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Announcements
6 November 2025
Universe | Highly Cited Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues on Hubble Tension
We are delighted to share a collection of highly cited papers on the Hubble tension published in Universe (ISSN: 2218-1997). In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you.
Highly cited papers:
“Generic Modification of Gravity, Late Time Acceleration and Hubble Tension”
by Mayukh R. Gangopadhyay, Shibesh K. Jas Pacif, Mohammad Sami and Mohit K. Sharma
Universe 2023, 9(2), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9020083
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/9/2/83
“Hubble Tension: The Evidence of New Physics”
by Jian-Ping Hu and Fa-Yin Wang
Universe 2023, 9(2), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9020094
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/9/2/94
“Running Vacuum in the Universe: Phenomenological Status in Light of the Latest Observations, and Its Impact on the σ8 and H0 Tensions”
by Joan Solà Peracaula, Adrià Gómez-Valent, Javier de Cruz Pérez and Cristian Moreno-Pulido
Universe 2023, 9(6), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9060262
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/9/6/262
“Seven Hints That Early-Time New Physics Alone Is Not Sufficient to Solve the Hubble Tension”
by Sunny Vagnozzi
Universe 2023, 9(9), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9090393
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/9/9/393
“An Effective Sign Switching Dark Energy: Lotka–Volterra Model of Two Interacting Fluids”
by Yen Chin Ong
Universe 2023, 9(10), 437; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9100437
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/9/10/437
“The Unsettled Number: Hubble’s Tension”
by Jorge L. Cervantes-Cota, Salvador Galindo-Uribarri and George F. Smoot
Universe 2023, 9(12), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9120501
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/9/12/501
“A Critical Discussion on the H0 Tension”
by Salvatore Capozziello, Giuseppe Sarracino and Giulia De Somma
Universe 2024, 10(3), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10030140
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/3/140
“Cosmological Inference from within the Peculiar Local Universe”
by Roya Mohayaee, Mohamed Rameez and Subir Sarkar
Universe 2024, 10(5), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10050209
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/5/209
“Gravitational Particle Production and the Hubble Tension”
by Recai Erdem
Universe 2024, 10(9), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10090338
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/9/338
“2D BAO vs. 3D BAO: Solving the Hubble Tension with Bimetric Cosmology”
by Sowmaydeep Dwivedi and Marcus Högås
Universe 2024, 10(11), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10110406
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/11/406
Special Issues:
“Current Status of the Hubble Tension”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Giovanni Montani, Dr. Eleonora Di Valentino and Dr. Nakia Carlevaro
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025
“The 10th Anniversary of Universe: Standard Cosmological Models, and Modified Gravity and Cosmological Tensions”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Panayiotis Stavrinos, Prof. Dr. Antonino Del Popolo, Prof. Dr. Hermano Velten, Prof. Dr. Tina Kahniashvili, Prof. Dr. Jean-Michel Alimi and Prof. Dr. Yi-Fu Cai
Submission deadline: 31 March 2026
“Tensions, Anomalies, and Challenges in the Standard Cosmological Model”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. John P. Ralston and Dr. Pavan Kumar Aluri
Submission deadline: 30 April 2026
6 November 2025
MDPI Launches the Michele Parrinello Award for Pioneering Contributions in Computational Physical Science
MDPI is delighted to announce the establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award. Named in honor of Professor Michele Parrinello, the award celebrates his exceptional contributions and his profound impact on the field of computational physical science research.
The award will be presented biennially to distinguished scientists who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of computational physical science—spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science.
About Professor Michele Parrinello
"Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking what is going to happen to me and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”
——Professor Michele Parrinello
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Born in Messina in 1945, he received his degree from the University of Bologna and is currently affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. Professor Parrinello is known for his many technical innovations in the field of atomistic simulations and for a wealth of interdisciplinary applications ranging from materials science to chemistry and biology. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, also known as the Car–Parrinello method, marking the beginning of a new era both in the area of electronic structure calculations and in molecular dynamics simulations. He is also known for the Parrinello–Rahman method, which allows crystalline phase transitions to be studied by molecular dynamics. More recently, he has introduced metadynamics for the study of rare events and the calculation of free energies. |
For his work, he has been awarded many prizes and honorary degrees. He is a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the German Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the British Royal Society, and the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which is the major academy in his home country of Italy.
Award Committee
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The award committee will be chaired by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, a computational condensed matter physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Department of Physics, Fudan University. Professor Xin-Gao Gong will lead a panel of several senior experts in the field to oversee the evaluation and selection process. The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University (Shanghai, China), led by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, will serve as the supporting institute for the award. |
"We hope the Michele Parrinello Award will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of computational condensed matter physics and at the same time set a benchmark for the younger generation, providing clear direction for their pursuit—this is precisely the original intention behind establishing the award."
——Professor Xin-Gao Gong
The first edition of the award was officially launched on 1 November 2025. Nominations will be accepted before the end of March 2026. For further details, please visit mparrinelloaward.org.
About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards 
The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing sustainable development through scientific progress and global collaboration. The foundation also oversees the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award. The establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award will further enrich the existing award portfolio, providing continued and diversified financial support to outstanding professionals across various fields.
In addition to these foundation-level awards, MDPI journals also recognize outstanding contributions through a range of honors, including Best Paper Awards, Outstanding Reviewer Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Editor of Distinction Awards, and others. These initiatives aim to recognize excellence across disciplines and career stages, contributing to the long-term vitality and sustainability of scientific research.
Find more information on awards here.
22 October 2025
Obituary—Prof. Dr. George Fitzgerald Smoot, III
It is with profound sadness that we share the news that Prof. Dr. George Fitzgerald Smoot, III, esteemed Advisory Board Member of Universe passed away in late September 2025.
Prof. Dr. Smoot was one of the pioneers in the observation of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), a discovery that profoundly reshaped our understanding of the universe and anchored cosmology firmly in experimental science. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern cosmology and continues to inspire generations of researchers worldwide. In recognition of his contributions to our understanding of the early universe, Prof. Dr. Smoot was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics.
As an Editorial Board Member of Universe, Prof. Dr. Smoot brought immense expertise, curiosity, and dedication to the journal. His presence enriched our community, and his insights helped guide the journal’s mission to publish high-impact research at the frontiers of physics and cosmology.
His passing leaves a profound void in the global scientific community. The Universe editorial team extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, collaborators, and students. His scientific legacy, mentorship, and vision will continue to echo through the generations of researchers he inspired.
The Editor-in-Chief vividly remembers Prof. Dr. Smoot’s genuine humility, his willingness to receive and implement constructive comments, and his drive to repeatedly contribute to the journal, making the journal what it is today.
The Universe Editorial Office
1 October 2025
2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers
We are honored to recognize the 2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers—scholars whose exemplary commitment to rigorous and constructive peer review is vital in upholding the highest standards of academic publishing.
Selected from a distinguished pool of 215,000 reviewers from 65 countries and regions worldwide, these honorees stand out for their exceptional expertise, diligence, and dedication to advancing research through timely and thoughtful reviews. Their constructive and impartial feedback ensures the publication of high-quality, impactful research, while their timely reviews facilitate swift revisions and faster publication of innovative work.
Peer review is the invisible foundation of academic progress. With gratitude and respect, we celebrate these 1000 scholars who made that foundation stronger in 2024. We respected all privacy preferences, with part of nominees opting for limited attribution.
The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:
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Abbas Yazdinejad |
Hanane Boutaj |
Ophir Freund |
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Abdessamad Belhaj |
Hany H. Arab |
Oscar De Lucio |
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Abdolreza Jamilian |
Hao Zang |
Otilia Manta |
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Abdul Waheed |
Hatem Amin |
Panagiotis D. Michailidis |
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Abiel Aguilar-González |
Henry Alba |
Panagiotis Simitzis |
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Adina Santana |
Hiroyuki Noda |
Paola Prete |
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Aditya Velidandi |
Hitoshi Tanaka |
Paolo Trucillo |
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Adrian Stancu |
Horst Lenske |
Patricia Kara De Maeijer |
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Adriana Borodzhieva |
Hossein Azadi |
Patrícia Pires |
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Adriana Cristina Urcan |
Houlin Yu |
Paulo Schwingel |
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Adriano Bressane |
Huaifu Deng |
Pavel Loskot |
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Agbotiname Imoize |
Huamin Jie |
Pedro García-Ramírez |
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Agustin L. Herrera-May |
Hugo Lisboa |
Pedro Pablo Zamora |
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Ahmed Arafa |
Igor L. Zakharov |
Pedro Pereira |
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Ahmet Cagdas Seckin |
Igor Litvinchev |
Pei-Hsun Wang |
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Ailton Cesar Lemes |
Igor Vujović |
Pellegrino La Manna |
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Akash Kumar |
Ildiko Horvath |
Petar Ozretić |
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Akihiko Murayama |
Ilya A. Khodov |
Petko Petkov |
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Alain E. Le Faou |
Ilya Zavidovskiy |
Petr Komínek |
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Alain Massart |
Imran Ali Lakhiar |
Petras Prakas |
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Alejandro Plascencia |
Ines Aguinaga-Ontoso |
Petro Pukach |
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Aleksandar Ašonja |
Ioan Hutu |
Petru Alexandru Vlaicu |
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Aleksandra Głowacka |
Ioan Petean |
Phil Chilibeck |
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Aleksandra Nesić |
Irena M. Ilic |
Pia Lopez-Jornet |
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Alessio Ardizzone |
Isaac Lifshitz |
Pietro Geri |
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Alessio Faccia |
Ismael Cristofer Baierle |
Pingfan Hu |
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Alexander E. Berezin |
I-Ta Lee |
Piotr Cyklis |
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Alexander Lykov |
Itzhak Aviv |
Piotr Gauden |
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Alexander Robitzsch |
Iustinian Bejan |
Piotr Gawda |
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Alexandre Landry |
Ivan Matveev |
Pradeep Kumar Panda |
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Alexey Chubarov |
Ivan Pavlenko |
Pradeep Varadwaj |
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Alexey Morgounov |
Ivana Mitrović |
Presentación Caballero |
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Alexis Rodríguez |
Iyyakkannu Sivanesan |
Pu Xie |
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Alfredo Silveira De Borba |
Jacek Abramczyk |
Qingchao Li |
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Ali Hashemizdeh |
Jacques Cabaret |
Qinghua Qiu |
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Alison De Oliveira Moraes |
Jaime A. Mella-Raipán |
Qingwei Chen |
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Aliyu Aliyu |
Jaime Taha-Tijerina |
Radoslaw Jasinski |
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Alok Dhaundiyal |
James Chun Lam Chow |
Radu Racovita |
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Álvaro Antón-Sancho |
James Chung-Wai Cheung |
Rafael Galvão De Almeida |
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Amit Ranjan |
James O. Finckenauer |
Rafael Melo |
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Amritlal Mandal |
Jan Cieśliński |
Rafal Kukawka |
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Ana Isabel Roca-Fernández |
Ján Moravec |
Rafał Watrowski |
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Ana Tomić |
Jarbas Miguel |
Raffaele Pellegrino |
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Anas Alsobeh |
Jaroslav Dvorak |
Rajender Boddula |
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Anastasios Karayiannakis |
Jarosław Przybył |
Ralf Hofmann |
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Andre Luiz Costa |
Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić |
Ran Wang |
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Andrea Bianconi |
Jasmina Lukinac |
Ranko S. Romanić |
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Andrea Sonaglioni |
Jawad Tanveer |
Ratna Kishore Velamati |
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Andrea Tomassi |
Jean Carlos Bettoni |
Rebecca Creamer |
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Andrés Fernando Barajas Solano |
Jennie Golding |
Reggie Surya |
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Andrés Novoa |
Jerzy Chudek |
Rehan Siddiqui |
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Andreu Comas-Garcia |
Jhih-Rong Liao |
Renato Maaliw |
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Andrew Lane |
Jiachen Li |
Reuven Yosef |
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Andrew Lothian |
Jianzhu Liu |
Ricardo García-León |
|
Andrew Sortwell |
Jiaquan Yu |
Richard Murray |
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Andrius Katkevičius |
Jibing Chen |
Robert Boyd |
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Andromachi Nanou |
Jie Gao |
Robert H. Eibl |
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Andrzej Kielian |
Jie Hua |
Robert James Crammond |
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Andrzej Kozłowski |
Jill Channing |
Robert Oleniacz |
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Andrzej Zolnowski |
Jinfeng Li |
Roberto Passera |
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Ángel Josabad Alonso-Castro |
Jinle Xiang |
Rodolpho Fernando Vaz |
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Ángel Llamas |
Jinliu Chen |
Rodrigo Galo |
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Angelo Ferlazzo |
Jinyao Lin |
Roger E. Thomas |
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Angelo Marcelo Tusset |
Jinyu Hu |
Roger W. Bachmann |
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Anil K. Meher |
Jiří Remr |
Rogério Leone Buchaim |
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Animesh Kumar Basak |
Jiying Liu |
Roman Trach |
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Anita Silvana Ilak Peršurić |
João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro |
Roman Trochimczuk |
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Anna Kharkova |
Joao Pessoa |
Romil Parikh |
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Anna Lenart-Boroń |
Joaquim Carreras |
Romina Fucà |
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Anna Piotrowska |
John Adams Sebastian |
Ronald Nelson |
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Anne Anderson |
John Van Boxel |
Rosie Yagmur Yegin |
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Antiopi-Malvina Stamatellou |
Jonathan Puente-Rivera |
Roxana Lucaciu |
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Antonia Kondou |
Jordi-Roger Riba |
Rui Sales Júnior |
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Antonio Miguel Ruiz Armenteros |
Jorge De Andres-Sanchez |
Rui Vitorino |
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Anusorn Cherdthong |
Jorge Guillermo Diaz Rodriguez |
Ruo Wang |
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Aram Cornaggia |
Jorge Luis Zambrano-Martinez |
Ryoma Michishita |
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Ariana Saraiva |
José F. Fontanari |
Sabina Necula |
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Ariel Soares Teles |
José Felipe Orzuna-Orzuna |
Sabina Umirzakova |
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Aristeidis Karras |
José Francisco Segura Plaza |
Said EL-Ashker |
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Arnaud Dragicevic |
José Luis Díaz |
Saïf Ed-Dı̂n Fertahi |
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Artem Obukhov |
José Luis Rivera-Armenta |
Salvatore Romano |
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Arvind Kumar Shukla |
Jose M. Miranda |
Sándor Beszédes |
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Arvind Negi |
Jose M. Mulet |
Santiago Lain |
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Athanasios A. Panagiotopoulos |
Jose Navarro-Pedreño |
Sara Black Brown |
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Augustine Edegbene |
José Pedro Cerdeira |
Sarat Chandra Mohapatra |
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Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul |
Jouni Räisänen |
Sarunas Grigaliunas |
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Aurel Maxim |
Jui-Yang Lai |
Saša Milojević |
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Barbara Symanowicz |
Juliana Fernandes |
Sawsan A. Zaitone |
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Bartosz Płachno |
Julio Plaza Díaz |
Scott E. Hendrix |
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Bela Kocsis |
Juliusz Huber |
Seong-Gon Kim |
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Benedetto Schiavo |
Jun Liu |
Sergii Babichev |
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Bernhard Koelmel |
Junyu Chen |
Sergio Da Silva |
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Bhupendra Prajapati |
Karan Nayak |
Sérgio Felipe |
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Bierng-Chearl Ahn |
Karel Allegaert |
Sergio Guzmán-Pino |
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Bo Zhou |
Katarina Aškerc Zadravec |
Seyed Kourosh Mahjour |
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Bohong Zhang |
Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka |
Seyed Masoud Parsa |
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Bonface Ombasa Manono |
Katarzyna Peta |
Shedrach Benjamin Pewan |
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Bozhidar Stefanov |
Katarzyna Tandecka |
Shehwaz Anwar |
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Brach Poston |
Katherine Bussey |
Shengwen Tang |
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Byeong Yong Kong |
Katsuya Ichinose |
Shih-Lin Lin |
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Caio Sampaio |
Kazuharu Bamba |
Shilong Li |
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Caius Panoiu |
Kazuhiko Kotani |
Shing-Hwa Liu |
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Caiyun Wang |
Kazuhiko Nakadate |
Shu Yuan |
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Calin Mircea Gherman |
Keigi Fujiwara |
Shuohong Wang |
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Camelia Delcea |
Keith Rochfort |
Shuolin Xiao |
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Cardellicchio Angelo |
Kenneth Waters |
Shuping Wu |
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Carlos Alberto Ligarda Samanez |
Keren Dopelt |
Sihui Dong |
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Carlos Almeida |
Kira E. Vostrikova |
Sławomir Rabczak |
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Carlos Balsas |
Kit Leong Cheong |
Sojung Kim |
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Carlos López-de-Celis |
Konstantinos Vergos |
Songli Zhu |
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Carlos Marcuello |
Koyeli Girigoswami |
Soonhee Hwang |
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Carlos Pascual-Morena |
Krzysztof R. Karsznia |
Soo-Whang Baek |
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Carlos Torres-Torres |
Krzysztof Szwajka |
Soufiane Haddout |
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Casey Watters |
Krzysztof Wołk |
Sousana Papadopoulou |
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Castillo Castillo |
Kumar Ganesan |
Spiros Paramithiotis |
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Changmin Shi |
Lan Lin |
Spyridon Kaltsas |
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Chao Chen |
László Radócz |
Srecko Stopic |
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Chao Gu |
Laurent Donzé |
Srinivasan Sathiyaraj |
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Chao Zhang (China) |
Lei He |
Stefano Mancin |
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Chao Zhang (Singapore) |
Lei Huang |
Subhadeep Das |
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Chellapandian Maheswaran |
Leonard-Ionut Atanase |
Sumedha Nitin Prabhu |
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Cheonshik Kim |
Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias |
Sushant K. Rawal |
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Chia Hung Kao |
Leonie Brummer |
Svetoslav Todorov |
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Chiachung Chen |
Levon Gevorkov |
Szymon Janczar |
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Chiara Cinquini |
Li Fu |
Tadeusz Kowalski |
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Chieh-Chih Tsai |
Lidija Hauptman |
Tadeusz Sierotowicz |
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Christian Rojas |
Lin-Fu Liang |
Taha Koray Sahin |
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Chu Zhang |
Ling Yang |
Tahir Cetin Akinci |
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Chuanyu Sun |
Lingli Deng |
Takuo Sakon |
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Chun-Wei Yang |
Ljubica Kazi |
Tamara Lazarević-Pašti |
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Claudia Bita-Nicolae |
Lotfi Boudjema |
Tao Zhang |
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Constant Mews |
Louis Moustakas |
Taras P. Pasternak |
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Cristian Vacacela Gomez |
Luca Ulrich |
Tarek Eldomiaty |
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Cristiano Matos |
Luis Adrian De Jesús-González |
Taro Urase |
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Cristian-Valeriu Stanciu |
Luis Alfonso Díaz-Secades |
Tenzer Robert |
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Cristóbal Macías Villalobos |
Luis Filipe Almeida Bernardo |
Thawatchai Phaechamud |
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Dalia Calneryte |
Luis Nestor Apaza Ticona |
Thomas Michael |
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Daniel Hernandez-Patlan |
Luis Puente-Díaz |
Tiberiu Harko |
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Daniele Ritelli |
Luiz Antonio Alcântara Pereira |
Timea Claudia Ghitea |
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Daniel-Ioan Curiac |
Łukasz Rakoczy |
Timothy John Mahony |
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Daniil Olennikov |
Łukasz Szeleszczuk |
Timothy Omara |
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Daodao Hu |
Maciej Kruszyna |
Tomasz Hikawczuk |
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Daqin Guan |
Magdalena Jaciow |
Tomasz M. Karpiński |
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Daria Chudakova |
Maha Nasr |
Tomasz Trzepiecinski |
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Daria Mottareale-Calvanese |
Maharshi Bhaswant |
Triantafyllos Didangelos |
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Dariusz Dziki |
Maksim Zavalishin |
Tsvetelin Zaevski |
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Dariusz Gozdowski |
Małgorzata Jeleń |
Ulrich J. Pont |
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David Kieda |
Man Fai Leung |
Vadim Kramar |
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David Luviano-Cruz |
Manickam Minakshi |
Vagner Lunge |
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Da-Zhi Sun |
Marcel Sari |
Valério Monteiro-Neto |
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Debra Wetcher-Hendricks |
Marcello Iasiello |
Van Giap Do |
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Demin Cai |
Marco Limongiello |
Van-An Duong |
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Dennis Dieks |
Marco Zucca |
Vanni Nicoletti |
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Deokho Lee |
Marconi Batista Teixeira |
Vasilios Liordos |
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Deyu Li |
Marcos Vinícius Da Silva |
Vedran Mrzljak |
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Diego Romano Perinelli |
Marek Cała |
Vicente Romo Pérez |
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Dimitris Tatsis |
Maria G. Ioannides |
Victor-Alexandru Briciu |
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Dirceu Ramos |
Maria João Lima |
Viktor V. Brygadyrenko |
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Dmitrii Pankin |
Maria Kantzanou |
Vinícius Silva Belo |
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Dmitriy Yambulatov |
Maria Leonor Abrantes Pires |
Violeta Popovici |
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Dmitry Kultin |
Mariana Buranelo Egea |
Viorel Dragos Radu |
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Dongwei Di |
Mariana Magalhães |
Viswas Raja Solomon |
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Dorota Formanowicz |
Marija Strojnik |
Viviani Oliveira |
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Dragan Marinkovic |
Marijn Speeckaert |
Vlad Rotaru |
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Drazenko Glavic |
Marina G. Holyavka |
Vladica Stojanović |
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Duguleana Mihai |
Marina Gravit |
Volodymyr Hrytsyk |
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Dušan S. Dimić |
Mario Cerezo Pizarro |
Volodymyr Ponomaryov |
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E Terasa Chen |
Mario Ganau |
Waldemar Studziński |
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Edoardo Bucchignani |
Mariusz Ptak |
Wanming Lin |
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Eduard Zadobrischi |
Marlen Vitales-Noyola |
Waseem Jerjes |
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Edwin Villagran |
Marta Forte |
Wei-Chieh Lee |
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Eitan Simon |
Martha Rocío Moreno-Jimenez |
Weiming Fang |
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Elena Chitoran |
Marwan El Ghoch |
Weiren Luo |
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Elena Marrocchino |
Marzena Włodarczyk-Stasiak |
Weiwei Jiang |
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Elisabeta Negrău |
Massimiliano Schiavo |
Wenan Yuan |
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Elisavet Bouloumpasi |
Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali |
Wenguang Yang |
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Elochukwu Ukwandu |
Mateusz Rozmiarek |
Wenluan Zhang |
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Emil Smyk |
Matt Smith |
Wiesław Przygoda |
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Emilio Bucio |
Matteo Riccò |
Wilian Paul Arévalo Cordero |
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Emmanouil Karampinis |
Matthias Müller |
Wilian Pech-Rodríguez |
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Ericsson D. Coy-Barrera |
Mauro Lombardo |
Wislei R. Osório |
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Eugeniusz Koda |
Md. Ataur Rahman |
Wi-Young So |
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Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka |
Md. Biddut Hossain |
Wojciech Sałabun |
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Ewa Tomaszewska |
Meisam Abdollahi |
Wojciech Zabierowski |
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Ezhaveni Sathiyamoorthi |
Meng-Hwan Lee |
Xiaofei Du |
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Fabio Corti |
Meng-Yao Li |
Xiaolong Ji |
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Fahmi Zairi |
Meysam Keshavarz |
Xiaomin Xu |
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Fanzhi Kong |
Michael Eisenhut |
Xiaoshuang Ma |
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Fasih Ullah Haider |
Michael Gerlich |
Xiaoying Liu |
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Fayez Tarsha-Kurdi |
Mihaela Brindusa Tudose |
Xiao-Yong Wang |
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Fekete Mónika |
Mihaela Niculae |
Xinming Zhang |
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Felipe Jiménez |
Mihaela Tinca Udristioiu |
Xinqiao Liu |
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Feng Wen |
Mihaela Toderaş |
Xinqing Xiao |
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Ferdinando Di Martino |
Mihai Crenganis |
Xuechen Zheng |
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Fernanda Tonelli |
Mika Simonen |
Xueming Zhang |
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Fernando Lessa Tofoli |
Milan Toma |
Xuezhen Wang |
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Fernando Viadero-Monasterio |
Miloš Lichner |
Xuguang Cai |
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Fethi Ouallouche |
Milos Seda |
Yair Wiseman |
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Flavio Arroyo |
MIloš Zrnić |
Yang Xu |
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Flor H. Pujol |
Min Xia |
Yangwon Lee |
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Florin Dumitru Bora |
Mina Tadros |
Yanhong Peng |
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Florin Nechita |
Mingming Ge |
Yao Ni |
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Francesco Di Bello |
Mingren Shen |
Yaoxiang Li |
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Francesco Galluzzo |
Mircea Neagoe |
Yasushige Shingu |
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Francisco Haces Fernandez |
Mirela-Fernanda Zaltariov |
Yaswanth Kuthati |
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Francisco Rego |
Mirjana Ljubojević |
Yaxin Liu |
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Francisco Solano |
Mirko Stanimirović |
Ygor Jessé Ramos |
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Frédéric Muttin |
Mirza Pojskić |
Yi Xu |
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Fredrick Eze |
Modesto Pérez-Sánchez |
Yifan Zhao |
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Gabriel Milan |
Mohammad Ali Sahraei |
Yih Jeng |
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Gabriel Zazeri |
Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki |
Yiyang Chen |
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Galina Ilieva |
Mohammad Qneibi |
Yoichi Shiraishi |
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Gary Van Vuuren |
Mohammed Gamal |
Yong Hwan Kim |
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Gennadiy Kolesnikov |
Mohammed Sayed |
Yongqi Yin |
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George E. Mustoe |
Mounia Tahri |
Young-joo Ahn |
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George Lazaroiu |
Muhammad Ahsan Asghar |
Yousi Fu |
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George Xiroudakis |
Muhammad N. Mahmood |
Yuan Meng |
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Georgiy Gamov |
Muhammad Syafrudin |
Yuefei Zhuo |
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Gerald Cleaver |
Muhammed Yildirim |
Yugang He |
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Ghassan Ghssein |
Murilo E. C. Bento |
Yuliia Trach |
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Gian Mario Migliaccio |
Muthuraj Arunpandian |
Yuliya Semenova |
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Giancarlo Trimarchi |
Narcis Eduard Mitu |
Yuri Jorge Peña-Ramirez |
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Gianmarco Ferrara |
Naser Alsharairi |
Yuri Konstantinov |
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Giovanni Tesoriere |
Natale Calomino |
Yusheng Xiang |
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Giuseppe Brunetti |
Natanael Karjanto |
Yutaka Ohsedo |
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Giuseppe Di Martino |
Nataša Nastić |
Zaihua Duan |
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Giuseppe Losurdo |
Naveed Ahmad |
Zelaya-Molina Lily Xochilt |
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Giuseppina Uva |
Nebojsa Pavlovic |
Zenon Pogorelić |
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Glauber Cruz |
Neli Milenova Vilhelmova |
Zhang Ying |
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Glenn Morrison |
Nguyen Dinh-Hung |
Zhanni Luo |
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Gloria Cerasela Crisan |
Nguyen Quoc Khuong |
Zhao Ding |
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Gordana Wozniak-Knopp |
Nicola Magnavita |
Zhengmao Li |
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Gordon Alderink |
Nicoleta Dospinescu |
Zhengwei Huang |
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Grazia Giuseppina Politano |
Nicoletta Cera |
Zhidong Zhou |
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Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos |
Nidhi Puranik |
Zhijun Li |
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Grzegorz Woroniak |
Nikita Osintsev |
Zhixiong Lu |
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Grzegorz Zieliński |
Nikita V. Martyushev |
Zhizhong Zhang |
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Guadalupe Gabriel Flores-Rojas |
Nikola Stanisic |
Zhong-Gao Jiao |
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Guangnian Xiao |
Nilakshi Barua |
Zia Muhammad |
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Guanxi Yan |
Nobuo Funabiki |
Žiga Laznik |
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Guoyou Zhang |
Octavian Vasiliu |
Zigmantas Gudžinskas |
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Gustavo Henrique Nalon |
Oguzhan Der |
Zishan Ahmad |
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Hai-yu Ji |
Oimahmad Rahmonov |
Zivan Gojkovic |
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Hamza Faraji |
Olga Morozova |
Zoran Mijić |
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Hamza Sohail |
Onur Dogan |
Zsuzsanna Bacsi |
7 March 2025
Universe | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2024
1. “On Minimal Entanglement Wedge Cross Section for Holographic Entanglement Negativity”
by Jaydeep Kumar Basak, Vinay Malvimat, Himanshu Parihar, Boudhayan Paul and Gautam Sengupta
Universe 2024, 10(3), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10030125
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/3/125
2. “ΛCDM Tensions: Localising Missing Physics through Consistency Checks”
by Özgür Akarsu, Eoin Ó Colgáin, Anjan A. Sen and M. M. Sheikh-Jabbari
Universe 2024, 10(8), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10080305
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/8/305
3. “Cosmological Inference from within the Peculiar Local Universe”
by Roya Mohayaee, Mohamed Rameez and Subir Sarkar
Universe 2024, 10(5), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10050209
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/5/209
4. “The Physics of Core-Collapse Supernovae: Explosion Mechanism and Explosive Nucleosynthesis”
by Luca Boccioli and Lorenzo Roberti
Universe 2024, 10(3), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10030148
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/3/148
5. “2D BAO vs. 3D BAO: Solving the Hubble Tension with Bimetric Cosmology”
by Sowmaydeep Dwivedi and Marcus Högås
Universe 2024, 10(11), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10110406
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/11/406
6. “New Parametrization of the Dark-Energy Equation of State with a Single Parameter”
by Jainendra Kumar Singh, Preeti Singh, Emmanuel N. Saridakis, Shynaray Myrzakul and Harshna Balhara
Universe 2024, 10(6), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10060246
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/6/246
7. “Lorentzian Quantum Cosmology from Effective Spin Foams”
by Bianca Dittrich and José Padua-Argüelles
Universe 2024, 10(7), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10070296
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/7/296
8. “The Shock Cone Instabilities and Quasi-Periodic Oscillations around the Hartle–Thorne Black Hole”
by Orhan Donmez and Fatih Dogan
Universe 2024, 10(4), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10040152
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/4/152
9. “Screened Scalar Fields in the Laboratory and the Solar System”
by Hauke Fischer, Christian Käding and Mario Pitschmann
Universe 2024, 10(7), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10070297
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/7/297
10. “Observational Constraints on Dynamical Dark Energy Models”
by Olga Avsajanishvili, Gennady Y. Chitov, Tina Kahniashvili, Sayan Mandal and Lado Samushia
Universe 2024, 10(3), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10030122
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/10/3/122
11 December 2025
Meet Us at the 247th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), 4–8 January 2026, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
We are thrilled to announce that MDPI will be attending the 247th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS 247), the event where astronomy and astrophysics leaders from around the world convene to share their latest discoveries and explore the future of space science.
Why visit MDPI’s booth?
- Browse our open access journals related to astronomy and astrophysics;
- Meet our team in person and discover how easy it is to publish your work with MDPI;
- Learn about exciting partnerships and collaboration opportunities;
- Get exclusive conference materials and gifts.
The following MDPI journals will be presented at the conference:
For full conference details, visit the AAS website at https://aas.org/meetings/aas247. Don’t forget to stop by booth #512 at the Pheonix Convention Center. We look forward to seeing you there!
11 December 2025
Article Layout and Template Revised for Future Volumes
We are pleased to announce updates to our article template, aimed at improving the readability and visual appeal of our publications. The following updates will be applied to articles published in volumes in 2026, starting from 19 December 2025.
Left information bar:
- Updated the logo and URL for “Check for updates”;
- Removed the “Citation” section (Note: Citation details remain accessible via “Cite” in the online article version);
- Changed the link in “Copyright” to a hyperlink format.
Footer:
- Added a DOI link at the bottom-right corner of each page.
The updated template is now available for download from the Instructions for Authors page of each journal.
We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with better experience and make the process more convenient.
For any questions or suggestions, please contact our production team at production@mdpi.com.
4 November 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #28 - WSF11, Nobel Laureates, Proofig AI, Romania Summit, STM and FBF
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

Highlights from the 11th World Sustainability Forum in Barcelona
I’m pleased to share some highlights from the 11th World Sustainability Forum (WSF 11), held in Barcelona on 2–3 October 2025 under the theme Sustainable and Resilient Cities.
Why WSF matters
The WSF series is a flagship initiative for MDPI and is supported by the MDPI Sustainability Foundation. It serves as a transdisciplinary platform for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to engage on sustainability challenges. WSF is now held annually as part of our commitment to maintain momentum in the sustainability discourse.
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This year’s Barcelona edition focused on urban resilience, landscape design, and social community impact in the sustainability space. Over 48 hours of sessions, we brought together leading minds across disciplines to translate vision into practice. With participants from 53 countries across all continents, WSF 11 was truly global in scope.

“WSF is now held annually as part of our commitment to maintain momentum in the sustainability discourse”
What made WSF 11 especially successful (from my vantage point) was the level of positive engagement with our participants. Chief editors, researchers, and attendees repeatedly told me how professionally executed the event was, highlighting the high energy, logistical smoothness and quality of MDPI’s event management. That kind of recognition from peers really builds our reputation as more than just a publisher, but as a convener of meaningful scientific dialogue.
Our conferences are a form of experiential marketing as they create memorable and immersive connections between a brand and attendees. These positive associations build promotion and brand loyalty, ultimately impacting the MDPI’s trust and reputation for the better.
WSF 11: By the numbers
Here’s a quick snapshot of WSF 11’s scale and reach:
- 181 registrations across global participants.
- 8 keynote speakers and 5 invited speakers.
- 144 abstracts accepted (over 355 submitted), resulting in 75 short talks and 69 posters.
- 53 countries were represented across all continents, making it a truly international event.
- First time that we ran parallel sessions for WSF (an ambitious program).
- A dedicated awards ceremony to honour outstanding sustainability research: World Sustainability Award (WSA) x 2 winners, and Emerging Sustainability Leader Award (ESLA) x 3 winners.
Interviews with our World Sustainability Award Winners
One of the most rewarding parts of WSF is recognizing researchers whose work advances sustainability in powerful ways. In our Blog series, Daniella Maritan-Thomson (Content Specialist, MDPI) interviewed the two winners of the World Sustainability Award, Professor Dr. Stuart Pimm and Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail, who offered insights to the human side of sustainability research, the people behind the data, and the stories behind the science.
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Prof. Stuart Pimm, whose decades of conservation work make him a leader in biodiversity preservation, reflected on his WSF Award experience and research in this interview: [Interview: Prof Stuart Pimm] |
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Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail, an expert in crop improvement and winner of the WSF Award, shares his journey and perspectives here: [Interview: Dr Abdelbagi M. Ismail] |
“Our conferences create memorable and immersive connections”
Emerging Sustainability Leader Award winners

Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Prof. Dr. Vhahangwele Masindi, Dr. Katya Rhodes, and Prof. Dr. Myriam Ertz (left to right).
We also recognized three recipients of the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award: Prof. Dr. Vhahangwele Masindi, Dr. Katya Rhodes, and Prof. Dr. Myriam Ertz, for their contributions as early-career researchers advancing sustainability through innovation, impact, and academic excellence across the field.
What this means for MDPI
- Building our global identity in events
WSF is a marquee MDPI event, not just a gathering, but a statement of how we wish to position ourselves in the global sustainability ecosystem. The positive feedback helps us build on our approach for future editions, so that we remain a reference point for quality, relevance, and engagement. - Expanding capacity across offices
The success of WSF 11 in Barcelona’s would not have happened without great teamwork from Basel, Barcelona, Romania, the UK, and the APAC Conference team. Thanks to everyone for their work to bring this ambitious event to life. - Supporting MDPI’s mission
At this event, I had the opportunity to present on MDPI's role in Open Access, sustainability publishing, and the intersection of science and policy. WSF is not only about the science; it’s also a platform for us to position MDPI as a thought leader and a collaborator in shaping the future of sustainable research.
I look forward to the WSF momentum as we work towards WSF 12 in Hong Kong, which is scheduled for August 2026.

MDPI Colleagues at the 11th World Sustainability Forum in Barcelona, Spain, 2–3 October 2025.
Impactful Research

Celebrating 2025 Nobel Laureates who have published with MDPI
October is always an inspiring month in science. It’s when the world turns its attention to the Nobel Prize announcements, recognizing discoveries that have changed how we understand the world.
Over the years, many distinguished researchers who have received the Nobel Prize have chosen to publish their work with MDPI. These are scientists whose breakthroughs have shaped entire fields of research, and who have entrusted our Open Access journals to share their findings with the world.
“The work we support can be world-class and world-changing”
Congratulations to the 2025 Laureates
Dozens of Nobel Laureates have published in our journals: as at 2024, more than 40 laureates had contributed over 115 articles across more than 35 MDPI journals. Congratulations to the three 2025 Nobel prize-winners who have published with MDPI during their careers. Below are links to their MDPI publications and announcements for further reading:
- Omar M. Yaghi (Chemistry)
- Awarded for his pioneering work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MDPI published his article “Covalent Organic Frameworks: Organic Chemistry Beyond the Molecule” in Molecules (2017).
- MDPI Announcement: https://www.mdpi.com/news/13455
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry – The Science Behind the Prize
- Shimon Sakaguchi (Medicine)
- Recognized for discoveries in immune-system self-tolerance and regulatory T-cells. Published in Cancers (2021).
- MDPI Announcement: https://www.mdpi.com/news/13443
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine – The Science Behind the Prize
- John M. Martinis (Physics)
- Recognized for quantum tunnelling in electrical circuits. MDPI’s Journal of Nuclear Engineering (2025) includes his co-authored work.
- MDPI Announcement: https://www.mdpi.com/news/13450
- Nobel Prize in Physics – The Science Behind the Prize
These connections strengthen our mission to make research freely available and ensure that transformative ideas reach the widest possible audience.
Publishing at the leading edge of knowledge
The privilege of hosting such contributors resonates deeply with our editorial teams. It shows that top-tier scientific work has a home at MDPI, which builds our visibility in the research community. It signals that our publishing model, our editorial workflows, and our commitment to Open Access are respected at the very highest levels of science. It also gives our authors, reviewers, editors and staff the message that the work we support can be world-class and world-changing.
Publishing at the leading edge of knowledge isn’t just about individual papers – it’s about the ecosystem of support, transparency, and accessibility that makes discovery possible. Let’s continue to build a publishing platform and provide a service that attracts and enables both everyday research and the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Inside MDPI

Strengthening Research Integrity: MDPI partners with Proofig AI
I’m pleased to share that MDPI has entered a multi-year partnership with Proofig AI, a leader in AI-driven proofing and integrity software for scientific publishing. This follows the success of our pilot program, in which Proofig AI proved highly effective in detecting duplicated, altered, and manipulated images across biomedical submissions.
Safeguarding the credibility of the research we publish
Research integrity is at the core of MDPI’s mission. The life sciences, in particular, face increasing risks of image-related issues due to advanced editing tools and generative AI. By integrating Proofig AI into our workflows, we improve our ability to detect issues early, reduce post-publication corrections, and safeguard the credibility of the research we publish.
Pilot outcomes
- Successful detection of duplicated confocal and histology images, even when altered to disguise similarities.
- Early results showed a significant drop in post-publication image manipulation flags year-on-year.
- Positive feedback from editors and staff highlighted the tool’s ease of use and reliability.

Dr. Dror Kolodkin-Gal (co-founder and CEO of Proofig AI) said:
“The MDPI team conducted a highly professional and carefully monitored pilot, achieving excellent results in detecting problematic images.
Their fast and effective integration process was impressive, and we are excited to contribute to this important collaboration.”

Sanita Meijere (IT Product and Project Manager, MDPI), shared:
“For more than a year, we’ve tested all the available image manipulation detection tools. Proofig AI’s quality and ease of use, alongside positive feedback from our internal users, made their software a clear stand-out.
We’re thrilled to be moving forward with this partnership, ensuring we do our utmost to protect MDPI’s biomedical journals. Using this advanced image proofing software reaffirms MDPI’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in research integrity.”
Raising the bar for integrity
This partnership sets a new benchmark for quality control in biomedical publishing.

As Tim Tait-Jamieson (Head of Publication Ethics, MDPI), explains:
“The life sciences are disproportionately affected by research integrity issues, making vigilance in this field especially critical. This is driven, in part, by the increasing sophistication of image editing software and generative AI.
Whether accidental or deliberate, image manipulation can have a lasting impact on credibility. By integrating Proofig AI into our editorial workflows, we strengthen our ability to detect scientific misconduct early and reduce post-publication amendments.”
Faster and more accurate quality control
Proofig will automatically flag potentially problematic images during submission checks, giving our editors more confidence in the integrity of manuscripts and freeing up time to focus on editorial decisions. The tool will also reduce the burden of manual checks, while supporting faster and more accurate quality control. This partnership reinforces MDPI's reputation as a publisher that takes integrity seriously and continues to invest in tools to support authors, editors, and reviewers alike.
A big thank-you to all colleagues who supported the pilot and rollout. You can read more in our MDPI Blog post.
Coming Together for Science

The MDPI Romania Summit 2025
On 21–22 October, I had the pleasure of joining our colleagues in Bucharest for the MDPI Romania Summit 2025. The event was organized by our Romania Marketing team, with support from colleagues across our Romanian offices. It brought together academics, policymakers, and collaborators to discuss the country’s evolving research landscape.
Over two days, we welcomed more than 30 participants, including Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, and policy-makers from the Romanian research and education sectors, including representatives from the Romanian Academy and the National Commission for the Accreditation of Academic Titles (CNATDCU).
The discussions and presentations reflected the strength and growth of Romania’s research community and its active engagement in Open Access publishing.
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“The discussions and presentations reflected the strength and growth of Romania’s research community”
Romania’s role in Open Access
Romania loves Open Access and has emerged as one of MDPI’s most engaged national research communities. The numbers speak for themselves:
- 67% of all publications in Romania were Open Access in 2024.
- MDPI accounts for 39% of the country’s total OA publications (14,779 in 2024).
- Over the last five years (2020–2024), Romanian institutions published over 33,000 papers with MDPI.
- There are 460 active Editorial Board Members from Romania, including 8 Chief Editors.
- 29 institutions are part of our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), with 8 new members joining in 2025.
These numbers reflect the trust and reliable partnership we have built with the Romanian academic community.
Highlights from the Summit
The program covered a wide range of topics from MDPI’s achievements and updates to our editorial processes, peer-review quality, AI in publishing, IOAP and Open Access funding models, and publication ethics.
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Agenda Highlights:
- MDPI Introduction, Performance & Achievements, and Collaboration with Romania – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI).
- Trust the Process: Editorial Workflow and Quality in Publishing – Dr. Liliane Auwerter (Scientific Review Group).
- Publication Ethics at MDPI: Safeguarding the Integrity of the Published Scholarly Record – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist).
- Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI).
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Sanita Meijere (AI Product Manager).
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI).
Participants shared feedback and ideas for future collaborations, including organizing author workshops, possible conference collaborations, and strengthening our engagement with national institutions such as the Ministry of Education and Research and the National Council of Romanian Rectors.
As Acad. Dr. Nicolae-Victor Zamfir, Vice President of the Romanian Academy, noted during the discussions:
“The organization of the event is very timely, because MDPI is a publishing house in full development and expansion. The opinion of researchers is important for increasing the quality of published works.”
A collaborative future
Events like this remind us how essential it is to engage locally and listen directly to the voices of our editors, authors, and institutional partners. They help us build relationships, improve our understanding of the local market, and align our shared goals in advancing Open Access and research quality.
Thank you to everyone involved, especially our Romania Marketing team, who organized the event, and to all colleagues who continue to build relationships with our academic communities around the world.

Thank you!
A special thank-you to the Romanian Marketing team and all colleagues behind the scenes who made this Summit such a success. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum with future Summits in Europe and beyond.
Closing Thoughts

STM and FBF 2025: Connecting Through Science and Publishing

Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) at STM Conference, Frankfurt, 14 October 2025.
On 13–14 October, I attended the STM Frankfurt Conference 2025, my fourth visit to the Frankfurt event, and it continues to be one of the most valuable gatherings in our industry.
The STM meeting brings together the publishing community and key opinion leaders to speak on current trends and challenges shaping our industry.
This year’s theme – “Science Diplomacy: What is it and How Does it Work?” – unpacked the growing intersection of science, policy, and publishing.
Discussion topics ranged from what is science diplomacy and how publishers can contribute to global collaboration to how science communication can help maintain trust during an era of disruption.
I was joined by Dr. Constanze Schelhorn, our Head of Indexing, who met with representatives from Scopus, Web of Science, Digital Science, ProQuest, and other partners. These meetings give us a chance to share feedback on our collaborations, learn about new updates being developed, and build our relationships with indexing bodies.
“The STM meeting brings together the publishing community and key opinion leaders”
STM also provides a space to connect with industry peers, as I did with colleagues from Elsevier, Frontiers, Clarivate, Sage, and STM itself, reinforcing MDPI’s engagement within the broader publishing community. It was also nice to bump into some former colleagues and see them continuing to grow in their publishing careers.
At the Frankfurt Book Fair

The MDPI booth at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair.
Following STM, I spent the next day at the Frankfurt Book Fair (15–19 October) – one of the largest and most influential events in the publishing world.
It’s always inspiring to see the scale and energy of this global gathering, which spans everything from books and education to digital innovation and academic publishing.
We set up an MDPI booth to host discussions with partners, vendors, and researchers.
The Fair ran into the weekend, with colleagues from several MDPI departments attending to represent the company and connect with the scholarly community.
Events like STM and FBF are a nice reminder of how dynamic and interconnected our industry is, and how important it is for MDPI to continue taking part in global conversations about science, communication, and the future of publishing.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
30 October 2025
Dark Matter Day, 31 October 2025
The 2025 Dark Matter Day takes place on 31 October. On and around 31 October 2017, the world celebrated the hunt for the unseen—something that scientists refer to as dark matter. There is a big part of the universe that we do not know much about. We are not sure if dark matter is made up of undiscovered particles, or if it can be explained by tweaking the known laws of physics. Its makeup could teach us much about the history and structure of our universe.

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Date: 31 October 2025 |
Date: 31 October 2025 |
Date: 31 October 2025, |

“Post-Newtonian Effects in Compact Binaries with a Dark Matter Spike: A Lagrangian Approach”
by Diego Montalvo, Adam Smith-Orlik, Saeed Rastgoo, Laura Sagunski, Niklas Becker and Hazkeel Khan
Universe 2024, 10(11), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10110427
“Higgs Boson Searches at the LHC Beyond the Standard Model”
by André Sopczak
Physics 2024, 6(3), 1132–1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/physics6030071
“Galaxy Groups as the Ultimate Probe of AGN Feedback”
by Dominique Eckert, Fabio Gastaldello, Ewan O’Sullivan, Alexis Finoguenov, Marisa Brienza and the X-GAP Collaboration
Galaxies 2024, 12(3), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/galaxies12030024
“Exploring the Distribution and Impact of Bosonic Dark Matter in Neutron Stars”
by Davood Rafiei Karkevandi, Mahboubeh Shahrbaf, Soroush Shakeri and Stefan Typel
Particles 2024, 7(1), 201–213; https://doi.org/10.3390/particles7010011
“The Scavenger Hunt for Quasar Samples to Be Used as Cosmological Tools”
by Maria Giovanna Dainotti, Giada Bargiacchi, Aleksander Łukasz Lenart and Salvatore Capozziello
Galaxies 2024, 12(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/galaxies12010004
“Fermion Proca Stars: Vector-Dark-Matter-Admixed Neutron Stars”
by Cédric Jockel and Laura Sagunski
Particles 2024, 7(1), 52–79; https://doi.org/10.3390/particles7010004
“Constraints on Tsallis Cosmology from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and the Relic Abundance of Cold Dark Matter Particles”
by Petr Jizba and Gaetano Lambiase
Entropy 2023, 25(11), 1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25111495
“Lensing with Generalized Symmetrons”
by Christian Käding
Astronomy 2023, 2(2), 128–140; https://doi.org/10.3390/astronomy2020009
“The Quest for the Nature of the Dark Matter: The Need of a New Paradigm”
by Fabrizio Nesti, Paolo Salucci and Nicola Turini
Astronomy 2023, 2(2), 90–104; https://doi.org/10.3390/astronomy2020007
“Fermionic Dark Matter: Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology”
by C. R. Argüelles, E. A. Becerra-Vergara, J. A. Rueda and R. Ruffini
Universe 2023, 9(4), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9040197
“Machine Learning Approach for Event Position Reconstruction in the DEAP-3600 Dark Matter Search Experiment”
by DEAP Collaboration
Physics 2023, 5(2), 483–491; https://doi.org/10.3390/physics5020033

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“Non-Extensive Entropies: Properties and Applications” |
“Current Trends in Cosmology” |
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“Beyond the Standard Models of Physics and Cosmology: 2nd Edition” |
“Strong Gravitational Lens Modeling” |
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“AI and Machine Learning in Dark Matter Searches: From Anomaly Detection to Detector Optimization” |
“Ultralight Bosonic Dark Matter: Theoretical Developments and Experimental Searches” |
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26 October 2025
MDPI Webinar | Dark Matter Day, Session 3, 31 October 2025
MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of Dark Matter Day, which will take place on 31 October 2025. This event will explore the mystery of dark matter, which makes up 26.8% of the universe's mass and energy, yet remains largely unexplained. Along with dark energy, which drives the universe’s expansion, dark matter plays a crucial role in the cosmos. Join us as we explore the dark sector of the universe and discover how these insights could reshape our understanding of the cosmos’ structure and history.
Date: 31 October at 12:00 p.m. CET | 7:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 811 8454 0837
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/MDMDW2025-3
Program:
|
Speaker |
Presentation Title |
Time in CET |
|
|
|
MDPI Introduction |
12:00–12:10 p.m. |
7:00–7:10 p.m. |
|
Prof. Michele Doro |
Gamma-rays: the magnifying glass to investigate a cosmic dark matter crime |
12:10–12:30 p.m. |
7:10–7:30 p.m. |
|
Prof. Dr. Emilio Elizalde |
What's in a name? — The Big Bang and Dark Matter |
12:30–12:50 p.m. |
7:30–7:50 p.m. |
|
Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Gazeau |
Dark Matter as a QCD Effect in an Anti–de Sitter Background |
12:50–1:10 p.m. |
7:50–8:10 p.m. |
|
Prof. Bernardo Spagnolo |
Detection of Axion Dark Matter through Resonant Activation in Josephson Junctions |
1:10–1:30 p.m. |
8:10–8:30 p.m. |
|
|
Q&A Session |
1:30–1:50 p.m. |
8:30–8:50 p.m. |
|
|
Webinar Closing |
1:50–1:55 p.m. |
8:30–8:55 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic and institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Keynote Speakers:
- Prof. Michele Doro, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, Italy;
- Prof. Dr. Emilio Elizalde, National Scientific Council of Spain, Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) and Catalan Institute of Space Studies (IEEC), Spain;
- Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Gazeau, 1 Université Paris Cité, France, 2 University of Białystok, Poland;
- Prof. Bernardo Spagnolo, 1 Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica “E. Segrè”, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy 2 Lobachevskii University of Nizhnii Novgorod, Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia.
































