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New Chief Physician for Pneumology at Bielefeld Clinic: Dr. Klaus Henning Thomas Takes Over Leadership

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Bielefeld Clinic has appointed Dr. med. Klaus Henning Thomas as the new Chief Physician of the Clinic for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine at the Mitte location. The experienced specialist in internal medicine with additional qualifications in pneumology and intensive care medicine will take over the leadership starting June 1, 2025. With over two decades of experience in leadership positions, the 60-year-old physician brings comprehensive clinical and scientific expertise to further develop the department into a modern, high-performing, and patient-centered unit. Dr. Thomas, born in Hamburg, studied medicine in Basel as well as in Missouri and Virginia, USA. He then conducted research for two years as a fellow of the German Research Foundation at Penn State University in Pennsylvania. He deepened his pneumological specialization at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, where he worked as a senior physician for six years. Most recently, he led the pneumology department at AMEOS Klinikum Aschersleben and was previously Medical Director of the Evangelical Hospital for Respiratory Diseases in… 

The Inner Clock as a Key to Better Cancer Treatment

A groundbreaking study led by researchers from MSH Medical School Hamburg, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and a Hamburg-based startup shows how the body's internal clock can influence the effectiveness and tolerability of cancer therapies. The research, published in eBioMedicine, suggests that disruptions in circadian rhythm can exacerbate the side effects of PARP inhibitor therapy. These findings could significantly shape the future of personalized cancer treatment by adapting therapy times to patients' biological rhythms. Circadian Disruptions and Their Effects The study, part of the Phase III clinical trial MAMOC, examined ovarian cancer patients treated with PARP inhibitors such as Rucaparib. These drugs specifically block DNA repair in cancer cells and are a central component of modern cancer therapies. However, researchers found that patients with disrupted circadian rhythms – the internal clock that controls processes like sleep, metabolism, and cell division – often experienced more severe... 

Dogs in Space: From Soviet Street Dogs to Space Omics and Musk's Mars Plans

In the autumn of 1957, the world watched Baikonur with bated breath: with Sputnik 2, the Soviet Union sent the dog Laika into orbit around the Earth as the first living being. Today, almost seven decades later, space travel is once again on the cusp of an epochal leap – this time with the goal of Mars, driven by visionaries like Elon Musk. But the path there is paved with the traces of the first animal cosmonauts, whose sacrifices and insights continue to resonate in modern biomedicine and space medicine. The Beginnings: Street Dogs as Spaceflight Pioneers The decision to send dogs into space was no accident. In the early 1950s, the Soviet Union experimented with various animals to test the resilience of living organisms under the extreme conditions of space. Dogs, especially small, hardy mixed breeds from the streets of Moscow, proved particularly suitable: they were undemanding, robust, and could adapt to confined...

LabNews Celebrates Milestones: Over 200,000 Impressions Per Month and 5,000 Articles

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LabNews has reason to celebrate: In May 2025, our platform surpassed the mark of over 200,000 impressions per month for the first time and now offers more than 5,000 published articles for the life sciences community. These two milestones impressively underscore the growing reach and relevance of LabNews as an independent, reliable source for current news, analyses, and background information from the fields of biotech, analytics, laboratory, medicine, science, and AI. Since our launch in February 2024, we have pursued a clear goal: to make well-founded, current, and diverse content freely accessible to professionals, researchers, and interested parties worldwide. The LabNews editorial team consists of experienced medical and science journalists who have been reporting for renowned media in Germany and Switzerland for decades, and whose non-fiction books can even be found in the US Library of Congress and the library of the German Bundestag. Our independence and our commitment to quality are always at the… 

Hasso Plattner remains a spectator in the biotech boom

In the spring of 2025, German SAP co-founder Hasso Plattner is once again in the spotlight – not because of a spectacular biotech deal, but because of the deepened partnership between his Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) and SAP to promote AI research and digitalization in Europe. While tech billionaires like Bill Gates invest billions in the development of new vaccines and therapies, Plattner's commitment in the biotechnology sector remains strikingly selective and technology-driven – focusing on digital platforms rather than classic biotech innovations. Specifically, Plattner, through Hasso Plattner Ventures (HPV), invests in high-growth, IT-driven companies in Europe and the USA. In the healthcare sector, LipoCheck is a prominent example: the healthtech startup offers a digital platform for the diagnosis and therapy support of lipedema, a chronic fat distribution disorder. LipoCheck relies on digital services to connect patients and doctors and improve care. RetroBrain R&D, a developer of digital therapy games for dementia patients, has also been supported. However, the investments are…

The LabNews riddle for laboratory physicians

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Question: A patient presents with elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT), anemia, and mild hypoglycemia. Serological testing shows a positive anti-HBc antibody, but negative HBsAg and anti-HBs. A molecular test detects a low viral load. The patient reports no known liver disease but had a blood transfusion 20 years ago. What is the most likely diagnosis, and what specific molecular investigation would confirm the diagnosis? Note: The solution requires considering a rare course of a viral infection that is often overlooked in laboratory diagnostics. SPOILER Solution Diagnosis: Occult Hepatitis B Infection (OBI) Explanation: The combination of positive anti-HBc antibodies, negative HBsAg and anti-HBs, and a low viral load (detected by molecular tests such as PCR) suggests an occult hepatitis B infection. In OBI, HBV DNA remains detectable in serum or liver despite negative HBsAg. This can occur in patients with a history of HBV infection (e.g., through 

Japan as a Biotech Giant: A Global Pioneer in Biotechnological Innovation

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Over the past few decades, Japan has established itself as one of the world's leading players in biotechnology. With a combination of cutting-edge research, a robust industry, government support, and a culture of precision, the country has carved out a significant niche in the global biotech landscape. This article highlights the factors that make Japan a biotech giant and explores how the nation is driving innovation in medicine, agriculture, and environmental technology. Historical Roots and the Rise of the Biotech Industry The Japanese biotech industry has its roots in the 1980s when the country began to strategically focus its scientific and technological capabilities on the life sciences. Japanese companies such as Takeda Pharmaceutical and Chugai Pharmaceutical were pioneers, investing early in biotechnological research. Takeda, one of Japan's oldest and largest pharmaceutical companies, has made a name for itself through its work on biologic drugs and vaccines. Simultaneously, the Japanese government promoted ...

The Psychology of Calculated Chaos: The Success Model Behind the Seemingly Erratic Actions of U.S. President Donald Trump

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Die Handlungen von Donald Trump während seiner Präsidentschaft, insbesondere seit seinem Amtsantritt im Januar 2025, werden oft als erratisch, impulsiv oder unkonventionell beschrieben. Doch was auf den ersten Blick wie Chaos erscheint, folgt einer klaren Logik, die durch psychologische, kommunikative und politische Mechanismen erklärbar ist. Peer-reviewte Studien und aktuelle Analysen zeigen, dass Trumps Verhalten nicht zufällig ist, sondern gezielt psychologische Prinzipien nutzt, um Aufmerksamkeit zu generieren, Loyalität zu festigen und politische Macht zu maximieren. Dieser Artikel beleuchtet das Erfolgsmodell hinter Trumps scheinbar erratischen Handlungen aus einer psychologisch-wissenschaftlichen Perspektive, untermauert durch verifizierte Forschungsarbeiten und konkrete Beispiele. Psychologische Grundlagen: Die Macht der Dominanz und Extraversion Ein zentraler Aspekt von Trumps Erfolg liegt in seiner Persönlichkeitsstruktur, die durch hohe Extraversion und soziale Dominanz geprägt ist. Dan P. McAdams, ein renommierter Psychologe, beschreibt in einer Analyse in The Atlantic (2016) Trump als eine Person… 

Exercise improves survival for colon cancer

A groundbreaking clinical trial funded by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) shows that physical activity can significantly improve outcomes for people with colon cancer. Researchers say the study is the first in the world to use structured exercise to increase cancer survival. The trial results, presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have the potential to change clinical practice. They show that, when incorporated into cancer care for people with colon cancer, a structured exercise program reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and of new primary cancers developing. The 17-year international trial involved 889 people, all of whom had been diagnosed with and treated for colon cancer. After having surgery and chemotherapy, participants were given a 3-year structured exercise program or standard health education materials that are… 

Positive neuronale Effekte durch das Spielen von Super Mario: Erkenntnisse aus der neurowissenschaftlichen Forschung

Das Spielen von Videospielen, insbesondere von 3D-Plattformspielen wie Super Mario, hat in den letzten Jahren zunehmend Aufmerksamkeit in der neurowissenschaftlichen Forschung erhalten. Studien zeigen, dass solche Spiele nicht nur Unterhaltung bieten, sondern auch positive strukturelle und funktionale Veränderungen im Gehirn hervorrufen können. Insbesondere die Bereiche der räumlichen Orientierung, Gedächtnisbildung, exekutiven Funktionen und motorischen Fähigkeiten scheinen von regelmäßigem Spielen zu profitieren. Dieser Artikel beleuchtet die neuronalen Effekte des Super Mario-Spielens anhand peer-reviewter Studien und erklärt die zugrunde liegenden Mechanismen. Strukturelle Veränderungen im Gehirn Eine bahnbrechende Studie von Kühn et al. (2014), veröffentlicht in Molecular Psychiatry, untersuchte die Auswirkungen eines zweimonatigen Trainings mit Super Mario 64 auf die Gehirnstruktur. Erwachsene Teilnehmer spielten täglich mindestens 30 Minuten, während eine Kontrollgruppe keine Videospiele spielte. Mittels Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) wurde festgestellt, dass die Spielergruppe signifikante Zunahmen der grauen Substanz in der rechten Hippocampusformation, dem rechten dorsolateralen…