The 16th Summer Academy of Dermatopathology has been held in Graz July 1st – 5th, 2024. We have listened to lectures on inflammatory and neoplastic skin disorders from an outstanding faculty including Almut Boer (Hamburg), Arnaud de la Fouchardière (Lyon), Werner Kempf (Zürich), Katrin Kerl (Munich), Phil E. LeBoit (San Francisco), Bernadette Liegl-Atzwanger (Graz), Dieter Metze (Münster), Luis Requena (Madrid), Christian Rose (Lübeck), Ursula Sass (Brussels), Catherine Stefanato (London), Antonio Torrelo (Madrid), and Thomas Wiesner (Vienna). The response from the audience has been excellent: in a scale from 1 (outstanding) to 5 (poor), the average evaluation of faculty members has ranged from 1,04 to 1,50, with the general evaluation of the Course reaching an extraordinary 1,04. I am extremely pleased with the Course and the response from the participants, both on-site and by streaming, and thoroughly enjoyed these 5 days of dermatopathology – and friendship.
Besides the scientific part, we had the possibility to reconnect with old friends from all parts of the world: a total of 57 countries from all continents were represented (on-site or by streaming), and we enjoyed the opportunity to discuss, chat and interact with many old friends. The dinner on Thursday, July 4, allowed participants to get a splendid view of the city of Graz from the height of the Schlossberg on a sunny evening followed by a warm, beautiful night. In spite of over 150 bottles of wine and even more beers, nobody was missing on the next day…
It has been a privilege to organize this Course, and I am really grateful to all those who have attended it, and all those who helped to set the stage: Clemens Keil, Karin Leitinger, Joachim Theussl, and Irene Mischak have been paramount for the background organization, the front desk, the streaming, and the homepage. Nivel Gamilschegg, from the Congress Messe Graz, is responsible for the efficient organization of the Congress Center (which features possibly the most spectacular screen and projector I have ever seen!). A word of thank (much more than just one…) goes also to Damien Foong, who since many years sponsors young colleagues from less privileged countries, helping me to allow them to attend the Summer Academy of Dermatopathology – I am really proud of what we have achieved together during these years. Finally, Isabella Fried and Eva Schadelbauer, who work in the Dermatopathology Unit of the Department of Dermatology at the Medical University of Graz, are invaluable in helping me and motivating me every day of my professional life: I cannot thank them enough for what they are doing before, during, and after this Course.
We are now planning the next edition of the Summer Academy of Dermatopathology (the 17th ! – I would have never dreamed of it in 2003, when the first edition was organized by Helmut Kerl and myself), which will take place in the days June 30 – July 4, 2025. All information about the upcoming meeting will be posted on this website around the end of September / beginning of October. We hope that you will come next year and join us in the friendly atmosphere of Graz's summer for another memorable experience in Dermatopathology – and much more!
Lorenzo Cerroni, MD
