In Honor of Jiankang Liu for His Contributions and Impact on Redox and Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine

Dear Colleagues,

Professor Jiankang Liu is a distinguished scientist whose remarkable academic journey and significant professional contributions have profoundly influenced the fields of aging, stress physiology, and degenerative diseases. Born in Shaanxi, China, in 1956, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Xi'an Jiaotong University in 1982, with a first-honors degree. He then pursued a doctorate in neuroscience at Okayama University School of Medicine in Japan, which he completed in 1994. Following his postdoctoral research in Dr. Bruce Ames’s lab at the University of California, Berkeley, Prof. Liu built an impressive career, holding positions at prestigious institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Kentucky School of Medicine. Since September 2008, he has served as a Distinguished Prof. at Xi'an Jiaotong University, where he is also the Dean of the School of Life Science and Technology, the Director of a Key Laboratory under the Ministry of Education, and the founder of the Institute of Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine. Additionally, since September 2021, he has been a Distinguished Professor at the University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, currently serving as the Dean of the School of Life Sciences and Health.

Prof. Liu's research focuses on the complex areas of free radical biology, mitochondrial medicine, and the molecular mechanisms of stress-induced aging. His innovative contributions have been pivotal in shaping the theoretical frameworks of the "mitochondrial free radical hypothesis of stress-accelerated aging" and the "mitochondrial nutrient theory", significantly enhancing the scientific community's understanding of these topics. As a trailblazer in mitochondrial biomedicine, Professor Liu has received numerous prestigious awards, including recognition as an Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese Scientist for ten consecutive years (2015–2024) and consistently ranking among the top scientists globally, placing in the top 1.5-2% for six consecutive years (2019–2024). Notably, he was ranked 100th in China's biomedical science in 2021 and advanced to 21st in 2022, highlighting his exceptional achievements in this dynamic field.

Beyond his research, Prof. Liu has made significant contributions to academic organizations and international collaborations. He has served as an Associate Editor or Editorial Board Member for leading journals, including Free Radical Biology and Medicine, Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, Nutritional Neuroscience, and Antioxidants. As a dedicated mentor, he is committed to teaching and guiding students, encouraging them to engage with the global scientific community and develop into internationally competitive professionals. His research group is known for its open, relaxed, and collaborative atmosphere, attracting many aspiring scholars. Over the recent 20 years, he has successfully mentored 4 postdoctoral researchers, 31 doctoral students, and 14 master’s students, many of whom are now recognized as leaders in the field of mitochondrial research worldwide.

This Special Issue, titled "In Honor of Jiankang Liu for His Contributions and Impact on Redox and Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine", aims to celebrate his scientific achievements and lifelong dedication to mitochondrial biomedical innovation. It seeks to introduce and share research on mitochondrial medicine, oxidative stress, aging mechanisms, and innovative therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria, all inspired by his pioneering work. We warmly invite you to contribute your esteemed research to this Special Issue as a tribute to his outstanding contributions.

Prof. Dr. Jiangang Long
Prof. Dr. Zhihui Feng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• redox
• mitochondrial
• free radical biology
• aging
• oxidative stress