Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng Appointed Editor-in-Chief of Gels

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng has been appointed as Editor-in-Chief of Gels (ISSN: 2310-2861). Prof. Dr. Feng will work alongside Prof. Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari, our current Editor-in-Chief, to guide the journal into an exciting new chapter.

Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng is a Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research focuses on the development of organic polymer biomaterials, encompassing interdisciplinary fields such as supramolecular materials, chiral chemistry, and biomaterials science. To date, he has published more than 190 papers and book chapters in leading academic journals.

He joined the Gels Editorial Board in 2021 and served as Section Editor-in-Chief in 2024. He has now been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Gels.

The following is a short interview with Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng:

1. What is your vision for the journal?
My vision for Gels is to make it a leading journal that serves the entire Gels community, from basic science to cutting-edge technologies.
I hope to further promote interdisciplinary research to explore the applications of gel materials in diverse fields, with a particular focus on innovative developments at the intersection of gels with biomedicine, energy, sensing, environment, food, agriculture, and other cross-disciplinary areas.
Additionally, I aim to enhance support for the global research community by ensuring strong peer review, increasing the journal's visibility, and helping the excellent work published in Gels reach a wider audience.

2. What does the future of this field of research look like?
The future of gel research is very promising. We’re moving towards smarter, more functional materials that can adapt to their environment. Gels will continue to play a vital role in materials science, biomedicine, energy and information technology, environmental fields, and beyond. The future focus will be on enhancing their performance while making them more intelligent and eco-friendlier.
There’s a lot of potential for gels to help address challenges in health, energy, and the environment as we continue to develop new materials with advanced properties.

3. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
I strongly support the open access (OA) model, and my role with an OA journal like Gels reflects this. OA makes research freely available to everyone, which is crucial for advancing science.
OA is essential for speeding up scientific progress. It leads to wider readership, more citations, and greater societal impact. For fields such as gel research, this is especially important because it enables researchers in developing countries to access the latest findings without facing financial barriers.
Although OA still faces challenges, such as funding, I believe it represents the future direction of academic publishing. Publishers, institutions, and funders must work together to support all researchers. At Gels, we are committed to overcoming these challenges without compromising rigorous peer review and editorial standards, ensuring that research remains both accessible and impactful.

4. Now that you have moved from an Editorial Board Member to a Section Editor-in-Chief and now to the Editor-in-Chief, what is the most valuable lesson that you learned from running our “Chemistry and Physics” Section? And what will you bring with you in this role as Editor-in-Chief?
Transitioning from an Editorial Board Member to Section Editor-in-Chief for the “Chemistry and Physics” Section taught me the importance of bridging rigorous scientific standards with inclusive, collaborative leadership. Here are the key lessons I’ll carry forward as Editor-in-Chief:
1. Interdisciplinary balance: In “Chemistry and Physics”, I learned to navigate the nuanced demands of both fundamental and applied research. As EiC, I’ll prioritize clarity in scope while fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue—ensuring Gels remains a hub for innovative gel science that spans materials science, biomedicine, energy, sensing, environment, food, agriculture, and soft matter physics;
2. Highly efficient and rigorous peer review: Leading the section reinforced that timely, constructive feedback is the backbone of journal integrity. I’ll advocate for transparent, efficient review processes and support early career researchers through mentorship initiatives;
3. Strengthening academic community participation: The development of a journal depends on listening to the academic community. By collaborating with editorial boards, societies, and readers, I will promote the presentation and exchange of diverse perspectives, while focusing on emerging trends such as functional gels and AI-driven design, to ensure that Gels remains at the forefront of the field.
Ultimately, my goal is to uphold Gels’ reputation for excellence while making it more accessible and responsive to the evolving needs of our global research community.

5. What are your immediate priorities for the journal in the coming year?
As the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of Gels, my immediate priorities for the coming year will focus on three key dimensions:
1. Enhancing academic impact and promoting innovation (e.g., strengthening support for interdisciplinary research, particularly breakthrough achievements in areas such as biomedical applications, energy storage, and smart materials);
2. Optimizing publishing services, such as shortening the average review and decision times, and enhancing the promotion of papers on social media platforms;
3. Building scholarly community, further expand the early career Editorial Board team, and organize an online global conference on gel materials.
These initiatives will maintain Gels' position as a JCR Q1 journal while driving significant advances in gel science.

We warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Chuanliang Feng to his new role and look forward to his valuable leadership and contributions to the continued success of Gels.