Mayo Clinic honors Indivumed Co-founder Prof. Peter Layer
A pioneer in gastroenterology, professor emeritus at the University of Hamburg, former medical director of Israelitic Hospital and Co-Founder of Indivumed in 2002, Prof. Layer has shaped national guidelines, advanced GI research, and mentored countless clinicians and scientists. This prestigious award, established by Mayo Clinic in 1981, honors alumni whose contributions to medicine are exceptional and internationally recognized with lasting impact on science, patient care, and education. We are proud to have him among our shareholders being a distinct scientific advisor and to share this achievement with all of you.
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Peter Layer, M.D., Ph.D., receives Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award
ROCHESTER, MN — The Mayo Clinic Alumni Association is pleased to announce that Peter Layer, M.D., Ph.D., has won a Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award.
The Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 1981 by the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees to acknowledge and show appreciation for the exceptional contributions of Mayo alumni to the field of medicine, including medical practice, research, education, and administration. Individuals receiving this award are recognized nationally — and often internationally — in their field.
Dr. Layer is the former medical director of the Israelitic Hospital and an emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany. He is recognized as a leading German gastroenterologist of his generation, with research that has greatly enhanced the understanding of pancreatic physiology and pathophysiology.
With hundreds of published articles and abstracts, Dr. Layer’s research projects have illuminated the diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as acute and chronic pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and functional and motility disorders of the small and large intestine, among many others. His research contributions include a landmark epidemiological study on chronic pancreatitis and investigations into the control mechanisms of gastric and intestinal motility.
Dr. Layer has published in and served as a reviewer or editorial board member of major international journals such as Pancreatology, Gut and Gastroenterology. He repeatedly contributed to German national guidelines for pancreatic and motility disorders and was lead author on national guidelines for managing irritable bowel syndrome.
During his time as physician-in-chief and medical director at Israelitic Hospital, Dr. Layer played a crucial role in developing the hospital into one of the leading clinical and academic GI institutions in Germany, as evidenced by the hospital’s top rankings in national surveys. He has served as treasurer and president of the German Gastroenterological Society and is credited with transforming the society into a financially viable operation during his tenure as treasurer.
Dr. Layer has demonstrated an enormous talent and vigorous approach in clinical activities, administering patient care and endoscopic management. Throughout his time as medical director of the Israelitic Hospital, he taught, supervised, coached and mentored his team of over 30 colleagues, and consistently helped propel his mentees to greater career success. His many awards include the Presidential Award of the American Gastroenterological Association and the European Association of Gastroenterology Scientific Award.
The other 2025 recipients of the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award are:
- Thomas Brott, M.D. — Dr. Brott is a professor of neurology and consultant in the Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Florida, as well as the emeritus Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Professor of Neurosciences.
- Richard Ehman, M.D. — Dr. Ehman is a consultant in the Department of Radiology, a professor of radiology and the Blanche R. and Richard J. Erlanger Professor of Medical Research at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
- Herbert Gaisano, M.D. — Dr. Gaisano is a professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Toronto, a staff physician in the Division of Gastroenterology in the University Health Network, and a senior scientist at Toronto General Research Institute.
- Raymond Gibbons, M.D. — Dr. Gibbons is an emeritus professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a retired consultant in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
- Allan Jaffe, M.D. — Dr. Jaffe is a consultant in the Division of Ischemic Heart Disease and Critical Care and the Wayne and Kathryn Preisel Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Research at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, as well as professor of medicine and professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
- David Lee, M.D. — Dr. Lee is a professor of ophthalmology and the Susan and Richard Anderson Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology at McGovern Medical School in the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
- Eric Matteson, M.D. — Dr. Matteson is an emeritus professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a retired consultant in the Division of Rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
- Vladimir Parpura, M.D., Ph.D. — Dr. Parpura is a distinguished professor and director of the International Translational Neuroscience Research Institute at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou, China.
- Vicente Torres, M.D., Ph.D. — Dr. Torres is a consultant in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He is also a professor of medicine and the Robert M. and Billie J. Pirnie Professor of Kidney Disease Research in Honor of Michael J. Krowka, M.D.
About the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association
The Mayo Clinic Alumni Association was incorporated in 1915 with a mission to connect our alumni and bring Mayo Clinic values to the world. The association serves more than 32,800 alumni who live and work in over 80 countries.
About Mayo Clinic
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Media contact: Lisa Speckhard-Pasque, Senior Communications Specialist, Alumni Relations, pasque.elisabeth@mayo.edu