The Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association (DEBRA) Research and the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Netherlands have announced the launch of a dedicated clinical trial site at the UMCG to study epidermolysis bullosa (EB). EB refers to a group of rare genetic skin disorders. The main symptom of these disorders is extremely fragile skin that causes frequent blisters and wounds, leading to debilitating pain. UMCG is an established leader in the diagnosis and care of EB through its Center of Expertise for Blistering Diseases. The new collaboration and research site will drive EB research and increase the capacity for clinical research into EB. The advantages of specialised trial sites include improved efficiency, greater recruitment and a patient-centric approach generated by centralising expertise within a dedicated location. Dr Marieke C Bolling, head of the Center of Expertise for Blistering Diseases’ EB branch, said: “This support not only enables us to enhance care and research for the patients in our own centre, but also ensures that, through international collaboration, patients in other countries benefit from new insights generated by this process, hopefully leading to a faster and more efficient way of bringing effective therapies to patients.” Dr Bolling has been appointed principal investigator at the new trial site, which will now host both company-sponsored and investigator-initiated trials. International EB initiatives, including the Clinical Trial Network and the upcoming EB Registry, will also be involved with research at the new site. Additionally, DEBRA Research has launched its support for the ‘Core Outcome Sets for Epidermolysis Bullosa (COSEB)’ project. This project, both initiated and led by the team at UMCG, aims to improve the measurement of outcomes in EB studies. An increase in specialised clinical trial capacity, combined with scientific contributions to research on EB, will mark a major development in approaches to this rare and debilitating disorder. Christoph Coch, managing director of DEBRA Research, said: “By strengthening trial capacity in Groningen and supporting global initiatives like COSEB, we are helping create the foundation that researchers, clinicians and industry partners need to deliver meaningful therapeutic progress for the EB community.”

THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2025 — It’s beside the point to debate whether vaping or nicotine pouches can be more healthy than smoking a cigarette, a major new report argues. Nicotine is toxic to the heart and blood vessels regardless of how it’s consumed, according to an expert consensus report published today in the European Heart Journal . “Nicotine is not a harmless stimulant; it is a direct cardiovascular toxin,” said lead researcher Dr. Thomas Münzel , a senior professor of cardiology at University Medical Center at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. “Across cigarettes, vapes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches, we consistently see increased blood pressure, damage to blood vessels and a higher risk of heart disease ,” Münzel said in a news release. “No product that delivers nicotine is safe for the heart.” For the paper, researchers focused specifically on the medical evidence related to nicotine’s effect on heart health. ”Our findings show that nicotine by itself, even without the multitude of toxic combustion products, tar, or free radicals present in cigarette smoke, drives cardiovascular damage,” Münzel said. Toxic effects of nicotine include: Triggering acute increases in heart rate and blood pressure Triggering acute increases in heart rate and blood pressure Impairing the ability of blood vessels to expand and contract as needed Impairing the ability of blood vessels to expand and contract as needed Promoting blood clots, which increases risk of heart attack and stroke Promoting blood clots, which increases risk of heart attack and stroke Causing scarring to the heart Causing scarring to the heart Promoting growth of new blood vessels, which can feed cancers Promoting growth of new blood vessels, which can feed cancers The highly addictive nature of nicotine ensures that all of these toxic effects will be endured repeatedly and over the long term, researchers concluded. “The narrative of ‘safer nicotine’ must end,” Münzel said. “The next heart attack, the next stroke, the next cardiovascular death may not come from a cigarette, but from a flavored pod, a nicotine pouch or a waterpipe in a café.” Senior researcher Thomas Lüscher , a consultant cardiologist with the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals in London, called the new report “a wake-up call for regulators.” “The shift from cigarettes to e-cigarettes and flavored pouches is no effective harm reduction; it is rather a transformation of addiction strategies,” Luscher said. The report calls for a wide variety of regulatory actions aimed at reducing nicotine exposure. “We need political action,” Lüscher continued. “Flavor bans, effective taxation, comprehensive advertising restrictions and the inclusion of vaping and heated tobacco in all smoke-free laws are no longer optional – these are essential measures to prevent cardiovascular disease.” He concluded with this: “Science is clear: the cardiovascular toxicity of nicotine is evidence-based by now. The duty now lies with legislators to protect the public, especially children, from a new epidemic of addiction and disease.” Sources European Society of Cardiology, news release, Dec. 18, 2025

点击蓝字 关注我们 Artisan Lab 博士是硬通货？ 当一家AI制药公司再次获得资本市场的青睐，我们看到的不仅是技术创新，更是高端人才价值的极致彰显。 近日，AI制药公司Lambic Therapeutics宣布完成超额认购融资，规模超1亿美元，参与方包括红杉、卡塔尔投资局等顶级投资机构。引人注目的是，该公司的联合创始人兼首席执行官Tom Miller博士将此次融资视为对团队卓越工作的肯定。 这家公司的成长轨迹——从2021年5300万美元A轮融资，到2023年1亿美元B轮融资，再到本轮融资——折射出一个更深层次的趋势：高学历专业人才正成为驱动前沿科技创新的核心力量。 博士价值 Lambic公司的核心技术在于其AI药物发现平台，该平台能够快速预测药物分子与靶点蛋白质的结合方式，并智能设计更优的候选药物分子。 这一技术的背后，是深度专业知识与前沿技术能力的结合。Tom Miller博士作为公司的掌舵人，不仅需要具备扎实的生物学和医学知识，还要理解人工智能算法的基本原理与应用边界。 IAM1363——Lambic平台成功的首个范例，被设计用于克服当前HER2靶向疗法的局限性，并已进入临床阶段。这种从理论到实践的跨越，正是博士教育的核心价值：培养解决复杂问题的系统思维能力。 在Lambic，博士们不再局限于发表论文，而是直接参与新药研发的全流程，将专业知识转化为挽救生命的实际解决方案。 为何博士成为稀缺资源？ 人工智能等前沿技术与专业领域的深度融合，正在创造对高学历人才的巨大需求。 Lambic的AI平台需要同时理解药物研发的生物学逻辑和人工智能的技术逻辑。这种跨学科的复合型人才，正是博士教育体系最能培养的。 传统的新药研发如同“大海捞针”，耗时漫长且成本高昂。而Lambic的AI技术，就像一个经验极其丰富的“超级科学家”，能够大大缩短临床前研究时间。 这种“超级科学家”系统的构建，离不开真正的科学家——他们既了解科学问题的本质，又能掌握先进的技术工具。博士训练过程中培养的研究能力与创新思维，成为理解并推动这种变革的关键。 随着AI制药领域进入收获期，拥有多条临床管线的Lambic正从一家AI平台公司，向具备强大商业化潜力的生物制药公司迈进。这一转变更需要兼具科研功底与商业视野的领军人才——而这正是当代博士教育日益重视的培养方向。 博士发展趋势 Lambic的案例揭示了博士人才发展的三大趋势： 跨学科能力成为核心优势 现代科技前沿的突破往往发生在学科交叉处。Lambic的成功离不开计算生物学、药物化学与人工智能的深度融合。未来的博士教育将更加注重跨学科能力的培养。 产业导向的研究日益重要博士人才不再局限于学术界，越来越多地成为产业创新的核心力量。他们带着深度研究能力，解决行业内的关键难题，如Lambic攻克药物研发的效率瓶颈。 领导力与商业思维成为必备技能如今的博士毕业生不仅要是领域专家，还需要具备团队管理、战略规划和商业决策能力。Tom Miller博士从科学家到CEO的转型之路，正是这一趋势的生动体现。 ·END· 文字 | Pan 编辑 | Gloria Liu 审核 | Michael Mang ✦ • ✦ 欲了解更多海外科研机会、博士联培项目、博士后、访问学者机会、SCI一区发表机会、国内企业去海外建立实验室、海外项目国内落地等资讯，请扫码添加我的个人微信以咨询！ 往期 · 推荐 ● MIT物理系科研机会/华人教授Shu-Heng Shao ●马普所招收博士生/全额奖学金免学费！ ●史蒂文斯理工学院计算机系科研机会/Wendy Hui Wang教授 ●团队纳新！纽约州立大学布法罗分校生物医学工程系科研机会 / Lin Zhang博士 ●甘农大学工业与系统工程系科研机会/ Longfei Zhou博士 ●斯坦福经济系招募博士/博后/科研助理！邀您共探学术前沿 ●斯坦福统计系博士/博后/科研助理热招中 ●数据科学最前沿/ 哈佛统计系面向全球招募研究型人才 ●哈佛商学院经济/金融学科研机会/ Victoria Ivashina教授 ●斯坦福大学经济学科研机会|Ran Abramitzky教授 ● 斯坦福统计学科研机会/ Emmanuel Candès教授 ● 生物学方向的同学有福啦！美因茨大学顶尖生物团队正在热招中 ● 马普所—引力物理研究所博士奖学项目来啦！博士/博后职位开放 ● 马普所免疫生物学和表观遗传学研究所博士后项目| Nicola lovino实验室 ● QS23 耶鲁大学统计学全奖博士招生 ● 斯坦福能源工程方向招募博士生 ● 哈佛社会学科研机会！实地科研课程开启 ● 宾夕法尼亚大学心理学系博士及研究助理招募！Coren Apicella教授 ● 柏林自由大学2025秋/2026春 生物学博士招生！ ● 宾夕法尼亚大学经济学系博士及科研助理招募| Jeremy Greenwood教授 ● 马普所量子光学研究所全奖博士招生 ● 柏林自由大学2025秋/2026春 计算机博士招生！ ● 港中文数学系科研机会| 博士/科研助理/访问学者招募中 ● 纽约大学语言学博士/科研机会！ ● 约翰霍普金斯大学 经济/金融科研课程正式开启！欢迎报名加入！ ● 马普所生物物理研究所全奖博士招生 ● 牛津大学环境工程线上科研课程开启，欢迎优秀高中生、大学生报名参与！ ● 耶鲁大学戏剧 线上科研课程即将开启！ ● 斯坦福人类学教授科研课程即将开启！ ● 康奈尔大学化学生物系科研机会 ● 纽约大学艺术科学系科研机会| Colette Mazzucelli教授 ● 芝加哥大学比较文学系科研机会！ ● 耶鲁大学 微生物疾病学教授科研课程招募通知 ● 纽约大学市场营销学科研课程即将开启！优秀者可获推荐 ● 新加坡南洋理工大学计算机科学/AI方向博士及RA招募 ● 哥大宏观经济学科研课程即将开始！欢迎优秀高中生、本科生参与 ● 哥大国际法与比较法方向博士及RA招募，同时开设线上科研课程 ● 斯坦福计算机科学暑期科研/远程科研项目即将开始！ ● 2025藤校文科项目集合！戏剧、人类学、政治学、经济学 ● 2025香港、新加坡、英国科研项目开放！覆盖数学、AI、健康科技及航天物理 ● 纽大2025临床口腔科研计划 ● 哥大法学引论科研项目| 零基础解锁法律思维！ ● 新南威尔士大学计算机全奖博士及RA招募 ● UCL对外英语教学 (TESOL）科研项目火热招募中 ● 哥大教授亲授！人格心理学科研项目 ● 密西根安娜堡 微生物+进化生物学双项目科研 ● 哈佛生物医学暑期科研启动！——2025癌症免疫学暑期项目 ● UCL物理系线上科研即将开始| 机器人+机器学习交叉领域 ● 免学费还有月薪？海德堡大学几何+拓扑动力学方向有博士名额！ ● 慕尼黑工业大学(TUM) 细胞生物学、遗传学2026年博士招生，全年可入学！ ● 卡耐基梅隆大学（CMU）机器学习方向博士招生| 全额奖学金支持 ● 慕尼黑工业大学医学微生物学和免疫学全奖博士名额，全年可入学！ ● 全奖+津贴 还有这好事！伦敦国王学院(KCL)经济学博士项目九月初开放 ● 谢菲尔德大学传播学PhD博士项目，全年皆可申请 ● 交互材料PhD机会：莱布尼茨研究所与亚琛工业大学联合培养项目