MEYER AWARD
For Discovery, Innovation and Disruption in Orthopaedics.
In honor and memory of Dominik C. Meyer, M.D.
2024 EDITION
On January 8, 2024, Dr. Jesse C. DeLee, the Chairman of the Meyer Award Jury which consisted of
Dr. Olivier Borens, appointed by Swiss Orthopaedics
Dr. Enrique Gomez Barrena, appointed by EFORT.
Dr. Li Felländer-Tsai, appointedby EFFORT.
Dr. Daniel K. Guy appointed by the AAOS.
Dr. Stephan Heinz appointed by Swiss Orthopaedics.
Dr. David. H. Sonnabend, appointed by the Australian Orthopaedic Association.
Dr. Yasuhito Tanaka appointed by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.
Dr. Jon J.P. Warner, appointed by the AAOS.
has announced that the second Meyer Award has been bestowed on
Prof. Alain C. Masquelet, Paris, France,
for his game-changing discoveries and innovations in the reconstruction of soft tissue and bone defects using the biological potential of the patient's own tissue.
The award ceremony will take place during the Annual Meeting of EFORT in Hamburg, Germany, May 22, 2024.
The award stands for uniquely outstanding contributions to musculoskeletal medicine, which have been created by a living individual and changed the practice of orthopaedic care on at least two continents.
The prize money is 100’000 CHF, and the Prize is awarded triennially, usually based on nominations of individuals or groups to individuals or groups who fulfill the criteria outlined in the bylaws.
ResOrtho and the Jury congratulate Prof. A.C. Masquelet and all nominees for their contributions and look forward to a memorable Award Ceremony in Hamburg Germany.
JURY 2024
ABOUT THE AWARD
Injury and disease of the musculoskeletal system represent the greatest medical, socioeconomic burden and the most frequent reason for sick leave and the loss of quality of life in the working population.
In the history of musculoskeletal medicine, patients’ destinies have only been fundamentally changed by discoveries and disruptive innovations. Replacement of joint fusions by total joint prostheses, replacement of plaster casting by operative fracture fixation or microsurgical replantation of limbs rather than amputation are examples. Musculoskeletal medicine does not know a worldwide recognition and honor for ideas which have changed patient care. The Meyer Award has been created to do that.
A Jury which is composed of members independently nominated by the most important international societies identifies the most patient relevant discoveries, innovations or disruptions which have been made by living contributors.
The award will be presented for the second time in 2024. The prize money will be 100.000 Swiss Francs and is offered by the ResOrtho Foundation. Thereby the Meyer Award represents by far the most important award available in musculoskeletal medicine.
BYLAWS
DOMINIK C. MEYER
Only exceptionally gifted and passionately curious personalities discover new land, innovate technologies which change medical practice, or successfully change paradigms. Dominik C. Meyer was about to become a game-changer. His premature death due to ALS could only have been prevented with the type and class of discovery and innovation that the Meyer award is honoring.
Dominik C. Meyer was born and grew-up in Zurich, Switzerland. He used the curiosity and talents of a true renaissance man for breeding poison frogs, creating new forms of sound and light that prominently featured at student parties, or in developing novel biomaterials which can be deformed with laser light and observed the earth using drones or self-designed and constructed model airplanes.
He complimented his Medical School curriculum with a diploma in medical physics at the ETH in Zurich. He joined the Department of Orthopaedics at «Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich», discovered why many resorbable bone anchors fail, how fatty infiltration of pennate muscles after tendon tear develops, studied the mechanisms of anterior knee pain, and contributed to the description of the possible role of the acromion in osteoarthritis and shoulder instability. He innovated and patented numerous medical technologies including a new, fascinating alternative to sutures as a means to surgically connect tissues to the body.
His devotion to «Discovery, Innovation and Disruption» makes him a unique role model for any young physician-scientist. His memory is treasured and honored with the Dominik C. Meyer Award.
WINNERS
On December 15, 2021, the Chairman of the Jury, Dr. Jesse C. DeLee has announced that the first Meyer Award has been bestowed on Professor Reinhold Ganz, Switzerland for his disruptive discoveries and innovations in joint preserving hip surgery.
Reinhold Ganz was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. After Medical School in Germany, he received his postgraduate medical education in Switzerland and did his residency at the University of Bern under Professor Maurice E. Müller. He continued his career in his professional base Berne where he steadily moved up and acted as Department Chair from 1981 to 2004. Thereafter Prof. Ganz served as Consultant for Hip Surgery at the Departments of the Universities of Bern and Zürich (Balgrist University Hospital) and as a consultant for hip problems for various institutions and surgeons throughout the world.
In his early career, Prof. Ganz played a pivotal role in orienting the AO/ASIF group towards minimally invasive musculoskeletal trauma care. Progressively fascinated by hip disorders in the adolescent and the young adult, he started to devote himself to studying the reasons for early onset osteoarthritis of the hip and to possibilities of prevention and treatment of these disorders. Based on CT assessment of coverage and congruency of the hip,1 he developed a new periacetabular osteotomy for hip dysplasia, currently known as the Bernese peri acetabular osteotomy. 2 With his collaborators he followed and documented its results with a follow-up of 20 years. Based on landmark studies on the vascularity of the hip,3 he developed, described and documented safe surgical dislocation of the hip, which did not only allow direct inspection of the acetabular cartilage e.g. in acetabular fractures but the discovery of the lesions caused by cam deformities of the femoral head or pincer configurations of the acetabular rim and the conclusion that early onset osteoarthritis can be caused by these mechanisms and prevented or treated by correction of the respective deformities.4/5 He thereby discovered femoro-acetabular impingement,6 innovated a safe and effective treatment and with his numerous collaborators (Mascard, Myers, Leunig, Ito, Lavigne, Beck, Nötzli et al.) documented the role of femoro-acetabular impingement in various disorders, leading to a concept of early onset osteoarthritis published in 2008.7 In recent years, impingement caused by slipped femoral epiphysis and intra-capital osteotomies to reduce head size in Perthes disease are the focus of Prof. Ganz and his pupils and colleagues.
The refusal to accept the dogma that osteoarthritis is always an idiopathic disease which can neither be prevented nor decelerated has completely reoriented modern hip surgery. The concepts are proven, the patient benefits of the discoveries and innovations of Prof. Ganz are established.
REFERENCES
JURY 2021
NEWS/EVENTS
NEWS
8.1.2024
Prof. Alain C. Masquelet wins the second Meyer Award
Today the second Meyer Award Winner was announced by Jesse C. DeLee, Chairman of the international Meyer Award Jury 2024. We congratulate Prof. Alain C. Masquelet, Paris for his game-changing discoveries and innovations in the reconstruction of soft tissue and bone defects using the biological potential of the patient's own tissue. The award ceremony with attribution of the prize of 100’000 CHF will take place during the Annual Meeting of EFORT in Hamburg, Germany, May 22-24, 2024. (Click here to watch the announcement video!)
Resortho joins the Jury in congratulating Prof. Alain C. Masquelet for his unique contributions to orthopaedic care.
23.3.2022
The Meyer Award ceremony streamed live from Chicago.
Tomorrow the first ever Meyer Award ceremony will be hosted at the Presidential Symposium of the 2022 AAOS congress in Chicago. You can follow when Professor Reinhold Ganz will be awarded with the Meyer Award for his disruptive discoveries and innovations in joint preserving hip surgery.
15.12.2021
Prof. Reinhold Ganz wins the first Meyer Award
Today Dr. Jesse C. DeLee, Chairman of the international Meyer Award Jury 2021 announced that the first Meyer Award is bestowed on Prof. Reinhold Ganz, Switzerland for his groundbreaking discoveries and innovations in joint preserving hip surgery which the Jury considered to be the most patient-relevant disruptions made by a living orthopaedic surgeon.
Resortho joins the Jury in congratulating Prof. Reinhold Ganz for his unique contributions to orthopaedic care.
26.4.2021
Prize money raised to 100.000 Swiss Francs
Thanks to most generous donations ResOrtho proudly announces that the prize money for the Meyer Award 2021 could be raised to 100’000 Swiss Francs.
We thank all benefactors who have contributed and contribute to making the Meyer Award the most important award in musculoskeletal medicine.
17.3.2021
The Jury started the evaluation process
The application period has been closed and the Jury started its work with a first virtual meeting to evaluate the numerous nominations for the 2021 Meyer Award.
We trust the Jury that it will identify the best person deserving the inaugural Meyer Award.
15.1.2021
Applications and nominations welcome!
The application period for the inaugural Meyer Award is now open!
If you have changed the life of orthopaedic patients or if you know somebody who has, please let us know! To enter the 2021 competition you need to submit your application or nomination by February 28, 2021. Nominations and applications will be screened for fulfillment of the bylaws (discovery and or paradigm-shifting innovation and or disruption; documented patient benefit; international acceptance) and then forwarded to the Jury. It is expected that the Jury will have selected the awardee(s) by the end of May 2021.
We are looking forward to your submissions!
15.12.2020
In Honor of Dominik C. Meyer
Dominik C. Meyer MD, of the Department of Orthopaedics at Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland was a role model for any young physician-scientist. Curious, innovating and ready to shift paradigms. Exactly one year ago, on December 15, 2019, Dominik Meyer succumbed to ALS a hitherto incurable disease.
Eradication of great plagues has historically always been associated with disruptive discoveries and radically new inventions. To honor the rare and exceptional individuals who have changed musculoskeletal medicine, to motivate physician-scientists to search ground-breaking findings rather than incremental improvements, the Meyer Award has been created. It is named after a person who died when he was about to become a game-changer. It is to honor the class and quality of research which would have prevented his death. In his name and his memory, The Meyer Award is launched this December 15, 2020.
UPCOMING EVENTS
12.2.2024
Annual Meeting of the AAOS
The annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons AAOS takes place in San Francisco, United States from February 12 - 16, 2024.
22.5.2024
Annual Meeting of EFORT
The annual Meeting of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology EFORT will take place in Hamburg, Germany from May 22 - 24, 2024.
23.5.2024
Annual Meeting of JOA
The annual Meeting of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association JOA will take place in Fukuoka, Japan from May 23 - 26, 2024.
26.6.2024
Annual Meeting of Swiss Orthopaedics
The annual Meeting of Swiss Orthopaedics will take place in Ecublens/Lausanne, Switzerland from June 26 - 28, 2024.
13.10.2024
Annual Scientific Meeting of the AOA
The annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Orthopaedic Association AOA will take place in Bristbane, Australia from October 13 - 17, 2024.
PARTNERING SOCIETIES
To ascertain the undisputable international importance and value of the Dominik C. Meyer award, the Jury for the Award is composed of a number of individuals who themselves have contributed at the highest possible level and who are carefully and independently selected by the following organizations.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS
Felix H. Savoie III, MD, FAAOS, FAOA
«The AAOS is proud to be a participant in the Dominic Meyer award, honoring one of the most creative surgeons in our lifetime. The award, which honors those who make major, disruptive advances in health care benefits people worldwide.»
With more than 39.000 members, the AAOS is the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. The AAOS provides educational programs for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals, champions and advances the highest quality of musculoskeletal care for patients and is the authoritative source of information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related issues. Its yearly National Congress, the “Annual Meeting of the AAOS” is by far the largest orthopaedic convention which assembles also more in the world. Notably, there is no other orthopaedic convention which counts more Non-American orthopedists than any other orthopaedic convention in the world.
EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF ORTHOPAEDICS AND TRAUMATOLOGY
Prof. Enrique Gómez-Barrena
«EFORT is honoured to support this global initiative emphasizing the invaluable orthopaedic advancements to improve the quality of life of humankind, in tribute to an outstanding European orthopaedic clinician and researcher.»
The European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) is the platform organization linking Europe‘s national orthopaedic associations. Its aims reflect the will of all the participating associations to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge and experience in the field of prevention and both the conservative and surgical treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. To this end, particular emphasis is placed upon activities focusing on education and research. EFORT was established by the national associations for orthopaedics and traumatology from twenty European countries. The Federation was founded in Marentino, Italy, in 1991. Today EFORT includes 41 national societies from 39 countries, as well as 13 associate scientific societies.
AUSTRALIAN ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATION
Chris Morrey, MBBS FRACS GAICD
«The board of the AOA acknolwedges that the road to change is a difficult one but often worthwhile. Innovations such as the Meyer award created to recognise the talents, determination and fearlessness of scientists such as Dominik Meyer are an inspiration to us all. We as an organisation through our representatives are delighted to be involved.»
The Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) is the peak professional organization for orthopaedic surgery in Australia. As a non-for-profit organization it provides high-quality specialist education, training and continuing professional development for Australian orthopaedic surgeons. It is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of orthopaedic care and is the leading authority in the provision of orthopaedic information to the community as it actively supports scientific research and orthopaedic humanitarian initiatives in Australia and overseas. AOA has nearly 1.850 members, consisting of most orthopaedic consultants and trainees (registrars) in Australian hospitals and spanning all orthopaedic subspecialties.
JAPANESE ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATION
Yasuharu Nakashima, MD, PhD
«JOA is proud of supporting this outstanding award. We believe the Meyer Award will motivate physician scientists all over the world to generate innovative musculoskeletal research that leads to a better life for patients.»
The Japanese Orthopaedic Association was founded in 1926 in order to promote studies of orthopaedics, presentation of study results, and to strengthen contact and cooperation among organizations and individuals specializing in this discipline. There were 118 members at that time, but subsequently the association developed and currently the number of members exceeds 25.000. The association became a public interest incorporated association in 2011, with the aim of contributing further to the development of orthopaedics and musculoskeletal medicine through research, maintenance of health, prevention of diseases, development of public health in both mind and body mainly through sports medicine, support for the people with disabilities, and extension of social welfare services for the aged.
SWISS ORTHOPAEDICS
Dr. Stephan Heinz
«Swiss Orthopaedics is proud that the first Meyer Award was attributed to its member of honor Prof. R. Ganz. The award honors extraordinary performances which assist us all in reorienting our efforts towards game-changing innovations in favor of musculoskeletal patients. We thank ResOrtho for contributing to this goal and are honored to be part of it.»
Swiss Orthopaedics is the Swiss National Society of Orthopaedics representing Swiss orthopaedic and musculoskeletal trauma care. The Society has been founded in 1942 and received its current name and face in 2013. It aims at promoting and guaranteeing highest standards in research, teaching and care of orthopaedic and trauma patients. Throughout history, Switzerland has played a key role in advancing musculoskeletal science and care. In 1780 Jean – André Venel created the first Orthopaedic Hospital in the world in the small Swiss city of Orbe. Theodor Kocher, Maurice E. Müller, Martin Allgöwer, Hans Willenegger, Norbert Gschwend, Erwin Morscher, Werner Müller, Bernhard G. Weber and Reinhold Ganz are only some names to testify of the extraordinary influence and the tradition of musculoskeletal medicine in Switzerland. Swiss orthopaedists were also responsible for bringing medico-technical industry closer to orthopaedic patients’ needs and thereby allowed the translation from discovery to innovation. As a Society, Swiss Orthopaedics aims at maintaining a worldwide co-leadership in advancing and improving orthopaedics. It has sadly lost one of his great talents and hopes with the untimely death of Dominik C. Meyer.
RESORTHO FOUNDATION
Christian Gerber, MD, FRCS
«It is the the mission of ResOrtho to advance musculoskeletal health through research leading to discovery, innovation and disruption. The Meyer Award has been created to honor the most exceptional contributions to patient care and to motivate physician-scientists to realize their dreams of preventing or healing musculoskeletal injury and disease.»
ResOrtho is a foundation of recognized public interest. It is the organization which has created, funds and organizes the Dominik C. Meyer Award to motivate and recognize persons for discoveries and disruptive innovations which change human musculoskeletal wellbeing.
EXAMPLES
Examples of discoveries, innovations and disruptions which have transformed orthopaedics.
1846
First successful general anesthesia
William T. Green Morton
1865
Antisepsis
Joseph Lister
1878
First arthrodesis
Eduard Albert
1874/1928
Discovery of Penicillin
Theodor Billroth/Alexander Fleming
1882
First tendon transfer
Carl Nicoladoni
1891
First femoral head replacement with ivory Prosthesis
Themistokles Gluck
1912
Arthroscopy of the Knee (cadavers)
Severin Nordentoft
1921
Arthroscopy of the Knee (patients)
Eugen Bircher
1931
Intramedullary Rod for long bone fractures
Gerhard Küntscher
1934
The medical record
Ernest A. Codman
1943
The metallic Hip
Austin Moore
1953
Hinged, cemented, total knee
Bijrje Walldius
1953
The Harrington Rod (Scoliosis treatment)
Paul Randall Harrington
1955
Poliomyelitis Vaccine
Jonas Edward Salk
1950ies
Distraction Osteogenesis
Gawriil A. Ilizarov
1950ies
Microsurgery
Harry J. Buncke
1958
AO/ASIF
Maurice E. Müller/Hans Willenegger/Martin Allgöwer
1960ies
Low friction Total Hip Replacement/ Polymethyl methacrylate in Orthopapaedics/ Compression Arthrodesis
Sir John Charnley
1961
Oral Polyomyelitis vaccine
Albert Sabin
1971
Unconstrained total knee replacement
Frank Gunston
1980ies
Crosslinking of polyethylene/ Cementfree acetabular component
William H. Harris
1980ies
Operative Arthroscopy
David Dandy/Robert Jackson
1985
Locked intramedullary nailing
Ivan Kempf/Arsène Grosse
1987
Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty
Paul Grammont
THE RESORTHO FOUNDATION
The ResOrtho «Research in Orthopaedics» Foundation was created in 2000 by Christian Gerber, M.D. in Zurich, Switzerland. It is a tax exempt non-for-profit organization of recognized public interest. Its activities are based on donations, sponsorships and beneficiary contributions.
With the goal to prevent or cure disease or sequalae of musculoskeletal injury, it is the mission of the Foundation to create and finance optimal research conditions, to enable discovery, research and innovation though support of persons and projects and to ascertain sustainability of progress by educational efforts for future investigational leaders.
The design and construction of the Balgrist Campus, funding of scientific, academic chairs and the creation of the Meyer Award are examples of the activities of the ResOrtho Foundation.
