FIRST INFORMATION ON THE XXIX. ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING, JUNE 20th TO JUNE 22nd, 2025

Dear fellow alumni, dear friends,

this summer we will meet in Kaiserslautern, a small city in the Palatinate Forest, that I call home for the last six years. Kaiserslautern is known as K-town to the large American military community that is stationed in the region. The city is undergoing a rather difficult transition from a mainly industrial background (Pfaff sewing machines and Opel cars) to a city of commerce and science with the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University (RPTU) Kaiserslautern-Landau and additional high-level science institutions (two Fraunhofer institutes and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence). And last not least: Kaiserslautern is home to the Red Devils, the once very famous Kaiserslautern soccer team (currently only in the second league…).
The program is only preliminary yet, especially the social activities and dinner plans have not been finalized yet. However, we have a great number of excellent talks that we can be looking forward to! This information should help you to plan your attendance ahead of time. Depending on the time schedule for our social program, there probably is room for one or two talks from our group: If you wish to contribute with a talk, please to not hesitate to contact kajetan@von-eckardstein.de.

Date, Place and Fees
Kaiserslautern, Germany, June 20th until June 22nd, 2025
As always, there is not attendance fee. As in previous years, we will collect a contribution for dinner on Saturday.

How to get there
Kaiserslautern can be reached by few Intercity Express Train (ICE) connections, mainly via Mannheim. More often, a connection in Mannheim to a regional train is needed. Interestingly, for those that like to extent their visit: There is a direct ICE-connection to Paris (2 hr 20 min)!

In case you are flying into Frankfurt airport (FRA), you can either take a train (www.bahn.de, no direct connections, 1 hr 35 min to 1 hr 50 min) or a bus (www.flixbus.de, with direct connections, 1 hr 25 min (none-stop) to 1 hr 50 min). By rental car, the driving time is about 1 hr 5 min.

Accommodation
SAKS Urban Design Hotel* The hotel is centrally located and the best we have. Room rates are between 149,00 € (Superior Queen Single) and 179,00 € (Superior Queen Double) per night. Breakfast is included. A contingent of 25 rooms is reserved until April 30. Please make your own reservations (www.sakskaiserslautern.com, Phone +49 – 631 – 361 250) and identity yourself as a member of the Mayo Clinic Alumni. Art Hotel Lauterbach
This nice privately owned hotel is equally centrally located. Room rates are between 84,00 € (single room) and 119,00 € (double room) including breakfast (www.art-hotel-kl.de, Phone +49 – 631 – 36 24 00).

Hampton by Hilton Kaiserslautern***
Less centrally located. Room rates differ. Standard business hotel (https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/kltrphx-hampton-kaiserslautern).

Venue
Auditorium/Hörsaal, Westpfalz-Klinikum Kaiserslautern, Helmut-Hartert-Straße 1, 67663 Kaiserslautern
The venue for the scientific program is about 1.3 km from the SAKS Hotel and can be reached easily by foot (18 min). A parking ramp is also available.

Social and Scientific Program
Friday, June 20th
06:30 pm
Informal get-together in the evening (venue tba)
Saturday, June 21st
08:30 am
Mitgliederversammlung/administrative meeting (invitation and agenda will be sent separately), Hörsaal/auditorium, Westpfalz-Klinikum
09:15 am
Scientific meeting, Hörsaal/auditorium, Westpfalz-Klinikum
09:30 am
Welcome address, Kajetan von Eckardstein
09:40 am
Session I: Aerospace Medicine. Chair: Burkhard Wippermann.
09:40 am
News and Developments within the MCAA. Theresa Emory, President of the MCAA, Williamsburg, VA
tba
Space – the final frontier. Human adaption and challenges. Jan Stepanek, Scottsdale, AZ
tba
HIMS – the identification, treatment and return to work of addicted/impared professional aviators. Donald Huson, Hawaii.
tba
Coffee break
tba
Session II: Infectious diseases and immunology. Chair: Michael Schirmer.
tba
CAR T-cells (title not finalized). Silvia Spörl, Erlangen.
tba
Clostridioides difficile treatment and prevention. Dana Harris, Jacksonville.
tba
Juchems Award Recipient 2024: Role of pathological TDP43 Protein. Christian Puttinger, Wien.
tba
Lunch break
tba
Session III: Miscellaneous. Chair: Ivo Graziadei
tba
Pharmacovigilance in Psychiatry (title not finalized). Sabine Nistor-Grahl, Darmstadt.
tba
The road less travelled: Transorbital neurosurgical approaches. Lilly Wagner, Rochester.
tba
Juchems Award Recipient 2024: Biological joint preservation. Martin Husen, Heidelberg.
tba
Closing remarks, Kajetan von Eckardstein
tba
Social Program (venue tba)
07:00 pm
Dinner (tba)
Sunday, June 21st
09:00 am
Breakfast and farewell (tba)

Registration and timeline
February 28th, Finalization of the Scientific Meeting Program
March 31st, Distribution of Final Program
April 30th, Registration deadline (please register with Kajetan von Eckardstein, kajetan@von-eckardstein.de)
June 20th, Welcome to Kaiserslautern!

CME
We will file for CME credit points (Ärztekammer Pfalz).

___________________________________________________________________________________

March 30, 2023

Sehr geehrte Kolleginnen und Kollegen und Mitglieder des Chapters,

liebe Freundinnen und Freunde,

wie bereits im Dezember angekündigt, darf ich Sie im Namen des Vorstandes herzlich zu unserem

XXVII. Jahrestreffen des Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapters

vom 16. bis zum 18.06.2023 nach Innsbruck

unter der Leitung von Prof. Michael Schirmer und Prof. Ivo Graziadei

einladen. Prof. Schirmer und Prof. Graziadei haben ein spannendes und anspruchsvolles wissenschaftliches Programm zusammengestellt, und wie in der Vergangenheit wird bei unserem nunmehr dritten Treffen in Innsbruck das Meeting auch gesellschaftlich herausragend sein. Das Programm einschließlich der Informationen zur Tagungsorten und Anmeldeformalitäten ist beigefügt. Bei organisatorischen Fragen bitte ich Sie, sich direkt mit Herrn Prof. Schirmer in Verbindung zu setzen (schirmer.michael@icloud.com).

Im Rahmen dieses Treffens werden wir wieder den Rudolf-Juchems-Preis unserer Gesellschaft verleihen. Auch hierzu ist eine Information beigefügt. Bitte leiten Sie diese an junge Kolleginnen und Kollegen, die jüngst klinisch oder wissenschaftlich an der Mayo Clinic tätig waren und nun nach Europa zurückgekehrt sind, weiter. Sollten sich hierzu Fragen ergeben, stehe ich Ihnen zur Verfügung (kajetan@von-eckardstein.de).

Zur Ihrer Information habe ich auch eine Liste der bisherigen Tagungen beigefügt. Sollten Sie ergänzende Informationen zur Orten, früheren Ausrichtern oder Themen haben, bin ich für Ihre Rückmeldung sehr dankbar (kajetan@von-eckardstein).

Schließlich lade ich Sie hiermit auch fristgerecht zu unserer Mitgliederversammlung ein, die während der Jahrestagung stattfinden wird. Diesbezüglich ist auch das Protokoll der Mitgliederversammlung des Vorjahres beigefügt.

Ich hoffe, Sie in Innbruck zu sehen und freue mich sehr auf ein Wiedersehen,

mit besten, kollegialen Grüßen

Kajetan von Eckardstein (NSurg, ’08)

*****

Dear colleagues and members,

dear friends,

as announced in December, I like to invite you on behalf of the board to our

XXVII. Annual Meeting of the Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapter

to Innsbruck, Austria, June 16-28, 2023,

organized by Prof. Ivo Graziadei and Prof. Michael Schirmer.

Prof. Schirmer and Prof. Graziadei have put together a very interesting and challenging scientific program. Meetings in Innsbruck in the past have always been outstanding, scientifically and socially. A final program and meeting information is included. To register for this meeting and with any organizational questions, please contact Prof. Schirmer (schirmer.michael@icloud.com).

We will also be able to award the Rudolf Juchems scientific award of our society. An information is also included in this mail. Please forward this to any young colleague who recently returned to Europe from a clinical or scientific appointment at the Mayo Clinic. Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (kajetan@von-eckardstein.de).

For your information, I have also included a list of the past meetings of our chapter. Should you have any additional information on locations, persons, or topics to fill the blancs, I would be happy to hear from you (kajetan@von-eckardstein.de). 

Furthermore I like to invite members to the administrative meeting which will take place during these days. A formal invitation and the minutes of the administrative meeting 2022 in Bonn are included.

I very much hope to see you in Innsbruck and I am looking forward to this meeting!

Yours sincerely,

Kajetan von Eckardstein (NSurg, ’08)

___________________________________________________________________________________

December 22, 2022

XXVII Annual Meeting of the Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapter
Innsbruck, Austria
June 16-18, 2023

Hosted by Prof. Ivo Graziadei (HEPAT ’97) and Prof. Michael Schirmer  (RHEUM ’97).

• To register contact Prof. Schirmer (schirmer.michael@icloud.com)
  • Registration deadline is April 15, 2023
• Preliminary Program
• Meeting venue: Medical University Innsbruck – Landeskrankenhaus, Innsbruck, Austria
• If interested in giving a talk, please contact Prof. Schirmer.
• Juchems scientific award
  • This award is given to young colleagues recently returned to Europe from a clinical or scientific appointment at the Mayo Clinic. Contact Kajetan von Eckardstein (NS, ’08) with questions (kajetan@von-eckardstein.de).
• Hotel: Hotel Sailer, Adamgasse 8, Innsbruck
  • Please make your own hotel reservations

___________________________________________________________________________________

April 7, 2022 – German Speaking Chapter annual meeting update

Dear fellow alumni,
dear colleagues,

As previously announced, I herewith invite you to our annual meeting and will provide the following
information.

This year, we will again try to meet in Bonn, Germany, June 17-19, 2022.
Our host will be Michael Muders (URO’09).
The scientific program will reflect on “Recent developments in Oncology”.

HOTELS (please make your own reservation)
Ameron Hotel Königshof****, Adenauer Allee 9, 53111 Bonn, Tel.: +49 – 228 – 26010, e-mail:
info@hotel-koenigshof-bonn.de

Centro Hotel Bristol Bonn**** (close to main train station), Prinz-Albert-Straße 2, 53113 Bonn, Tel.:
+49 – 228 – 26980, e-mail: reservierung@centro-hotels.de

REGISTRATION
Please register for this event until April 30, 2022 with the secretariat of Prof. Dr. Michael Muders, email beate.muders@ukbonn.de.

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
For the formal dinner on June 18, 2022, a moderate contribution in cash will be collected.

CME
We will register the meeting for cme-points.
We will circulate a preliminary scientific program with further information in late April.

I am very much looking forward to seeing you all in Bonn!

Kajetan von Eckardstein, MD
Chairman, Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapter e.V.
Danziger Straße 28
67659 Kaiserslautern
E-Mail: kvoneckardstein@westpfalz-klinikum.de

___________________________________________________________________________________

April 6, 2021

Dear friends and colleagues,

Recently, we have again addressed our plans for our annual scientific meeting 2021 in the light of the pandemic. As you all know, Germany is in the midst of the third wave. Unfortunately, the German vaccination campaign is not as dynamic as in the U.S.

However, we feel it is yet too early to make the final call and cancel the meeting. We still think and hope that an on-site meeting in September will be possible.

We understand, that travel arrangements have to be made well in advance and that decisions cannot be held until the very last minute. Therefore, the board will closely monitor the situation within the next two months. We will convene with Prof. Michael Muders, who will be hosting the meeting, in early June to make a final decision.

I will contact you again around June 10, 2021, with further information on the meeting of the German Speaking Chapter of the Mayo Alumni which we still plan for September 24/25/26, 2021.

I sincerely hope that we can proceed with our plans at that time and will not be forced to again cancel.

Best regards,
stay safe and healthy,

Kajetan von Eckardstein (NSURG ’08)
for the Board of the German Speaking Chapter

___________________________________________________________________________________

November 30, 2020

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
liebe Freudinnen und Freunde,

ich darf Sie freundlichst an unsere

Mitgliederversammlung am kommenden Mittwoch, 2. Dezember 2020, 16:00h MEZ

erinnern, zu der ich Sie per mail fristgemäß eingeladen habe. Wie angekündigt, wird unser Meeting als ZOOM Meeting stattfinden. Bitte nutzen Sie den unten angeführten Einladungs-Link, um an der Mitgliederversammlung teilzunehmen.

Ich freue mich auf kommenden Mittwoch,
Ihr
Kajetan von Eckardstein

Kajetan von Eckardstein lädt Sie zu einem geplanten Zoom-Meeting ein.

Thema: MV Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapter
Uhrzeit: 2.Dez.2020 04:00 PM Amsterdam, Berlin, Rom, Stockholm, Wien

Zoom-Meeting beitreten
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89322713200?pwd=Y25STWFUb2h0ZDI3QzcvMWlCVHhWZz09

Meeting-ID: 893 2271 3200
Kenncode: 316969

Schnelleinwahl mobil

+13126266799,,89322713200#,,,,,,0#,,316969# Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (Chicago)
+13462487799,,89322713200#,,,,,,0#,,316969# Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (Houston)

Einwahl nach aktuellem Standort

+1 312 626 6799 Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (Houston)
+1 646 558 8656 Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (New York)
+1 669 900 9128 Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika (Washington D.C)

Meeting-ID: 893 2271 3200
Kenncode: 316969
Ortseinwahl suchen: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbLorB7VrS

________________________________________________________________________

November 3, 2016

Dear colleagues and friends,

With the Mayo brothers we all share two common academic ancestors. As we learned from them, travelling abroad widens the professional and the personal horizon. I believe face-to-face contact is crucial for an academic interaction, for teaching and learning, for joint projects, and for friendship. Our chapter is based upon these values and I am very sad that we did not have the possibility to convene this year.

However, as a German registered association we are obliged to hold an annual business meeting which this year can be digital. Therefore I like to invite you to join

Our digital (ZOOM) business meeting (Mitgliederversammlung) on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, 16:00h CET.

I have enclosed a formal invitation in German to meet all required regulations, including an agenda. The current board was elected in 2019, so there is not necessity for further elections. However, the amendments of the statute discussed last year in Vienna are still pending, as the official body of registration not approve our draft.

A few days prior to that date I will circulate the ZOOM link and/or other identifier to take part in the meeting.

Best regards,

Kajetan von Eckardstein

________________________________________________________________________

CANCELLED – 2020 Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapter (MAGSC) meeting
June 12-14, 2020

March 3, 2020

Dear colleagues and friends,

Dear fellow alumni,

We regret to inform you that we have cancelled the annual meeting of the German Speaking Chapter of Mayo Alumni 2020 that was to take place in Bonn this year due to the corona pandemic. We had to come to that conclusion after consultation with Judy Anderson from the Rochester Alumni Office, a thorough discussion with Michael Muders, who had planned to host us, and after reviewing the recommendations of the CDC and the RKI.

Thankfully, Michael has renewed his invitation to Bonn for 2021. Please mark your calendar for June 4/5/6, 2021. I do look forward to seeing you all then and very much regret this cancellation.

Best regards,

Kajetan von Eckardstein, Chair of the Board

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen,

liebe Freundinnen und Freunde,

liebe Mayo Alumni,

ich bedauere sehr, Ihnen und Euch mitteilen zu müssen, dass wir wegen der Corona-Pandemie unser diesjähriges Jahrestreffen des Mayo Alumni German Speaking Chapter 2020 absagen müssen. Wir haben die Entscheidung gemeinsam mit Michael Muders, der uns nach Bonn eingeladen hat, nach Rücksprache mit Judy Anderson vom Alumni Office in Rochester und unter Einbezug der Empfehlungen der CDC und des RKI getroffen.

Lieberweise hat Michael seine Einladung für Bonn als Tagungsort erneuert. Wir haben schon jetzt den 04./05./06. Juni 2021 ins Auge befasst und bitten Sie und Euch alle, diesen Termin freizuhalten. Ich freue mich, Sie und Euch dann wiederzusehen. Die Absage ist uns nicht leicht gefallen.

Bezüglich der Mitgliederversammlung und der anstehenden Satzungsänderung: Wir werden prüfen, wie und in welchem Umfang wir eine Mitgliederversammlung ohne wissenschaftliches und gesellschaftliches Programm durchführen müssen und können. Wir werden Euch und Sie hierüber rechtzeitig informieren.

Herzliche Grüße,

Kajetan von Eckardstein, Sprecher des Vorstandes