Announcements

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.

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.

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).

We invite you to attend this event organized by the MDPI journal Analytica (ISSN 2673-4532; IF: 3.6). It will take place virtually from 10 to 12 March 2027, CET.

Conference Chair:
Prof. Dr. Marcello Locatelli, Department of Science, University “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy

Conference website: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCANA2027.

Topics of Interest:
S1. Sample Preparation and New Trends;
S2. Hyphenated Instrument Configurations;
S3. Advances in Analytical Spectroscopy and Spectrometry: Innovations in Instrument Configuration;
S4. Advanced Chromatographic Techniques: Instrument Configuration, Optimization, and Performance;
S5. Innovations and Applications of Electroanalytical Instrumentation: From Bench-Top to Portable Systems;
S6. Applications of Analytical Chemistry.

Important Dates:
Deadline for Abstract Submission: 2 November 2026;
Notification of Acceptance: 2 December 2026;
Registration Deadline: 4 March 2027.

Guide for Authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1791.

To register for the event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCANA2027?section=#registration.

For details regarding Abstract Submission, Poster and Slide Submission, and Publication Opportunities, you may refer to the “Instructions for Authors” Section: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCANA2027?section=#instructions.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact iocana2027@mdpi.com.

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.

Conference: 15th National Conference on Environmental Catalysis and Eco‑Materials
Organization: Sichuan University
Date: 16–20 April 2026
Place: Chengdu, China

Since its inception, the National Conference on Environmental Catalysis and Environmental Materials has been successfully held fourteen times. It has become one of the largest and most influential academic events in China’s environmental catalysis and materials community.

The theme of this conference is “Beautiful China and Ecological Civilization Building: Environmental Catalysis and Material Empowerment for Green and Low-Carbon Development”. The conference will present a comprehensive overview of China’s latest research achievements and major advances in the fields of environmental catalysis and environmental materials in recent years. It will focus on topics such as catalytic purification of pollutants in different media (e.g., gas and water), design and characterization of environmental catalysts, recycling and resource utilization of waste plastics, and catalytic conversion and reduction of carbon dioxide. The meeting aims to delve into the opportunities and challenges faced by the discipline, clarify future development directions, and foster deep cooperation and collaborative innovation between academia and industry. Ultimately, it seeks to advance China’s science and technology in environmental catalysis and to promote the translation of research achievements in support of the nation’s “dual-carbon” strategy goals.

MDPI will attend the 15th National Conference on Environmental Catalysis and Eco‑Materials. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Catalysts;
• Analytica;
• Microplastics;
• Molecules;
• Air;
• AppliedChem;
• Biomass;
• Chemistry;
• Physchem;
• Purification;
• Separations;
• Solids;
• Clean Technol.;
• Electrochem;
• Methane;
• Photochem;
• Reactions;
• Sustainable Chemistry;
• Technologies.

If you attend this conference, please feel free to visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: https://www.15thncecm2026.com/.

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.

MDPI will be attending the EUROPT(R)ODE XVII conference, which will be held from 29 March to 1 April 2026, in Jena, Germany.

EUROPT(R)ODE XVII will be hosted in Jena, Germany, the historic “City of Light”, and chaired by Professor Jürgen Popp, Scientific Director of the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology. This conference is a flagship international event dedicated to the advancement of chemical and biochemical optical sensing. It will gather leading scientists, engineers, and industry professionals to explore the latest innovations, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and discuss the future direction of the field.

The four-day conference will feature six plenary lectures by world-renowned researchers such as Alexey Gorshkov (USA), Laura Na Liu (Germany), and Ralf Jungmann (Germany). These will be complemented by parallel sessions covering a wide spectrum of topics, from fundamental research in plasmonic, quantum-enhanced sensing and single-molecule detection to applied technologies in wearables, microfluidics and AI-driven data analytics. With over one hundred oral presentations and a dedicated poster session, the conference will showcase cutting-edge work from leading research groups across the globe.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Biosensors;
• Bioengineering;
• Sensors;
• Analytica;
• Spectroscopy Journal;
• Biophysica;
• Micromachines;
• Molecules;
• Optics;
• Photonics;
• Chemosensors;
• Photochem;
• Colorants.

If you plan to attend this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth and have a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://europtrode2026.org/.

Conference: The 35th CCS Congress
Organization: Chinese Chemical Society
Date: 11–14 April 2026
Place: Chongqing, China
Booth: #D65

The CCS Congress is the highest level, largest scale, and most influential comprehensive academic exchange platform in the field of chemistry in China. The 35th CCS Congress has set up 72 academic branches, and the academic forums are being expanded (the exact number is not yet clear, but it is known that there were 14 last year). During the annual conference, a series of diverse activities such as forums and continuing education programs will be held simultaneously. Additionally, the “New Technologies, Products, and Instruments Achievement Exhibition” will take place, featuring participation from relevant universities, research institutes, enterprises, book publishing, and academic journals. Conference topics will include organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, chemistry of natural products, applied chemistry, material chemistry, physical chemistry, environmental chemistry, photochemistry, colloid and interface chemistry, green chemistry, spectrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, etc.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Chemosensors;
• Molecules;
• Separation;
• Analytica;
• Molbank;
• Physchem;
• Reactions;
• Surfaces;
• IJMS;
• Chemistry;
• Colloids and Interfaces;
• Compounds;
• Electrochem;
• Inorganics;
• Magnetochemistry;
• Methane;
• Organics;
• Polysaccharides;
• Solids;
• Biosensors;
• Catalysts;
• Purification.

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop at booth #D65. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.chemsoc.org.cn/meeting/35th/.

Analysis and sensing technologies represent a crucial field dedicated to the detection and quantification of physical, chemical, and biological signals. Combining the fields of chemistry, materials science, and engineering, this discipline focuses on developing methods and devices to identify and quantify chemical or biological substances with high precision. The fusion of AI and advanced sensing is revolutionizing precision medicine, environmental protection, and data-led manufacturing frameworks in the modern industrial landscape.

The focus of MDPI’s journal cluster relating to analysis and sensing technologies is on publishing studies that advance cutting-edge analytical and bioanalytical science and sensors research across a broad range of fields. These journals will collaborate to contribute to the scientific community with research and discoveries within the field of analysis and sensing technologies.

The six participating journals include the following:

• Analytica (ISSN: 2673-4532) provides an advanced forum for studies related to analytical chemistry, including chromatography (GC, HPLC, UPLC, SFE, HPTLC, GC x GC, LC x LC), hyphenated instrument configurations (e.g., LC-MS) and new devices, sample pretreatment and extraction, electroanalysis (voltammetry, polarography), sensors (chemosensors and biosensors), spectroscopy (chemi- and bio-luminescence, fluorescence, UV/Vis, NMR, IR, MS, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, absorption and emission spectroscopy), thermal analysis, and chemometrics. Accepted papers can cover the various application fields of analytical chemistry, such as environmental, biological, clinical/pharmaceutical, -omics (proteomics, metabolomics), forensic, and industrial (quality control). Analytica is led by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Marcello Locatelli (Department of Science, University of G. d'Annunzio Chieti and Pescara, Italy).
  Journal webpage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/analytica
• Biosensors (ISSN: 2079-6374) focuses on the study of the science and technology of biosensors and biosensing, including biological or biologically inspired sensors, DNA chips, lab-on-a-chip, microfluidics, wearable biosensors, nanobiosensors, and applications in medicine, biomedical research, the environment, food, and other fields. Biosensors is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Giovanna Marrazza (Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy).
  Journal webpage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/biosensors
• Chemosensors (ISSN: 2227-9040) focuses on advancing the science and technology of chemical sensors and related analytical methods and systems. The journal provides a comprehensive platform for research on (bio)chemical sensing theory, detection mechanisms, device development and practical applications across diverse fields including environmental monitoring, food safety, biomedicine and agriculture. The journal covers a broad scope encompassing electrochemical sensors, optical mass-sensitive sensors, field-effect transistors, catalytic and acoustic (bio)chemical sensing devices, as well as materials, nanostructures, micro- and nanotechnologies, and analytical instrumentation for (bio)chemical sensing platforms. Chemosensors is led by Editors-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Nicole Jaffrezic-Renault (Institute of UTINAM, University of Franche-Comté, France) and Prof. Dr. Jin-Ming Lin (Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, China).
  Journal webpage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/chemosensors
• Purification (ISSN: 3042-6197) focuses on the production of ultra-pure substances and the purification of water, air, gases, biobased feedstocks and products, and inorganic chemicals. It covers a wide range of purification technologies, including the design of various filters and separation columns (e.g., column geometry and stationary phase packing), as well as bulk purification processes. The scope also extends to the application of chemometrics in the development, optimization, and control of purification systems. Purification is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Francesco Vegliò (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economy, University of L’Aquila, Italy).
  Journal webpage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/purification
• Separations (ISSN: 2297-8739) covers all areas of analytical separation and purification, including theory and methodology, equipment and techniques, and computational modeling. Separations is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Frank L. Dorman (Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, USA).
  Journal webpage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/separations
• Spectroscopy Journal (ISSN: 2813-446X) is an international journal on all aspects of spectroscopy. Our aim is to encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical results regarding all facets of spectroscopy techniques, characterization, theory, and other spectroscopic developments. Spectroscopy is concerned with the interaction between matter and any portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and is applied in all disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, space science, material science, and engineering. Spectroscopy Journal is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Clemens Burda (Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Millis Science Center, USA).
  Journal webpage: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/spectroscj

MDPI’s Mission and Values:

As a pioneer of academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms across all disciplines. MDPI's guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:

• Open Access: All of our content is published in open access and distributed under a Creative Commons License, providing free access to science and the latest research, allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
• Timeliness and Efficiency: Publishing the latest research through thorough editorial work, ensuring a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and papers are published within 7-10 days upon acceptance;
• Simplicity: Offering user-friendly tools and services in one place to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
• High-Quality Service: Supporting scholars and their work by providing a range of options such as journal publication at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and conferences on sciforum.net to make a positive impact on research;
• Flexibility: Adapting and developing new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
• Rooted in Sustainability: Ensuring the long-term preservation of published papers and supporting the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards.

By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open science practices.

Selected Articles:

“Evaluation of the Ellman’s Reagent Protocol for Free Sulfhydryls Under Protein Denaturing Conditions”
by Sophia R. Ginet, Frank Gonzalez, Maxine L. Marano, Megha D. Salecha, Joseph E. Reiner and Gregory A. Caputo
Analytica 2025, 6(2), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/analytica6020018
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4532/6/2/18

“AI-Assisted Detection of Biomarkers by Sensors and Biosensors for Early Diagnosis and Monitoring”
by Tomasz Wasilewski, Wojciech Kamysz and Jacek Gębicki
Biosensors 2024, 14(7), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14070356
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/14/7/356

“Humidity Sensing Using Polymers: A Critical Review of Current Technologies and Emerging Trends”
by Jintian Qian, Ruiqin Tan, Mingxia Feng, Wenfeng Shen, Dawu Lv and Weijie Song
Chemosensors 2024, 12(11), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors12110230
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/12/11/230

“Mass Transfer Resistance Considerations for Dye Adsorption on Activated Carbon”
by Monika Gwadera, Pawel Brzoskwinia, Szymon Hnatyk and Gabriela Kazberuk
Purification 2025, 1(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/purification1010004
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/3042-6197/1/1/4

“Microextraction and Eco-Friendly Techniques Applied to Solid Matrices Followed by Chromatographic Analysis”
by Attilio Naccarato, Rosangela Elliani and Antonio Tagarelli
Separations. 2025, 12(5), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12050124
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/5/124

“Raman Spectroscopy of Common Fertilizers in Aqueous Solution and Their Detection”
by Laurel ONeill, Maxwell Weatherington and Tim Kane
Spectrosc. J. 2024, 2(4), 332-340; https://doi.org/10.3390/spectroscj2040020
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-446X/2/4/20