Allergy, immunology mourns the loss of Marcus Maurer, MD

Key takeaways:

• Marcus Maurer, MD, leaves behind a legacy that will improve future research.
• He is remembered for his excellent teaching and scientific achievements.

Allergy and immunology lost a pioneer last summer with the death of Marcus Maurer, MD, executive director of the Institute of Allergology at Charité University Medicine, Berlin.

Maurer was an author on more than 850 studies. Francesca Levi-Schaffer, PharmD, PhD, FRCP (Hon), professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Institute for Drug Research, worked with Maurer for 20 years.

“His main breakthrough was when he realized that in chronic urticaria, it doesn’t matter if it is inducible or idiopathic, as IgE and auto-antibodies ... could be stopped by omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody,” Levi-Schaffer said.

Maurer focused on mast cells, mastocytosis, pruritus, angioedema and atopic dermatitis. He also was an author on eight posters and abstracts on these topics at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting in October. But Maurer’s influence extended far beyond research.

“He was just the most charismatic person I ever met. ... He taught me about the fact, never, there is never a problem, but always issues and challenges,” Levi-Schaffer said. “Also, he knew how to speak science in a layperson language and [was] so extremely communicative.”

Maurer was a regular speaker at ACAAI, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology conferences, where he was known for his engaging presentations. This enthusiasm carried over into his clinical care, too.

“Patients never feared him and could talk to him, explaining all their troubles, and he was trying to be the closest he could be, and at the same time, very serious evaluating each patient as a single individual,” Levi-Schaffer said. “First the patient and then the disease.”

Levi-Schaffer also remembered Maurer as a collaborator, especially as they both were presidents of the European Mast Cell and Basophil Research Network.

“I could always rely on him as a colleague and as a friend if I had any issue with research or any problems that I couldn’t solve alone,” she said. “He was an active president. He was always there to have new ideas, new programs..”

Levi-Schaffer said that Maurer’s work will carry on.