Community Content
08 Jan 2025
Federico Giorgi, Winner of 2023 Most Popular Preprint Award
We are excited to present an interview with Dr. Federico Giorgi, winner of the 2023 Most Popular Preprints Award. The Most Popular Preprints Award was launched by Preprints.org to engage the scientific community and celebrate open and transparent science. Dr. Giorgi and co-author’s preprint stood out among the numerous preprints within the Biology and Life Sciences category, capturing the attention of readers from across the globe that participated in the voting to select the winners.
Here, we summarize some of the key points of the discussion and provide a link to watch the recording. Learn more about his impactful research and views and experiences on the use of preprints.
About Federico Giorgi, winner of the 2023 Biology and Life Sciences Award
Dr. Federico Giorgi is a professor in bioinformatics in the department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna. His interest in bioinformatics and programing started during his PhD in Bioinformatics of Molecular Plant Physiology, University of Potsdam (Germany).
His preprint, Cross-species Transcriptomics Analysis Highlights Conserved Molecular Responses to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) received 2nd place in the “Biology and Life Sciences” category.
Here we go into a bit more detail about Dr. Giorgi’s work and thoughts.
Key findings and contributions
The award-winning preprint has some fascinating key findings. It looked at the detrimental effects of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), which are environmental pollutants, on living organisms. PFAS have been used as fireproof materials and are available around us, everywhere. They are also known to persist and accumulate within the environment, so exposure to these pollutants is ubiquitous.
In this study, Dr. Giorgi and his team looked at the molecular responses to PFAS exposure across 7 distinct animal species. The comparative transcriptional analysis revealed that exposure to PFAS is conserved across species and identified several genes exhibiting transcriptional response to PFAS. More importantly, PFAS were shown to block the reproductive cycle by mimicking naturally occurring hormones. Some of these hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, can lead to sterility. To help us understand the premise, he explains it like this,
“I don’t know if the audience knows. But PFAS are environmental pollutants. They’re used as fireproof materials in anything from, you know, firefighter vests to pants to make them fireproof, and essentially they do not degrade very well because they are a new compound to nature and they persist in the environment, so we wanted to know if there are effects that have been discovered before the detrimental effects to living organisms were conserved across vertebrates.”
Impact of the preprint and future studies
When asked about how this preprint could influence public policy or raise awareness regarding the detrimental effects PFAS have on vertebrates. Dr. Giorgi took some time to discuss the impact and reach his award-winning preprint had.
After the preprint was posted, Dr. Giorgi was contacted by the local authorities and informed that they wanted to include his findings within their own analysis. In Italy, in the Veneto region they are conducting studies and surveys on the amount and effects PFAS have on the environment. The preprint published by Dr. Giorgio and his co-authors provided the scientific foundation as to why to divert more public efforts and funding towards eradicating these pollutants.
By sharing the work as a preprint, the science was made publicly available immediately. It was available months in advance of the peer reviewed article. As such, local authorities could access the research and make decisions earlier. As he notes,
“It’s maybe unpolished science but it is still real data and real findings.”
Why did Dr. Giorgi choose a preprint?
There are five main reasons that motivated him and his team to share their research as a preprint. In particular, they saw value in doing this before submitting the work to a peer reviewed journal. Their views were:
- They wanted their findings to be shares as soon as possible with everyone;
- They wanted their research to be more discoverable;
- By posting your discovery on a preprint server earlier you can claim credit for your discovery;
- You can show the community how your research develops, and the paper is refined over time;
- It motivated his younger team members to see their research published online.
He notes that there is still some confusion and reluctance when it comes to fully embracing preprints.
“[T]hey (some other academics) are afraid that preprints will, you know, steal their thunder and their recognition, and it’s actually exactly the opposite[.]”
Dr. Giorgi’s thoughts regarding preprints
When asked what advice he would give to researchers considering to post their work as a preprint, he pointed out that researchers should submit their work. They shouldn’t hesitate or be afraid of being scooped. Preprints increase the speed of research without decreasing quality. So, authors should submit complete, quality studies. They can also still be works in progress, but the included work should still be polished.
Watch the full interview.
Other outstanding preprints
To explore the outstanding preprints announced as the 2023 Most Popular Preprints, visit our website.
Preprints.org is a multidiscipline platform providing preprint service. It is dedicated to making early versions of research outputs permanently available and citable. We post original research articles and comprehensive reviews. Papers can be updated by authors as long as the updated content has not been published online. Content on Preprints.org is not peer-reviewed and can receive feedback from readers.
11 Dec 2024
Noble Po-kan Lo, Winner of 2023 Most Popular Preprint Award
We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to sit down and speak with Noble Po-kan Lo, winner of the 2023 Most Popular Preprint. To celebrate open and transparent scientific communication, Preprints.org launched the 2023 Most Popular Preprints Award.
In the first edition of the award, all preprints posted in 2023 on Preprints.org were assessed by an Electoral Committee. The shortlisted preprints (10 preprints from each subject category) were selected and opened up for public voting. An astounding 6,172 readers from across the globe participated in the voting to select the winners of the 2023 Most Popular Preprint Awards.
Here, the 1st place award recipient in the Social Sciences subject category gave us his thoughts on many different things. Learn more about his impactful research and views and experiences on the use of preprints.
About Noble Po-kan, winner of the 2023 Social Science Award
Dr. Noble Po-kan Lo is the recipient of the first 2023 Most Popular Preprint Award in the field of Social Sciences.
He a lecturer at the College of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His preprint, Bridging Digital Competence and Sustainability: Unveiling the Synergistic Potential of Design and Maker Education received 1st place in the “Social Sciences” category.
Here is our interview with Noble Po-kan Lo.
On winning the Most Popular Preprint and research background
After being congratulated on winning the award, Noble Po-kan tells us a little about his research background:
Thank you very much! My research background is rooted in educational innovation, with a particular focus on integrating digital competence and sustainability into higher education. My work spans various pedagogical approaches, including project-based and experiential learning, and aims to explore how these methods can foster creativity, problem-solving, and eco-consciousness among students. I am currently affiliated with the College of Professional and Continuing Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where I engage in research and teaching that bridges technology and sustainable practices.
To learn more about the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, please visit their website.
Key findings and contributions
The award winning preprint has some fascinating key findings.
The key findings of my preprint, Bridging Digital Competence and Sustainability: Unveiling the Synergistic Potential of Design and Maker Education, highlight the significant benefits of integrating maker culture into traditional educational systems. Through interviews with teachers in higher education institutions in Hong Kong, I discovered that maker education fosters green digital skills, enhances creativity, and promotes autonomous, student-directed learning. My study also identified several challenges, such as the need for adequate resources, effective teachers, and supportive administrative systems. Ultimately, the research suggests that with proper support, maker education can transform teaching and learning processes, advancing sustainability education.
Future studies or applications
When asked about how he sees his research influencing future studies or applications, Noble Po-kan had this to say,
I believe this research can pave the way for future studies that delve deeper into the specific mechanisms through which maker education can be effectively integrated into various educational contexts. It can also influence practical applications by providing a framework for educational institutions to develop and implement maker spaces and programs that emphasize sustainability. Furthermore, policymakers and educators might use these insights to advocate for more resources and support systems necessary to foster innovative and eco-conscious learning environments.
Why did Nobel Po-kan choose a preprint?
The 2023 Most Popular Preprint Award winner had this to say about choosing to share his work as a preprint,
Sharing my work as a preprint was motivated by a desire to disseminate the findings quickly and openly, allowing for immediate feedback from the academic community and practitioners. Preprints provide a platform to engage with a broader audience, fostering early and constructive discussions that can enhance the quality and impact of the research. Moreover, the open access nature of preprints ensures that the research is accessible to anyone interested, promoting transparency and collaboration.
It’s easy to see some of the benefits of preprints, and why they’re becoming more popular.
The perception and evolution of preprints
When asked, “How is the use of preprints perceived in your research field and how do you think it will evolve in the future?”, Noble Po-kan had this to say,
In the field of education, the use of preprints is becoming increasingly accepted as a means to share early-stage research and obtain feedback before formal publication. This trend is likely to grow as more researchers recognize the benefits of open science and the rapid dissemination of knowledge. Preprints can accelerate the research process, encourage collaboration, and enhance the visibility of innovative studies. As the academic community continues to embrace open access, I foresee preprints becoming common practice across various disciplines.
Over time, perceptions of preprints will continue to change and grow.
Nobel Po-kan’s advice about preprints
“What advice would you give to researchers that are considering to post their work as a preprint?” was asked, and this is what he had to say about it:
I would advise researchers to embrace the opportunity to share their work as a preprint. It is a valuable way to get early feedback, increase the visibility of your research, and contribute to the open science movement. Ensure that your preprint is well-prepared and clearly presented, as it will be accessible to a wide audience. In addition, be open to the feedback you receive and use it to refine and improve your work before submitting it to a peer-reviewed journal.
Because feedback on research can help to improve the work, this is excellent advice.
Improving Preprints.org going forward
Preprints.org is a platform that aims to support authors and researchers with their work. As such, we always seek to learn more how the platform can be improved. On this question, Nobel Po-kan had this to say,
Preprints.org can further support researchers by continuing to enhance the visibility and accessibility of preprints through partnerships with academic institutions and indexing services. Providing more resources and guidelines on best practices for preparing and sharing preprints would be beneficial. Additionally, creating more opportunities for networking and collaboration among researchers who post preprints could foster a stronger sense of community and support. Expanding the platform’s features to include more interactive elements, such as virtual discussion forums and webinars, could also enhance the engagement and impact of preprints.
Other outstanding preprints
To explore the outstanding preprints announced as the 2023 Most Popular Preprints, visit our website at [https://www.preprints.org/activity/award/anouncement].
Preprints.org is a multidiscipline platform providing preprint service that is dedicated to making early versions of research outputs permanently available and citable. We post original research articles and comprehensive reviews, and papers can be updated by authors as long as the updated content has not been published online. Content on Preprints.org is not peer-reviewed and can receive feedback from readers.
14 Mar 2018
Open Science Radio Interview
Open Science Radio interviewed our director, Dr Martyn Rittman, at the Open Science Conference in Berlin this week. He talks about the current preprint scene and the background and benefits of Preprints.org.
You can hear the full version on the Open Science Radio site.
16 Oct 2017
Preprints.org Seeks Screeners
We are looking for screeners to assist with screening new preprints before they go online. This is a rapid process to make sure papers comply with our minimum requirements. By participating, you can contribute your knowledge of the field and play your part in facilitating the rapid dissemination of the latest research results.
How to sign up as a screener
To qualify as a screener, you should be an active researcher in your field with a track record of published and cited journal articles.
Screeners can sign up after logging in and going to the screener tab. You need to fill in some information about yourself and we will make an assessment about your suitability. Once approved, you will see the latest submitted papers in the same tab and be able to provide feedback about them to the Preprints.org editorial team.
Coming soon… Subject specialists
In the near future, we are also looking for subject specialists to support in building and curating a collection of preprints in their field. If you are interested, please get in touch via our contact page.
26 Jan 2017
Crossref Preprints Webinar
Preprints.org will participate in a webinar run by Crossref, the organization behind digital object identifiers (DOIs) on 30th January 2017 starting at 3pm GMT. The sign-up page is at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2882776931331491073. Here is the description:
Crossref’s newest member of the content family is preprints. At Crossref, preprints have custom support to make sure that, links to these publications persist over time, they are connected to the full history of the shared research results and the citation record is clear and up-to-date. But that’s not the whole story, and we have three guest speakers lined up to share their thoughts and expertise on the role of preprints in research; Martyn Rittman from Preprints.org, operated by MDPI, Richard Sever from bioRxiv and Jessica Polka from ASAPbio. Please join us on 30th January to hear more!
Who should attend:
- Preprint publishers
- Publishers
- Production Staff
- Service Providers & Hosting Platforms
- Technical Staff
- Vendors
28 Nov 2016
The Preprints Advisory Board
We are delighted to announce the expansion of the Preprints.org advisory board. It now consists of 92 eminent scientists from across the academic spectrum. We are exteremely grateful to them offering their expertise and guidance on this project. This expansion will ensure that we can put Preprints.org on a firm foundation.
We recognize that the concept of preprints is not familiar within every research discipline. Despite that, we have received articles in all twelve subject areas. We are committed to working with the advisory board, as representatives of the wider research community, to implement Preprints.org in a way that is relevant, workable and enhances academic literature.
05 Jul 2016
Additions to the Advisory Board (Updated)
We are very pleased to announce the 25 more appointed members to the Preprints.org Advisory Board since 11 May 2016 :
- Dr. Dharma P. Agrawal
- Prof. Dr. Ulrich Berger
- Prof. Dr. Alexander Böker
- Dr. Dimiter Dimitrov
- Prof. Dr. Emilio Elizalde
- Prof. Dr. Ralf Fendel
- Prof. Dr. Damien Giurco
- Prof. Dr. Duncan Gregory
- Dr. Manoj Gupta
- Prof. Dr. Huosheng Hu
- Prof. Dr. Kwangjo Kim
- Prof. Dr. Kevin Knuth
- Dr. Philip Kretsedemas
- Prof. Dr. Usha Lakshmanan
- Prof. Dr. Chien-Hung Liu
- Prof. Dr. Assefa Melesse
- Prof. Dr. Samuel C. Mok
- Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Musumeci
- Prof. Dr. Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Prof. Dr. Marcin J. Schroeder
- Prof. Dr. Enrico Sciubba
- Prof. Dr. Delbert Tesar
- Dr. Jean Jacques Vanden Eynde
- Prof. Dr. Michael Wink
- Prof. Dr. J. Peter W. Young
Advisory board members provide suggestions on the general operation of Preprints.org and its articles. We wish them a warm welcome as they begin their new role. For more information regarding the Advisory Board and their affiliations, see here: www.preprints.org/advisory_board.
11 May 2016
Additions to the Advisory Board
We are very pleased to announce the newly appointed members to the Preprints.org Advisory Board:
- Dr. Sari Acra
- Prof. Dr. James Albright
- Prof. Dr. Jürg Bähler
- Dr. George Calin
- Prof. Dr. Albrecht Classen
- Prof. Dr. Norbert Haider
- Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Iorio
- Prof. Dr. Kurt A. Jellinger
- Dr. Alexander E. Kalyuzhny
- Prof. Dr. Spas Kolev
- Prof. Dr. Peter Langridge
- Prof. Dr. Ian Nicholls
- Prof. Dr. Sergei Odintsov
- Prof. Dr. Mehmet Pakdemirli
- Dr. Palmiro Poltronieri
- Prof. Dr. Leonhard Reindl
- Prof. Dr. Miklas Scholz
- Prof. Dr. Alexander Star
- Prof. Dr. Mogens Steffensen
- Prof. Dr. Bekir S. Yilbas
Advisory board members provide suggestions on the general operation of Preprints.org and its articles. We wish them a warm welcome as they begin their new role. For more information regarding the Advisory Board and their affiliations, see here: www.preprints.org/advisory_board.
MDPI Initiatives
Important Links
© 2025 MDPI (Basel, Switzerland) unless otherwise stated
© 2025 MDPI (Basel, Switzerland) unless otherwise stated