Peter Layer MD, PhD, FACG, AGAF

Professor Peter Layer, a German specialist in digestive tract and metabolic diseases, has gained wide national and international recognition as a top expert in functional disorders of the digestive system (stomach, intestines, and pancreas), including research on their impact on motility during food transportation and digestion. He is the author and developer of the German-wide guidelines on irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, and other gastrointestinal physiological disorders.

Prof. Layer completed his medical training at the University of Tuebingen and the University of Edinburgh. His clinical career began at the Medical Clinic of Essen University Hospital. His path then led him to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (USA), where he worked as a research fellow and later as a group leader. He then became Medical Director and Chief Physician at the Medical Clinic of the Israelite Hospital in Hamburg for many years. He played a crucial role in the further development of this traditional hospital.

Prof. Layer is an internationally recognized scientist with over 450 original papers, review articles, and textbook contributions, lead author or co-author of several national and international guidelines and editor of more than 44 textbooks. His numerous awards include the Ismar Boas Prize, the Presidential Award of the American Gastroenterological Association, and the Scientific Award of the European Association for Gastroenterology.

He has also been the scientific director and main speaker of the nationwide training series "Gastro Update" and "Internisten Update" for many years and has thus played a key role in shaping medical training in Germany.