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18 April 2026
MDPI Webinar | World Malaria Day, 24 April 2026
MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of World Malaria Day on 24 April 2026. This event will promote public understanding of malaria diagnosis and prevention, as well as highlight the development of pioneering technologies that have made malaria elimination possible.
Date: 24 April at 10:00 a.m. CEST | 4:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 847 7074 5022
Webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MWMDW
Register now for free:
Program:
|
Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CEST |
Time in CST (Asia) |
|
Opening of Webinar |
10:00–10:05 a.m. |
4:00–4:05 p.m. |
|
Prof. Eleni Patsoula |
10:05–10:25 a.m. |
4:05–4:25 p.m. |
|
Prof. Oleksii Skorokhod |
10:25–10:45 a.m. |
4:25–4:45 p.m. |
|
Prof. Dr. Toshio Hattori |
10:45–11:05 a.m. |
4:45–5:05 p.m. |
|
Dr. Ashley Burke |
11:05–11:25 a.m. |
5:05–5:25 p.m. |
|
Dr. Michael Eisenhut |
11:25–11:45 a.m. |
5:25–5:45 p.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
11:45–12:00 p.m. |
5:45–6:00 p.m. |
|
Closing of Webinar |
12:00–12:05 p.m. |
6:00–6:05 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic and institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Keynote Speakers:
- Prof. Eleni Patsoula, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece;
- Prof. Oleksii Skorokhod, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy;
- Prof. Dr. Toshio Hattori, Roken Akanpe Nursing Home, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan;
- Dr. Ashley Burke, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), South Africa;
- Dr. Michael Eisenhut, Cochrane Collaboration, UK.
Relevant Special Issues:
“Advances in Microparasite Research”
Guest Editors: Dr. Sofia Nolasco and Dr. Inês L. S. Delgado
Submission deadline: 31 July 2026
“Malaria in a Changing World”
Guest Editors: Dr. Harry Tagbor and Dr. Luiz Shozo Ozaki
Submission deadline: 20 August 2026
“Genetic and Molecular Research on the Malaria Parasite "
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Hajime Hisaeda and Dr. Takashi Imai
Submission deadline: 20 September 2026
“Advances in Tools for Battling Malaria”
Guest Editors: Dr. Wenn-Chyau Lee and Dr. Meng Yee Lai
Submission deadline: 31 December 2026
“Recent Advances in Malaria Vaccine Development—2nd Edition”
Guest Editors: Dr. Ahmad Rushdi Shakri and Dr. Dipak Raj
Submission deadline: 31 December 2026
16 April 2026
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in the First Quarter of 2026
Our portfolio of journals available for publishing up-to-date research in immediate open access format has been further expanded. In the first quarter of 2026, nine new journals released their inaugural issues and three transferred journals released their first issue as part of MDPI, covering the subjects of clinical medicine, chemistry, computer science & mathematics, engineering, environment & ecology, and social sciences & psychology.
We extend our gratitude to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who will shape the future course of these brand-new journals. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.
Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.
|
New Journals |
Founding Editor(s)-in-Chief |
Journal Topics (Selected) |
|
Prof. Dr. Matt Oehlschlaeger, |
AI-based chemical data analysis, prediction, and discovery; AI-enabled chemical reaction prediction, synthesis planning, and retrosynthesis; AI in bioorganic chemistry and chemical biology; digital twins and simulation of chemical processes; AI-powered chemical education and pedagogy | |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Guang Jia, |
occupational hazards and exposure science; occupational health effects and susceptibility; occupational risk assessment and management; occupational health intervention, promotion, and policy | |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Alessandro Miani, |
environmental exposures and health; the built environment and public health; One Health approach; environmental justice and health equity; environmental policies and interventions | |
|
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Prof. Dr. Miriam H. A. Bopp, |
neuroimaging technology and tool; multimodal neuroimaging integration and analysis; |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Raul A. Urrutia, |
personalized translational and clinical oncology research that contribute to a deeper understanding of cancer diagnoses, prognoses, prevention, and treatment specifically for individual patients | |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Pierre Boulanger, |
AI in disease detection, diagnosis, prediction, and treatment; medical informatics; AI in genomics and precision medicine; AI in drug discovery and development; |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Zhaokui Wang, |
astrodynamics; spacecraft technology; satellite technology; space transportation; space vehicle design, propulsion, and avionics; space energy, power and propulsion | |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Richard J Hauer, |
park design, planning, and evaluation; park and art; park, industrialization, urbanization, and civilization; park and education; park and smart society; park role in SDGs; park services for humans | |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Stacey L. Connaughton, |
conflict resolution; peacebuilding; peacemaking; mediation, reconciliation, and transitional justice; sustaining peace | |
|
Transferred Journals |
Editor(s)-in-Chief |
Journal Topics (Selected) |
|
Prof. Dr. Gianluigi Vendemiale, |
physiology and pathology of aging; biogerontology; epidemiology; clinical geriatrics; pharmacology; geriatric nursing | |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Michele Maffia, |
cellular and developmental biology; physiology, pathophysiology and endocrinology; diagnostic tools, therapies and public health | |
|
|
Dr. Warren S. Joseph, |
foot and ankle medicine; podiatric medicine | |
We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create a new journal, you are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).
3 April 2026
Zoonotic Diseases | Interview with Editor-in-Chief—Prof. Dr. Stephen K. Wikel
We are pleased to share the following interview with Prof. Dr. Stephen K. Wikel, founding Editor-in-Chief of Zoonotic Diseases (ISSN: 2813-0227) and Editorial Board Member of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN: 2306-7381).
Prof. Dr. Wikel received his PhD in veterinary microbiology from the University of Saskatchewan. He was appointed Senior Associate Dean, Professor and Chairman, Department of Medical Sciences, and St. Vincent’s Medical Center Endowed Chair, School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, as one of four deans tasked with establishing the new medical school from the ground up. Prof. Dr. Wikel has authored 146 publications, including several invited reviews and book chapters, and has been a featured speaker for 75 national and international symposia. He has extensive service experience as a member of advisory panels, research study sections, editorial boards, and in academic institution administration.
We thank Prof. Dr. Stephen K. Wikel for meeting with us to discuss his current research and his role as Editor-in-Chief. We wish him every success in his research and his work with zoonotic diseases.
1. Can you share with us some information about your academic background and your current research focus?
My research interests, stemming back probably 55 plus years, have been looking at the interactions—the interface between—blood-feeding arthropods, and my work is focused predominantly on ticks in this period, although we've done some work with mosquitoes and sucking lice in the past and published on that, looking at the immunological responses that are elicited by the arthropod. But early on, we also discovered that blood-feeding ticks could manipulate the immune response of the host upon which they're feeding. So the idea here was to look at these interactions and how those relate to feeding success and ultimately the development of host responses that could limit the feeding of the blood-feeding arthropods, and really what their relationship is to pathogen transmission.
So this is an area that was largely unexplored, but from the standpoint of looking at an immunoparasitology aspect, this was important.
I received my PhD in veterinary microbiology from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. I had a strong focus; initially, my interest was really veterinary parasitology and the immunology related to those parasites, but I was fortunate to be in a department that at the time had a very heavy focus on the interface between veterinary medicine and human health, long before it was probably widely touted as a One Health approach. So, this was really zoonotic diseases, and, fortunately, we had a faculty that was very broad in these areas, and it was beneficial in terms of my training. When I defended my dissertation, I was hired as an assistant professor in the department where I remained for approximately a year before moving to the Rocky Mountain Laboratories, so the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the United States. I ultimately moved on to an academic career. The highlight of that was being a professor and acting Chair of the Department of Immunology at the School of Medicine at the University of Connecticut. I subsequently ended up at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where I was Professor of Pathology.
I had been specifically recruited there; this was after 9/11 in the United States, when the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases developed the Galveston National Laboratory, which was a maximum biocontainment lab, all the way to BSL-4, where I was, in addition to being Professor of Pathology, a senior scientist in the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Subsequently, I was approached by colleagues, three of my colleagues from the University of Connecticut, and asked if I would return to Connecticut to help found a new Medical School at Quinnipiac University, which I did, basically at the end of my career. At this point, it was basically starting a school from the ground up. So, I hired faculty for the basic sciences in the clinical skills area, wrote a curriculum, did a lot of the documentation for accreditation, and that's now an established, accredited medical school moving along quite nicely.
Over the years, I have produced over 146 publications. I've been a featured speaker at over 75 national and international symposia. My research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and by private industry, the pharmaceutical industry.
I've had extensive experience over the years serving on advisory councils, panels, NIH study sections, and at one point, I chaired what was called the ICIDERS, or the International Centers for Infectious Disease Research Study section of the NIH.
So I think this gave me a broad background combined with a lot of administrative experience at the medical school level to be able to go forward and produce and provide some productive leadership in some of these areas.
2. What was your motivation to become the Editor-in-Chief of a new journal?
Well, I think this provides an opportunity, really, to be of service to the community of researchers, clinicians, public health workers, individuals, and particularly, in the cases of zoonotic diseases, One Health scientists and the various stakeholders and decision makers in the area of zoonosis. That's a good opportunity to provide service at this point.
3. Which research topics about zoonotic diseases do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Well, I think the full spectrum. If we start out with most of the journals in this area, the companion journals to Zoonotic Diseases, in the era of rapid change, we're looking, you know, largely at disseminating new information, ranging from the very basic science studies to clinical studies, providing up-to-date comprehensive reviews, which I think is very important to not only established researchers, but for those that might not be focused primarily on those topics, but certainly for students and fellows coming along.
I think the critical role of providing a forum for these perspectives is important. It's foundational to advancing global research and responsiveness to zoonotic diseases.
I think this journal is deliberately broad in that it captures and offers new insights into areas that are emerging, and I think particularly public policy.
The impact of how zoonoses are affected by what we see as a changing world, whether that's societal changes, economics, technology, or environmental, is very important. So, I see that there's a very broad opportunity here to present a large amount of information that is beneficial to a broad audience, not just within the zoonotic disease area, but beyond, in terms of policymakers.
4. What part do you think our journal Zoonotic Diseases will play in this research?
Well, I think what we've just discussed in response to your last question carries over into this as well. I think it provides a global forum for research in terms of all the various areas that we discussed, manuscripts on One Health, eco health, public health, diagnosis, pathogenesis, the whole spectrum, and it really provides an opportunity to bring in researchers from all over the world.
I think one of the aspects of this journal that I think we would all like to see is to really bring along discussions, debates about national, local, international policies or the infrastructure that's needed for preparedness. This journal can create a particularly important forum for that. These diseases are transboundary, so I think it's absolutely critical to bring together the inclusiveness of programs from all over the world. I'm particularly interested in what's happening in what we would consider potentially more resource-limited areas, so that we have a voice. This is where many of these diseases develop, and they're going to impact all of us. It's a global issue. Transboundary means that, as we by the definition know, there are no limitations as to how these diseases can actually be spread and their impact globally. So, I think the journal provides a valuable forum for that.
5. What criteria do you consider most important when evaluating a manuscript?
Well, I think this really comes to what Zoonotic Diseases provides—as we know, a timely review process, and the time from first decision to rapid publication. But I think thoughtful, thorough, accurate assessments are the objective of the entire assessment process. Peer review, having individuals who will review a manuscript, be thoughtful and detailed, providing guidance to the authors in this area, is key. It all begins really with the excellent MDPI staff, the professional staff that manage the processes from receiving the submitted manuscript to publication. Their competence, their diligence, and commitment underpin the entire operation. So, the important criteria I think in looking at these manuscripts include originality, clarity of ideas, organization and soundness of interpretation and conclusions, and again, being able to think broadly in terms of the entire themes of what zoonotic diseases are, so something that might give us a unique perspective becomes important in this as well.
6. How about what constitutes a thorough peer review process?
Well, I think this really again starts with the excellent MDPI professional staff and in our case, with Miss You as the managing editor, and the people that she's working with and individuals such as yourself.
It's really using the various criteria, such as “iThenticate”, when checking submissions against previous publications. In addition, manuscripts may be assessed relative to the degree to which, potentially, artificial intelligence platforms might have been used in the manuscript preparation.
Peer reviewers are the critical element, and my policy is to allow the Assistant Editors to do that, because I think they have better access to the data of the individuals that we can call upon. From that pool of individuals, we need appropriate expertise, and in many cases, for papers, we will look to utilize individuals from across several areas that are relevant to the topics and themes of the manuscript, and as we look at papers that might be coming from different areas, we really will reach out into other fields where people might have expertise, not necessarily totally focused on zoonosis, but that is highly relevant to assessing a manuscript. So, after initial review, the assistant editor or the Editor-in-Chief will examine and evaluate the findings of the peer reviewers, making a decision about the appropriate manner to move forward. On occasion, we might ask for an additional peer reviewer to be brought in.
In the Editor-in-Chief role, I believe, what I am trying to do is to say that the best policy is to provide an opportunity to authors to respond to reviewer comments before any decision is made to reject a manuscript based upon an initial review. What I really look for in this case is reviewers who provide authors with a detailed road map of their thinking and guidance to the authors to improve the manuscript. So, I believe it's really critical to give every individual an opportunity to revise the manuscript, have it brought back, and reviewed again. Sometimes this requires multiple processes like this, but I think it's the fairest way to approach it for individuals who are submitting, and almost universally, will look at these constructive comments and advance the quality of their manuscript and hence advance the quality of the journal and its impact.
7. What role do you play as Editor-in-Chief in maintaining and promoting research integrity as well as in the development of this journal?
Well, I think what we have just talked about in the last question is relevant to that. But also, there's the additional aspect of something that the journal asks for, and I think is critical, that we always need to look at, and that is the institutional vetting of research activities that would be related to that particular manuscript. So, I think this becomes important in research integrity. Institutional review board policies relating to human subjects could be Animal Care and Use Committee approvals for any research that's reported relating to the use of other species. So, these all become important in terms of vetting. Also, the idea of access to data, data accessibility, becomes an important step. So, all of these factors are related to that. We do get a number of papers that involve surveys. I believe it is critically important if someone is talking about a survey instrument, that that instrument be accessible, whether it be online as a supplemental material to the manuscript, when it is ultimately published, so that readers can look at that instrument and assess to their standards of what they feel are the appropriate responses and how they interpreted the appropriate responses in this case.
8. Do you have a message you would like to share with the current board members of the journal Zoonotic Diseases?
Yes, the professional staff and I personally are deeply appreciative and thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge as editorial board members to significantly advance the growth of this journal, Zoonotic Diseases.
You generously make time in your busy schedules to provide thoughtful, thorough, fair, and rapid reviews of the diverse manuscripts submitted to the journal. Your expertise, commitment, and diligence are foundational for the increasingly recognized role of our journal as a platform for the dissemination of new knowledge about these pathogens, the diseases they cause, and the wide range of interrelated topics that we address.
Zoonotic Diseases will continue to adapt in scope to meet the needs of our contributors and readers, as the disciplines and forces that are impacting zoonoses evolve. Our collective goal is to publish high-quality submissions. This is something that you have been critical in ensuring.
Reviewing the submissions of our colleagues is vital to achieving that goal, as well as advancing knowledge and progress in our fields of professional interest and endeavor.
Your ideas regarding the advancement and improvement of the journal are critical. Your contributions are meaningful.
Our success is collective and an ongoing effort, and for this, I thank you and thank you on behalf of our professional staff.
9. What advice can you give to young researchers who are just starting in this field?
Well, this is really challenging and it's a time of change, rapid change, but this is something that goes on through all sorts of cycles of development of careers in particular areas.
I would say if you're a young researcher, develop as broad a skill base as possible. There has been a tendency over time to be more focused, let's say on one particular area or one particular skill set.
But develop a broad skill base. If you're going to be focusing on the molecular aspects of something, think also broadly about epidemiology, the clinical aspects, all these broader particular features.
Keep an open mind as you approach challenges and opportunities. Read the literature broadly and even outside of your area to look for various tools and approaches are being used that might be applicable to your area of science.
Think globally. Read the older scientific literature.
Very often there's been the attitude, at least of graduate students over the years, that I've trained and trained fellows, that anything older than five years is probably not meaningful.
That's far from the truth.
Read the older scientific literature. The tools might not be as sophisticated as today, but there are lessons to be learned and avenues to consider for future research. Also, in increasing competitiveness, consider combined degree programs, which would basically be a professional degree plus your research oriented PhD.
This might seem to a younger person as an eternity in terms of the training processes, but throughout your career it'll provide you with the opportunity, to apply research and access maybe translational or clinical settings and expand the scope of your knowledge relative to what you're working on.
And I guess the fundamental thing at the end is never give up, and enjoy the journey. It actually goes a lot faster than you might anticipate.
You can access more journal information via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/zoonoticdis.
Zoonotic Diseases Editorial Office
2 April 2026
2026 Tu Youyou Award—Open for Nominations
We are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Tu Youyou Award. Named after Nobel Laureate Tu Youyou, whose discovery of artemisinin has saved millions of lives, this award recognizes researchers whose work advances the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, while also contributing to human health.
Prize
– CHF 100,000;
– A medal;
– A certificate.
The monetary prize will be shared equally should there be multiple recipients.
Who May Be Nominated?
– Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
Nominees must be individuals; team or group nominations are not permitted. Nominations are valid only for the current award cycle.
Who May Submit a Nomination?
– The director of the nominee’s host research institution or recognized scientists within the field.
Self-nominations will not be considered.
Nomination Materials
– A biographical sketch;
– A detailed description of the nominee’s contributions;
– 5–10 representative academic publications;
– A list of academic honors, awards, and funded projects;
– A nomination letter signed by two nominators.
How to Submit?
Submit nominations online via the following link: https://tuyouyouprize.org/nomination
Important Dates
– Nomination Deadline: 31 October 2026
– Winner Announcement: March 2027
For further information, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website (https://tuyouyouprize.org/). For any inquiries, please contact the Tu Youyou Award Team at tuyouyouaward@mdpi.com.
31 March 2026
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO’s Letter #33 - 2025 Annual Report, Preprints.org, IWD, Recapping Viruses 2026 & Romania Salon
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

Scaling Open Access with Integrity: MDPI Annual Report 2025
I am pleased to share the release of MDPI’s 2025 Annual Report, reflecting our continued progress as one of the world’s leading open access publishers. The report highlights not only our growth, but also the continued evolution of our publishing model and our commitment to quality, transparency, and collaboration.
You can explore the full report here: https://mdpi-res.com/data/mdpi_annual_report_2025_0401.pdf?1775045421
Or visit the interactive page: https://www.mdpi.com/annual-report-2025/
A Year of Growth and Responsibility
2025 was a year of significant growth for MDPI. We received over 669,000 manuscript submissions, the highest in our history, while maintaining a rejection rate above 60%, reinforcing our commitment to both scale and quality.
We published 261,576 peer-reviewed open access articles across a portfolio of 500 journals, supported by a global community of more than 68,000 Editorial Board Members and 209,000 reviewers.
Scaling with Integrity
Growth alone is not the objective; how we grow matters.
Our 2025 Annual Report, Scaling Open Access with Integrity, reflects our continued focus on building the systems and processes that support reliable and trustworthy publishing. As submission volumes increase globally, so too does the importance of robust editorial workflows, research integrity frameworks, and the infrastructure required to support them.
In 2025, we continued to invest in:
- Research integrity and quality assurance processes
- Editorial support and reviewer engagement
- Transparency across the publishing workflow
These efforts ensure that scale does not come at the expense of rigor, but rather reinforces it.
Validation Through Indexing and Visibility
As MDPI continues to grow, validation of quality remains essential.
In 2025, the number of MDPI journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection increased from 298 to 329, while Scopus coverage reached 355 journals, including 45 new acceptances. Coverage in major biomedical databases (PMC/Medline/PubMed) expanded to 95 journals, and indexing in Ei Compendex increased significantly.
These milestones reflect the strength of our editorial processes and the trust placed in our journals by independent indexing bodies.
Importantly:
- 96% of all MDPI articles are indexed in Web of Science databases
- More than 1.75 million articles are indexed, with an average of 13 citations per article
Recognition through Journal Citation Reports also continues to grow:
- 298 journals received Impact Factors
- 65% ranked in the top half of their categories
- 61 journals achieved top-quartile positions
These developments demonstrate that growth and quality are advancing together, supported by strong editorial oversight and consistent performance across our journal portfolio.
Strengthening Partnerships and Community
Open access is a collaborative endeavor.
In 2025, we expanded our institutional partnerships to more than 1,000 IOAP agreements, helping simplify publishing for researchers and institutions worldwide.
We also hosted 60 in-person conferences and virtual events, bringing together more than 28,000 participants to exchange ideas, share research, and strengthen connections across the global scientific community.
At the heart of everything we do is this community of authors, editors, reviewers, and partners who make open science possible.
Looking Ahead
Open access continues to move toward becoming the standard model for sharing research globally. With that growth comes increased responsibility.
Our focus moving forward is to continue building a publishing ecosystem that is:
- Collaborative, to serve the research community
- Rigorous, to ensure quality
- Transparent, to support trust
- Scalable, to meet global demand
We believe that open access, when combined with strong editorial standards and integrity, is the most effective way to accelerate scientific progress.
Thank you to all the scholarly community who collaborated with us and our MDPI staff for your continued dedication and contributions in making 2025 a successful year.
Impactful Research

Celebrating Ten Years of Preprints.org: Accelerating Open Research
In 2026, MDPI’s preprints server Preprints.org marked its 10th anniversary as a platform dedicated to accelerating the dissemination of research. Since its launch, Preprints.org has grown into a global platform that hosts more than 120,000 preprints contributed by hundreds of thousands of researchers worldwide, generating tens of millions of views and downloads and demonstrating the value of sharing research openly and rapidly.
At MDPI, we are proud to celebrate ten years of Preprints.org supporting the mission of open science. Over the past decade, we have seen how early sharing of research can accelerate collaboration and help ideas move more quickly from discovery to impact.
The Evolution of Preprints
While Preprints.org launched in 2016, the idea behind it has deeper roots. The concept of rapid research dissemination has existed for decades, with early preprint servers showing how open sharing can accelerate scientific progress.
Over the past decade, preprints have become an increasingly important part of scholarly communication. Researchers across disciplines are looking at faster ways to share their discoveries, exchange ideas, and receive feedback from the global scientific community.
Preprints in a Growing Research Ecosystem
The global preprint landscape has expanded significantly over the past decade, with multiple platforms serving different research communities. The figure below (sourced from James Butcher newsletter), based on data from Dimensions (Digital Science), shows the growth of preprint outputs across several major platforms over time.

Among these platforms, arXiv (the pioneering preprint server) has experienced great growth in recent years. At the same time, other platforms have continued to expand their reach across disciplines, capturing increasing global interest in early research sharing.
Preprints.org contributes to this evolving ecosystem by providing a multidisciplinary platform that works in synergy with academic journals, helping researchers bridge the gap between rapid dissemination and the formal publication process.
Celebrating the First Decade
To commemorate this milestone, Preprints.org launched a 10th Anniversary celebration hub highlighting the impact of preprints and the researchers who contribute to them.

One of the central initiatives is the Popular Preprints of the Decade Award, recognizing influential preprints published between 2016 and 2026 across multiple research fields. Through community voting, the award will recognize research that has generated high engagement and visibility within the global research community.
Looking Ahead: The Next Decade of Preprints
As research communication continues to evolve, preprints will continue to play an important role in enabling faster collaboration, improving transparency, and expanding access to knowledge. The next decade may bring further integration between preprint platforms and journals, new tools for discovery and evaluation, and greater global participation in open science.
At MDPI, we remain committed to supporting researchers through platforms that encourage the open exchange of ideas. The success of Preprints.org over the past ten years reflects the engagement and trust of the global research community – authors, readers, reviewers, and collaborators who believe in the value of sharing knowledge openly.
Congratulations to everyone involved in the development and growth of Preprints.org over the past decade!
Inside MDPI

Beyond International Women’s Day: Supporting Women in Research
International Women’s Day (IWD) offers an opportunity to recognize the achievements of women around the world and reflect on how we can continue building a more inclusive future. In research and academia, this conversation carries particular importance, as scientific progress depends on diverse perspectives, and supporting women in science is essential to strengthening the global research ecosystem.
For MDPI, IWD is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women in research and highlight the initiatives, conversations, and collaborations that help support researchers across disciplines and career stages.
Highlighting Women in Science Across MDPI
This year, MDPI marked International Women’s Day with a global campaign highlighting research, awards, and perspectives that support women in science. Throughout the week, our teams shared content across MDPI’s social media channels sharing the work of women researchers and encouraging engagement across the academic community.

As part of this initiative, MDPI published several blog articles exploring important themes related to gender equity in research. One article, Give Support, Gain Progress: Retaining Women in Science, discusses the importance of mentorship, institutional support, and inclusive research environments in helping women build sustainable scientific careers.
Another featured article, Bridging the Gap in Women’s Health Research, highlights the ongoing need to address disparities in health research and ensure that women’s health receives the scientific attention and investment it deserves.
These topics capture the notion that supporting women in science benefits not only individual researchers but the entire scientific community. When researchers from diverse backgrounds can contribute their perspectives and ideas, the scope and impact of scientific discovery expand.
Creating Spaces for Dialogue
Beyond online content, MDPI is also supporting conversations about women in research through community engagement.

On 10 March, MDPI UK hosted the “Women in Research” event, bringing together researchers and professionals to share experiences and discuss the opportunities and challenges women face throughout their scientific careers. Events like these are an opportunity for open dialogue, mentorship, and networking to create more inclusive research communities.
Looking Beyond a Single Day
While IWD is an important moment of recognition, progress requires ongoing effort.
Supporting women in research involves many forms of engagement: from mentorship and collaboration to creating inclusive environments in which diverse voices are heard and valued. Publishers, institutions, and researchers all play a role in building this ecosystem.
At MDPI, we remain committed to supporting the global research community and to promoting open access publishing as a foundation for accessible and inclusive knowledge-sharing.
As we reflect on IWD this year, we recognize the many women who contribute to research as authors, reviewers, editors, mentors, and educators; we also recognize the impact they continue to have on the advancement of science. The influence of women in research extends far beyond a single day of recognition, reminding us that supporting them is a commitment that continues throughout the year.
Coming Together for Science

Highlights from Viruses 2026 – New Horizons in Virology (11–13 March)
Through 11–13 March, we successfully delivered the Viruses 2026 – New Horizons in Virology MDPI conference in Barcelona, bringing together an international community of researchers, editors, and partners dedicated to advancing the field of virology.
Conference Highlights
Viruses 2026 in numbers:
- 198 total registrations, with 171 attendees on site
- 233 submissions, with 122 accepted
- 42 short talks, 9 flash talks, and 80 posters
- 13 invited speakers and 1 keynote speaker

The strong level of participation and quality of submissions once again demonstrate the relevance of the Viruses community.
A standout moment was the keynote lecture by Dr. Ho, which also attracted an NBC documentary film crew, highlighting the broader impact of the research being presented.
Scientific Programme
The conference programme covered areas across modern virology, including viral replication, pathogenesis, immunology, and public health. Sessions explored topics on antiviral therapeutics and vaccines, innate immunity, virus–host interactions, and the structure and mechanisms of virus replication.
Together, these discussions highlighted both the fundamental biology of viruses and the translational challenges of addressing emerging infectious diseases, reflecting the breadth and continued importance of virology research in a global context. The programme also included a sponsored workshop on research data management in virology, further emphasizing the importance of data practices in advancing the field.
Thank You
Feedback from participants has been very positive, and I would like to thank the Conference team for the organization and delivery of this year’s event.

Thank you to our Viruses journal team and all colleagues involved behind the scenes in supporting the delivery of the event. As noted by Dr. Eric Freed (EiC of Viruses), the success of this edition gives us strong momentum as we look ahead to the next conference in 2028, with opportunities to further expand participation and engagement.
Closing Thoughts

Recap from MDPI Romania Salon in Cluj-Napoca (24 March)
On 24 March, we had the opportunity to meet with members of the Romanian research community in Cluj-Napoca at our MDPI Romania Salon. The event was a space for presentations, open discussion, and the exchange of perspectives on publishing and the research landscape in Romania.

We welcomed 39 participants, including 27 researchers from institutions across Romania, representing cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, and Reșița. Among them were Editorial Board Members, Associate Editors, and Guest Editors, all of whom play an important role in collaborating with MDPI and shaping the quality and direction of academic publishing.
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A Shared Commitment to Research Excellence
These events reflect MDPI’s commitment to connecting with and supporting researchers by means of transparency, dialogue, and collaboration. During the day, MDPI colleagues shared a series of presentations covering different parts of our publishing ecosystem:
- MDPI’s presence in Romania – Anamaria Vartolomei (Journal Relationship Specialist (JRS), Section Managing Editor (ME))
- MDPI’s performance, growth, and impact in Romania – Stefan Tochev (CEO)
- Academic services, initiatives, and projects supporting researchers – Ioana Preda (JRS, Section ME)
- Best practices and standards in publication ethics – Lavinia Rogojina (Research Integrity Manager)
- Panel session on ethics, AI, and peer review – Lavinia Rogojina, Ioana Preda, Doris Larisa Albu (JRS, Section ME), Cristina Georgiana Spelmezan (JRS, Section ME)
- Closing remarks – Lavinia Dumitrela Cozma (Operations Manager, Section ME)

Feedback from participants was very positive, particularly regarding the quality of discussions, the relevance of the topics, and the opportunity to engage directly with MDPI colleagues. What stood out most was the openness of the discussion. These events are important not only for the purposes of presenting what we do, but also as an opportunity to listen, understand concerns, and continue to build alignment with the research community.
Romania and the Growth of Open Access Publishing
The Romanian research landscape continues to show growth in open access (OA) publishing.
In 2025:
- 72% of all publications in Romania were published as OA
- Of these, 74% were Gold Open Access
Over the past five years, Romania has produced more than 109,000 publications, with approximately 71% available openly, highlighting a sustained shift toward accessibility and knowledge-sharing.
Within this landscape, MDPI continues to play a significant role:

- MDPI is the leading OA publisher in Romania, contributing 42% of all OA publications in 2025
- More than 37,000 articles have been published with MDPI by Romanian institutions since 1996
- This figure includes over 7,500 publications in 2025 alone
- More than 400 Editorial Board Members from Romania collaborate with MDPI across disciplines
These trends show the growth of OA and the strength of collaboration between MDPI and the Romanian research community.
Looking Ahead
As academic publishing continues to evolve, maintaining open and transparent communication with researchers is essential. Events such as our Salons and Summits provide great opportunities to exchange perspectives and to build trust and collaboration.
Thank you to all participants who joined us in Cluj, and to our teams in Romania for delivering a successful event. A special thank-you to Alina-Florina Agafitei (Marketing Specialist) for her care and attention to detail in delivering the Salon.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
25 March 2026
Acknowledging the Contributions of Our Reviewers in 2025
As a pioneer in open access publishing, MDPI maintains rigorous publication standards. This mission relies on the dedication and expertise of our reviewers, who invest their time and knowledge to ensure the quality and integrity of the research we publish.
In 2025, over 209,000 reviewers contributed to the peer-review process at MDPI, providing more than 1.3 million review reports for our journals. To express our gratitude, MDPI’s Reviewer Recognition Program highlights reviewers across over 400 journals, featuring those who have assessed at least one manuscript and agreed to be acknowledged.
In addition, MDPI has identified its Top 1000 Reviewers of 2024 to recognize those whose expertise, dedication, and thoughtful evaluations were particularly outstanding.
Many journals have also established Outstanding Reviewer Awards to honor our reviewers’ commitment to publication excellence. Together with the Exceptional Reviewer List, we showcase the importance of reviewers’ work and their time and dedication.
These initiatives serve to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude towards the whole reviewer community. In recognition of their contributions, we also welcome new researchers to join this community. If you would like to contribute to open access publishing, learn more about the reviewers’ benefits and sign up to join us.
4 March 2026
MDPI’s 2025 Best Paper Awards—Award-Winning Papers Announced
MDPI is honored to announce the recipients of the 2025 Best Paper Awards, celebrating exceptional research for its scientific merit and broad impact. After a rigorous evaluation process conducted by Academic Editors, this year’s awards showcase papers that stand out for their innovation, relevance, and high-quality presentation.
Out of a highly competitive pool, 396 winning papers have been recognized for their exceptional contributions. We congratulate these authors for pushing the boundaries of their respective disciplines.
At MDPI, we are dedicated to broadening the reach of innovative science. To learn more about the award-winning papers and explore research projects in your field of study, please visit the following links:
- Biology and Life Sciences;
- Business and Economics;
- Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
- Computer Sciences and Mathematics;
- Engineering;
- Environmental and Earth Sciences;
- Medicine and Pharmacology;
- Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities;
- Physical Sciences;
- Public Health and Healthcare.
About MDPI Awards:
To reward the global research community and enhance academic dialogue, MDPI journals regularly host award programs across diverse scientific disciplines. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and whose work drives the advancement of their fields.
Explore the Best Paper Awards open for participation, please click here.
28 February 2026
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO’s Letter #32 - MDPI China and Thailand, China Science Daily, 1,000 Partnerships, R2R
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

Reflections from China: Year-End-Celebrations and Open Access Publishing
In February, I had the pleasure of joining over a thousand colleagues from our Tongzhou and Haidian offices at their end-of-year annual celebration in Beijing.
Spending time with our teams in China is also a powerful reminder of the scale and complexity of MDPI as a global organization. Our colleagues in Beijing, Wuhan, and across the country play a significant role in our day-to-day operations and long-term development. I’m grateful for the hospitality, collaboration, and commitment shown by our managers and teams in China, alongside colleagues worldwide, who have helped steadily build MDPI, brick by brick, over the years.
Below are some data on Open Access (OA) publishing in China and our collaboration in this important research market.
Open Access Publishing in China
China has been the world’s leading country in research and review article publication volume since 2019, exceeding one million publications in 2025. Over the past five years, the gap between China and the second-ranked country, the United States, has continued to widen.
In 2025:
- 47% of China’s research output was published Open Access
- Of those OA publications, 76% were Gold Open Access (approximately 382,930 articles)
- The overall OA distribution remained stable compared with 2024, with Gold OA increasing by 1%
Over the past five years (2021–2025):
- China published 4,398,050 research and review articles
- Approximately 48% of this output was OA
According to Dimensions, when comparing the top 20 countries by publication volume (2021–2025):
- China ranks 1st worldwide in publication volume
- China ranks 9th in citation performance within this group (for comparison, the US ranks 2nd in publication volume and 10th in citation ranking)
- Average citations per article: 12.51
Among the top 10 universities globally by publication volume, six are Chinese institutions, alongside Harvard University (USA), the University of São Paulo (Brazil), the University of Toronto (Canada), and the University of Oxford (UK).

MDPI and China
China is an important and long-standing part of MDPI’s global publishing ecosystem:
- In 2025, MDPI was the largest fully Open Access publisher in China
- MDPI published 22% of China’s Gold Open Access output (82,133 papers)
- We received 290,999 submissions from China-affiliated authors and published 82,133 articles
- There are 8,500+ active Editorial Board Members based in China
- 64% (5,438) have an H-index above 26
- MDPI works with:
- 117 Editors-in-Chief
- 103 Section Editors-in-Chief
- 71 China-based institutions currently hold IOAP agreements with MDPI, seven of which rank among the top 10 Chinese institutions by publication volume
China's scale in research output means that the publishing platforms chosen by Chinese scholars will continue to influence the direction of scholarly publishing. At the same time, MDPI’s strength comes from its international collaboration, with colleagues, editors, reviewers, and authors working together across regions and disciplines.
Thank you to all our colleagues in China, and around the world, who support MDPI’s publishing activities across departments and help advance open access research every day.
Impactful Research

“Progress in open science is built through trust, dialogue, and relationships”
Behind the Scenes: A Conversation with China Science Daily
During my trip to Beijing, I also had the opportunity to visit China Science Daily and take part in an interview and broader exchange with their team in Beijing. Visits like this matter because progress in open science is built not only through platforms and infrastructure, but also through trust, dialogue, and relationships across research communities and regions.
China Science Daily: History Museum
As part of the visit, I was given a tour of their History Museum, which offers a thorough perspective on the evolution of China’s first science and technology newspaper, established in 1959. The exhibition highlights how the organization developed into a trusted institution connecting research with the public and policymakers. It was a helpful reminder that at the core of publishing is stewardship, credibility, and long-term public engagement with science.

An Open Exchange on Open Science
During the visit, I met with Dr. Zhao Yan, Editor-in-Chief of ScienceNet. We had an open and engaging conversation about MDPI’s role in Open Access, the evolution of open science globally, and the potential for more collaboration going forward. He especially appreciated the candid and personal nature of our exchange, noting that this kind of dialogue feels important in a landscape where trust and transparency matter.

Interview on Open Access
I also participated in an interview with Ms. Yan Jie, from the Online Media Center and Editor-in-Chief of ScienceNet, China Science Daily. Our discussion covered the growth of Open Access over the past 30 years, MDPI’s mission and values, academic integrity, collaboration with the Chinese research community, and MDPI’s own 30th anniversary milestone. It was a great opportunity to reflect on how open science has matured, and where shared responsibility across publishers, institutions, and researchers continues to matter most.
“Progress in open science is built by more than scale and infrastructure”
I’m sharing a few photos from the visit as a glimpse behind the scenes. The full interview will be published by China Science Daily in due course, and I look forward to sharing it when it is available.

More broadly, visits like this reinforce something I’ve always believed in: progress in open science is built not only through scale and infrastructure, but also through continued dialogue, mutual respect, collaboration, and a willingness to listen across regions and perspectives. That remains central to our work, especially as MDPI reflects on 30 years of publishing, built together.
Inside MDPI

Bangkok Visit: Growth, Partnership, and Local Impact
In February, I also had the opportunity to visit our Bangkok office for the second time in two years to support their local meetings and deliver a training session on how we present MDPI at a corporate level.
It’s easy to spend time with our colleagues in Thailand. From Editorial and Production to Conferences, Marketing, Design, and our Regional Journal Relations Specialist (RJRS), the team continues to grow in scale and professionalism. I’d also like to recognize our local management and admin teams, who have been steadily expanding our office and supporting more than 500 colleagues on the ground.
Academic Partnerships
During the visit, we met with the Engineering Department at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). Our discussion focused on the recent MDPI developments, Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) opportunities, Author Publishing Workshops (APW), and the potential use of JAMS to support their institutional journal.

“MDPI is the third-largest OA publisher in Thailand”
We also shared insights into the growth of Open Access (OA) in Thailand and KMITL’s own publishing trends. These conversations matter because institutions are looking for sustainable ways to support their researchers. Our IOAP agreements are one simple example of how we can provide value in this area while maintaining accessibility for authors.
Thailand and MDPI: 2025 Snapshot
Our Bangkok office, officially launched in 2022, has been growing to support over 500 staff members while continuing to expand its engagement in scholar visits, workshops, and conference collaborations. As at 2025, Thailand submissions to MDPI have increased about 21% and publications by about 25%, maintaining a rejection rate close to the company average. MDPI is the third-largest OA publisher in Thailand, publishing 15% of all Gold OA output in 2025.
Representing MDPI Externally
During the visit, I delivered a training session on how we present MDPI at external events.

This session covered topics related to:
- Our aim and guiding principles
- High-level company milestones and Indexing facts and figures
- Industry partnerships and collaborations
- Market trends in OA and subscription publishing
- Country-specific publishing data and collaborations with MDPI
- Insights from our Voice of Community report
I find that while many colleagues are very familiar with the specific journal for which they have responsibility, fewer have visibility into the broader MDPI ecosystem and the company’s global positioning. These sessions help build alignment, confidence, and consistency in how we represent the company.
What stands out most is that MDPI’s growth is not abstract: it’s visible in the people, the partnerships, and the professionalism developing across our offices.
Coming Together for Science

1,000 Institutional Partners: A Milestone Built on Trust
This month, we reached an important milestone: more than 1,000 institutions worldwide are now part of MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). On paper, that is a number. In practice, it represents trust.
This milestone symbolizes thousands of conversations with libraries and institutions. It stands for negotiations, renewals, consortium expansions, and, most importantly, relationships built over time. It reflects the work of colleagues across publishing, institutional partnerships, marketing, editorial, finance, and many other teams who contribute to making these agreements operational.
In 2025 alone, more than 61,300 research articles benefited from article processing charge (APC) discounts through IOAP agreements. Tens of thousands of authors were able to publish through a simplified and structured process. At the same time, institutional administrators gained clearer oversight and streamlined workflows.

Why IOAP Matters
When we launched IOAP, the objective was straightforward: to reduce barriers for researchers while supporting institutions in navigating the evolving OA landscape. Over the past decade, the research ecosystem has changed. Funder mandates, national policies, and Plan S–aligned requirements have accelerated the transition to OA.
Institutions need publishing partners who provide transparency, scalability, and operational efficiency. IOAP was designed to support that reality.
For colleagues who would like to better understand the program, this blog-post overview of MDPI’s IOAP provides additional context, including common questions around the transition to OA and how our institutional partnerships are structured.
“Institutions need publishing partners who provide transparency, scalability, and operational efficiency”
Recent Examples
Our agreements continue to evolve across regions:
- In Sweden, MDPI signed a national Open Access publishing agreement with 96 institutions, enabling affiliated researchers to publish without managing individual APC payments.
- In Spain, we extended our flat-fee agreement with Universidad Católica de Valencia, reinforcing institutional support for OA publishing.
These examples show that institutions seek structured, predictable models that support their researchers at scale.
Looking Ahead
Crossing the threshold of 1,000 partners tells us that institutions see MDPI not just as a publisher but as a reliable operational partner in advancing open science. This milestone is not a finish line. It is a reminder that the work continues.
Thank you to the entire IOAP team and to all colleagues who contributed to reaching this achievement.
P.S. You can read about this milestone across industry outlets, including STM Publishing News, ALPSP, Research Information, EurekAlert, Brightsurf, among others. You can also read about the coverage in Poland (e.g., media-room, bomega) Korea (newstap), and Romania (EduLike).
Closing Thoughts

Reflections from the Researcher to Reader Conference
During 24–25 February, I attended the 2026 Researcher to Reader Conference in London, UK. Leaders from across scholarly publishing, research infrastructure, libraries, and technology gathered to discuss AI and research integrity, peer review reform, metadata and infrastructure, community engagement, open research policy, and the evolving role of publishers in a rapidly shifting ecosystem.
The conversations were open and honest, and at times uncomfortable – exactly what we need at times. Below are a few reflections that stayed with me.
The Battle for Knowledge: What Becomes Accepted as ‘True’?
One recurring theme was not whether science evolves but whether our infrastructure is resilient enough to sustain trust at scale. Science does not promise certainty: it promises process. As publishing systems grow more complex and become more technologically mediated, the question is how intentionally we design, monitor, and strengthen that process.
Peer Review: Speed, Credentials, and Structural Loops
Researchers consistently call for faster peer review. At the same time, reviewer credentials are often tied to publication records. This creates a structural loop. Publishing history opens reviewing opportunities, reviewing strengthens credentials, and those without early access remain outside the cycle.
There is a need for us to reflect on how opportunity circulates within our systems: we should ask how we create more inclusive pathways for researchers globally to participate in peer review.
Community Engagement Workshop
One of the highlights of R2R was the workshop format, whereby small groups met repeatedly over two days and moved from ideas to tangible strategies.
I joined the Community Engagement workshop led by Lou Peck (CEO at The International Bunch) and Godwyns Onwuchekwa (Principal Consultant at Global Tapestry Consulting). We explored two deceptively simple questions: What is a community? and What does engagement truly mean?
“Engagement requires shared design and shared responsibility”
Too often, organizations equate communication with engagement. The framework discussed mapped a maturity spectrum – from enablement (broadcasting, informing and consulting) to true engagement (collaborating and co-creating).
It was a useful reminder of the fact that if we want trust and loyalty, engagement must go beyond announcements and surveys. It requires shared design and shared responsibility.
AI: Democratization or Digital Colonialism?
I especially enjoyed the thought-provoking presentation from Nikesh Gosalia (Chief Partnership Officer at Cactus Communications), which highlighted an uncomfortable reality:

- 93% of AI-generated content is in English
- Approximately 2% is in French
- Approximately 2% is in German
- More than 7,000 languages are represented in less than 5% of the content within large AI systems
The implications are profound. Is AI democratizing access to scholarly publishing (making it easier for researchers everywhere to participate in global knowledge production)? Or are we encoding colonialism at scale (entrenching linguistic and structural hierarchies, and making it harder for voices from the Global South to be heard)?
AI is already reshaping how research is created, reviewed, discovered, and shared. Its potential is enormous. But its impact depends not only on capability, but on governance, design, and intentionality. Publishers, funders, and researchers all share responsibility in shaping how these systems evolve.
Ethicality in practice (Lightening Talk)

It was also great to have our colleague Dr Miloš Čučulović (Head of Technology Innovation at MDPI) present MDPI’s Ethicality platform during a lightning talk.
“Technology alone is not the answer”
Ethicality embeds AI-driven checks directly into the submission workflow, supporting editors proactively rather than reacting after publication. As we scale, tools like this help balance trust, efficiency, and research integrity.
This goes back into the underlying theme of the conference that technology alone is not the answer. However, technology embedded thoughtfully within clear governance frameworks can strengthen confidence in the editorial process.
Final thought
The question is no longer whether technology will transform research infrastructure: it is already doing so. The real question is what role each of us will play in shaping that transformation deliberately, with structural maturity, inclusive governance, and engagement that moves from informing to co-creating.
Science needs to evolve, responsibly. And that responsibility extends not only to what we publish, but also to how the systems behind publication are designed. Some important topics to continue reflecting on both internally and within our broader community.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
20 February 2026
MDPI Virtual Academic Publishing Workshop (New Harvest), 25 February 2026
This Academic Publishing Workshop will be led by MDPI Regional Journal Relations Specialist, Dr. Sally Wu, on “Author Training”. Participants will receive practical advice on essential aspects of writing academic articles. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the academic publishing landscape and how to successfully contribute to it.
Date: 25 February 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. EST
Schedule:
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Speaker |
Program |
Time in EST |
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Dr. Sally Wu |
Introduction |
11:30–11:40 a.m. |
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Dr. Sally Wu |
Tips for Writing Great Research Papers
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11:40 a.m.–12:15 p.m. |
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Dr. Sally Wu |
How to Respond to Peer Reviewers
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12:15–12:50 p.m. |
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Dr. Sally Wu |
AI in Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities
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12:50–13:30 p.m. |
Speakers:
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Dr. Sally Wu received a PhD in medical science from the University of Toronto in the fall of 2025. She joined MDPI in February 2025 as an Assistant Editor for Cells. She was recently promoted to Regional Journal Relations Specialist position in August. In this role, she works with many journals, liaising with authors, board members, and EiCs. She has attended several conferences across North America, hosted scholar visits, and taken part in other outreach events. |
18 February 2026
MDPI’s Open Access Program Reaches 1,000 Institutions Worldwide
MDPI has surpassed the milestone of 1,000 partners within the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). The agreements span 59 countries, covering North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
Last year alone, more than 150 new libraries and academic institutions joined MDPI’s IOAP. With the expansion of an existing consortium deal in Sweden we welcomed a further 75 partners to the program in January 2026, enabling us to surpass the 1,000-partners milestone.
The IOAP supports affiliated researchers by streamlining submission processes, reducing administrative burdens, and offering discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs). Through IOAP membership, more than 61,300 research articles received APC discounts in 2025, driving greater visibility and accessibility for partner institutions and global research communities alike.
"This milestone marks a significant step towards expanding MDPI’s global impact," said Stefan Tochev, MDPI's CEO. "Reaching 1,000 IOAP partnerships is a true testament to the growing trust and collaboration we’ve built with universities, libraries, and research organizations worldwide. We are proud to lead the way in Open Access publishing, ensuring researchers have the support they need to reach global audiences." "The success of our program is reflected in the growing global demand for Open Science and quality publishing services," said Becky Castellon, MDPI institutional partnerships manager. "Equally, institutions are increasingly seeking Open Access publishing options that support funder and national mandates. Joining the IOAP makes compliance simple."















