Announcements
7 October 2025
World Cotton Day, 7 October 2025
World Cotton Day, celebrated annually on 7 October, underscores the significance of cotton as more than just a fabric—it is a global engine of livelihoods, trade, and development. Cotton provides income and employment to millions of smallholders, workers, and families in some of the poorest rural regions across 80 countries and five continents. For the lowest-income and lower-income countries, it is not merely a commodity but a safety net, empowering communities and fostering economic resilience.
In recognition of World Cotton Day, MDPI highlights the critical role of cotton in advancing sustainable development, trade, and poverty alleviation. By ensuring open access to research on sustainable agriculture, textile innovation, economic development, and inclusive growth, MDPI supports global dialogue and knowledge exchange that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together, we recognize cotton’s enduring value and its capacity to weave a more sustainable and equitable future.
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“Duplicated Genes on Homologous Chromosomes Decipher the Dominant Epistasis of the Fiberless Mutant in Cotton”
by Yu Le, Xingchen Xiong, Zhiyong Xu, Meilin Chen, Yuanxue Li, Chao Fu, Chunyuan You and Zhongxu Lin
Biology 2025, 14(8), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14080983
“Hyperspectral Reflectance-Based High Throughput Phenotyping to Assess Water-Use Efficiency in Cotton”
by Sahila Beegum, Muhammad Adeel Hassan, Purushothaman Ramamoorthy, Raju Bheemanahalli, Krishna N. Reddy, Vangimalla Reddy and Kambham Raja Reddy
Agriculture 2024, 14(7), 1054; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14071054
“Fingerprint Finder: Identifying Genomic Fingerprint Sites in Cotton Cohorts for Genetic Analysis and Breeding Advancement”
by Shang Liu, Hailiang Cheng, Youping Zhang, Man He, Dongyun Zuo, Qiaolian Wang, Limin Lv, Zhongxv Lin and Guoli Song
Genes 2024, 15(3), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15030378
“Mycorrhizas Affect Physiological Performance, Antioxidant System, Photosynthesis, Endogenous Hormones, and Water Content in Cotton under Salt Stress”
by De-Jian Zhang, Cui-Ling Tong, Qiong-Shan Wang and Shu Bie
Plants 2024, 13(6), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060805
“Functional Characterization of RNA Silencing Suppressor Encoded by Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus”
by Mary F. Akinyuwa and Sung-Hwan Kang
Agriculture 2024, 14(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14020194
“Domestication over Speciation in Allopolyploid Cotton Species: A Stronger Transcriptomic Pull”
by Josef J. Jareczek, Corrinne E. Grover, Guanjing Hu, Xianpeng Xiong, Mark A. Arick II, Daniel G. Peterson and Jonathan F. Wendel
Genes 2023, 14(6), 1301; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14061301
“Production and Fiber Characteristics of Colored Cotton Cultivares under Salt Stress and H2O2”
by Luana Lucas de Sá Almeida Veloso, Carlos Alberto Vieira de Azevedo, Reginaldo Gomes Nobre, Geovani Soares de Lima, José Renato Cortez Bezerra, André Alisson Rodrigues da Silva, Reynaldo Teodoro de Fátima, Hans Raj Gheyi, Lauriane Almeida dos Anjos Soares, Pedro Dantas Fernandes et al.
Plants 2023, 12(11), 2090; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112090
“A New Method to Calculate Cotton Fiber Length Uniformity Using the HVI Fibrogram”
by Md Abu Sayeed, Christopher Turner, Brendan R. Kelly, John Wanjura, Wayne Smith, Mitchell Schumann and Eric F. Hequet
Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1326; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051326
“Different Trap Types Depict Dissimilar Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Cotton Fields”
by Elina Karakantza, Christos I. Rumbos, Chris Cavalaris and Christos G. Athanassiou
Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1256; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051256
“A Novel Tandem Zinc Finger Protein in Gossypium hirsutum, GhTZF2, Interacts with GhMORF8 to Regulate Cotton Fiber Cell Development”
by Yang Li, Wei Xi, Jianfeng Hao, Li Zhang, Xingpeng Wen, Zhiguo Wu and Yuxian Zhu
Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020519
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“Genetic Diversity and Molecular Marker Development for Cotton Breeding and Crop Improvement” |
“Innovations in Green and Efficient Cotton Cultivation” |
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2 October 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #27 - OASPA 2025, COUNTER 5.1, UK Summit in London, MDPI at the Italian Senate
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
MDPI at OASPA 2025: Embracing the Complexity of Open Access
From 22 to 24 September, I joined the OASPA 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium, where the theme, “Embracing the Complexity – How do we get to 100% Open Access?” tackled the hard questions about the future of scholarly communication.
With MDPI a longstanding member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) and Platinum sponsor of the conference, I was invited to present and participate in important discussions on how we can continue to move the needle in Open Access (OA) publishing.
From 50% to 100% Open Access
Last year’s OASPA conference celebrated a major milestone – reaching 50% of global research outputs published as OA. But, as noted during the conference, this was the “easy” part. The challenge ahead is much tougher: how do we take OA from 50% to 100%? For many academics and institutions, OA is still relatively new, and thus it is essential for us to continue educating people as to what OA is, how it works, and why it matters.
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) presenting at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
MDPI’s perspective
At MDPI, we are fully committed to this. As a 100% OA publisher, our growth is inseparable from the success of OA itself. In many ways, MDPI is a byproduct of the global adoption of OA, and we play an important role in helping to advance it further.
I had the opportunity to share MDPI’s perspective in the panel discussion entitled: "Hello from the other side: views from fully Open Access journals using APCs," alongside industry colleagues from PLOS, eLife, AOSIS, and Frontiers.
Instead of giving a standard presentation, I highlighted aspects of MDPI that the audience might not be aware of. I also presented on the opportunities and challenges facing publishers that are already fully OA, the importance of diverse models in achieving 100% OA, and why OA is the baseline while Open Science is the future.
Recognizing Gold OA
As part of the panel, I had undertaken to make some bold and provocative statements. I therefore emphasized a point that is sometimes overlooked: we didn’t reach 50% OA without Gold OA – it accounts for more than half of all OA publications today. And we certainly won’t reach 100% OA without it.
“By educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level”
“When people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should ‘put some respek on our name.”
MDPI is a leader in Gold OA and has been a driver of this progress at scale.
While Gold OA and MDPI are sometimes slighted, both deserve recognition for their contributions to advancing Open Science globally.
I closed my presentation with a reminder that the good we do is sometimes overlooked, and that when people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should "put some respek on our name."
I’m pleased to have seen attendees sharing positive experiences with MDPI, reminding us that we bring real value to the OA movement and deserve a stronger reputation. We also engaged in constructive conversations about various topics, including cost transparency.
A few themes that I took away from the conference:
- Quality and integrity matter as much as access. OA publishers must not lose sight of research integrity, inclusivity, and sustainability while pursuing 100% OA.
- Global collaboration is essential. Policies, funding models, and infrastructure differ around the world, and we will need cross-border collaboration to make OA a truly global reality.
- Open Science is the bigger story. OA is just the first step – the future lies in open data, open peer review, research reproducibility, etc.
“MDPI’s scale allows us to better support authors, reinvest in communities, and push Open Science forward”
How we communicate MDPI’s role
For us at MDPI, this is also a reminder of how we communicate externally. When we tell our story, we shouldn’t forget to start with the bigger picture – Open Science and Open Access. Then we connect it to MDPI, our journals, services, and initiatives, exemplifying the fact that we are part of a mission larger than ourselves.
MDPI colleagues Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships), Marta Colomer (External Affairs), Stefan Tochev (CEO), and Nikola Paunovic (Scilit), at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
The journey to 100% OA will not be simple. But by educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level.
Impactful Research
MDPI becomes COUNTER 5.1 compliant across 480+ Journals
I’m pleased to share that MDPI has officially become COUNTER 5.1 compliant and has joined the COUNTER Registry.
For those who might not be familiar with it, COUNTER provides international standards for tracking and reporting how research is being used. By becoming COUNTER 5.1 compliant, MDPI can now deliver credible, comparable, and transparent usage reports across our entire journal portfolio.
“MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers”
Why is this important?
Because usage statistics aren’t just numbers: they’re powerful tools that help our authors, institutions, and consortia understand the real impact of their research. With COUNTER compliant reports, our institutional partners can now make more informed decisions about publishing agreements, funding allocations, and the long-term value of Open Access.
In practical terms, MDPI will now provide Platform, Title, and Item Reports, with standardized usage views available at the institute and consortium level. These reports cover usage from January 2024 onwards and will be updated monthly. Institutions will be able to access them via SuSy, or automatically through the COUNTER API.
I’d like to highlight and thank Becky Castellon, our Institutional Partnerships Manager, who has played a key role in driving this project forward. Becky captured it perfectly when she said: "Through these usage reports, our global research community can access trustworthy data about how their work is being used and accessed
This information is often vital for reviewing publishing partnership agreements and for making informed decisions about future funding allocations."
We also received encouraging feedback from Tasha Mellins-Cohen, Executive Director at COUNTER Metrics:
"We’re delighted to see born-OA publishers engaging with COUNTER. Our normalised usage metrics are relied on as the basis for credible return-on-investment calculations by libraries worldwide. By adopting the COUNTER standard, MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers."
For MDPI, this milestone is another step in our commitment to transparency, trust, and impact. By adopting COUNTER’s standards, we’re not just aligning with best practice; we’re ensuring that Open Access publishing is measured on the same terms as traditional publishing, proving its value in concrete and globally recognized ways.
This is an important milestone for MDPI, but more importantly for the researchers, librarians, and institutions we serve. Transparency builds trust, and COUNTER compliance helps us show the global reach and influence of Open Access publishing in the clearest way possible.
Inside Research
Lin Li (Publisher, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI, Prof. Chengkuo Lee (Editor-in-Chief, AI Sensors), and Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing) at restaurant in Basel, Switzerland.
Welcoming Prof. Lee (EiC of AI Sensors) to Basel
On 11 September, we welcomed Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee, Editor-in-Chief of our new journal AI Sensors, to our Basel office. Prof. Lee is a high profiled researcher (h-index 104, 37,000+ citations), a longtime collaborator with MDPI (25 published articles), and has already chaired several AI Sensors (AIS)-related conferences with us, including the recent event in Kuala Lumpur, where AI Sensors held its first editorial board meeting.
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) showing Special Issue reprint books as part of a tour of MDPI’s Basel office.
Every journal has a story
During his visit, we exchanged ideas on how to build the journal’s identity and impact. A key takeaway that I shared was that every journal has a story: its vision, its purpose, and the community it brings together.
That story is what connects with readers and authors, beyond metrics alone.
I encouraged everyone working on journals to reflect: What is the story of your journal? And how can you bring that story to the forefront in how you communicate about it?
How MDPI supports new journals
Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) presenting on the MDPI indexing process at the company’s headquarters in Basel.
We also shared with Prof. Lee how MDPI supports journals through our Institutional Open Access Program, indexing expertise, and the work of our Journal Relationship Specialists.
Launching a new journal is ambitious, but with our strong track record (93% Scopus and 87% Web of Science acceptance rates in 2024), Prof. Lee felt confident that AI Sensors will find its place in the scholarly landscape.
Having spent some hours together, it’s clear that Prof. Lee is not only an Editor-in-Chief but also an ambassador for MDPI. His leadership and collaboration reflect the mission MDPI by which MDPI lives: accelerating Open Access and advancing Open Science.
Special thanks to Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing), Ting Leng (JRS, Managing Editor, AI Sensors), Lin Li (Publisher, AI Sensors), Aimar Xiong (Publisher), and Christian Eberhard (Office Administrator, Basel), for organizing and hosting the meeting.
Coming Together for Science
Highlights from the MDPI UK Summit in London
I was pleased to be back in the UK in September, supporting our Manchester team in hosting their first MDPI Summit in London. This day-and-a-half private event brought together 25 Chief Editors and Associate Editors to exchange knowledge, learn about latest developments at MDPI, and engage in discussions on advancing Open Science. The program included MDPI and guest presentations, and Q&A sessions.
Why these summits matter
Our Summits provide a platform to:
- Share updates on the latest developments at MDPI, our editorial processes, research integrity practices, and indexing.
- Highlight collaborations with institutions and societies in the region.
- Offer external perspectives from guest speakers.
- Create space for Chief Editors to share their insights, ask questions, network, and help shape MDPI’s path forward.
These gatherings are more than updates: they improve our relationships with Chief Editors, who serve not only as leaders of their journals but also as ambassadors for MDPI within the research community. We often hear that this type of event is unique, something many other publishers do not provide. It shows that we care and are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators.
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MDPI and the UK: Key facts
- With over 80,000 publications, the UK is MDPI’s eighth-largest contributor.
- MDPI is the fourth-largest publisher in the UK, accounting for 11% of the country’s 89,526 Open Access publications in 2024.
- We collaborate with more than 4,000 active UK Editorial Board Members, 48% of whom have an H-index above 26. This includes 49 Editors-in-Chief and 74 Section Editors-in-Chief.
- MDPI maintains over 1,000 IOAP agreements worldwide, with 63 from the UK.
“We are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators”
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Agenda highlights:
- MDPI Overview, Open Access, and UK Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
- Research Integrity and Publication Ethics – Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist, MDPI)
- Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI)
- Promoting and Developing Your Journal – Prof. Fabio Tosti (Editor-in-Chief of NDT)
- Indexing to Impact – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
- Engaging our Academic Community – Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager, MDPI)
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
MDPI colleagues Stefan Tochev (CEO), Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager), Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead), Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager), Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist) at the MDPI UK 2025 Summit in London.
Thank you!
A special thank-you to the Manchester team and all colleagues behind the scenes who made this Summit a success. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum with future Summits in Europe and beyond.
Closing Thoughts
Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI) and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) participating in a press conference at the Italiane Senate in Rome to promote the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM)
MDPI at the Italian Senate: Promoting Environmental Medicine and Open Science
On 16 September, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead) and I had the honour of participating in a press conference at the Italian Senate in Rome, organized by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA) to promote the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM) (20–21 November 2025).
This is an important event for MDPI, as we are the exclusive publishing partner for ICEM and have recently launched a new journal with SIMA, further building our presence both in Italy and within this important field of research.
Why this matters
- The promotion of ICEM has received extensive national media coverage (more than 15 mentions in major Italian outlets; see links below).
- The press conference brought together leading policymakers, academics, and Nobel Laureates to emphasize the impact of environmental exposures and epigenetics on human health.
- We were introduced to government ministries, university rectors, and influential stakeholders, which helps us bolster MDPI’s visibility and reputation in Italy.
Highlights
Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts joined the discussion, underlining the importance of environmental medicine in shaping future health outcomes. Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Tong Zhu (Peking University) will also speak at the November conference.
Institutional representatives included the Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, the Italian Undersecretary for Health, and senior officials from the World Health Organization.
In my closing remarks, I highlighted that:
“Over the past five years, about 65% of research published in Italy has been Open Access, compared to an average of 55% worldwide.”
Italian research ranked seventh among the top 20 countries in average citations during this period, reflecting its strong international influence. Not only is Italy producing a high volume of research; it is also producing research of outstanding quality.
MDPI’s role
This event was not only about promoting ICEM but also about showcasing MDPI’s commitment to Open Access and our ability to connect scientific publishing with leading academic, medical, and policy institutions.
As Giulia Stefenelli noted:
“This event was highly relevant for MDPI, as it not only showcased our strong commitment to OA but also emphasized our role in advancing important fields such as Environmental Medicine.”
Learn more
- Watch the full press conference (Radio Radicale)
- Giulia’s speech: 33:20 (in Italian)
- Stefan’s speech: 57:50 (in English)
- ICEM 2025 Conference Program
- Selected media coverage:
This moment at the Italian Senate shows how MDPI can connect publishing with science, policy, and society to help advance both Open Science and environmental health research on a global stage.
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In Rome with Sir Richard Roberts (photo left) and Prof. Giuseppe Novelli (EiC of MDPI journal COVID).
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
30 September 2025
Nobel Prize — The Science Behind the Prize
Nobel Prizes are the world’s most prestigious recognition of scientific breakthroughs, honoring discoveries that push the boundaries of knowledge and reshape entire fields. They bring into the public eye researchers whose work might otherwise remain known only within specialized circles.
For many, winning a Nobel Prize is a surreal experience. Laureates often describe a mix of joy, humility, reflection, and gratitude for the teams and collaborators whose contributions made the achievement possible. Behind every Nobel-winning idea lies years of careful, incremental work—a process that often goes unseen.
When Prof. Steven Weinberg won the Nobel Prize in Physics in October 1979, his wife Louise, a legal scholar, reminded him to keep doing the ordinary hard work of science, joking: “Now you have to write some unimportant papers.” True to form, Weinberg continued to push the boundaries of our understanding of the Universe, showing that curiosity and dedication extend far beyond the moment of recognition (Hofmann 2025: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/17/6/840).
Discover the science behind the world’s most transformative ideas
Over the years, dozens of Nobel laureates have published their work with MDPI, entrusting our open access journals to disseminate their findings to a global audience. As of 2024, more than 40 laureates have contributed over 115 articles across 35 journals, ranging from pioneering research on microRNAs and mRNA therapeutics, to fundamental insights in theoretical physics, and advances in structural biology.
We regularly spotlight how Nobel Prize–winning research intersects with the contributions of our authors. This not only celebrates the achievements of the laureates, but also underscores the role of open access in ensuring that transformative science reaches the widest possible audience.
On this page, we invite you to explore selected works by Nobel laureates within the MDPI portfolio, and to join us in celebrating the global impact of their ideas.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physiology or Medicine Roundtable
6 October 2025, 03:30 pm (CEST)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physics Roundtable
7 October 2025, 02:30 pm (CEST)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi for the development of metal-organic frameworks. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
30 September 2025
World Animal Day—“Save Animals, Save the Planet!”, 4 October 2025
World Animal Day, which will be celebrated on 4 October, is a day that serves as a catalyst for the animal welfare movement, mobilizing it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals by raising awareness and taking action for their well-being.
This year’s theme—“Save Animals, Save the Planet!”—draws attention to the connection between animal and environmental welfare. From biodiversity loss and habitat destruction to industrial farming and pollution, the ways we treat animals have a direct impact on the planet’s health, and vice versa. The conservation of animal species can aid in the preservation of their environment, and we must commit to the protection of both.
In recognition of World Animal Day, MDPI supports global efforts in conservation of animal life and consequently, the planet. Through open access publishing, we invite you to explore selected articles, Special Issues, and journals that span fields such as animal sciences, biology, and ecology, encouraging knowledge-sharing and collaboration with the aim of making a difference in animal welfare.
| Biology & Life Science | ● Metabolites; | Environment & Earth Sciences |
| ● Arthropoda; | ● Pets; | ● Conservation; |
| ● Animals; | ● Poultry; | ● Diversity; |
| ● Biology; | ● Ruminants; | ● Ecologies; |
| ● Birds; | ● Taxonomy; | ● Sustainability. |
| ● Fishes; | ● Veterinary Sciences; | |
| ● Insects; | ● Wild. | |
| ● JZBG; |
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Keynote Speakers: |
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Prof. Lynne U. Sneddon, |
Dr. Subir Sarker, |
Prof. Dr. Paulo A.V. Borges, |
Free to register for this webinar here!
“Fragmented Habitats, Fragmented Functions: Unveiling the Role of Habitat Structure in Andean Bird Communities”
by Valentina Ramos-Mosquera, Edwin López-Delgado and Miguel Moreno-Palacios
Ecologies 2025, 6(3), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies6030052
“Assessing Habitat Suitability and Overlap for South China Sika Deer and Sympatric Ungulates”
by Jing Zhang, Yankuo Li, Zhaoyang Wang, Guangyao Wang, Shizhao He, Yu Zheng and Chunlin Li
Ecologies 2025, 6(2), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies6020041
“Monarch Butterflies in Western North America: A Holistic Review of Population Trends, Ecology, Stressors, Resilience and Adaptation”
by David G. James
Insects 2024, 15(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15010040
“Cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea: Encounter Rate, Dominant Species, and Diversity Hotspots”
by Guido Gnone, Michela Bellingeri, Sabina Airoldi, Joan Gonzalvo, Léa David, Nathalie Di-Méglio,
Ana M. Cañadas, Aylin Akkaya, Tim Awbery, Barbara Mussi et al.
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030321
Special Issues:
| “Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies” Guest Editor: Dr. Marcin Sielezniew Submission deadline: 28 February 2026 |
“Conservation and Ecology of Polymorphic Animal Populations” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Luca Luiselli and Dr. Massimiliano Di Vittorio Submission deadline: 31 May 2026 |
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“The Impacts of Traffic Intensity on Taxonomic and Functional Diversity in Understory Spiders from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest”
by Rebeca Esther Da Justa Ximenes, Matheus Leonydas Borba Feitosa, Nancy Lo-Man-Hung, Hugo Rodrigo Barbosa-da-Silva, André Otávio Silva-Junior, Alysson Henrique Alcântara Lins, Geraldo Jorge Barbosa de Moura and André Felipe de Araújo Lira
Arthropoda 2025, 3(2), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda3020007
“Anthropogenic Impact and Antimicrobial Resistance Occurrence in South American Wild Animals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Manuel Pérez Maldonado, Constanza Urzúa-Encina, Naomi Ariyama and Patricio Retamal
Wild 2025, 2(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild2020014
“The Evolution of Zoos as Conservation Institutions: A Summary of the Transition from Menageries to Zoological Gardens and Parallel Improvement of Mammalian Welfare Management”
by Haley N. Beer, Trenton C. Shrader, Ty B. Schidt and Dustin T. Yates
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2023, 4(4), 648–664; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg4040046
“The Hell of Wildfires: The Impact on Wildlife and Its Conservation and the Role of the Veterinarian”
by Andreia Garcês and Isabel Pires
Conservation 2023, 3(1), 96–108; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3010009
“Spatiotemporal Patterns of Wolves, and Sympatric Predators and Prey Relative to Human Disturbance in Northwestern Greece”
by Maria Petridou, John F. Benson, Olivier Gimenez and Vassiliki Kati
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020184
Special Issues:
| “Conflict and Coexistence Between Humans and Wildlife” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Li Zhang Submission deadline: 31 March 2026 |
“The Future of Marine Megafauna” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Vincent L. Bels and Prof. Dr. John R. Turner Submission deadline: 31 July 2026 |
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“Intervertebral Disc Disease in Dogs”
by Iván Gómez Álvarez, José Manuel Verdes García and Luciano Espino López
Pets 2025, 2(3), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/pets2030026
“Dairy Farmers and Veterinarians’ Agreement on Communication in Udder Health Consulting”
by Michael Farre, Erik Rattenborg, Henk Hogeveen, Volker Krömker and Carsten Thure Kirkeby
Vet. Sci 2024, 11(12), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11120665
“Behavioral, Physiological and Hormonal Changes in Primiparous and Multiparous Goats and Their Kids During Peripartum”
by Paolo Cano-Suarez, Juan Pablo Damian, Rosalba Soto, Karen Ayala, Joob Zaragoza, Rocio Ibarra,
Jesús Jonathan Ramírez-Espinosa, Laura Castillo, Irma Eugenia Candanosa Aranda and Angélica Terrazas
Ruminants 2024, 4(4), 515–532; https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4040036
“Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5 Clade 2.3.4.4b Virus Infection in Birds and Mammals”
by Giulia Graziosi, Caterina Lupini, Elena Catelli and Silvia Carnaccini
Animals 2024, 14(9), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091372
Special Issues:
| “Emerging Models in Veterinary and Comparative Pathology” Guest Editors: Dr. Karen Power and Prof. Dr. Gionata De Vico Submission deadline: 15 December 2025 |
“Advancements in Animal Reproductive Biotechnology: Protecting the Future of Endangered Wildlife Species and Domestic Breeds” Guest Editors: Dr. Amin Sayyari and Prof. Dr. Ian Mayer Submission deadline: 31 December 2025 |
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| “Veterinary Science in Action: How Zoo and Aquarium Animals Are Diagnosed and Cured” Guest Editors: Dr. Carlos Sánchez, Dr. Richard Sim and Dr. Josie Rose Submission deadline: 30 June 2026 |
“Advances in Infectious and Parasitic Diseases of Animals” |
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“A Poorly Known Catfish Clade in an Endangered Neotropical Biodiversity Hotspot: Relationships and Distribution Patterns of the Cambeva variegata Group (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae)”
by Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo O. Mattos, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Caio R. M. Feltrin, Pedro F. Amorim, Felipe P. Ottoni, Paulo J. Vilardo and Axel M. Katz
Fishes 2024, 9(4), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9040116
“Description of Bisbalus, a New Genus for the Gray Brocket, Mazama cita Osgood, 1912 (Mammalia, Cervidae), as a Step to Solve the Neotropical Deer Puzzle”
by Eluzai Dinai Pinto Sandoval, Wlodzimierz J˛edrzejewski, Jesús Molinari, Miluse Vozdova, Halina Cernohorska, Svatava Kubickova, Agda Maria Bernegossi, Renato Caparroz and José Mauricio Barbanti Duarte
Taxonomy 2024, 4(1), 10–26; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy4010002
“Searching for a Home Port in a Polyvectic World: Molecular Analysis and Global Biogeography of the Marine Worm Polydora hoplura (Annelida: Spionidae)”
by Vasily I. Radashevsky, Vasily V. Malyar, Victoria V. Pankova, Jin-Woo Choi, Seungshic Yum and James T. Carlton
Biology 2023, 12(6), 780; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12060780
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28 September 2025
MDPI Webinar | World Animal Day, 3 October 2025
In order to commemorate MDPI World Animal Day 2025, MDPI is launching a special webinar to encourage researchers to come together and raise awareness for the animal welfare movement and contribute to the global force that is working to make the world a better place for all animals.
This year’s theme—“Save Animals, Save the Planet!”—draws attention to the connection between animal welfare and environmental welfare. From biodiversity loss and habitat destruction to industrial farming and pollution, the ways we treat animals have a direct impact on the planet's health, and vice versa. The conservation of animal species can aid in the preservation of their environment, and we must wholeheartedly commit to the protection of both.
Date: 3 October 2025 at 12:00 p.m. CEST | 6:00 p.m. CST (Asia) | 6:00 a.m. EDT
Webinar ID: 826 4600 8905
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/WAD2025
Register now for free!
Program:
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Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CEST |
Time in CST Asia |
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Introduction |
12:00–12:10 p.m. |
6:00–6:10 p.m. |
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Prof. Lynne U. Sneddon |
12:10–12:30 p.m. |
6:10–6:30 p.m. |
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Dr. Subir Sarker |
12:30–12:50 p.m. |
6:30–6:50 p.m. |
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Prof. Dr. Paulo A. V. Borges |
12:50–1:10 p.m. |
6:50–7:10 p.m. |
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Q&A Session |
1:10–1:25 p.m. |
7:10–7:25 p.m. |
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Closing of Webinar |
1:25–1:30 p.m. |
7:25–7:30 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Webinar Speakers:
- Dr. Lynne U. Sneddon, Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden;
- Dr. Subir Sarker, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Australia;
- Prof. Dr. Paulo A. V. Borges, School of Agrarian and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Portugal.
3 September 2025
Join Us at the MDPI at the University of Toronto Career Fair, 23 September 2025, Toronto, ON, Canada
1 September 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #26 - CUJS, Head of Ethics, Open Peer Review, AIS 2025, Reviewer Recognition
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
Society of China University Journals (CUJS) visit to MDPI Basel
In August, we had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from the Society of China University Journals (CUJS) to our Basel headquarters. The visit was part of CUJS’s broader European tour, which included meetings with several major publishing organizations.
Purpose of the visit
The delegation’s stop in Basel involved an introductory meeting and knowledge-sharing with a view to identifying potential collaboration opportunities with MDPI. The CUJS team shared an overview of the Chinese scientific publishing landscape, including recent policy developments, and gave us insights into the journals and services they operate across China’s academic institutions.
MDPI presentations
We used the opportunity to introduce CUJS to MDPI’s mission, structure, and recent achievements. I presented on the latest developments at MDPI and our role in supporting global open access, addressing many follow-up questions from the delegation. Warm thanks are due to the following colleagues for their contributions to the session:
- Liliane Auwerter (Conference Organizer, Scientific Officer and Sustainability Specialist) shared an overview of our editorial process, including the quality indicators we use to track peer-review performance.
- Renato Merki (Publication Ethics Assistant) presented on behalf of our Research Integrity and Ethics team, emphasizing our commitment to responsible publishing.
- Silvano Bonfatti (Product Manager) introduced the JAMS platform, highlighting how it supports efficient journal management for editors and publishers alike.
- Aimar Xiong (Publisher, Section Managing Editor) and Giuliano Braccini (Office Manager) facilitated the meeting, offering clarity in response to specific questions, building the relationship during and beyond the meeting itself.
“Building relationships with organizations such as CUJS allows us to increase our visibility and reputation”
Why is this important?
China is one of the world’s largest producers of scientific research, with its universities and research institutes playing a key role in global scholarly publishing. Building strong relationships with influential organizations such as CUJS allows us to increase our visibility and reputation vis-à-vis the Chinese academic community, share best practices, learn from differing publishing models, and explore collaborations that have the potential to enhance the quality, reach, and diversity of our journals.
Looking ahead
It was a productive and friendly exchange that reflected our shared commitment to advancing scholarly communication and improving journal publishing practices. We value these visits, which allow us to create collaborations with stakeholders in the global academic community.
Our Basel office is a hub for hosting international delegations, partners, and collaborators. We look forward to creating more global connections that support our mission.
Impactful Research
Appointment of Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson as Head of Publication Ethics
As part of our ongoing commitment to research integrity and publishing excellence, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson as Head of Publication Ethics.
In this role, Tim will lead the development of our ethics strategy and oversee the continued growth of the Publication Ethics Department, which is based across our offices in Basel, Manchester, Belgrade/Novi Sad, and Cluj. Guided by the principles of effective prevention and efficient resolution, the department plays an essential role in ensuring the highest standards of integrity throughout our editorial processes.
Department focus
Working closely with internal teams and external partners, the Publication Ethics Department focuses on refining our policies, aligning our operations with international best practices, and addressing complex cases with fairness and transparency. This work is critical in supporting our editors, reviewers, and authors, reinforcing MDPI’s contribution to the global dialogue on research integrity.
“Research integrity is something to which we all contribute through our daily work at MDPI”
About Tim
Tim joined MDPI in 2021 and has held several roles within the Publication Ethics Department, most recently serving as Research Integrity Lead. Based in our Basel office, he brings a strong academic background, with a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and a proven track record of leadership in research integrity.
Research integrity is something to which we all contribute through our daily work at MDPI. I look forward to Tim’s leadership as we continue investing in the people, processes, and partnerships that uphold the trust and credibility of scholarly publishing.
Read more:
Inside MDPI
How and why MDPI offers Open Peer Review
At MDPI, we are committed to advancing openness and transparency in scholarly publishing. One area where we’ve taken a leadership role is peer review. Since 2014, MDPI has offered authors the option of open peer review, giving them the opportunity to publish reviewer comments alongside their papers. Each year, more authors are choosing this path, helping to build trust in the editorial process and provide valuable context for the research we publish.
Jack McKenna (Senior Content Specialist, MDPI) recently wrote an informative piece looking at the impact and importance of open peer review at MDPI. He highlights how this approach not only benefits readers but also gives well-deserved recognition to our reviewers, who generously dedicate their time and expertise to the academic community.
I encourage you to read this blogpost to see how MDPI is helping set standards for transparency in scholarly publishing.
Coming Together for Science
Recap of MDPI’s AIS 2025 Conference in Kuala Lumpur
Entering the month of August, we held The 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers (AIS 2025) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“AIS is quickly becoming a premier event in the field”
The second edition of AIS brought together 335 attendees from across Asia and beyond, including participants from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The event, chaired by Prof. Dr. Toshihiro Itoh (University of Tokyo), Prof. Dr. Sang-Woo Kim (Yonsei University), and Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee (National University of Singapore), continues to grow in reputation and has become an important platform for researchers and students to present their work, exchange ideas, and build international collaborations.
AIS is quickly becoming a premier event in the field, with participants highlighting its quality of service, its expanding academic network, and the value it delivers in the context of tightening research budgets in the region.
It was also excellent to see our new MDPI journal AI Sensors, which originated from a conference topic, host a successful launch party at the event.
Highlights from participant feedback:
- Southeast University (China) sent a student delegation and considers AIS a regular fixture for Ph.D. students in need of international conference experience.
- CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute sent a 10-member delegation and plans to further promote AIS internally.
- Japanese researchers regard AIS as a must-attend event, placing it on a par with IEEE conferences and citing the benefits of networking and exchange.
- Korean academics praised the organization and noted improved perceptions of MDPI among their institutions, viewing AIS as a strategic opportunity to deepen engagement in the region.
Award winners
We recognized the recipients of the Best Presentation, Best Scientist, Best Poster, and Best Student Paper awards, whose contributions set a standard for academic excellence. The full award announcement is available here.
Looking ahead
The 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers will be held from 5 to10 August 2026 in Jeju, Korea. The General Chairs will be Prof. Inkyu Park (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Prof. Zhou Li (Tsinghua University), Prof. Xinge Yu (City University of Hong Kong), and Prof. Chengkuo Lee (National University of Singapore). We look forward to bringing together innovators, researchers and experts who are shaping the future at the intersection of sensors, sensing technology, transducers and artificial intelligence.
Thank you
Our conference team managed this event with great agility and professionalism and are already planning improvements to make the conference even more accessible. Special thanks to the National University of Singapore for their support, and to our entire conference team and collaborators for their dedication.
AIS is gaining momentum, and we look forward to supporting its role as a bridge between MDPI and the global academic community.
“Our conference team managed this event with great agility and professionalism”
Closing Thoughts
Recognizing our outstanding reviewers
As we close this edition of the newsletter, I would like to spotlight MDPI’s 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Awards, which showcase a group of winners whose contributions often go unseen but are essential to the integrity of scholarly publishing: our reviewers.
In 2024, more than 215,000 reviewers dedicated their time and expertise to MDPI journals. From this community, we are proud to recognize 356 recipients of the Outstanding Reviewer Awards, who went above and beyond by providing timely, thorough and constructive feedback.
These awards are not only a token of our appreciation but also a reflection of the values we stand for: rigor, fairness and collaboration in advancing science.
To explore the full list of awardees across disciplines, from life sciences to the humanities, please visit the following pages:
- Biology and Life Sciences
- Business and Economics
- Chemistry and Materials Science
- Computer Science and Mathematics
- Engineering
- Environmental and Earth Sciences
- Medicine and Pharmacology
- Physical Sciences
- Public Health and Healthcare
- Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
About MDPI Awards
To recognize the academic community, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. Serving as a source of recognition and inspiration, these awards help increase the influence of scholars who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their respective fields.
To explore more opening Outstanding Reviewer Awards, please click here.
To all our reviewers: thank you for being the foundation of trust that makes open access publishing possible!
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
31 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #25 - 8,000 Staff Worldwide, Korea Visit, 100,000 Preprints, Malaysia Roundtable, Canada Consortium Deal
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
Talent Drives Our Progress
For the first time in MDPI’s history, we now have over 8,000 colleagues across the company. I would like to take a moment to celebrate this milestone and acknowledge the driving force behind our growth and success: our people.
As the world’s leading fully open access publisher, MDPI has grown thanks to the dedication, talent, and teamwork of colleagues across the company. Already halfway through 2025, we’ve welcomed nearly 2,000 new colleagues.
“Our achievements are also about the people behind them”
We now manage over 475 journals, with 298 receiving an Impact Factor, and hundreds more indexed in major databases, including 343 in Scopus, and 92 by PubMed. As the reach and impact of our journals continues to grow, so does the need for dedicated and qualified teams to support that growth. Thus, attracting and retaining exceptional talent remains a cornerstone of our success.
Our achievements are not just about the results of journal expansion, however: they’re about the people behind them. From our hardworking editors to our meticulous English editing and production teams – from our journal relationship specialists, public relations, marketing and communications professionals to our conference teams and the project teams behind Preprints, Scilit, SciProfiles, JAMS and more. Our success reflects the work of thousands of people showing up each day, taking pride in their work, and committed to excellence and service.
What we’re doing to support talent:
- Investing in onboarding and training to help new colleagues feel welcomed and empowered to thrive.
- Creating clearer career paths across all functions, from editorial to communications and beyond.
- Launching mentorship programs and internal knowledge-sharing sessions to promote growth and collaboration.
- Evolving our recognition and rewards programs to better celebrate your contributions.
- Expanding our training systems and platforms.
MDPI’s in-house training department offers over 215 training courses, covering topics from editorial development to cross-cultural collaboration. In 2024 alone, we had 44 full-time trainers and 196 part-time training assistants supporting the learning and development needs of colleagues worldwide. These efforts ensure our teams are equipped with the skills and confidence to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully.
Over two-thirds of our workforce is editorial, and of our more than 5,400 editors, 87% hold a Master’s degree and 6% a PhD. Their collective contributions are central to delivering a high-quality publishing experience and supporting global academic communication.
As we celebrate this milestone, we also aim to continue on a path of steady and sustainable growth, one that balances journal expansion with investment in people, outreach, processes, and innovation. Together, we are shaping the future of open access and academic publishing. Thank you for your hard work, your ideas, and your commitment to serving the global research community.
Let’s continue working together to create a culture where great talent grows and every colleague feels valued.
Impactful Research
Visiting South Korea: Building Connections and Supporting the MDPI Seoul Office
In July, I had the opportunity to visit our team in Seoul and engage directly with academic communities in South Korea. The visit focused on deepening MDPI’s relationships with local universities, institutions, and partners, and supporting the great work of our colleagues at the MDPI Seoul office.
Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference
A highlight of the visit was our participation in the Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference, where we presented to over 100 academic librarians. I delivered a keynote speech titled “The Evolving Publishing Landscape: Open Access and Beyond,” while my colleague Dr. Jisuk Kang (Public Affairs Specialist) shared insights in her presentation, “Inside MDPI: Editorial Practices & Research Integrity.”
Our participation received media coverage, including:
NEWS1: “Publishing Open Access Papers' MDPI...Supporting the Expansion of Korean Research Influence”
UNN (University News Network): “MDPI Announces ‘Seoul Declaration’... “Presenting Standards for Authenticity and Transparency in Korea”
Beyond Post: MDPI CEO Visits Korea to 'Support for the Development of Domestic Knowledge Ecosystem'
Facts & Figures: South Korea
- South Korea is MDPI’s sixth-largest publishing country by article volume (over 90,000 MDPI papers published to date).
- In 2024, Korea ranked 16th globally by total publications, and 6th (among these top 20 countries) by citation impact.
- 52% of Korean publications in 2024 were OA – and 73% of those were Gold OA.
- MDPI published about 20% of all OA papers from Korea in 2024.
- Over 2,000 active Editorial Board Members from South Korea contribute to MDPI journals, with 11 Section Editors-in-Chief.
- We currently have 11 Institutional Open Access Program agreements and two society partnerships in Korea:
- Korean Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (with MDPI journal Pharmaceutics)
- Korean Tribology Society (with MDPI journal Coatings)
MDPI Seoul Office and the First Korea Salon
Our Seoul office serves as a regional hub for marketing, communications, and community engagement. It continues to grow in size and influence, prioritizing supporting scholar visits, conference sponsorships, and outreach events such as the recent MDPI Korea Salon.
The inaugural Salon, themed “Exploring Research Trends in Medical Publishing, Ethics, and AI,” brought together over 20 scholars and Editorial Board members serving MDPI journals.
Thank you to our guest speakers including Professors Young-Joon Surh of Seoul National University, Kwang-Sig Lee of Korea University, and Jin-Won Noh of Yonsei University who presented on the landscape of medicine in South Korea and across the globe. The Salon also included presentations from MDPI colleagues on Open Access, ethics, and how the IOAP can support researchers in this field.
“Our Seoul office continues to grow in size and influence”
Looking Ahead
MDPI is already the leading OA publisher in South Korea, yet challenges and misconceptions around OA and APCs remain. Visits like this one, along with the ongoing efforts of our Seoul office, are important to building understanding, trust, and long-term relationships with the local academic community.
A big thank-you to our colleagues in Seoul for their warm hospitality, professionalism, and energy! Our new office is well situated, staffed, and ready to grow. This visit marked an important step forward in our continued mission to support global research communities and advance Open Science.
Inside MDPI
Preprints.org Reaches 100,000 Preprints: A Major Milestone for MDPI and Open Science
In case you missed it, Preprints.org recently surpassed 100,000 preprints posted. This is a major milestone for our platform and one worth celebrating.
Preprints are a key pillar of the Open Science movement, which promotes transparency, equity, and faster knowledge-sharing through initiatives such as Open Access, Open Data, Open Source, and Open Peer Review. The benefits of Open Science extend beyond researchers, as they support funders, educators, policymakers, and the public in advancing discovery and innovation.
What is behind the 100,000 preprints milestone?
Since its launch in 2016, Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms, now ranked fifth globally by publication volume.
More than 350,000 researchers have contributed, helping shape this dynamic and collaborative space for sharing early-stage research across all disciplines.
Read the full announcement here:
https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/12202
“Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms”
Some quick facts worth noting:
- About 56% of the preprints on Preprints.org are later published in peer-reviewed journals.
- The platform is now indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Europe PMC, and Crossref, helping improve visibility and trust in the preprints shared.
- Recent upgrades – including a revamped website, new features such as search subscriptions, curated reading lists, and community feedback tools (PREreview) – show our commitment to developing Preprints.org in line with researchers’ needs.
This growth and progress would not be possible without the dedication of the Preprints.org team, our Advisory Board members, screeners, and colleagues across MDPI who support the platform’s development. This milestone is a reminder of our shared mission: to accelerate scientific communication and build a more open, transparent, and inclusive research ecosystem.
I’m excited to see what’s ahead as we approach Preprints.org’s 10-year anniversary in 2026!
Coming Together for Science
Malaysia Media Roundtable: Educating on Open Access and MDPI’s Presence in Southeast Asia
At the end of June, I had the opportunity to participate in a strategic media roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, focused on raising awareness about the importance of Open Access (OA) and on MDPI’s growing presence in Southeast Asia.
We welcomed five Malaysian media outlets for an engaging private session that included presentations and open discussion.
I gave an overview of the benefits of Open Access, MDPI’s global developments, and our collaborations in Malaysia.
My colleague Yu Nwe Soe (Public Relations Specialist), presented on our editorial process, helping to clarify how MDPI supports authors and maintains research quality.
We were also joined by two local Editorial Board Members (EBMs) who offered first-hand insights into their experiences working with MDPI and how OA has shaped their publishing choices.
The discussion covered a range of questions from the press, from OA publishing models to editorial standards, and highlighted MDPI’s unique contribution to accelerating scientific communication in the region.
As the leading fully OA publisher, we see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities and the broader public on the impact of OA, especially in emerging and high-growth academic markets.
Spotlight on Malaysia
Malaysia continues to rise as a regional research hub, with five universities ranked in the global top 200 and 11 subjects in the global top 50. In 2024, Malaysia ranked 2nd in Southeast Asia in total publication output, 10th in Asia, and 25th globally.
MDPI’s presence in Malaysia:
- Over 21,000 research articles published to date from Malaysian institutions
- More than 1,100 articles published in 2024 alone
- In the period 2020–2024, 54% of Malaysia’s total publications were OA
- 36 EBMs from Malaysia, across 27 MDPI journals
- Around 100 conferences sponsored in Malaysia in the past five years
- MDPI is hosting the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers in Kuala Lumpur (29 July- 3 August 2025)
Media Coverage & Editorial Voices
Following the roundtable, we saw positive coverage across several local outlets, with articles highlighting MDPI’s role in empowering Malaysian researchers. Notable pieces included:
- Open-Access Empowers Malaysia’s Research Future
- Empowering Malaysian Researchers to Meet the Nation’s Innovation Ambitions
- MDPI and empowering Malaysian researchers
Our local EBMs also shared their perspectives:
Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum (Sunway University, EBM of MDPI journal Processes) and Prof. Lee (EBM of MDPI journal Bacteria) share their experiences with MDPI and the role Open Access plays in their publication decisions.
“We see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities on the impact of OA”
“I didn’t want my work stuck behind a paywall.”
— Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum, Sunway University, Processes Editorial Board Member
“Open Access opens doors for collaboration and visibility, especially in fast-developing regions like ours.”
— Prof. Lee, Bacteria Editorial Board Member
This roundtable marked another step in building trust, understanding, and collaboration in Southeast Asia. A big thank-you to the MDPI Malaysia team and all those who contributed to the event’s success.
Closing Thoughts
MDPI Signs First North American Agreement with Canadian Consortium
We are proud to announce a major milestone for MDPI Canada and an important step forward for OA in North America.
In July, our Toronto office finalized MDPI’s first North American consortium agreement with the Federal Science Libraries Network (FSLN). This is a significant achievement that strengthens our expansion in Canada and reinforces our global commitment to supporting Open Science.
This two-year agreement gives Canadian federal agencies access to MDPI’s IOAP, including discounted article processing charges for affiliated researchers across our portfolio of over 475 OA journals. It lowers barriers for Canadian scientists to share their work more openly and reach a global audience.
Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.
“The Open Science landscape in Canada is rapidly evolving, with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy set for renewal by the end of 2025. This reflects ongoing efforts to foster greater scientific transparency and accessibility at a national policy level,” says Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.
“Our new agreement with FSLN represents our shared commitment to further these efforts and foster wider readership. By aligning with these initiatives, we make progress towards research that’s both inclusive and impactful, benefiting local and global communities alike.”
Participating FSLN institutions include:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Health Canada
- National Research Council Canada
- Natural Resources Canada
By partnering with some of Canada’s largest science-based agencies, we reaffirm our goal of advancing OA across continents. We look forward to developing our support for Canadian researchers and continuing to drive progress in Open Science across North America and beyond.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
29 July 2025
Meet Us at the ASHG 2025 Annual Meeting, 14–18 October 2025, Boston, USA
28 July 2025
World Hepatitis Day—“Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”, 28 July 2025
World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, a type of inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and liver cancer.
The theme for 2025—“Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”—calls for urgent action to dismantle the financial, social and systemic barriers, including stigma, that stand in the way of hepatitis elimination and liver cancer prevention.
Chronic hepatitis B and C silently cause liver damage and cancer—despite them being preventable, treatable, and, in the case of hepatitis C, curable. The theme emphasizes the need to simplify, scale up, and integrate hepatitis services—vaccination, safe injection practices, harm reduction and especially testing and treatment—into national health systems.
The campaign is a reminder that we must act now to expand access, integrate care, and end hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030.
In recognition of this important day, we recommend the following related articles, Special Issues, and journals spanning multidisciplinary fields, including clinical medicine. We believe that promoting such research contributes to enhanced public awareness and a greater understanding of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and liver cancer.
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Biology & Life Sciences |
Medicine & Pharmacology |
“Curcumin Nanocarriers in the Protection Against Iron- and Alcohol-Induced Oxidative Stress in a Cellular Model of Liver Disease”
by Lucy Petagine, Mohammed G. Zariwala, Satyanarayana Somavarapu, Stefanie Ho Yi Chan and Vinood B. Patel
Biology 2025, 14(5), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050455
“Hepatic Estrogen Receptor Alpha Overexpression Protects Against Hepatic Insulin Resistance and MASLD”
by Ester S. Alves, Jessica D. M. Santos, Alessandra G. Cruz, Felipe N. Camargo, Carlos H. Z. Talarico, Anne R. M. Santos, Carlos A. A. Silva, Henrique J. N. Morgan, Sandro L. Matos, Layanne C. C. Araujo et al.
Pathophysiology 2025, 32(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathophysiology32010001
“Change in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate After Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients”
by Gantogtokh Dashjamts, Amin-Erdene Ganzorig, Yumchinsuren Tsedendorj, Dolgion Daramjav, Enkhmend Khayankhyarvaa, Bolor Ulziitsogt, Otgongerel Nergui, Ganchimeg Dondov, Tegshjargal Badamjav, Tulgaa Lonjid et al.
Diseases 2025, 13(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases13020026
“Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 Subunit on the Interplay Between Hepatitis B and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Related Molecular Processes in Human Liver”
by Giovanni Colonna
Livers 2025, 5(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/livers5010001
“Liver Cancer Neuroscience: Regulating Liver Tumors via Selective Hepatic Vagotomy”
by Kylynda C. Bauer, Shadin Ghabra, Chi Ma Lee Chedester and Tim F. Greten
Methods Protoc. 2024, 7(6), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps7060099
“Role of Circulating microRNAs in Liver Disease and HCC: Focus on miR-122”
by Francesco Colaianni, Veronica Zelli, Chiara Compagnoni, Martina Sara Miscione, Mario Rossi, Davide Vecchiotti, Monica Di Padova, Edoardo Alesse, Francesca Zazzeroni and Alessandra Tessitore
Genes 2024, 15(10), 1313; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15101313
“Impact of Hepatitis Delta Virus Infection on the Selection of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Mutations”
by Kabo Baruti,Wonderful T. Choga, Bonolo B. Phinius, Basetsana Phakedi, Lynnette Bhebhe, Gorata G. A. Mpebe, Patience C. Motshosi, Tsholofelo Ratsoma, Sikhulile Moyo, Mosimanegape Jongman et al.
Genes 2024, 15(8), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15080982
“NAFLD/MASLD and the Gut–Liver Axis: From Pathogenesis to Treatment Options”
by Natalia G. Vallianou, Dimitris Kounatidis, Sotiria Psallida, Nikolaos Vythoulkas-Biotis, Andreas Adamou, Tatiana Zachariadou, Sofia Kargioti, Irene Karampela and Maria Dalamaga
Metabolites 2024, 14(7), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14070366
“miRNA Expression and HCC Occurrence in HCV Cirrhotic Patients Treated with Direct Acting Antivirals”
by Antonietta Romano, Alessandra Brocca, Zoe Mariño, Sofía Pérez-del-Pulgar, Sabela Lens, Loreto Boix, María Reig, Jordi Bruix, Giulio Ceolotto, Valeria Calvino et al.
Livers 2024, 4(2), 275-286; https://doi.org/10.3390/livers4020020
“The Full-Genome Analysis and Generation of an Infectious cDNA Clone of a Genotype 6 Hepatitis E Virus Variant Obtained from a Japanese Wild Boar: In Vitro Cultivation in Human Cell Lines”
by Putu Prathiwi Primadharsini, Masaharu Takahashi, Tsutomu Nishizawa, Yukihiro Sato, Shigeo Nagashima, Kazumoto Murata and Hiroaki Okamoto
Viruses 2024, 16(6), 842; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16060842
“Hepatitis C Prevalence and Birth Outcomes among Pregnant Women in the United States: A 2010–2020 Population Study”
by Paul Wasuwanich, Songyos Rajborirug, Robert S. Egerman, Tony S. Wen and Wikrom Karnsakul
Pathogens 2024, 13(4), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13040321
“Prospects for Controlling Hepatitis B Globally”
by Vicente Soriano, Víctor Moreno-Torres, Ana Treviño, Fernando de Jesús, Octavio Corral and Carmen de Mendoza
Pathogens 2024, 13(4), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13040291
“Longterm Outcome of Therapeutic Vaccination with a Third Generation Pre-S/S HBV Vaccine (PreHevbrioR) of Chronically HBV Infected Patients”
by Hedwig Roggendorf, Daniel Shouval, Michael Roggendorf and Guido Gerken
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(4), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14040364
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“Viral Hepatitis: Diagnosis, Treatment and Management” |
“New Insights into Diagnosis and Therapeutic Strategies for Chronic Liver Diseases” |
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“The Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis: Looking Forward to Global Elimination” |
“Viral Hepatitis and Therapeutic Strategies” |
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“Genetic Analysis of Hepatitis Virus Infection” |
“Oxidative Stress in Hepatic Diseases” |
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“Viral Hepatitis Among Specific Populations: Epidemiology, Transmission, Treatment, and Prevention” |
“Biology of Liver Diseases” |
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“Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection Among Humans and Animals: Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, Treatment and Prevention—2nd Edition” |
“Human Hepatitis Viruses and Their Animal Homologues” |
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“Advances in Hepatitis: Prevention, Treatment, and Global Health Impact” |
“Pathogenesis of Viral Hepatitis” |
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“Liver Diseases: Diagnosis and Treatment in the Era of Personalized Medicine” |
“Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases: New Advances in Diagnosis and Prognosis” |
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