Keynote Speakers
Dr. Mazin Al-Khafaji
Mazin is a master herbalist and recognised as one of the leading clinicians and teachers in the field of dermatology and Chinese medicine. Over the past three decades he has taught his successful and innovative approach to clinical practice to thousands of students worldwide.
Prof. Gerhard Litscher
Gerhard Litscher is a Full Professor at the Swiss University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, specializing in High-Tech Acupuncture and Digital Chinese Medicine. Since 2012, he serves as President of the International Society for Medical Laser Applications and holds leading roles in the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies and the World Association for Photobiomodulation Therapy. He also acts as an acupuncture expert for the World Health Organization and is Honorary President of several scientific societies in America, Europe, and China. From 2005 to 2023, he led major research units at the Medical University of Graz and founded the TCM Research Center.
He holds doctorates in Technical and Medical Sciences, received an honorary doctorate in TCM in 2025, and was appointed Distinguished Honorary Professor at the Macau Wang Qi Academy, Macau University of Science and Technology in 2026. With numerous publications and high citation impact, he is recognized as a leading researcher in complementary medicine.
Prof. Guanhu Yang
Guanhu Yang is affiliated with the Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, China. His current research focuses on the biological mechanisms of acupuncture, especially the role of exosomes and extracellular vesicles in mediating neuro-immune and endocrine regulation. His recent work explores how acupuncture converts local physical stimulation into systemic molecular signals through exosome-mediated intercellular communication, with applications in neurological, inflammatory, metabolic, and gastrointestinal disorders. He is particularly interested in the modern biological interpretation of acupuncture’s holistic regulatory effects and the translational potential of exosome-based biomarkers and integrative therapeutic strategies.
Distinguished Faculty & Presenters
Aimée Centivany Aurousseau
Aimée Centivany Aurousseau (MPH, MAc) is a clinical professor of Chinese medicine ophthalmology at Five Branches University (USA) and teaches Chinese medicine theory at l’École Ming Tao (France). She combines her expertise in acupuncture and public health to develop innovations in the treatment of eye diseases and vision disorders within the fields of Chinese medicine. Aimée’s research has led to the Eye System theoretical framework, an approach to diagnosis and treatment that integrates evidence-based scientific understandings of sensory perception with important insights regarding eye function as cited in the Neijing and the writings of Li Shizhen.
Dr. Samson Cheung
Dr. Samson Cheung received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California, Davis in 1989. He then served at NASA Ames Research Center in California for thirty years, receiving rigorous training in scientific logic. Driven by a deep love for Chinese culture, he has conducted in-depth research on the “Book of Change; Yijing”, Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny), and Feng Shui. He founded the non-profit organization “School of Yimutology ” (www.yimutology.org) in the San Francisco Bay Area, dedicated to promoting traditional wisdom. Later, he devoted himself to the study of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is currently an Assistant Professor at the Five-Branches College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (www.fivebranches.edu/faculty/all-teaching-faculty/), teaching in both Master’s and Doctoral programs (DAOM), striving to integrate Eastern philosophy and Western science to explore new paradigms in integrative medicine.
Lukas Häne
Lukas Häne has been entitled Associate Doctor of Complementary & Alternative
Medicine (CAM) with the Speciality of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as
CAM instructor with the Speciality of Tai Chi by Dubai Healthcare City. He
obtained a Bachelor of Medicine from Guangzhou University of Chinese
Medicine and has over 20 years of clinical experience as a TCM practitioner and
Tai Chi instructor. He currently is employed with TCM Praxis Deng in
Switzerland and also acts as president of Tai Chi Club Wil.
Eileen Wei Huang
Eileen Wei Huangis a doctoral candidate at Five Branches University in San Jose, California, and a California-licensed acupuncturist with nearly three years of dedicated clinical practice.
With over two decades of experience in a neurological specialty clinic, she possesses an extensive background in neurodiagnostic procedures, with a particular expertise in electroencephalography (EEG). This foundational clinical exposure has driven her deep-seated interest in the mechanisms of brain function and the complexities of neurological disorders.
Her current doctoral research is centered on Alzheimer’s disease, specifically investigating the role of acupuncture in modulating the glymphatic system. Her work aims to elucidate how traditional modalities may enhance brain waste clearance and support the preservation of cognitive function.
Wen-Long Hu
Wen-Long Hu is a senior staff member of the Department of Chinese Medicine at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (KCGMH) and an adjunct professor at Fooyin University and Kaohsiung Medical University. Wen-Long is currently the honorary president of the Taiwan TCM Medical Association and president of the Taiwan Medical Association of Integrative Medicine for Ophthalmology. He has been engaged in clinical practice of laser acupuncture treatment for 32 years and acupuncture clinical practice for 38 years. In 2013 and 2015, he won the first and second prizes for clinical application research results from KCGMH. He is the leader of the Laser Acupuncture Therapy Center at KCGMH, which won the 2021 Symbol of National Quality. He has published five books, 12 book chapters, and 50 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.
Dr. Alissa de Jongh
Dr. Alissa de Jongh (N.D., M.I.W.M.), is an internationally recognized wellness expert, naturopathic doctor, and educator with over 30 years of experience in the beauty and wellness industry. A CIDESCO Diplomat and Professor of Facial Esthetics at Houston City College, she is known for her dynamic, science-meets-holistic approach to skin health.
A sought-after speaker for more than 15 years, Dr. de Jongh specializes in bridging advanced skin science with whole-body wellness, empowering professionals to achieve true “glowing skin from within.” Her postgraduate research focuses on the use of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal therapies as adjunctive care for oncology patients experiencing dermatological side effects.
She is currently completing an advanced Doctorate in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (DAOM) at Five Branches University. In addition to teaching and speaking, she leads a private practice integrating advanced technologies with naturopathic care and is the founder of Glacé Skin Therapy and host of The Glow Therapy Podcast.
Dr. Yingxian Lu
Yingxian Lu received her PhD in Electronic, Photonic and Systems Engineering from Université Paris-Est Marne la Vallée (France) in 2018. She then joined the research group of Prof. Yigong Shi at Tsinghua University (China) to receive postdoctoral training. In 2023, she joined Westlake University as research associate professor.
From 2018, Dr. Lu focused on bio-responses or bio-effects of electromagnetic (EM) stimulations including electrical currents (EC), electric (EF), magnetic (MF), or electromagnetic fields(EMF), electromagnetic waves (EMW), etc. She developed various characterization systems for capturing minute variations of different biological subjects during the mild EM stimulations. During her exploration, she unexpectedly discovered that acupoints show special electrical features and obsess electrical plasticity. Her current research interest is the mechanism of the special electrical properties of acupoints and their electrical plasticity.
Dr. Thomas Meyer,
Thomas Meyer, MA, Dr. phil., is a sports scientist and physical therapist specializing in acupuncture in physical therapy. He developed a distinct approach to Ashi point acupuncture based on pulling palpation of subcutaneous connective tissue, redefining it as a primary diagnostic and therapeutic entry point. His work integrates traditional acupuncture concepts with functional assessment and evidence-informed practice, with applications in sports medicine and musculoskeletal pain.
Dr. Myung-seok Ryu
Dr. Myung-seok Ryu (KMD) is the President of the Korean Medical Society of Acupotomy.
Dr. Ryu is a Korean medicine physician with over 20 years of specialized expertise in acupuncture and acupotomy. He has established an innovative treatment approach called Jeonghyung Acupotomy Therapy, specializing in the treatment of severe and refractory musculoskeletal disorders. He has delivered extensive lectures for practitioners across Korea, North America, and Russia, and is the founder and current President of the Korean Medical Society of Acupotomy.
Dr. Hamdy Shaban
Hamdy Shaban is a clinical nurse with a PhD in Neuroscience and extensive experience in psychiatric, psychosomatic, and neurological care. He has worked in clinical, academic, and research settings across Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, and Kazakhstan. His professional focus combines evidence‑based psychiatric nursing with complementary medical approaches, including Akupressur, TCM‑basierte Methoden, and pain‑modulation techniques. Dr. Shaban teaches anatomy, physiology, and medical sciences at the Swiss TCM Universität and has a strong background in adult education, learning transfer, and intercultural communication. His clinical work in ORS asylum centers emphasizes trauma‑informed care, health education, and preventive interventions. With expertise spanning neuroscience, rehabilitative milieu therapy, and complementary medicine, he integrates Western biomedical knowledge with traditional therapeutic approaches to support patient well‑being and resilience.
Peizheng Shi
Peizheng Shi is a PhD candidate in Clinical and Translational Sciences at the University of Pisa. Her research integrates natural product pharmacology, cancer biology, and metabolic disease mechanisms, with expertise in molecular biology assays, multi‑omics analysis, and target signaling pathway validation. She holds a Master’s degree in Integrative Basic Medicine and has developed both laboratory and computational skills through active involvement in multiple pharmacology research projects on natural products. Peizheng has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in the field.