Celebrating ten years of Nanoscale Horizons

Katharina Landfester

Katharina Landfester is director at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz. She studied at the Technical University of Darmstadt and received her doctoral degree from the University of Mainz with work at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz. After a postdoctoral stay at Lehigh University (US), she joined the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (Golm, Germany). From 2003 to 2008, she was a full professor at Ulm University (Germany). Since 2008, she has been Director at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research. She was awarded the Reimund Stadler prize and the prize of the Dr Hermann Schnell Foundation, followed by the Bruno Werdelmann Lecturer (2012), the Bayer Lecturer (2014), the Liesegang prize (2024) and the Liebig Denkmünze (2024). She has published more than 800 papers in international journals, 30 reviews and holds more than 50 patents. Since 2020, she has been the Editorial Board Chair of Nanoscale Horizons.

This year marks a very special milestone for Nanoscale Horizons: its 10th anniversary. In just one decade, the journal has established itself as one of the most dynamic voices in nanoscience, and as we celebrate this achievement, it is also an opportunity to reflect on the journey so far, both for the journal and for those of us who have had the privilege of accompanying it along the way.

When Nanoscale Horizons was launched in 2015, I was immediately intrigued by its mission. The promise of a platform dedicated to publishing the most innovative, interdisciplinary, and high-impact research in nanoscience felt fresh and urgently needed. Soon after, my group and I submitted a manuscript, and it was published in one of the early issues of the journal. I still remember the sense of excitement at seeing our work appear in this new venue, and I felt right away that Nanoscale Horizons would grow into something important. My early conviction has only strengthened since then.

Over the past ten years, the journal has indeed built an impressive reputation. It has consistently highlighted research that pushes boundaries, spans disciplines, and points to new directions for our community. For me, one of the most rewarding aspects has been watching Nanoscale Horizons bring together contributions from diverse areas of nanoscience, from fundamental concepts of nanoscale phenomena to applications in energy, health, and sustainability. This breadth and openness are part of what makes the journal unique.

Since 2020, I have had the honour of serving as Editorial Board Chair. This role has given me the chance to see first-hand the passion and dedication of our associate editors, board members, reviewers, and the editorial office team. Together, they ensure that the journal maintains its high standards and continues to evolve in step with the rapid progress of nanoscience. I have learned enormously from these exchanges, and it has been a privilege to help guide the journal during this important phase of its development.

A very special highlight for me was the ‘Horizons symposium: Polymers at the human interface’ held in Beijing in 2024. Being there in person – giving a talk, listening to outstanding scientific presentations, and engaging in lively discussions – was deeply inspiring. The event brought together an international community of researchers united by curiosity and creativity, and it vividly demonstrated how Nanoscale Horizons has become more than just a publication platform: it is a hub for scientific exchange. Our Nanoscale Horizons Editorial Board Meeting during the symposium also reflected this spirit. Surrounded by colleagues from across the world, I felt once again the strength of our community and the journal’s role in fostering it. Such gatherings remind us that science is not only about ideas and data, but also about people, collaboration, and shared passion.

Over the years, several initiatives have been launched to further strengthen and connect our community. Since 2018, we have celebrated outstanding contributions through awards recognizing the most exceptional papers published in Nanoscale Horizons. Equally important are the nominations for our Community Board, which give postdocs and young scientists valuable opportunities for visibility and engagement. These early-career researchers bring new perspectives and energy to the journal, and their participation has become a vital part of our identity. The introduction of thematic and special collections has also helped increase the visibility of research and spotlight timely topics across the nanoscience spectrum. In 2022, we launched the Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series, further emphasizing the commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders in the field. Together, these initiatives highlight how Nanoscale Horizons is not only a journal but also a catalyst for scientific careers and collaborations.

As we look ahead, there is no doubt that the next decade of nanoscience will be even more transformative. Advances in materials design, computation, and characterization are opening new horizons at an unprecedented pace. Applications in medicine, energy, and sustainable technologies are bringing nanoscience ever closer to solving global challenges. I am convinced that Nanoscale Horizons will continue to play a leading role in this evolution – highlighting not only breakthrough results, but also the creativity and interdisciplinary thinking that drive our field forward.

On this 10th anniversary, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all authors, reviewers, readers, and board members who have contributed to the success of Nanoscale Horizons. Your trust, effort, and commitment have been essential in shaping the journal into what it is today. Personally, I feel fortunate to have accompanied the journal from its very beginning, and to now contribute to its direction as Editorial Board Chair.

I look forward with great anticipation to the next decade – to the discoveries, conversations, and collaborations that will shape the future of nanoscience, and to seeing Nanoscale Horizons continue to grow as a platform that both reflects and inspires our community.

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