MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, together with the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), Singapore, proudly hosted the 2nd Edition of the MDPI early career researcher awards on 24 September 2025 at the LKCMedicine Novena Campus HQ Building. These awards honor outstanding postdoctoral researchers and PhD students who demonstrate exceptional originality, innovation, and impact in medical and biomedical research.

Honoring excellence in research:

Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Award–Dr. Li Dong

“CircMKLN1-Encoded Peptide Modulates Radiosensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Iodine-125 Seed Brachytherapy via DNA Damage Repair Pathways”

Early Career Researcher (PhD) Award–Bah Yi Rou

Gut Microbiota-Mediated Phenylalanine Metabolism Links Dietary Protein to MASLD Development

Event highlights:

The program began with welcome remarks by A/Prof Christine Cheung, Assistant Dean of PhD Studies and Professional Development at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, followed by an introduction to MDPI delivered by Ms. Yunwe Soe, Office Manager of MDPI Singapore. Ms. Soe also led the award presentation segment, formally recognizing the achievements of this year’s recipients.

The scientific presentations then commenced, starting with Dr. Li Dong, recipient of the Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Award, who shared his work on the role of CircMKLN1-encoded peptide in modulating radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma through DNA damage repair pathways. This was followed by Bah Yi Rou, recipient of the Early Career Researcher (Ph.D.) Award, who presented her study on how gut microbiota-mediated phenylalanine metabolism links dietary protein to MASLD development.

The ceremony concluded with closing remarks by A/Prof Christine Cheung, after which guests gathered for refreshments and informal networking.

Looking ahead:

Building on the success of this year’s event, MDPI and LKCMedicine are currently exploring opportunities to expand the awards in 2026, to involve more universities and early career researchers across Singapore.

These ongoing discussions reflect our shared commitment to fostering research excellence, supporting early career scholars, and advancing innovation in medical and biomedical sciences.

Further details on the 2026 awards will be shared in the coming months. We remain committed to fostering a culture of research excellence and collaboration within the global scientific community.