Dieter Falkenhagen (1942–2015): A Multifaceted Scientist

Abstract

Dieter Falkenhagen was born in 1942 in Dresden, Germany and died in 2015. He specialized in internal medicine and nephrology. Focusing on artificial organ research, he investigated various aspects of the efficacy and safety of hemodialysis and adsorption technologies, including biocompatibility issues related to blood versus surface interactions and the adverse effects of endotoxin contamination. He studied various mathematical models to analyze efficacy and safety, and animal models to help clarify uncertainty issues. Through his studies, adsorbents were developed, resulting in Prometheus, an artificial liver support device. Anticoagulation models, including citrate perfusion, were improved and made safer by his work. He also stepped into bioreactor research to increase efficacy of liver support devices.

The Role of Ionized Calcium and Magnesium in Regional Citrate Anticoagulation and its Impact on Inflammatory Parameters

“…Regional citrate anticoagulation is increasingly applied in extracorporeal therapies due to its safety and effectiveness (1–6, 8–18, 36, 37). Citrate exerts its anticoagulant effect by chelation of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , and has been reported to exhibit effects beyond anticoagulation, such as reduction of complement activation and cellular activation (38).…”

A New Integrated Technique for the Supportive Treatment of Sepsis

“…This paper is dedicated to the former head of our research group, Dieter Falkenhagen (Fig. 7), a multifaceted pioneer in the field of extracorporeal blood purification (21, 22). Dieter Falkenhagen always had a friendly ear for new ideas, and his open-minded, sparkling mentality motivated us in our daily work in the laboratory.…”

Sources of Mortality on Dialysis with an Emphasis on Microemboli

“…The induction of an inflammatory blood membrane interaction is a plausible reason for stress during HD; it may be exacerbated if bacterial toxins are not sufficiently eliminated from the dialysis fluid . Whether shorter, more frequent treatments would be beneficial with regard to this consideration is not apparent.…”