Marco Leitzke | immunology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Cell Biologist

Dr. Marco Leitzke | immunology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Marco Leitzke, Helios clinics, Germany

Dr. Marco Leitzke, born in 1970 in Karl-Marx-Stadt, Germany, is a senior anesthesiologist and pioneering researcher in neuromodulation and post-viral syndromes. He has served as Senior Consultant in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at Helios Clinic Leisnig since 2015 and has extensive experience in pain therapy and palliative medicine. Renowned for his innovative studies on autonomic dysfunction, Dr. Leitzke has published extensively on cholinergic neurotransmission, COVID-19 coagulopathy, and vagus nerve stimulation. His recent focus on Long COVID as a disorder of disrupted acetylcholine signaling has gained significant scientific attention. With a dual career in clinical practice and experimental research, he bridges the gap between bedside and bench. His work earned him accolades, including a Poster Award at the 1st Long COVID Congress in Jena. Passionate about translational medicine, Dr. Leitzke continues to drive forward the understanding and treatment of complex neuroimmune disorders.

Publication Profile: 

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Scopus

Education:

Dr. Leitzke’s medical education and specialization reflect a deep commitment to anesthesiology and neurobiological research. He became a board-certified specialist in anesthesiology in 2006 and has built on this foundation with focused training in advanced pain management, ultrasound-guided interventions, and emergency medicine. He undertook specialized pain therapy training in 2015 and interventional pain techniques in 2014. In 2019, he began training as an Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) expert physician, further demonstrating his holistic approach to patient safety and infection control. He also completed a transthoracic echocardiography course in 2018, showcasing his commitment to continuous learning and cross-disciplinary skills. This diverse academic background provides the basis for his translational research into neuroimmune and autonomic disorders, with a strong emphasis on clinical application. His combination of anesthesiology, ultrasound, pain therapy, and experimental neurobiology positions him as a uniquely skilled researcher bridging clinical practice and neuroscience.

Experience:

Dr. Marco Leitzke brings over two decades of clinical experience, predominantly in anesthesiology, intensive care, pain therapy, and palliative medicine. Since 2015, he has held the position of Senior Consultant at the Helios Clinic in Leisnig, where he leads interdisciplinary efforts in patient care and clinical innovation. Prior to this, he served as Senior Consultant at Asklepios Clinic Weißenfels from 2011 to 2014, while also operating as a freelance physician in Zeitz. His professional focus spans acute and chronic pain, complex anesthesia procedures, and critical care management, underpinned by a solid emergency medicine foundation gained since 2001. His hands-on experience with ultrasound-guided interventions, vagal modulation therapies, and autonomic diagnostics directly informs his research into the pathophysiology of post-viral syndromes. The integration of clinical insight and scientific exploration marks him as a dual-domain expert, fostering new therapeutic approaches rooted in both laboratory evidence and patient outcomes.

Research Focus:

Dr. Leitzke’s research centers on cholinergic neurotransmission and its impairment in acute and chronic post-viral conditions, particularly Long COVID. His central hypothesis suggests that autonomic dysfunction and neuromodulatory imbalance—specifically, disruption of the vagus nerve and acetylcholine pathways—underlie many post-viral symptoms. Through translational models using animal studies and human imaging, he explores therapeutic modulation, including vagal nerve stimulation and nicotine administration, to restore autonomic balance. His research extends to the role of NF-κB activation in COVID-19-associated coagulopathy, suggesting molecular pathways that link inflammation, clotting, and neuroimmune dysfunction. A hallmark of his work is the use of advanced imaging techniques (e.g., PET scans) to quantify cerebral receptor activity, particularly α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. This integrative and experimental approach offers new perspectives on diagnostics and treatment in neuroimmune conditions, making his work highly relevant to both the scientific and medical communities in the era of post-COVID syndromes.

Publications Top Notes:

  1. 📖 Long COVID – A Critical Disruption of Cholinergic Neurotransmission? (Springer Nature, 2025)

  2. 📖 Is the Post-COVID-19 Syndrome a Severe Impairment of Acetylcholine-Orchestrated Neuromodulation That Responds to Nicotine Administration? (Springer Nature, 2023)

  3. 🏅 COVID-19 – The Ultimate NF-κB Rush and the Crucial Importance of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors (Poster Award, Long COVID Congress, 2022)

  4. 🔬 Experimental Design for PET Detection of α7nAChR Under Gastric Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Piglets (DAS PLUS AN SCHUTZ, 2022)

  5. 🧠 The Viral Accelerated NF-κB Pathway and COVID-19-Associated Coagulopathy – A Case Report (Fortune Journals, 2021)

  6. 🧪 Afferent Vagal Stimulation via Gastric Electrical Stimulation Alters Sympathetic-Vagal Balance in Pigs – A Pilot Trial (Journal of Biological Regulators, 2021)

  7. ⚖️ Autonomic Balance Determines the Severity of COVID-19 Courses (Springer Nature, 2020)

  8. 🧮 A Semi-Automated Algorithm for Hypothalamus Volumetry in 3 Tesla MRI (Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 2018)

  9. 🧬 Image-Derived Input Function for (-)-[18F]Flubatine Using a Digital PET System (European Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2024)

  10. 💊 What Is the Impact of Nicotine on the Post-COVID-19 Syndrome? – A Case Series (Preprint, 2025)

Conclusion:

Dr. Marco Leitzke is a highly deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award due to his pioneering contributions to understanding and treating Long COVID and neuroimmune disorders. His strong publication record, interdisciplinary approach, and clinical insight mark him as a leading figure in his field. With enhanced international collaboration and clinical validation of his findings, his impact could be even greater. Overall, his research is timely, innovative, and of substantial scientific and societal importance.

Xiaoyan Wang | Immunology Cellular Interactions | Best Paper Award

Published on by Cell Biologist

Ms. Xiaoyan Wang | Immunology Cellular Interactions | Best Paper Award

Ms. Xiaoyan Wang | Fudan University | China

Dr. Xiaoyan Wang is a dedicated cardiologist and postdoctoral fellow at Fudan University with a strong background in both clinical practice and cardiovascular research. With over a decade of academic training and medical experience, she has built expertise in ventricular remodeling, percutaneous coronary interventions, and immune responses in heart diseases. Under the mentorship of esteemed scholars such as Dr. Yunzeng Zou and Academician Yaling Han, she has published extensively in high-impact journals, reflecting her commitment to scientific advancement. Dr. Wang is currently a scholar in Harvard Medical School’s Global Clinical Scholars Research Training program and also serves as a section editor for the AME Clinical Trials Review. She actively contributes to academic communities, notably by organizing the “Excellent Academic Research Communication Club.” Her work bridges translational medicine and clinical application, aiming to improve cardiovascular patient outcomes through innovative, evidence-based approaches.

Publication Profile: 

Scopus

✅ Strengths for the Award:

  1. Outstanding Academic Credentials: Dr. Wang has earned her PhD from the prestigious Fudan University and is currently in the Harvard Medical School’s Global Clinical Scholars Research Training Program, signaling a top-tier academic and global research profile.

  2. Dual Research Strength in Basic and Clinical Sciences: She demonstrates an exceptional ability to bridge molecular mechanisms (e.g., immune pathways, cGAS-STING, miRNAs, circular RNAs) with clinical relevance (e.g., myocardial infarction prognosis, anemia impact in PCI), making her work highly translational.

  3. High-Impact Publications: First-author or co-first-author in peer-reviewed journals such as Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, Angiology, and Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, with publications tackling cutting-edge cardiovascular topics.

  4. Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Focus: Contributions across institutions and disciplines—partnering with bioinformaticians, clinicians, and molecular scientists—demonstrate strong collaboration skills.

  5. Recognition & Editorial Role: Multiple awards (CPSF Fellowship, Super Postdoc at Fudan) and an editorial position at AME Clinical Trials Review show leadership and peer acknowledgment.

🛠️ Areas for Improvement:

  1. More First-Author Lead on Recent Papers: Although she holds strong co-first authorships and collaborative contributions, maintaining or increasing sole first-author outputs on impactful papers would further strengthen individual scholarly identity.

  2. Increased International Conference Visibility: While she has presented at JCS, continued or expanded visibility in global cardiovascular congresses (e.g., AHA, ESC, ACC) would enhance recognition.

  3. Grant Leadership: Future grant applications as a principal investigator (rather than team member) could affirm her leadership in project design and execution.

🎓 Education :

Dr. Xiaoyan Wang holds a Ph.D. from Fudan University’s Zhongshan Hospital (2016–2019), where she conducted fundamental research on ventricular remodeling under Dr. Yunzeng Zou’s mentorship, supported by prestigious national fellowships. She earned her Master’s degree from Dalian Medical University (2013–2016), focusing on clinical research in percutaneous coronary intervention, under Academician Yaling Han. Her academic foundation was laid with a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine from Fujian Medical University (2007–2012). Currently, she is advancing her research and clinical skills in the prestigious Global Clinical Scholars Research Training Program at Harvard Medical School (2024–2025), blending in-person and online modules. Her multi-tiered education reflects a deep integration of basic science, translational medicine, and clinical practice in cardiovascular health, equipping her to lead high-impact research and patient care initiatives.

💼 Experience:

Dr. Wang is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Fudan University (since 09/2023), working under Prof. Yunzeng Zou. She is also the organizer of the Excellent Academic Research Communication Club, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue. From 07/2022 to 07/2023, she served as a cardiologist at Shanghai Jiaotong University’s Ruijin Hospital, and from 2019 to 2022, as a resident in internal medicine at Zhongshan Hospital. In 2024, she began contributing as a section editor for AME Clinical Trials Review, enhancing the quality and visibility of clinical trial research. Her experience spans clinical cardiology, postdoctoral research, editorial responsibilities, and academic leadership. These roles have solidified her ability to translate scientific knowledge into medical practice, particularly in the cardiovascular field.

🏆 Awards & Honors:

Dr. Wang has received numerous accolades recognizing her academic excellence and research impact. In 2023, she was awarded both the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (CPSF) and the prestigious Super Postdoctoral Fellowship of Fudan University, underscoring her leadership in postdoctoral research. Her communication and writing skills were acknowledged with the Third Prize in the 8th “Buchang Cup” Young Physician Essay Contest (2019). She also presented Late Breaking Cohort Studies at the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS) Annual Meeting 2019, reflecting international recognition of her scientific contributions. These honors reflect her potential as a rising leader in cardiovascular medicine and support her suitability for the Best Paper Award.

🔬 Research Focus :

Dr. Wang’s research focuses on cardiovascular disease mechanisms, particularly immune system regulation, ventricular remodeling, and the molecular basis of heart failure. Her Ph.D. and postdoctoral studies have addressed the cGAS-STING pathway, miRNA biomarkers, circular RNAs, and inflammation-related signaling in cardiovascular dysfunction. She has also explored clinical prognostic models, such as CHA2DS2-VASc scoring, and interventions including left atrial appendage occlusion and shock wave therapy for ischemic cardiomyopathy. Her dual interest in basic science and clinical outcomes allows her to design translational research that bridges laboratory findings and therapeutic advancements. With a strong publication record and ongoing involvement in global research training at Harvard Medical School, her work aims to inform precision medicine strategies in cardiology.

📚 Publication Titles Top Notes:

  1. 🧠 The immune system in cardiovascular diseases: from basic mechanisms to therapeutic implications

  2. 🔗 The connection of immune response and cGAS-STING pathway in cardiovascular disease

  3. 🐭 Left ventricular response in hypertrophy-to-failure transition: roles of Akt, β-arrestin-2, and CaMKII

  4. 💉 Circulating miRNAs in hypertension: diagnostic value and bioinformatics analysis

  5. 🧪 Galectin-3 inhibition improves endothelial progenitor function via autophagy suppression

  6. 🔄 Circular RNA in cardiovascular disease

📌 Conclusion:

Dr. Xiaoyan Wang is highly suitable for the Research for Best Paper Award. Her profile reflects a rare and valuable integration of basic cardiovascular science and clinical innovation, with high-impact, well-cited publications and ongoing international training. Her trajectory, marked by excellence, discipline, and collaborative leadership, meets and exceeds the criteria for this award.