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30 April 2025
Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award


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.

2024 Tu Youyou Award Laureates

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:

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.

16 May 2025
Water | Selected Papers Published in 2024 in the “Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems” Section

This selection of papers highlights recent advances in our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem functionality in aquatic environments. We hope this collection will bring you new inspiration and insights for your own research.

1. “The Convergence of Antibiotic Contamination, Resistance, and Climate Dynamics in Freshwater Ecosystems”
by Marcelo Pedrosa Gomes
Water 202416(18), 2606; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16182606
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/18/2606

2. “Using the Heavy Metal and Biotic Indices to Assess Ecological Quality in the Central Area of the East Sea, South Korea”
by Jian Liang, Chae-Woo Ma and Dae-Sun Son
Water 202416(9), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16091230
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/9/1230

3. “Impact of Microplastic on Freshwater Sediment Biogeochemistry and Microbial Communities Is Polymer Specific”
by Kristina M. Chomiak, Wendy A. Owens-Rios, Carmella M. Bangkong, Steven W. Day, Nathan C. Eddingsaas, Matthew J. Hoffman, André O. Hudson and Anna Christina Tyler
Water 202416(2), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16020348
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/2/348

4. “Prokaryotic Microbial Diversity Analysis and Preliminary Prediction of Metabolic Function in Salt Lakes on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau”
by Man Zhang, Jiangwa Xing, Qifu Long, Guoping Shen, Derui Zhu and Yongzhen Li
Water 202416(3), 451; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16030451
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/3/451

5. “Diversity of Macrophytes and Macroinvertebrates in Different Types of Standing Waters in the Drava Field”
by Mateja Germ, Žiga Tertinek, and Igor Zelnik
Water 202416(8), 1130; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16081130
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/8/1130

6. “The Responses of Cladoceran Communities to the Single and Simultaneous Effects of Environmentally Relevant Increases in Temperature and Phosphorus Concentration in Freshwater Ecosystems”
by Małgorzata Adamczuk
Water 202416(2), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16020249
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/2/249

7. “Microplastics in the Danube River and Its Main Tributaries—Ingestion by Freshwater Macroinvertebrates”
by Jelena Stanković, Djuradj Milošević, Momir Paunović, Boris Jovanović, Nataša Popović, Jelena Tomović, Ana Atanacković, Katarina Radulović, Davor Lončarević and Maja Raković
Water
 202416(7), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16070962
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/7/962

8. Karenia brevis and Pyrodinium bahamense Utilization of Dissolved Organic Matter in Urban Stormwater Runoff and Rainfall Entering Tampa Bay, Florida”
by Amanda L. Muni-Morgan, Mary G. Lusk and Cynthia A. Heil
Water 202416(10), 1448; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16101448
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/10/1448

9. “Ecological Assessment of Water Environment in Huizhou Region of China Based on DPSIR Theory and Entropy Weight TOPSIS Model”
by Weihua Deng, Xuan Li, Yanlong Guo, Jie Huang and Linfu Zhang
Water 202416(18), 2579; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16182579
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/18/2579

10. “How Daphnia magna Defends Itself against Predators: Mechanisms and Adaptations in a Freshwater Microcosm”
by Goran Kovačević, Petra Tramontana Ljubičić, Daniela Petrinec, Damir Sirovina, Maja Novosel and Davor Želježić
Water 202416(3), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16030398
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/3/398

11. “Assessing the Impact of Weirs on Water Quality and Phytoplankton Dynamics in the South Han River: A Two-Year Study”
by Young-Hyo Kim, In-Hwan Cho, Ha-Kyung Kim, Eun-A Hwang, Byung-Hun Han and Baik-Ho Kim
Water 202416(6), 833; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16060833
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/6/833

12. “Assessing the Impacts of Changing Connectivity of Hydropower Dams on the Distribution of Fish Species in the 3S Rivers, a Tributary of the Lower Mekong”
by Peter-John Meynell, Marc J. Metzger and Neil Stuart
Water 202416(11), 1505; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111505
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/11/1505

13. “Stream Algal Biomass Associations with Environmental Variables in a Temperate Rainforest”
by Elsa K. Toskey, Stephen M. Bollens, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Peter M. Kiffney, Kyle D. Martens and Bernard T. Bormann
Water 202416(11), 1533; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111533
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/11/1533

14. “Reach-Scale Mapping of Surface Flow Velocities from Thermal Images Acquired by an Uncrewed Aircraft System along the Sacramento River, California, USA”
by Paul J. Kinzel, Carl J. Legleiter and Christopher L. Gazoorian
Water 202416(13), 1870; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16131870
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/13/1870

15. “Testing 16S Primers for Proper Identification of Cyanobacterial Communities in Small Water Bodies”
by Łukasz Łach, Nataliia Khomutovska, Jan Kwiatowski and Iwona Jasser
Water 202416(10), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16101357
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/10/1357

14 May 2025
Meet Us at the 2025 International Conference on Water Security and Sustainable Development, 23–25 May 2025, Xi'an, China


Conference: The 2025 International Conference on Water Security and Sustainable Development
Date: 23–25 May 2025
Location: Xi'an, China

MDPI will be attending the 2025 International Conference on Water Security and Sustainable Development, which will be held from 23 to 25 May in Xi'an, China.

The International Conference on Water Security and Sustainable Development (ICWSSD) will bring together experts, scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the globe to discuss the latest research findings, technological advancements, and policy responses related to water security and sustainable development.

Conference themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Water resource management and sustainable utilization;
  • The impact of climate change on water security;
  • Water pollution prevention and water quality protection;
  • Energy development and water resource conservation;
  • Water resources and socio-economic development;
  • Water security and human health;
  • Smart water management and technological innovation.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

We will give a speech on 25 May, at 14:30, on the topic of Water journal introduction. If you plan to attend the conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Mpso25EafQWTpQZ7VtV2Cg.

13 May 2025
Empowering Academic Growth with MDPI: A Scientific Publishing Exchange at Toronto Metropolitan University, 15 May 2025


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:

Speakers

Program and Content

Time

Dr. Stephen Mora

Introduction to MDPI

12:00–12:05 p.m.

 

How to Write and Structure a Research Article

12:05–12:45 p.m.

 

How to Respond to Reviewer Comments

12:45–1:30 p.m.

Dr. Stephen Mora has an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in kinesiology and health science from York University, Canada. He started working at MDPI in May 2024 and is now the Managing Editor of IJOM, a newly transferred society journal published by MDPI. During his graduate studies and MDPI tenure, Stephen has gained extensive experience in attending conferences, meeting with scholars, and hosting online and in-person presentations.

30 April 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #22 - 300 Journals in WoS, Norway & Sweden Consortiums, Self-citations

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

Over 300 MDPI Journals are Indexed in Web of Science

Indexing is essential to scholarly publishing as it promotes visibility and the impact of research. I’m excited to share that MDPI now has over 300 journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS). This milestone reflects the work of our authors, editors, reviewers, and the entire MDPI staff, contributing to greater visibility and impact for open access research.

Publish with MDPI, publish with impact.

Having over 300 MDPI journals indexed in the Web of Science is more than a numbers game. It represents a recognition of the quality, consistency, and relevance of the research published in our journals. For the academic community, it reflects the growing trust in MDPI as a reputable publisher, leading the way in open access publishing.

A closer look at the achievement

Being indexed in the WoS nvolves meeting a list of quality criteria, including 24 quality benchmarks for ESCI journals. 

For MDPI, rigorous editorial standards and scientific integrity are key. These enabled over 300 journals to pass the Web of Science quality criteria for indexing.

Here we share a blog post discussing the importance of this milestone for MDPI and open scholarly research. In this post, Constanze Schelhorn, Head of Indexing, at MDPI, and Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead, share their thoughts and insights on what this achievement means for our commitment to high-quality research.

“MDPI has a well-structured quality assurance framework that applies to all our journals. We also apply clear, standardized peer-review policies across our portfolio, ensuring transparency and consistency.” – Constanze Schelhorn, Head of Indexing

“This achievement is a step forward for Open Access research, reinforcing the mission to share scientific knowledge globally and facilitate research progress.” – Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead

Read the blog here: https://blog.mdpi.com/2025/04/03/300-mdpi-journals/

Looking to the future

This milestone is a testament to MDPI’s dedication to peer review, editorial excellence, and innovation in academic publishing. It highlights our role as leaders in open access publishing.

Personally, I see this as just the beginning. We will continue to support researchers, expand our contributions to scholarly communication, and push the boundaries of academic publishing.

Impactful Research

Nearly 920 partner institutions in MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

I’m pleased to share some exciting progress from MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), which now includes nearly 920 partner institutions worldwide. This is more than just a number. It reflects the growing trust and collaboration we’ve built with universities, libraries, and research organizations across the globe. 

The IOAP offers institutions discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs), access to a dedicated institutional dashboard, and transparency throughout the publishing process.

Norway’s Sikt Consortium Renews national agreement with MDPI

MDPI has renewed its national agreement with the Sikt Consortium, which now supports 36 institutions across Norway. New partners, such as Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, join long-standing collaborators such as NTNU, the University of Bergen, and UiT, The Arctic University of Norway. The agreement promotes affordable, high-quality open access publishing through centralized APC funding, and reinforces Norway’s leadership in open science.

These agreements reflect MDPI’s mission to remove barriers to scientific publishing and make research freely available to all. By collaborating with national consortia and institutions, we advance the open access and strengthen our global network and collaborations.

Our IOAP Team

A big thank-you to our IOAP team for driving these important collaborations. Their work includes increasing MDPI’s visibility in scholarly communications, strengthening relationships with IOAP partners, and building trust with key stakeholders.

These efforts not only help researchers to publish their work openly and affordably but also reinforce MDPI’s position as a trusted leader in open access.

What are the benefits of MDPI’s IOAP?

For Authors: Researchers affiliated with IOAP partner institutions benefit from automatic discounts on APCs, Book Processing Charges (BPCs), JAMS, and Author Services across MDPI’s journals. The process is seamless as there is no need for codes or special applications. The publishing experience is smoother and more affordable, and centralized invoicing helps simplify the process, allowing authors to focus on their research rather than administration.

For Libraries: Participating libraries receive access to a dedicated institutional dashboard with live metadata on submissions from affiliated authors, past and present. They also benefit from flexible invoicing options (direct, collective, or prepayment) to help streamline administration, while clear, transparent agreements ensure that there are no hidden clauses or small print. Automated deposits into Institutional Repositories further reduce manual work, supporting libraries in their mission to advance open access and serve their research communities.

Inside MDPI

MDPI Self-citation study shows industry alignment

Earlier this month, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Enric Sayas published a thoughtful and transparent article on the ALPSP blog, presenting a self-citation analysis across MDPI’s 237 journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

They found that MDPI's average self-citation rate in 2024 was 14.85%, well within industry norms and ranking 6th among the top ten publishers. Only 2.3% of MDPI journals were identified as outliers with high self-citation rates, compared to 4.7% among other leading publishers. An alternative approach, using weighted average by publication volume, shows MDPI’s self-citation rate rises from 14% to 19.7%, shifting our rank from 6th to 3rd. The study also shows that the impact of self-citation on journal quartile placement is minimal.

Read the full article on the ALPSP blog: https://blog.alpsp.org/2025/03/mdpi-self-citations-study-highlights.html

Why is this important?

As explained in the full article, the results “reinforce the fact that self-citations have minimal influence on MDPI journal rankings, emphasizing the integrity of editorial practices and the absence of any deliberate efforts to manipulate impact.”

Self-citation is a hot topic, and MDPI is sometimes unfairly singled out in this area. This analysis helps put some perspective to that narrative.

At MDPI, we are committed to transparency and to using data-driven insights to address common misconceptions about open access publishing. Our focus on self-citation reflects this commitment, and we plan to extend our efforts to other areas where the Gold OA model is often misunderstood.

About the authors

Dr. Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead, leverages her expertise in science communication, editorial processes, and Open Access (OA) promotion to address both institutional and country-specific challenges. She collaborates with teams across PR, Editorial Procedures, Institutional Partnerships, Research Integrity, AI and more, developing strategies to engage stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, and industry leaders. Her responsibilities include enhancing MDPI’s scientific network and promoting OA initiatives at events worldwide, supporting the efforts of various departments, and ensuring effective communication to both specialist and broader audiences.

Dr. Enric Sayas is a Business Analyst specializing in the integration of AI and Machine Learning in scientific publishing.

Within MDPI’s AI team, Enric combines his editorial expertise with his passion for AI to support the development of AI-driven solutions tailored to editorial needs, enhancing efficiency and improving decision-making.

Enric’s interests extend to data science methodologies applied to scientific publishing, as well as the broader impact of AI on open science, peer review, and the future of scientific publishing.

Coming Together for Science

 

Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security


Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando presenting at Plants 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

The MDPI Conference Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 31 March to 2 April 2025.

It was chaired by Editor-in-Chief of MDPI journal Plants (Q1 journal); Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando from the University of Manitoba, in Canada, and Section Editor-in-Chief of Plants; Dr. Fermín Morales from Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB) – CSIC, in Spain; and Prof. Dr. Oscar Vicente from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in Spain.

The conference brought plant scientists together to discuss innovations in sustainable agriculture, crop improvement, and environmental conservation.

With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the conference addressed key challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable agroecosystems through keynote talks and seven specialized sessions.

The conference gathered 111 attendees from 36 different countries, featuring 1 keynote speaker, 9 invited speakers, and 41 selected talks, along with 56 posters. The event received just over 200 submissions and 102 accepted abstracts.

From insightful talks, engaging poster sessions and engaging networking moments, Plants 2025 was a special experience. You can relive the highlights from the Plants 2025 conference here with our after movie!


Awards

Four awards were presented at the conclusion of the conference, sponsored by the journal Plants: two Best Poster Awards (€250 each) and two Best Oral Presentation Awards (€300 each).

Plants 2025 Conference Team

The Plants 2025 Conference was organized by colleagues from MDPI’s Conference Team: Ana Sanchis (Conference Manager), Cédric Spinnler (Senior Conference Organizer), Raquel Sellès (Conference Organizer) and Laura Perez (Conference Assistant).

Upcoming event

5–7 May 2025
The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Metals
Location: Online event (Central European Summer Time)

As one of the pillar technologies that support the development of modern society and metallurgy, IECME 2025 will present the state-of-the-art of Metallurgy and Metals.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

Swedish consortium renews partnership with MDPI

I’m pleased to share that MDPI has renewed its national partnership with Sweden’s Bibsam Consortium. This is a continued commitment to advancing open access publishing and supporting Sweden’s vision for fully open research.

Under this renewed agreement, 22 leading institutions including KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Linnaeus University, and Linköping University, will continue to benefit from MDPI’s IOAP. This provides discounts on APCs and a more streamlined, researcher-friendly publishing experience.

MDPI and Bibsam renew national agreement for Sweden

“With robust backing from national open science guidelines, Sweden’s open-access landscape is rapidly advancing,” says Becky Castellon, institutional partnerships manager at MDPI.

“In fact, fewer than 15% of all Swedish research outputs were locked behind paywalls in 2023. We are passionate about the positive impact our ongoing partnership with the Bibsam Consortium will have on Swedish research, paving the way for ground-breaking developments and a more inclusive, open scientific community. Through flexible solutions and tailored policies, we enable institutions to prioritize research, foster innovation, and enhance accessibility, driving the shift to full open access.”

Recent MDPI IOAP Consortium signings from 2025:

  • The UK’s Jisc Consortium extended its national agreement, continuing support for more than 60 institutions across the UK.
  • Switzerland’s CSAL (Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries) renewed its agreement, continuing our collaboration with top institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne.
  • In Germany, we signed a new national agreement with ZB MED that includes over 100 universities and research institutions, with 78 institutions joining under a central or flat-fee model to simplify APC coverage.
Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 April 2025
Announcing the Award Committee for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award

We are honored to introduce the award committee for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, composed of distinguished scientists from around the world whose research covers diverse areas of natural product chemistry, pharmacognosy, and drug discovery. Their broad expertise and pioneering contributions have significantly advanced medicinal and natural products research.

Through their collective insights, rigorous evaluation, the committee has carefully selected this year’s award recipients, recognizing exceptional achievements in the field.

We sincerely thank these distinguished scholars for their efforts and dedication to upholding the standards of the Tu Youyou Award.  Below is the list of committee members. For more information about the Tu Youyou Award, please visit https://tuyouyouprize.org/

Chair:


Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn
Ohio State University, USA
Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn is a leading expert in pharmacognosy and natural products research. He is recognized for his key contributions to discovering bioactive compounds from plants, especially in anticancer, cancer chemopreventive, and substances with a sweet taste and taste-modifying agents. His prolific contributions include over 590 peer-reviewed works and book chapters and edited or co-edited 40 scientific volumes.
Committee Members:

Prof. Angelo Fontana
University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy
Angelo Fontana is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Naples “Federico II” in Italy and serves as Director of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry at the National Research Council (CNR). His research focuses on bioactive small molecules derived from marine eukaryotes, with a particular interest on their pharmaceutical applications in immunology and oncology. He also explores their potential as molecular tools for probing and modulating complex biological systems. Prof. Fontana is a co-founder of BioSEArch SRL and has been recognized with numerous grants and honors, including the Apivita Award from the Phytochemical Society of Europe.

Prof. Binghe Wang
Georgia State University, USA
Prof. Binghe Wang’s lab works on drug design, drug delivery, click chemistry, chemical biology, new diagnostics, and gaseous signaling molecules such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. His interdisciplinary research supports advances in cancer, infectious diseases, organ protection, inflammation, and other areas.  

Dr. Diana Pinto
University of Aveiro, Portugal
Dr. Diana Pinto, an Associate Professor at the University of Aveiro, specializes in organic synthesis of bioactive heterocyclic compounds, sustainable catalysis (organo-, heterogeneous, and biocatalysis), and natural product research, including isolation, characterization, and total synthesis.

Prof. Hideaki Kakeya
Kyoto University, Japan
Prof. Hideaki Kakeya conducts cutting-edge research in chemical biology, high-throughput screening, and biosynthesis of bioactive natural products for system chemotherapy and other therapeutic applications.

Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel
University of Strathclyde, UK
Prof. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel heads the Natural Products Metabolomics Group (NPMG), specializing in marine natural products discovery and metabolomics-driven drug development. A recognized expert in bioactive metabolites, she collaborates with industry and academia to address antimicrobial resistance and sustainable bioprospecting. She serves on the Editorial Board of Marine Drugs and holds two patents in the field.

Prof. Thomas Prisinzano
University of Kentucky, USA
Prof. Thomas Prisinzano combines medicinal and natural product chemistry to explore neurotransmitter systems and develop treatments for drug abuse and pain. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Innovator Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence.

Prof. Wei Li
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA
A distinguished professor and Director of the Drug Discovery Center, Prof. Wei Li is also the founder of SEAK Therapeutics, and the 2025 Chair-Elect of the Drug Discovery and Development Division of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). His work focuses on medicinal chemistry and small molecule drug discovery, with over 200 publications and 15 issued US patents.

29 April 2025
Water Exceptional Reviewers List 2025


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, Water (ISSN: 2073-4441) recognizes the significant role our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to surveys conducted in 2024, 92% of our authors rate the journal’s peer-review process 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 Water’s 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 May 2024. Each quarter, we will select a group of outstanding reviewers and introduce them here.

Q1
Name:
Dr. Igor Leščešen
Affiliation: Institute of Hydrology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

Name: Dr. Antonija Kulaš
Affiliation: Division of Botany, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Name: Prof. Dr. Jorge Manuel Vieira Pamplona
Affiliation: CCT – Earth Sciences Centre, Earth Sciences Department of Sciences School, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal

Name: Dr. Caihong Hu
Affiliation: School of Water Conservancy and Environment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Name: Dr. Tiegang Zheng
Affiliation: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China

Name: Dr. J.H. van Boxel (John)
Affiliation: Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Name: Prof. Dr. António Manuel Abreu Freire Diogo
Affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Name: Dr. John Clive Radcliffe
Affiliation: Environment Research Unit, CSIRO, Waite Campus, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Name: Dr. Robert Machowski
Affiliation: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Name: Prof. Dr. Jesús M. Mercado
Affiliation: Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO)-CSIC, Málaga, Spain

Name: Dr. Panagiota A. Galiatsatou
Affiliations: 1 Division of Strategic Planning, Hydraulic Works & Development, Department of Geoinformatics, Surveying & Hydraulic Modelling, Thessaloniki, Greece; 2 Research Associate, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Name: Dr. Steven Joel Goldstein
Affiliation: Guest Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA

Name: Dr. Xizhi Nong
Affiliation: Dr. Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, China

Name: Dr. Qin Qian
Affiliation: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA

Name: Prof. Dr. Rinaldo Genevois
Affiliation: Engineering Geology, Department of Geosciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

Name: Dr. Zheng Lu
Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

Name: Prof. Dr. Sanda-Carmen Georgescu
Affiliation: Department of Hydraulics, Hydraulic Machinery and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Energy Engineering, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

Name: Dr. Rashmi Semwal
Affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

Name: Dr. Yuke Wang
Affiliation: School of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

Name: Dr. Christina Kranz
Affiliation: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

22 April 2025
International Mother Earth Day, 22 April 2025


Mother Earth is sending us an urgent call to action as nature suffers from the devastating impacts of human activity. Our oceans are choked with plastic and acidifying, while extreme heat, wildfires, and floods have disrupted millions of lives. Climate change, deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, illegal wildlife trade, and other human-driven disruptions are accelerating the destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity. As we mark the third Mother Earth Day within the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, it is clear that healthy ecosystems are vital for all life on Earth. Restoring damaged ecosystems can help end poverty, fight climate change, and prevent mass extinction, but success depends on everyone playing their part. Together, we must act now to heal our planet and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

On this significant day, we are proud to present a curated collection of articles and initiatives dedicated to groundbreaking research and innovative solutions for protecting and restoring our planet. As we celebrate Mother Earth and reflect on the urgent need for action, these contributions highlight critical efforts to combat climate change, restore ecosystems, and promote sustainability. We invite readers to explore these resources and join us in our shared mission to safeguard the health of our planet for future generations. Together, we can make a lasting impact and ensure a thriving, resilient Earth for all.

Environmental & Earth Sciences

Biology & Life Sciences

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Károly Németh

Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, New Zealand

Prof. Brendan Macke

Griffith University, Australia

The Conservation of Biodiverse and Threatened Dry Rainforest Plant Communities Is Vital in a Changing Climate
by Marion Howard, Hilary Pearl, Bill McDonald, Yoko Shimizu, Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava and Alison Shapcott
Conservation 2024, 4(4), 657-684; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4040040

Ten Years of Mediterranean Monk Seal Stranding Records in Greece under the Microscope: What Do the Data Suggest?
by Maria Solanou, Aliki Panou, Irida Maina, Stefanos Kavadas and Marianna Giannoulaki
Animals 2024, 14(9), 1309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091309

Groundwater Temperature Stripes: A Simple Method to Communicate Groundwater Temperature Variations Due to Climate Change
by Manuela Lasagna, Elena Egidio and Domenico Antonio De Luca
Water 2024, 16(5), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16050717

Resilience of an Urban Coastal Ecosystem in the Caribbean: A Remote Sensing Approach in Western Puerto Rico
by Yadiel Noel Bonilla-Roman and Salvador Francisco Acuña-Guzman
Earth 2024, 5(1), 72-89; https://doi.org/10.3390/earth5010004

Particulate Matter in the American Southwest: Detection and Analysis of Dust Storms Using Surface Measurements and Ground-Based LIDAR
by Joscelyne Guzman-Gonzalez, Rosa M. Fitzgerald, Nakul N. Karle, Ricardo K. Sakai and William R. Stockwell
Atmosphere 2024, 15(1), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15010110

An Imported Environmental Crisis: Plastic Mismanagement in Africa
by Gilbert Moyen Massa and Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020672

The Effect of Habitat on Insect Movements: Experimental Evidence from Wild-Caught Butterflies
by Matteo Marcantonio, Raluca Voda, Daniele Da Re, Quentin Igot, Roger L. H. Dennis, Aurélien Vielfaure, Sophie O. Vanwambeke and Caroline M. Nieberding
Insects 2023, 14(9), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14090737

Artificial Reefs around the World: A Review of the State of the Art and a Meta-Analysis of Its Effectiveness for the Restoration of Marine Ecosystems
by Carolina Bracho-Villavicencio, Helena Matthews-Cascon and Sergio Rossi
Environments 2023, 10(7), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10070121

Topography, Slope and Geomorphology’s Influences on Shoreline Dynamics along Dakar’s Southern Coast, Senegal
by Ibrahima Pouye, Dieudonné Pessièzoum Adjoussi, Jacques André Ndione and Amadou Sall
Coasts 2023, 3(1), 93-112; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts3010006

Potential Use of Industrial Biomass Waste as a Sustainable Energy Source in the Future
by Tomasz Kalak
Energies 2023, 16(4), 1783; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041783

Nature-Based Solutions to Extreme Wildfires

Guest Editor: Adrián Regos

Submission deadline: 15 June 2025

Impact of Environmental Factors and Management Practices on Bee Health - 2nd Edition

Guest Editors: Ivana Tlak Gajger and Franco Mutinelli
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025

17 April 2025
MDPI Webinar | International Mother Earth Day, 22 April 2025


In commemoration of International Mother Earth Day, MDPI is organizing a special webinar to bring together researchers and experts to share their thoughts on raising awareness about the importance of environmental protection and addressing pressing global issues such as climate change, ecosystem recovery, and sustainable development.

The theme of the webinar revolves around fostering a deeper understanding of humanity’s role in preserving our planet for future generations, as well as the crucial roles of biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices in preserving our ecosystems for future generations. This webinar will provide a platform for meaningful discussions and knowledge exchange on the importance of climate change and the importance of the recovery of our ecosystems.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Mother Earth Day Webinar 2025. Please find an up-to-date outline of the presenters below.

Any interesting suggestions regarding topics and speakers are welcome.

Date: 22 April 2025
Time:
8:30 a.m. CEST | 4:30 p.m. AEST | 2:30 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 878 0932 6864

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

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

Register now for free!

Program:

Time (CEST)

Program and Conten

8:30–8:35 a.m.

Opening Ceremony
MDPI Presenter

8:35–9:05 a.m.

Geoheritage as the Building Block of the Geodiversity of Earth Heritage
Speaker:
Prof. Károly Németh
This presentation will provide a critical review of the significance of geoheritage from an Earth heritage perspective. The talk will outline the link between geoheritage and geodiversity in light of their role in geosystem services. The lecture will also cover aspects of various geohazards from a geoheritage perspective, especially to link natural hazards and geoheritage, to promote human society resilience development. The presentation will explore the link between traditional knowledge on Earth heritage and its potential for blending with modern research aspects to co-develop geoconservation ventures for local communities.

9:05–9:35 a.m.

A Science Perspective on Ethics, Multi-Species Kinship, and Duty of Care to Future Generations
Speaker:
Prof. Brendan Macke
From a scientific perspective, “multi-species kindship” is not a particularly foreign concept because science states as known facts that humans are just one of millions of species on the same tree of life and that all life (including humans) emerged from and co-evolved with the Earth’s environment. Earth system science also makes it clear that human wellbeing, as well as that of future generations, remains dependent on a healthy Earth environment and therefore on interdependencies with other species. Scientific knowledge informs human ethics (as in the verb, deciding what the right or wrong thing is in a given situation) and what kind of ethics (as in a statement of ethical principles) should guide our individual and collective behaviors.

9:35–9:55 a.m.

Q&A Session

9:55–10:00 a.m.

Closing of Program

Webinar Speakers:

  • Prof. Károly Németh, 1 National Program of Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Saudi Geological Survey, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2 Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, Sopron, Hungary; 3 Geoconservation Trust Aotearoa SW Pacific, Opotiki, New Zealand;
  • Prof. Brendan Macke, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

For more information about this webinar, please visit https://sciforum.net/event/MEDW2025?subscribe.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact journal.webinar@mdpi.com.

MDPI International Mother Earth Day Webinar Secretariat

11 April 2025
Water Young Investigator Award—Winners Announced


We are pleased to announce that the first prize of the Water Young Investigator Award has been granted to Dr. Lorenzo Rosa, and the second prize has been granted to Prof. Dr. Wenfeng Liu.

Dr. Lorenzo Rosa serves as a Principal Investigator at Carnegie Science and holds the position of Assistant Professor (by courtesy) in the Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University. His main research work focuses on the innovative technologies to tackle climate mitigation and adaptation within the interconnected food–energy–water nexus. Dr. Rosa has an H-index of 31 based on Scopus and has published over 50 papers, with a total number of citations over 3800. Dr. Rosa’s contributions to science and society have been recognized through multiple awards, and he was also listed among the most influential young leaders in Science and Technology of the year 2020 by Forbes 30 Under 30.

Prof. Dr. Wenfeng Liu is a Full Professor at the College of Water Resources & Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, China. Prof. Dr. Liu focuses on the research fields of the water–food–environment–trade nexus, large-scale modelling, climate change, water resource management and water scarcity assessment. He has an H-index of 36 based on Scopus and has published more than 70 publications with a total citation number of over 3400. Please join us in congratulating Prof. Dr. Liu on his outstanding achievements.

As the awardees, Dr. Lorenzo Rosa will receive an honorarium of CHF 2000 and an offer to publish a paper free of charge before end of March 2026 in Water after peer review; Prof. Dr. Wenfeng Liu will receive an honorarium of CHF 1500 and an offer to publish a paper free of charge before end of March 2026 in Water (ISSN: 2073-4441) after peer review.

We would like to thank all the nominators for their participation and all the Award Committee Members for their evaluation of the many excellent nominees.

Water Editorial Office

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