published works.”

A collaborative future

Events like this remind us how essential it is to engage locally and listen directly to the voices of our editors, authors, and institutional partners. They help us build relationships, improve our understanding of the local market, and align our shared goals in advancing Open Access and research quality.

Thank you to everyone involved, especially our Romania Marketing team, who organized the event, and to all colleagues who continue to build relationships with our academic communities around the world.

Thank you!

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

Closing Thoughts

STM and FBF 2025: Connecting Through Science and Publishing


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) at STM Conference, Frankfurt, 14 October 2025.

On 13–14 October, I attended the STM Frankfurt Conference 2025, my fourth visit to the Frankfurt event, and it continues to be one of the most valuable gatherings in our industry.

The STM meeting brings together the publishing community and key opinion leaders to speak on current trends and challenges shaping our industry.

This year’s theme – “Science Diplomacy: What is it and How Does it Work?” – unpacked the growing intersection of science, policy, and publishing.

Discussion topics ranged from what is science diplomacy and how publishers can contribute to global collaboration to how science communication can help maintain trust during an era of disruption.

I was joined by Dr. Constanze Schelhorn, our Head of Indexing, who met with representatives from Scopus, Web of Science, Digital Science, ProQuest, and other partners. These meetings give us a chance to share feedback on our collaborations, learn about new updates being developed, and build our relationships with indexing bodies.

“The STM meeting brings together the publishing community and key opinion leaders”

STM also provides a space to connect with industry peers, as I did with colleagues from Elsevier, Frontiers, Clarivate, Sage, and STM itself, reinforcing MDPI’s engagement within the broader publishing community. It was also nice to bump into some former colleagues and see them continuing to grow in their publishing careers.

At the Frankfurt Book Fair


The MDPI booth at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair.

Following STM, I spent the next day at the Frankfurt Book Fair (15–19 October) – one of the largest and most influential events in the publishing world.

It’s always inspiring to see the scale and energy of this global gathering, which spans everything from books and education to digital innovation and academic publishing.

We set up an MDPI booth to host discussions with partners, vendors, and researchers.

The Fair ran into the weekend, with colleagues from several MDPI departments attending to represent the company and connect with the scholarly community.


Events like STM and FBF are a nice reminder of how dynamic and interconnected our industry is, and how important it is for MDPI to continue taking part in global conversations about science, communication, and the future of publishing.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

4 November 2025
Vaccines | Issue Cover Papers in 2024

1. “DNA Vaccines: Their Formulations, Engineering and Delivery”
by Michael Kozak and Jiafen Hu
Vaccines 2024, 12(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12010071
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/1/71

2. “Development of NP-Based Universal Vaccine for Influenza A Viruses”
by Ekramy E. Sayedahmed, Nelly O. Elshafie, Andrea P. dos Santos, Chinnaswamy Jagannath, Suryaprakash Sambhara and Suresh K. Mittal
Vaccines 2024, 12(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12020157
Available online: http://mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/2/157

3. “Nucleic Acid Vaccines Encoding Proteins and Virus-like Particles for HIV Prevention”
by Ferran Tarrés-Freixas, Bonaventura Clotet, Jorge Carrillo and Julià Blanco
Vaccines 2024, 12(3), 298; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12030298
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/3/298

4. “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Vaccination Coverage of Healthcare Personnel in Alicante, Spain”
by María Guerrero-Soler, Paula Gras-Valenti, Guillermo Platas-Abenza, José Sánchez-Payá, Ángela Sanjuan-Quiles, Pablo Chico-Sánchez and on behalf of the Preventive Medicine Vaccination Work Group
Vaccines 2024, 12(4), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12040370
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/4/370

5. “Soluble Plasma Proteins of Tumor Necrosis Factor and Immunoglobulin Superfamilies Reveal New Insights into Immune Regulation in People with HIV and Opioid Use Disorder”
by Priya P. Ghanta, Christine M. Dang, C. Mindy Nelson, Daniel J. Feaster, David W. Forrest, Hansel Tookes, Rajendra N. Pahwa, Suresh Pallikkuth and Savita G. Pahwa
Vaccines 2024, 12(5), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12050520
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/5/520

6. “Molecular Events in Immune Responses to Sublingual Influenza Vaccine with Hemagglutinin Antigen and Poly(I:C) Adjuvant in Nonhuman Primates, Cynomolgus Macaques”
by Tetsuro Yamamoto, Makoto Hirano, Fusako Mitsunaga, Kunihiko Wasaki, Atsushi Kotani, Kazuki Tajima and Shin Nakamura
Vaccines 2024, 12(6), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12060643
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/6/643

7. “Transforming Aquaculture through Vaccination: A Review on Recent Developments and Milestones”
by Iosif Tammas, Konstantina Bitchava and Athanasios I. Gelasakis
Vaccines 2024, 12(7), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12070732
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/7/732

8. “B Cells Isolated from Individuals Who Do Not Respond to the HBV Vaccine Are Characterized by Higher DNA Methylation-Estimated Aging Compared to Responders”
by Katarzyna Malgorzata Kwiatkowska, Simona Anticoli, Stefano Salvioli, Luciano Calzari, Davide Gentilini, Christian Albano, Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio, Salvatore Zaffina, Rita Carsetti, Anna Ruggieri et al.
Vaccines 2024, 12(8), 880; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12080880
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/8/880

9. “Immunity to Varicella Zoster Virus in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2024)”
by Matteo Riccò, Pietro Ferraro, Salvatore Zaffina, Vincenzo Camisa, Federico Marchesi, Francesca Fortin Franzoso, Cosimo Ligori, Daniel Fiacchini, Nicola Magnavita and Silvio Tafuri
Vaccines 2024, 12(9), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12091021
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/9/1021

10. “Novel Mouse Model of Recurrent Sublethal Herpes Simplex Virus Infection Recapitulates Human Antibody Responses to Primary and Chronic Infection”
by Aakash Mahant Mahant, Tania Jaimes Gualdron and Betsy C. Herold
Vaccines 2024, 12(10), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12101127
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/10/1127

11. “Invasive Pneumococcal Diseases in People over 65 in Veneto Region Surveillance”
by Silvia Cocchio, Claudia Cozzolino, Andrea Cozza, Patrizia Furlan, Irene Amoruso, Francesca Zanella, Filippo Da Re, Debora Ballarin, Gloria Pagin, Davide Gentili et al.
Vaccines 2024, 12(11), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12111202
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/11/1202

12. “Approaches to Enhance the Potency of Vaccines in Chickens”
by Oenone Bodman-Harris, Christine S. Rollier and Munir Iqbal
Vaccines 2024, 12(12), 1337; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12121337
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1337

15 October 2025
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in September 2025


Nine new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in September 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We extend our sincere thanks to all Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. 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.

Journal

Founding Editor-in-Chief

Journal Topics (Selected)

Prof. Dr. Joseph G. Grzywacz,

San José State University, USA

Editorial | view inaugural issue

family formation and dynamics; family relationships; family diversity and structure; family processes; family challenges; global perspectives of family |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee,

National University of Singapore, Singapore

Editorial | view inaugural issue

AIoT sensing technologies; distributed AI and federated learning; AI-enhanced edge analytics; sensor fusion in edge computing; low-power AI sensing; security and privacy in edge-AI systems; AI-driven optimization of IoT networks |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Steven Paul Nistico,

Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Editorial | view inaugural issue

aesthetics; reconstructive surgery and plastic surgery; dermatology; oral and maxillofacial surgery; surgical procedures; non-surgical procedures |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Mauro Tonelli,

University of Pisa, Italy

Editorial | view inaugural issue

plasma physics and technology; atomic and molecular physics; nuclear physics; quantum physics and technology; dielectrics, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics; semiconductor physics and devices; engineering physics; material physics; biophysics|

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Sergej M. Ostojic,

University of Agder, Norway;
University of Pécs, Hungary

Editorial | view inaugural issue

biochemical research methods; biochemistry and molecular biology; cell biology; clinical and medicinal chemistry; clinical neurology; endocrinology and metabolism; medicine, general and internal; nutrition and dietetics; toxicology |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Michele Nappi,

University of Salerno, Italy

Editorial | view inaugural issue

foundations and advancements in multimedia technologies; computational social media analytics; human–AI interaction in social contexts; multimedia understanding and generation for social insight; ethics, fairness, and privacy in multimedia systems |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Philippe Gorce,

Toulon University, France

Editorial | view inaugural issue

ergonomic design and evaluation of workspaces, tools, and equipment; biomechanical analysis and ergonomic interventions for musculoskeletal health; cognitive workload assessment and management; human-computer interaction (HCI) and user experience (UX) research; ergonomic wearables; AI-driven ergonomic assessment tools; neuroergonomics |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. Ronald Charles Sims,

Utah State University, USA

Editorial | view inaugural issue

bioresources; bioproducts; bioenergy and biofuels; environmental protection; public health protection; biological waste treatment; biomass transformation; circular bioeconomy; bio-based materials and chemicals; bioresidues |

view journal scope | submit an article

Prof. Dr. M. Jamal Deen,

McMaster University, Canada

Editorial | view inaugural issue

device design and engineering; circuit design and system integration; applications and emerging technologies; materials and fabrication innovations; testing, reliability, and standards |

view journal scope | submit an article

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

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