Dr. med. Jan K. Hennigs

After his studies, his medical path led him from 2012 for four years to the renowned Stanford University School of Medicine. There he researched and taught on cardiovascular and lung diseases at the Cardiovascular Institute and Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease – supported by a DFG research fellowship and a fellowship from the American Heart Association. Back in Germany, he completed his specialist training in internal medicine & pulmonology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), where he was most recently involved as a senior physician and significantly contributed to the expansion of the pulmonology department: He founded his own research group to investigate the causes of vascular diseases and new (genetic) therapeutic approaches and gained broad experience in the clinical care of rare diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, and severe asthma. In addition, from May 2020, he led what was probably the first specialist consultation for the consequences of COVID-19 in Germany. With over 120 scientific publications – including in top journals such as “Science Advances”, “Cell Metabolism”, or “Circulation” – he is one of the most distinguished figures in the field of translational medicine and has been awarded multiple prestigious prizes for his research. Despite all these scientific successes, one experience from everyday clinical practice remained formative: “Many of our patients only came when there was hardly any room for maneuver left. Be it with advanced heart failure, chronic lung disease, or cognitive impairments”. Many severe courses could have been prevented by good preventive medicine,” Dr. Hennigs is sure.

Exactly this insight – too little prevention, too many late reactions – was the starting point for YEARS: a scalable clinic concept that implements prevention in a structured, comprehensive, and patient-centered manner. The first clinic, opened in October 2024, covers 768 square meters and offers each client a private room for diagnostics in a quiet, private atmosphere. This is complemented by state-of-the-art diagnostics and coaching rooms, an in-house research laboratory, and open lounge areas with views over the rooftops of Berlin. The core of the concept is evidence-based medicine, lifestyle intervention coaching, and research – all these services are provided on-site outpatiently. The interdisciplinary team led by Dr. Hennigs currently includes 15 employees, including medical assistants, scientific staff, and five cooperating specialists in the fields of internal medicine with specializations in gastroenterology, cardiology, and nutritional medicine. However, YEARS sees itself not only as a clinic but as a platform for new medicine – one that starts early, is individually accompanied, and is scientifically based. The name “YEARS” does not stand for an acronym but symbolizes the goal: more healthy years of life. Unlike the inflationary used term “longevity”, which is often associated with questionable promises, YEARS pursues a strictly evidence-based approach. Patients should not only benefit in the short term but become part of a long-term change in personal as well as systemic healthcare: Upon request, the collected data can also be made available for research on healthy aging.

But what exactly can patients expect from this concentrated medical expertise? “Those who come to us benefit from a comprehensive health check, compactly carried out in one day,” explains the specialist. In addition to classic examination methods such as blood and urine analysis, heart-lung stress tests, ultrasound of vital organs, the latest procedures such as AI-assisted skin and retinal imaging, 3D body scans, neurocognitive analyses, comprehensive vision and hearing tests, balance, strength, and bone density measurements, as well as extended blood profiles including experimental markers, are used. Another benefit is the fully digitized patient record, which enables seamless documentation and tracking as well as AI-supported analyses. “The goal is to identify risks early – before symptoms occur – and to create a concrete, actionable plan for more healthy years of life,” says the doctor. “This combination of the latest diagnostics, individual coaching on nutrition, sleep, and sports, and medically validated prevention is unique in Europe.”

And who now comes to his practice? “Most often, it is health-conscious middle-aged people, with men and women being equally balanced here. But also people with a family history or indicators pointing to various possible diseases.” In general, more and more people see the benefit of proactive medical care and place themselves in the competent hands of the high-class physician. He places special value on communicating with patients on an equal footing, because “only with enough time, understandable and honest information can the best-fitting prevention program be individually determined,” emphasizes the specialist.

YEARS offers three clearly structured prevention programs: CORE® is the solid basic package for those seeking a well-founded health analysis with real added value compared to regular check-ups. Combined with a detailed medical consultation, a precise risk profile is created that forms the basis for specific recommendations. In many cases, these medical services are reimbursed by private health insurers. For those who want to delve deeper, EVOLVE® is suitable. In addition to the CORE program, research-based approaches such as a genetic lifestyle analysis, a gut microbiome screening, a proprietary whole-body MRI, and a liquid biopsy are used. The comprehensive premium program ULTIMATE® takes care of people continuously investing in their health with research-based diagnostics, intensive support, and individual care. For Dr. Hennigs, these are so-called high-commitment patients who want a rapid transfer of research results into clinical practice.

All programs share a structured medical discussion of findings, where all results are explained in detail, individual risks are transparently highlighted, and specific health goals are defined. YEARS sees itself not as a one-time check-up clinic but as a long-term health companion: diagnostics, recommendations, and progress monitoring are continuously adapted to the changing risk profiles. The accompanying care can be provided directly at YEARS or easily in cooperation with the family doctor or specialist. What does Dr. Hennigs advise every patient? “At least every two years, ideally annually for follow-up examination – only then can we act in time and set the course for a healthy life.”

But regardless of whether as a preventive-minded person, health-conscious executive, or chronically predisposed patient: At the YEARS clinic, modern diagnostics, clinical experience, and individual advice meet on an equal footing. The result: medicine that does not wait for symptoms – but actively shapes the future.

YEARS relies on an integrative spectrum of modern preventive and companion medicine. This includes:

• Laboratory and biomarker analytics: comprehensive blood and urine profiles, advanced panels with innovative biomarkers, multi-omics analyses (genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, microbiome)
• Imaging: Ultrasound of all relevant organ systems, whole-body MRIs, AI-assisted skin and retinal diagnostics, 3D body scans
• Functional diagnostics: including heart-lung tests at rest and under stress, blood pressure, ECG, heart rate variability, spiroergometry, respiratory muscle function, hearing and vision tests, bone density measurement
• Cardiometabolic prevention: structured risk stratification (e.g., oral glucose tolerance test and fatty acid profile) with individual therapy planning
• Pharmacotherapy: if necessary, initiation or optimization of evidence-based preventive medication measures in close coordination with the general practitioner and/or specialist
• Lifestyle medicine coaching: Nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management
• Long-term support: regular check-ups, monitoring, and interdisciplinary cooperation with general practitioners and specialists