Announcements

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Richard DiMarchi Indiana University, USA	Prof. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University, USA. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single-molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism at related G-protein coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and their conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
“Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor.” —Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee
Rolf Müller Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Infections Research (HZI), Germany; Saarland University, Germany	Prof. Rolf Müller is the Founding and Managing Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Saarland University, Germany. Having received his training from the University of Bonn, he held research positions at the University of Washington, USA, and Braunschweig University of Technology, Germany, prior to his appointment as professor to Saarland University. His laboratory has dedicated itself to the exploration of bacterial natural-product biosynthetic pathways for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in working with myxobacteria and other microbial producer strains. Starting from the isolation and characterization of new microorganisms, the scope of work includes microbiology-, biotechnology-, bioinformatics-, and chemistry-based approaches to exploit these isolates as sources of new drugs with a special focus on novel anti-infectives. Müller and his team apply a variety of state-of-the-art analytical methods and biological assays to perform biological and chemical characterizations of the identified compounds. Prof. Müller has received several awards, including the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, the PHOENIX Pharmacy Research Award, the DECHEMA Prize, and the Inhoffen Medal, as well as being an elected member of acatech, Leopoldina, and the German Academy of Sciences and Literature.
“The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members were highly impressed by the truly outstanding past and ongoing contributions of Professor Müller in both microbial natural products isolation chemistry and in biosynthesis, as well as in the development of lead compounds for their potential in treating human diseases, through his global connections with various major funding agencies. He is also a dedicated teacher who has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and he has lectured on his research in countries all over the world.” —Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee

The achievements of Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller highlight the transformative impact of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. We congratulate them and invite the global academic community and public to join us in celebrating their significant contributions.

2024 Award Committee
Committee Chair:

• Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Ohio State University, USA.
  

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

• Prof. Angelo Fontana, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy;
• Prof. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University, USA;
• Dr. Diana Pinto, University of Aveiro, Portugal;
• Prof. Hideaki Kakeya, Kyoto University, Japan;
• Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, University of Strathclyde, UK;
• Prof. Thomas Prisinzano, University of Kentucky, USA
• Prof. Wei Li, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA.

About the Tu Youyou Award:
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honor the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award honoring exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

The International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS, ISSN: 1422-0067) is pleased to announce that the following 100 researchers have been added to our group of 2025–2026 Early Career Editorial Board Members. Please join us in congratulating them on joining the IJMS community!

Name: Dr. Xin Li
Affiliation: DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Research interests: biopolymers; nanomedicine; hydrogels; theranostics; biocatalysis

Name: Dr. Jiahui Zhu
Affiliation: Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
Research interests: extraction, separation, and purification of uranium in the ocean; study of the selective adhesion behavior of marine-fouling organisms; development of catalysts for hydrogen production using electrolytic water and a membrane electrode

Name: Dr. Giulia Bononi
Affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Research interests: small-molecule drug design; anti-cancer drugs; organic synthesis; medicinal chemistry; cancer; enzymatic assays; structure–activity relationship (SAR)

Name: Dr. Lei Yan
Affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
Research interests: plants; adversity stress

Name: Dr. Rui Guo
Affiliation: Host–Pathogen Interaction Mechanism and Precision Medicine Team, National & Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Apitherapy Research Institute, College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Research interests: host–pathogen/parasite interaction; non-coding RNA; epigenetics; transgene; omics; precision medicine

Name: Dr. Dušan Dimić
Affiliation: Faculty of Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Research interests: DFT; transition metal complexes; antioxidants; QTAIM, noncovalent interactions; reaction mechanisms; forensic chemistry; EPR; IR; Raman

Name: Dr. Bo Wang
Affiliation: Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
Research interests: molecular mechanisms; lipid metabolism; human diseases; cancer

Name: Dr. Md. Jakaria
Affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
Research interests: cellular stress; cell death; neurotoxicity; neurodegeneration; neurotherapeutics

Name: Dr. Changling Wu
Affiliation: College of Food and Health, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forest University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Research interests: grain and oil storage and functional processing; high-value utilization of grain processing by-products

Name: Dr. Pooja Mittal
Affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Research interests: cancer; apoptosis; inhibitors; colorectal cancer; polymorphisms

Name: Dr. Zhen Zhang
Affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Research interests: synthesis and self-assembly of polymer materials; synthesis of upconversion nanoparticles; construction of advanced assemblies and their biomedical applications

Name: Dr. Dongwei Di
Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
Research interests: auxins; gene expression; molecular cloning; gene regulation; transcription factors; protein–protein interaction

Name: Dr. Beatrice Polini
Affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Research interests: inflammation; neurodegeneration; microglia; obesity; cannabinoid receptor ligand

Name: Dr. Qi Su
Affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Research interests: gut inflammation; precision nutrition; host–diet–gut microbiome interaction; immune response; pre/probiotics; nutritional epigenomics; intestinal microecology

Name: Dr. Simona Sagona
Affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy
Research interests: honeybees; bee products; diet; biochemistry; proteomic; enzymes; immune system; animals

Name: Dr. Jiang-Hui Wang
Affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
Research interests: AAV; capsid engineering; gene therapy; retinal diseases

Name: Dr. Matteo Bordoni
Affiliation: Cellular Models and Neuroepigenetics Unit-IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Research interests: neurodegeneration; ALS; cellular models; iPSCs; 3D bioprinting; organoids

Name: Dr. Subhadeep Das
Affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Research interests: RNA biology; human diseases; eukaryotic stress response; cancer biology; microbiology; cell biology; biochemistry; biomaterials

Name: Dr. Hongxun Tao
Affiliation: School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Research interests: edible medicinal botanicals; functional foods; natural products; pharmacology

Name: Dr. Kangyu Wang
Affiliation: College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
Research interests: plant genome; transcription factor family; functional genomics; methyl jasmonate treatment

Name: Dr. Vassilis Athanasiadis
Affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Thessaly, Terma N. Temponera Str., 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Research interests: functional foods; polyphenols; antioxidants; public health; nutritional evaluation; natural product extracts

Name: Dr. Om Prakash Narayan
Affiliation: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Research interests: fungi; pathogens; plant pathology; PCR; molecular biology; microbiology; applied microbiology; proteomics

Name: Dr. Łukasz Szeleszczuk
Affiliation: Department of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Research interests: cyclodextrins; polymorphism; crystals; inclusion complexes; calculations; quantum mechanics; GIPAW, GIAO, CASTEP; phase transition

Name: Dr. Silvia Sfameni
Affiliation: Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN-CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Research interests: material chemistry; nanotechnology; sol-gel chemistry; polymer science; hi-tech textiles; functional coatings; sustainability; stimuli-responsive polymers

Name: Dr. Changxia Li
Affiliation: College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, 100 East University Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning 530004, China
Research interests: stress response; fruit ripening; quality regulation; plant hormones; signal molecules

Name: Dr. Giulia Rando
Affiliation: Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Analytical Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Research interests: materials chemistry; green chemistry; nanotechnology; environmental remediation; advanced materials; filtration membranes; stimuli-responsive polymers; functional systems

Name: Dr. Yiwei Zhou
Affiliation: Environmental Horticulture Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
Research interests: utilization and genetic breeding of or
Namental plant germplasm resources; integrated multi-omics analysis of the formation mechanisms of important traits; construction of efficient detection systems for aroma and color

Name: Dr. Ritesh Kumar
Affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
Research interests: abiotic stress; plant reproduction; thermotolerance

Name: Dr. Adil Majeed Rather
Affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
Research interests: bioinspired polymeric materials; superhydrophobic and superomniphobic surfaces; liquid crystal interfaces; slippery surfaces; oil–water separations

Name: Dr. Pablo Andrés Pérez Moreno
Affiliation: Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina (ICIM), Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
Research interests: non-coding RNAs in cancer; long non-coding RNAs in cancer; prognostic biomarkers in cancer; treatment targets in cancer; molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs in cancer; cancer stem cell phenotype

Name: Dr. Terenzio Cosio
Affiliation: Department of Laboratory Sciences and Haematological Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Research interests: medical mycology; microbiology; Trichophyton spp., Candida spp., Candida biofilm; psoriasis; biological drugs; risk infections; infectious adverse events

Name: Dr. Prashant Kumar
Affiliation: School of Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-NPL Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
Research interests: ferrites; ferrofluids; metal oxides; polymers; hybrid nanocomposites; magnetic thin films; 2-D material; spintronics; energy conversion; hyperthermia; MRI; EMI shielding; photocatalytic; magneto-optical devices

Name: Dr. Simone Palini
Affiliation: Ospedale “Cervesi” di Cattolica-AUSL Romagna, Via Ludwig Van Beethoven, 1, 47841 Cattolica, RN, Italy
Research interests: embryos; embryo cryopreservation; embryo culture cryopreservation; assisted reproductive technology; oocytes; endometriosis; reproductive biology; reproductive endocrinology; reproductive medicine

Name: Dr. Chen Wu
Affiliation: Institute of Zhejiang University-Quzhou, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Research interests: applied chemistry; fine chemicals; catalytic materials.

Name: Dr. Guijie Lei
Affiliation: School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China
Research interests: physiological and molecular mechanisms for the uptake, translocation, distribution, accumulation and detoxification of mineral elements in plants; breeding for new crop varieties with more safety, rich nutrition, high resilience, and environmental friendliness

Name: Dr. Lucia Vietri
Affiliation: Respiratory Diseases Unit, Emergency Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44124 Ferrara, Italy
Research interests: inflammation autoimmunity cellular immunology; T cell biology; inflammatory diseases; autoimmune disorders; chronic inflammation

Name: Dr. Diego Lopergolo
Affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese-Policlinico Santa Maria alle Scotte, 53100 Siena, Italy
Research interests: rare neuromuscular disorders; rare genetic neurologic disease

Name: Dr. Jiachen Liu
Affiliation: School of medicine, Washington University in St. Louis
Research interests: genetics; multi-omics; system biology; drug development; musculoskeletal diseases; aging

Name: Dr. Laura Giannotti
Affiliation: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, 73100, Italy
Research interests: regenerative medicine; cancer; antioxidants; neuroinflammation; transcription factors

Name: Dr. Mara Mădălina Mihai
Affiliation: Department of Oncologic Dermatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania, Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Research interests: bioactive materials; nanotechnology; targeted therapy; biologic therapy; chronic wounds; wound healing; chronic skin infections; microbial biofilms; skin cancer; melanoma

Name: Dr. Daniel Souza Monteiro de Araújo
Affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology Section, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Research interests: neuroscience; pharmacology; ion channel; pain

Name: Dr. Handou Zheng
Affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, PCFM Lab, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Research interests: polyolefins; coordination polymerization; organometallic catalysts

Name: Dr. Federico Pio Fabrizio
Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, “Kore” University of Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy
Research interests: epigenetics; molecular biology; lung cancer; DNA methylation; resistance

Name: Dr. Igor José dos Santos Nascimento
Affiliation: Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
Research interests: medicinal chemistry; molecular modeling; computer-aided drug design

Name: Dr. Jyoti Bala Kaushal
Affiliation: Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Fred & Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
Research interests: cancer research; hormones; cell death; molecular alterations; cell signaling; tumor microenvironment; cellular plasticity; metabolism and endocrinology. I am particularly interested in exploring molecular patterns in normal physiology and disease biology, including cancer and related metastasis, through the lens of cell biology and proteomic approaches

Name: Dr. Pamela Swiatlowska
Affiliation: Myocardial Function, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, ICTEM, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
Research interests: cardiovascular science; mechanobiology; atherosclerosis; heart failure; mechano-epigenetics

Name: Dr. Sukkum Chang
Affiliation: Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, 21702, USA
Research interests: drug resistance; cancer biology; cell signaling; inflammation; fibrosis

Name: Dr. Xiaodong Tan
Affiliation: Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
Research interests: bioinformatics; genetics; molecular biology

Name: Dr. Giusy Tassone
Affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Research interests: structural biology; X-ray crystallography; inorganic chemistry; cancer research; parasitic diseases; neurological disorders; β-lactamases; antibiotic resistance; pteridine reductase; heat shock protein 90; 14-3-3; bioinorganic chemistry; glutaminyl cyclase; bile acid binding protein

Name: Dr. Mohammad El Khatib
Affiliation: Unit of Basic and Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience and Agro-Food and Environmental Technology, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy
Research interests: tendon; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; amniotic epithelial stem cells; adipose-derived stem cells; 3D bioengineering scaffolds; tendon regeneration; immunomodulation; in vitro models; mechanotransduction; electrospinning

Name: Dr. Amelia Salimonti
Affiliation: Research Centre for Olive, Citrus and Tree Fruit, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), 87036 Rende (Cosenza), Italy
Research interests: plant genetics; plant transcriptomics; association studies; phenotypic and molecular characterization of olive germplasm; micropropagation; floral biology; abiotic stress; studies about the effects of climate change in olive growing

Name: Dr. Antonio d’Amati
Affiliation: Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
Research interests: pathology; molecular pathology; molecular oncology; neuropathology; CNS tumors; gynecological pathology

Name: Dr. David Osca
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales IUNAT, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, Spain
Research interests: molecular tools; genetics; phylogeny; barcoding; bioinformatics; mitochondrial genomes; genomics

Name: Dr. Giorgio Tofani
Affiliation: Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Research interests: paper and pulp technology; biorefinery concept; wood chemistry; lignin chemistry; green solvents; lignin-based resins; biomaterials

Name: Dr. Alexandr Ceasovschih
Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
Research interests: atherosclerosis; lipidology; inflammation; arterial stiffness; peripheral arterial disease; COVID-19

Name: Dr. Xuechen Yang
Affiliation: Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi, China
Research interests: microbial community diversity; soil carbon cycle; soil fertility; enzyme stability; greenhouse gases emission; global change; soil multifunctionality

Name: Dr. Longhai Zou
Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, 666 Wusu Street, Hangzhou 311300, China
Research interests: stress tolerance of woody plants; epigenetics is involved in transcriptional regulation; functional studies of transcription factors; transcriptional regulatory networks; functional genomics

Name: Dr. Huaming Xi
Affiliation: 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Research interests: Chinese herbal extracts regulate fertility (male and female); autophagy in animal reproduction; sperm cryopreservation; spermatogonial stem cell differentiation and self-renewal

Name: Dr. Carlos Cruz
Affiliation: Department of Electronics, University of Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
Research interests: sensors; detectors characterization; digital embedded systems; electronic design; data analysis

Name: Dr. Jaber Dehghani
Affiliation: Laboratoire GlycoMEV UR 4358, Université de Rouen Normandie, SFR Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Innovation Chimie Carnot, F-76000 Rouen, France
Research interests: microalgae; chlamydomonas; dunaliella; chlorella; microalgae biotechnology

Name: Dr. Nan Sun
Affiliation: National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Research interests: polymer materials; application of surfactants; self-assembly of short peptides; super-resolution imaging

Name: Dr. Na Wang
Affiliation: Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Research interests: neurodegeneration disease; Alzheimer’s disease

Name: Dr. Katerina Nikolouli
Affiliation: Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
Research interests: genetics; insects; pest control; mutagenesis; CRISPR/Cas9; genetic sexing strains

Name: Dr. Victor Zacharias Martin
Affiliation: Laboratory for Bone Metabolism and Regeneration, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-393 Porto, Portugal
Research interests: dentistry; bone graft; nanoparticles; periodontology; scaffolds; oral surgery; tetracyclines; drug delivery; cellular biology; cytocompatibility

Name: Dr. Elena Salvi
Affiliation: Department of Biology, Università di Pisa (UNIPI), 56126 Pisa, Italy
Research interests: plant morphogenesis; patterning; phytohormones; root development; petal development; Arabidopsis thaliana; Hibiscus trionum

Name: Dr. Gabriela Goujgoulova
Affiliation: Risk Assessment Center on Food Chain, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Research interests: animal viruses; zoonoses; virology, molecular biology; viral genetics; risk assessment; vaccines

Name: Prof. Dr. Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias
Affiliation: Research Group on Technology Applied to Exercise Physiology—GTAFE, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
Research interests: exercise physiology; physical training; bioenergetics; metabolomics; systematic review; meta-analysis

Name: Dr. András Molnár
Affiliation: Fül-Orr-Gégészeti és Fej-Nyaksebészeti Klinika, Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi KarBudapest, Szigony u. 36., 1083 Budapest, Hungary
Research interests: vestibular disorders; tinnitus; hearing loss; vertigo; olfactory disorders; obstructive sleep apnea; neurotology

Name: Dr. Carolina Conter
Affiliation: CIC bioGUNE (Center for Cooperative Research in Bioscience), Technological Park of Bizkaia, 48016 Derio, Spain
Research interests: biochemistry; enzymology; PLP-dependent enzyme

Name: Dr. Yong Wang
Affiliation: Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Research interests: computational biophysics; membrane transporters; free energy calculations; molecular dynamics simulations

Name: Dr. He Yin
Affiliation: 1. Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA;
2. Organix LLC., 240 Salem St., Woburn, MA, USA
Research interests: organic chemistry; photochemistry; medicinal chemistry; material chemistry; biochemistry; nanomaterials; chemical engineering; polymer science

Name: Dr. Kenneth S. Hettie
Affiliation: Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Departments of Radiology (Interventional) and Head/Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
Research interests: molecular imaging; nanoparticles; drug delivery; immunotherapy; glioblastoma; affi-/nanobody; bio-/molecular probes and sensors; fluorescence-guided surgery; near-infrared I/II fluorescence; image-guided surgery; surgical navigational technology; directed enzyme prodrug therapy (DEPT)

Name: Dr. Rachel E. Crossland
Affiliation: Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE2 4HH, UK
Research interests: extracellular vesicle; microRNA; extracorporeal photopheresis; transplantation; GvHD

Name: Dr. Vijay Kumar
Affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Surgery, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Research interests: tumor immunology; immunometabolism; innate immunity; sepsis; bacterial pathogenesis; pneumonia

Name: Dr. René Huber
Affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Research interests: monocytes/macrophages; resolution of inflammation; TNF; signal transduction; GSK3; transcriptional regulation; NF-κB; AP-1; rheumatoid arthritis

Name: Dr. Piotr Golec
Affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Research interests: phage molecular biology; phage display; phage therapy; bacteria–phage interaction analysis; new strategies in the treatment of MDR bacteria; phage-based nanoparticle synthesis

Name: Dr. Angela Stefanachi
Affiliation: Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
Research interests: Bcr-Abl inhibitors; HDAC inhibitors; CB2 modulators

Name: Dr. Gioacchin Iannolo
Affiliation: Department of Research, IRCCS ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), 90100 Palermo, Italy
Research interests: neural stem cells; glioblastoma stem cells; cancer stem cells; Zika virus; nervous system development; brain; cancer

Name: Dr. Daniele Bottai
Affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology and Biosciences, University or Milan Assistant, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
Research interests: neural stem cells; glycosphingolipids; neurological diseases

Name: Dr. Jessie Qiaoyi Liang
Affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Centre for Gut Microbiota Research, Faculty of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Science, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Research interests: microbiome in health and disease; human endogenous retroviruses; cancer genomics and epigenetics; biomarkers and molecular diagnostics

Name: Dr. Oleksii Skorokhod
Affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torin, Italy
Research interests: cytochromes P450; CYP; malaria; lipid peroxidation; HETE; hydroxy nonenal; HNE; hemozoin; monocytes

Name: Dr. Shipra Malik
Affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Research interests: miRNA; gene therapy; cancer therapy; gene editing; nanoparticles; PLGA; peptide nucleic acids (PNAs); antisense oligonucleotides; tumor targeting; siRNA; RNA therapeutics

Name: Dr. Xiakun Chu
Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, 104 Chemistry, Stony Brook, NY, USA
Research interests: protein folding; intrinsically disordered proteins; protein binding; protein–DNA recognition; chromosome dynamics; genome structure; energy landscape; coarse-grained model

Name: Dr. Flores Naselli
Affiliation: Department Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Research interests: nutrigenomics; epigenetics; genetics; gene expression; precision nutrition; nutrition in health

Name: Dr. Fernanda D.T.Q.S. Lopes
Affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Therapeutics/LIM-20, Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
Research interests: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; extracellular matrix; lung function; asthma; acute respiratory distress syndrome

Name: Dr. Maria Ricci
Affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Cardarelli Hospital, Campobasso, Italy
Research interests: nuclear medicine; oncology; neurology; theranostic; positron emission tomography

Name: Dr. Yunpeng Gai
Affiliation: School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Research interests: gene editing technology and precision molecular breeding; population genomics; molecular biology

Name: Dr. Carmen Ciavarella
Affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Research interests: mesenchymal stem cells; cardiovascular disease; atherosclerosis; microRNA; cell differentiation; endothelial to mesenchymal transition (End-MT); inflammation; PPAR-γ

Name: Dr. Nikolaos A. Papanikolaou
Affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Section of Biological Sciences and Preventive Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, 54124 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
Research interests: biochemistry; biophysics; molecular biology; protein bioengineering; protein docking; computational biology

Name: Dr. Andrea Martini
Affiliation: Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
Research interests: liver cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; portal hypertension

Name: Dr. Juliana Moreira Mendonça Gomes
Affiliation: Department of Developmental & Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
Research interests: zebrafish

Name: Dr. Gianluca Santamaria
Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
Research interests: bioinformatics; cancer-related genes

Name: Dr. Wioletta Rozpędek-Kamińska
Affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland
Research interests: polymers; restorative dentistry; bioactive dental materials; cell culture; apoptosis; cell signaling; Western blot analysis; PCR; molecular cell biology; cancer biology; gene expression; electrophoresis; tissue culture

Name: Dr. Kausik Bishayee
Affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
Research interests: oncology; signaling pathways; metabolism; RNA-binding proteins; mTORC1; cancer cell biology; pharmacology; neurotoxicity; neocortex development; autophagy

Name: Dr. Ilenia Calcaterra
Affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
Research interests: gene therapy; rare disease; advanced therapies; gene expression

Name: Dr. Chiara Zagni
Affiliation: Department of Drug Science, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
Research interests: pharmaceutical chemistry; drug design; medicinal chemistry; cryogel synthesis; water purification

Name: Dr. Rui Ribeiro
Affiliation: LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Research interests: separation processes; process intensification; adsorption; CO₂ capture; biogas upgrading

Name: Dr. Hao Wu
Affiliation: School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, China
Research interests: synthetic biology; metabolic engineering; protein engineering

Name: Dr. Grazia Marinelli
Affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Research interests: clinical dentistry; restorative dentistry; esthetic dentistry

Name: Dr. Matteo Perra
Affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, University Campus, S.P. Monserrato-Sestu Km 0.700, Monserrato, CA 09042, Italy
Research interests: liposomes; nanodrug delivery; antioxidants; cosmeceuticals; nutraceuticals; skin delivery; nanovesicles

Conference: 3rd European Symposium on Phytochemicals in Medicine and Food (3-EuSPMF)
Date: 1–4 July 2025
Place: Belgrade, Serbia
Conference website: https://3-euspmf.rs/ 

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will be participating as an exhibitor at the 3rd European Symposium on Phytochemicals in Medicine and Food (3-EuSPMF), taking place in Belgrade, Serbia, from 1 to 4 July 2025. 

Organized by the International Association of Dietetic Nutrition and Safety (IADNS) and the University of Belgrade–Faculty of Agriculture, with the support of the Serbian Chemical Society (SHD) and the Phytochemical Society of Europe (PSE), 3-EuSPMF aims to highlight recent advances in phytochemicals and their integration into medicine and food science. The symposium will serve as a dynamic forum for researchers and industry professionals to exchange knowledge, foster collaborations, and explore the scientific as well as practical dimensions of natural products and functional foods. 

As part of our commitment to supporting high-quality research in these fields, MDPI is proud to sponsor the event through the participation of the following journals:

• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS);
• Foods;
• Nutrients;
• Agriculture. 

Our editorial team will be available on-site and would be delighted to meet with attendees. If you are attending the symposium, we warmly invite you to stop by our booth to learn more about our open access publishing opportunities, ongoing Special Issues, and how we support researchers in advancing their work. 

We look forward to meeting you in Belgrade and engaging in insightful conversations about the exciting future of phytochemicals in medicine and food!

MDPI is excited to collaborate with the Chinese University of Hong Kong to host an exclusive author workshop aimed at empowering researchers with the knowledge and tools required to be successful in academic publishing. This workshop will delve into the key aspects of MDPI’s open access publishing framework, offering an in-depth exploration of journal selection and the editorial workflow. Participants will also gain practical advice on improving their scientific writing and effectively addressing reviewer comments, with guidance from experienced professionals in the field. This session promises to equip scholars with valuable skills to take their publishing journey to the next level.

Date: 9 July 2025
Time: 14:00–16:00
Venue: Mong Man Wai Building; Lecture Theatre 2 (MMW LT2), CUHK
Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X6N5WNK

Schedule:

Chair:

Co-Chair:

Speakers:

Conference: 2025 KoSFoST International Symposium and Annual Meeting (2025 KoSFoST)
Date: 2–4 July 2025
Location: Gwangju, Republic of Korea

MDPI will be attending the 2025 KoSFoST International Symposium and Annual Meeting as an exhibitor. This event will be held from 2 to 4 July 2025, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit our booth and discuss their latest research with us.

The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology (KoSFoST), founded in 1968, has been at the forefront of advancing food science in Korea. Through cutting-edge research, academic exchange, and industry collaboration, KoSFoST has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of food science and technology, enhancing the food industry, and improving dietary culture.

This year’s conference will be a landmark event, showcasing groundbreaking technologies and pioneering innovations that are redefining the future of the food industry. FoodTech is rapidly evolving into a transformative force, driving advancements that enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability across the entire food value chain—from production to consumption.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Foods;
• Microorganisms;
• IJMS;
• Nutraceuticals;
• Processes.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start 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 website: https://www.kosfost.or.kr/abstract/2025_spring/.

International Albinism Awareness Day 2025 underscores the urgent need for increased awareness, preventive care, and accessible healthcare for people with albinism. This year’s theme highlights the life-threatening impact of skin cancer among individuals with albinism and reinforces the importance of sun protection, early detection, and timely treatment.

Albinism is a rare, inherited genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to produce melanin, the pigment responsible for the color of our skin, hair, and eyes. People with albinism typically have very light skin and hair, alongside various vision impairments. While it is not contagious and does not affect intelligence, albinism is often misunderstood. This leads to stigmatization, discrimination, and even human rights violations in some regions where harmful myths persist.

Because they have little to no melanin, individuals with albinism are especially vulnerable to sun damage and face a significantly increased risk of developing skin cancer. Addressing this requires more than just clinical intervention—it calls for integrated healthcare policies and inclusive social systems that acknowledge both the medical and socio-political dimensions of the condition.

In recognition of this global observance, we invite you to explore a curated collection of articles and Special Issues from selected MDPI journals, including Biomedicines, Cancers, Children, Diagnostics, Genes, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Journal of Clinical Medicine and Molecules. These open-access resources provide critical insights into the diagnosis, management, and complications of albinism, and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and advocacy groups.

Together, through science, education, and empathy, we can foster a more inclusive world where people with albinism live free from discrimination and with access to the care they deserve.

“Can a Portable Flash Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) Device Identify Chiasmal Decussation Anomalies in Albinism?”
by Eloise Keeling, Perry Carter, Abdi Malik Musa, Fatima Shawkat, Helena Lee and Jay E. Self
Diagnostics 2025, 15(11), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15111395

“Common Variants in the TYR Gene with Unclear Pathogenicity as the Cause of Oculocutaneous Albinism in a Cohort of Russian Patients”
by Olga Shchagina, Anna Stepanova, Polina Mishakova, Vitaliy Kadyshev, Nina Demina, Ludmila Bessonova, Sofya Ionova, Daria Guseva, Andrey Marakhonov, Rena Zinchenko et al.
Biomedicines 2024, 12(10), 2234; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12102234

“Functional Characterization of Splice Variants in the Diagnosis of Albinism”
by Modibo Diallo, Cécile Courdier, Elina Mercier, Angèle Sequeira, Alicia Defay-Stinat, Claudio Plaisant, Shahram Mesdaghi, Daniel Rigden, Sophie Javerzat, Eulalie Lasseaux et al.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(16), 8657; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168657

“Genetic Linkage between CAPN5 and TYR Variants in the Context of Albinism and Autosomal Dominant Neovascular Inflammatory Vitreoretinopathy Absence: A Case Report”
by Mirjana Bjeloš, Ana Ćurić, Mladen Bušić, Benedict Rak and Biljana Kuzmanović Elabjer
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(12), 6442; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126442

“Missing Heritability in Albinism: Deep Characterization of a Hungarian Albinism Cohort Raises the Possibility of the Digenic Genetic Background of the Disease”
by Nikoletta Nagy, Margit Pal, Jozsef Kun, Bence Galik, Peter Urban, Marta Medvecz, Beata Fabos, Alexandra Neller, Aliasgari Abdolreza, Judit Danis, Viktoria Szabo, Zhuo Yang, Stefanie Fenske, Martin Biel, Attila Gyenesei, Eva Adam and Marta Szell
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1271; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021271

“Does Foveal Hypoplasia Affect Emmetropization in Patients with Albinism?”
by Line Kessel, Christine Dahlgren Bohnsack Kjølholm and Joaquim Torner Jordana
Children 2023, 10(12), 1910; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10121910

“Vision-Related Quality of Life in Danish Patients with Albinism and the Impact of an Updated Optical Rehabilitation”
by Kristian Lisbjerg, Joaquim Torner Jordana, Vibeke N. Brandt, Christine Kjølholm and Line Kessel
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(17), 5451; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12175451

“Skin Pigmentation Types, Causes and Treatment—A Review”
by Amin Mahmood Thawabteh, Alaa Jibreen, Donia Karaman, Alà Thawabteh and Rafik Karaman
Molecules 2023, 28(12), 4839; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28124839

“Report of Hermansky–Pudlak Syndrome in Two Families with Novel Variants in HPS3 and HPS4 Genes”
by Sadeeda Qaiser Zaman, Muhammad Anas, Gauhar Rehman, Qadeem Khan, Aiman Iftikhar, Mashal Ahmad, Muhammad Owais, Ilyas Ahmad, Osama Yousef Muthaffar, Angham Abdulrhman Abdulkareem et al.
Genes 2023, 14(1), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14010145

“Diagnostic Yield of Genetic Testing for Ocular and Oculocutaneous Albinism in a Diverse United States Pediatric Population”
by Kyle S. Chan, Brenda L. Bohnsack, Alexander Ing, Andy Drackley, Valerie Castelluccio, Kevin X. Zhang, Hanta Ralay-Ranaivo and Jennifer L. Rossen
Genes 2023, 14(1), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14010135

“More than Skin Deep—Latest Advances in Congenital and Autoimmune Pigmentation Disorders” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Reinhart M. Speeckaert Submission deadline: 25 August 2025	“Melanin Pigmentation: Physiology and Pathology” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Shosuke Ito and Prof. Dr. Manickam Sugumaran Submission deadline: 20 October 2025

We are pleased to share that the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS, ISSN: 1422-0067) has received an increased CiteScore of 9.0 in June 2025.

You can find more statistics on our website.

The current CiteScores measure the average number of citations within a journal over a four-year window (2021–2024). The Scopus database provides a comprehensive suite of metrics that support informed publishing strategies, research evaluation and enable benchmarking of journal performance.

This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editors. Together we will continue to track the progress of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences and its growing impact in molecular sciences research.

MDPI is excited to collaborate with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa” Iași, Romania, to host an exclusive Scientific Publishing Workshop focused on publication ethics for authors and strategies to enhance researchers globally. This workshop will cover key aspects of common misconduct related to publishing ethics, as well as methods to increase research visibility, the advantages of open access, and various academic networking opportunities. Participants will receive practical insights and resources designed for authors and reviewers, guided by experienced editors.

Date: 12 June 2025
Time: 2:00 p.m. CET
Venue: Strada Universității 16, Iași 700115, “Aula Magna George Emil Palade”

Program:

MDPI Speaker:

Ms. Diana Radulescu is a Journal Relations Specialist at MDPI Romania, where she promotes and expands collaborations with researchers, universities, and academic societies. With a strong background in engineering, she holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest and a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering from the same institution. Since joining MDPI in 2020, Diana has progressed from roles as an Assistant Editor and Special Issue Editor to her current position, where she leverages her academic expertise and editorial experience to strengthen partnerships in the scholarly community. Passionate about bridging research and publication, she plays a key role in advancing scientific communication.

Date: 29 May 2025

Time: 12:30–14:00 CEST

Venue: Università Politecnica Delle Marche UNIVPM

Journals involved: IJMS, CIMB, Scientia Pharmaceutica

Speakers: Ms. Jelena Romcevic and Mr. Aleksandar Markovic

Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HNHRJ88

MDPI is excited to collaborate with the Università Politecnica Delle Marche (UNIVPM), Italy, to host an exclusive Scientific Publishing Exchange aimed at empowering researchers with the knowledge and tools needed for successful academic publishing. This workshop will cover key aspects of MDPI’s open access publishing model, including journal selection, editorial workflow, and publication ethics. Participants will receive practical tips on improving their scientific writing and addressing reviewer comments, guided by experienced editors.

Program:

Chair:

Dr. Maurizio Battino, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of nutrition at the Università Politecnica Delle Marche (Italy), Director of the Nutrition & Health Center at Universidad Europea del Atlántico (Spain), and Guest Professor at Jiangsu University (China). He leads the Bioenergetics Group, focusing on how Mediterranean foods and their bioactive compounds help mitigate diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress—such as fibromyalgia, cancer, atherosclerosis, and metabolic syndrome.

With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Battino has published 420+ peer-reviewed articles (impact factor > 2000, h-index: 87 Google Scholar/70 Scopus), co-edited books, and earned multiple honors, including a Doctor Honoris Causa and eight consecutive years as a Highly Cited Researcher. He serves as an Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor for journals like the Journal of Berry Research, Food Chemistry, and Molecules.

Speakers:

Mr. Aleksandar Markovic graduated from the University of Belgrade, Serbia, and spent one semester studying at the Poznań University of Life Sciences in Poland. After completing his degree, he worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Belgrade. In 2020, he joined MDPI, where he progressed through various roles and now serves as a Journal Relations Specialist, overseeing multiple journals across various disciplines. His primary responsibilities include maintaining communication with scholars worldwide and gathering their feedback to enhance collaboration between them and MDPI.

Ms. Jelena Romcevic holds an M.Sc. degree in molecular biology and physiology, from the University of Belgrade, with a special focus on the experimental physiology of animals and humans. She joined MDPI in 2020 as an Assistant Editor for the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Currently serving as a Journal Relations Specialist, she supports journals and develops positive relationships with important stakeholders.