Register or Submit a manuscript.
Quick Link
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine

(ISSN 2573-4393)

OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine is an international peer-reviewed Open Access journal published quarterly online by LIDSEN Publishing Inc. It covers all evidence-based scientific studies on integrative, alternative and complementary approaches to improving health and wellness.

Topics contain but are not limited to:

  • Acupuncture
  • Acupressure
  • Acupotomy
  • Bioelectromagnetics applications
  • Pharmacological and biological treatments including their efficacy and safety
  • Diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes
  • Herbal medicine
  • Homeopathy
  • Manual healing methods (e.g., massage, physical therapy)
  • Kinesiology
  • Mind/body interventions
  • Preventive medicine
  • Research in integrative medicine
  • Education in integrative medicine
  • Related policies

The journal publishes a variety of article types: Original Research, Review, Communication, Opinion, Comment, Conference Report, Technical Note, Book Review, etc.

There is no restriction on paper length, provided that the text is concise and comprehensive. Authors should present their results in as much detail as possible, as reviewers are encouraged to emphasize scientific rigor and reproducibility.

Publication Speed (median values for papers published in 2024): Submission to First Decision: 6.8 weeks; Submission to Acceptance: 14.3 weeks; Acceptance to Publication: 6 days (1-2 days of FREE language polishing included)

Current Issue: 2025  Archive: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Open Access Editorial

In the Mirror of the Past, in the Light of the Future: The ISLA – A President Looks Back and Forward

Gerhard Litscher *

  1. Swiss University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, High-Tech Acupuncture and Digital Chinese Medicine, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland; President of the International Society for Medical Laser Applications (ISLA transcontinental; since 2012), German Vice President of the German-Chinese Research Foundation (DCFG) for TCM (since 2014), Vice Chairperson, World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, Committee of Card. Rehab. (2023-2028), Honorary President of the European Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies, Honorary President of the American Society for Laser Acupuncture Therapy (ASLAT); Honorary Professor of China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Former Head of two Research Units and the TCM Research Center at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, Europe

* Correspondence: Gerhard Litscher

Special Issue: Photobiomodulation: Past, Present and Future

Received: June 15, 2025 | Accepted: June 18, 2025 | Published: June 18, 2025

OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2025, Volume 10, Issue 2, doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2502024

Recommended citation: Litscher G. In the Mirror of the Past, in the Light of the Future: The ISLA – A President Looks Back and Forward. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2025; 10(2): 024; doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2502024.

© 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is correctly cited.

Abstract

This editorial for the 27th ISLA Congress in Beverungen in Germany reflects on the development, achievements, and challenges of the International Society for Medical Laser Applications (ISLA-transcontinental) from the perspective of its President for Science and Research, Univ.-Prof. DDr. Gerhard Litscher. It reviews the organization’s milestones and growth while outlining future strategies for innovation, research, and international collaboration in medical laser technologies. The full keynote presentation is available at the end of the editorial.

Keywords

ISLA, International Society for Medical Laser Applications; medical laser; laser technology; medical innovation; interdisciplinary cooperation; international research; laser medicine; laser acupuncture; scientific strategy; photodynamic therapy; ISLA congress

1. Looking Back: How It All Began

The story of the International Society for Medical Laser Applications (ISLA-transcontinental) has been shaped by vision, scientific curiosity, and a commitment to progress. What began as interdisciplinary meetings evolved over the years into a globally connected platform for innovation in medical laser applications. From the start, ISLA was more than just a professional society—it was a driving force for research, a hub for collaboration, and a home for transformative ideas.

Numerous milestones marked our path, including international congresses, groundbreaking research collaborations, the clinical implementation of new methods, and the development of a growing network of experts. Looking back, it became clear how much the integration of basic research, clinical application, and global cooperation had contributed to our success.

2. The 27th ISLA Congress: A Global Statement

The 27th ISLA Congress, held in Beverungen, Germany, represented another significant milestone. Experts from 26 countries and regions across six continents gathered to share new insights, technologies, and clinical experiences. This international diversity was not only impressive but also a powerful symbol of how globally relevant medical laser technology had become.

The atmosphere of the congress was shaped by openness, mutual respect, and scientific enthusiasm. Physicians, researchers, developers, students, and partners from a wide range of disciplines came together to generate new ideas and shape the future of our field.

3. At the Heart of Progress: The Medical Laser

Medical lasers have become indispensable in modern healthcare, from precision surgery and minimally invasive procedures to oncology, diagnostics, and pain therapy. Recent years have demonstrated the rapid development of this field and the crucial role of scientific guidance in ensuring safe and effective implementation.

ISLA played a central role in this progress through research, education, standardization, and the publication of international findings. This congress once again demonstrated how the union of research and clinical practice is key to innovation in laser medicine.

4. Shaping the Future: Strategies and Vision

In my keynote speech, I not only offered a retrospective but also presented a forward-looking roadmap for ISLA. Our future strategy rested on three core pillars:

  • Promoting young scientific talent,
  • Strengthening international and interdisciplinary scientific collaboration,
  • Expanding scientific evidence-based clinical applications of medical laser technologies.

These goals were designed to position ISLA as a global leader in the field of medical laser applications — one that is scientifically rigorous, globally connected, and committed to sustainable innovation.

5. Gratitude and Outlook

My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who made this congress possible — the organizing team, the inspiring speakers, our sponsors, and above all, the participants whose contributions brought the event to life.

ISLA remains a place where scientific expertise drives progress, fostered by shared responsibility, open dialogue, and a clear scientific focus on the future.

6. Full Keynote Presentation of Gerhard Litscher, ISLA President for Science and Research

The full keynote presentation, “In the Mirror of the Past, in the Light of the Future: The ISLA – A President Looks Back and Forward”, delivered by Gerhard Litscher (Figure 1) at the official opening of the 27th ISLA Congress, is available [here].

 

Click to view original image

Figure 1 Gerhard Litscher, President for Science and Research of ISLA. Prof. Litscher delivered one opening keynote at the 27th ISLA Congress. His full presentation is available at the link above.

The following impressions from the 27th ISLA Congress (Figures 2–5) provide visual highlights of the event and are presented with permission and copyright © G. Litscher.

Click to view original image

Figure 2 Participants from over 26 countries attended the official opening in the City hall Beverungen in Germany.

Click to view original image

Figure 3 Keynote Lecture by Univ.-Prof. DDr. Gerhard Litscher. The ISLA President for Science and Research from Austria presents the keynote address: “In the Mirror of the Past, in the Light of the Future: The ISLA – A President Looks Back and Forward” [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51].

Click to view original image

Figure 4 Interdisciplinary Discussion. Experts from medicine, engineering, and research institutions exchange insights on current and future trends in laser medicine.

Click to view original image

Figure 5 Accompanying Program and Networking Area. Young researchers and professionals discussed innovative projects and exchanged ideas in an informal and interactive setting.

Author Contributions

The author did all the research work for this study.

Funding

No financial support.

Competing Interests

The author hereby declares that no conflict of interests exists in connection with the publication of this editorial.

References

  1. Litscher G. Innovation in medicine. Medicines. 2014; 1: 1-2. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  2. Litscher G, Litscher D, Ofner M, Gaischek I, Malliga DE. Temperature measurements in rehabilitation in patients with completely ruptured anterior cruciate ligament before and after regentK and physiotherapy. Medicines. 2014; 1: 12-21. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  3. Litscher G, Litscher D, Ofner M, Gaischek I, Malliga DE. RegentK and physiotherapy—Electrodermal mapping. Medicines. 2014; 1: 22-31. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  4. Wang G, Litscher D, Tian Y, Gaischek I, Jia S, Wang L, et al. Acupoint activation: Response in microcirculation and the role of mast cells. Medicines. 2014; 1: 56-63. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  5. Litscher G. Sino-Austrian high-tech acupuncture network—Annual report 2014. Medicines. 2015; 2: 1-10. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  6. Litscher G. Announcing the 2017 medicines travel award for PostDocs. Medicines. 2017; 4: 4. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  7. Litscher G. Sino-Austrian high-tech acupuncture network—Annual report 2016. Medicines. 2017; 4: 11. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  8. Litscher G. Sino-Austrian high-tech acupuncture network—Annual report 2015. Medicines. 2017; 4: 13. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  9. Quah-Smith I, Litscher G, Rong P, Oleson T, Stanton G, Pock A, et al. Report from the 9th International Symposium on Auriculotherapy held in Singapore, 10–12 August 2017. Medicines. 2017; 4: 46. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  10. Litscher G, Mei X. Report from the BIT’s 4th Annual World Congress of High-Tech Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine held in Xi’an, China, 25–27 September 2017. Medicines. 2017; 4: 76. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  11. Litscher G, Mei X. Report from the BIT’s 1st Annual World Congress of Biomedical Engineering held in Xi’an, China, 9–11 November 2017. Medicines. 2017; 4: 83. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  12. Litscher G. Sino-Austrian high-tech acupuncture network: Annual report 2017. Medicines. 2018; 5: 5. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  13. Litscher G. Announcing the 2018 medicines travel award for PostDocs. Medicines. 2018; 5: 9. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  14. Litscher G. Laser acupuncture and heart rate variability—Scientific considerations. Medicines. 2018; 5: 43. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  15. Lim TK, Ma Y, Berger F, Litscher G. Acupuncture and neural mechanism in the management of low back pain—An update. Medicines. 2018; 5: 63. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  16. Litscher G. Laser acupuncture research: China, Austria, and other countries—Update 2018. Medicines. 2018; 5: 92. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  17. Shang X, Chen L, Litscher G, Sun Y, Pan C, Liu CZ, et al. Acupuncture and lifestyle myopia in primary school children—Results from a transcontinental pilot study performed in comparison to moxibustion. Medicines. 2018; 5: 95. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  18. Litscher G. Transcranial laser stimulation research—A new helmet and first data from near infrared spectroscopy. Medicines. 2018; 5: 97. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  19. Litscher G. Introduction to the medicines special issue on acupuncture—Basic research and clinical application. Medicines. 2018; 5: 99. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  20. Litscher G. Definition of laser acupuncture and all kinds of photo acupuncture. Medicines. 2018; 5: 117. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  21. Litscher G, Yannacopoulos T, Kreisl P. Nogier reflex: Physiological and experimental results in auricular medicine–A new hypothesis. Medicines. 2018; 5: 132. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  22. Litscher G. Brain photobiomodulation—Preliminary results from regional cerebral oximetry and thermal imaging. Medicines. 2019; 6: 11. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  23. Litscher G. Announcing the 2019 medicines travel award for PostDocs. Medicines. 2019; 6: 30. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  24. Litscher G. Ear acupuncture according to the NADA (national acupuncture detoxification association). Medicines. 2019; 6: 44. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  25. Lan KC, Litscher G. Robot-controlled acupuncture—An innovative step towards modernization of the ancient traditional medical treatment method. Medicines. 2019; 6: 87. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  26. Litscher G, Zhang X, Sheng Z, Jing XH, Wang L. Multimodal laser stimulation and traditional needle acupuncture in post-stroke patients—A pilot cross-over study with results from near infrared spectroscopy. Medicines. 2019; 6: 115. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  27. Lan KC, Litscher G, Hung TH. Traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis on a smartphone using skin impedance at acupoints: A feasibility study. Sensors. 2020; 20: 4618. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  28. Ailioaie LM, Litscher G. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of arthritis in children and adults: New perspectives on applied photobiomodulation. Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21: 6565. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  29. Ailioaie LM, Litscher G. Curcumin and photobiomodulation in chronic viral hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21: 7150. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  30. Ailioaie LM, Litscher G. Probiotics, photobiomodulation, and disease management: Controversies and challenges. Int J Mol Sci. 2021; 22: 4942. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  31. Litscher G, Ailioaie LM. Comments on new integrative photomedicine equipment for photobiomodulation and COVID-19. Photonics. 2021; 8: 303. [CrossRef] [Google scholar]
  32. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Latest innovations and nanotechnologies with curcumin as a nature-inspired photosensitizer applied in the photodynamic therapy of cancer. Pharmaceutics. 2021; 13: 1562. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  33. Litscher G. Integrative medicine—Acupuncture on yourself? Sci. 2021; 3: 43. [CrossRef] [Google scholar]
  34. Ailioaie LM, Litscher G. Photobiomodulation and sports: Results of a narrative review. Life. 2021; 11: 1339. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  35. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2022; 23: 4268. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  36. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G, Chiran DA. Celiac disease and targeting the molecular mechanisms of autoimmunity in COVID pandemic. Int J Mol Sci. 2022; 23: 7719. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  37. Preis E, Wojcik M, Litscher G, Bakowsky U. Editorial on the “Special issue in honor of Dr. Michael Weber’s 70th birthday: Photodynamic therapy: Rising star in pharmaceutical applications”. Pharmaceutics. 2022; 14: 1786. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  38. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Light as a cure in COVID-19: A challenge for medicine. Photonics. 2022; 9: 686. [CrossRef] [Google scholar]
  39. Litscher G. Integrative medicine and helmet constructions—A feature article about milestones and perspectives. Sci. 2022; 4: 38. [CrossRef] [Google scholar]
  40. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Biomarkers in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, macrophage activation syndrome and their importance in COVID era. Int J Mol Sci. 2022; 23: 12757. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  41. Litscher G. The future of laser acupuncture—Robot-assisted laser stimulation and evaluation. Life. 2022; 13: 96. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  42. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Photobiomodulation in Alzheimer’s disease—A complementary method to state-of-the-art pharmaceutical formulations and nanomedicine? Pharmaceutics. 2023; 15: 916. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  43. Chen YL, Lan KC, Hou MC, Tsai HH, Litscher G. Reflex Auriculo-Cardiac (RAC) induced by auricular laser and needle acupuncture: New case results using a smartphone. Life. 2023; 13: 853. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  44. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Synergistic nanomedicine: Photodynamic, photothermal and photoimmune therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: Fulfilling the Myth of Prometheus? Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24: 8308. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  45. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Infection, dysbiosis and inflammation interplay in the COVID era in children. Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24: 10874. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  46. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Gut microbiota and mitochondria: Health and pathophysiological aspects of long COVID. Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24: 17198. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  47. Bai L, Litscher G, Li X. The effect of xanthine oxidase inhibitors in the prevention and treatment of stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2024; 11: 409. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  48. Litscher G. The global economics of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine—A strategic and financial perspective. Sci. 2025; 7: 4. [CrossRef] [Google scholar]
  49. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Fighting cancer with photodynamic therapy and nanotechnologies: Current challenges and future directions. Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26: 2969. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
  50. Ailioaie LM, Ailioaie C, Litscher G. Next-generation cancer treatment: Photoimmunotherapy’s promise for unresectable head and neck cancers. Pharmaceutics. 2025; 17: 716. [CrossRef] [Google scholar]
  51. Peng X, Wu B, Zhou S, Xu Y, Ogihara A, Nishimura S, et al. Integrating acupuncture and herbal medicine into assisted reproductive technology: A systematic review and meta-analysis of east Asian traditional medicine. Healthcare. 2025; 13: 1326. [CrossRef] [Google scholar] [PubMed]
Newsletter
Download PDF Supplementary File Download Citation
0 0
Newsletter  

TOP