Rudolf Robert Maier was a German pathologist who was a native of Freiburg im Breisgau.

He studied medicine at the University of Freiburg

University of Freiburg

The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...

, where one of his instructors was orthopedist Louis Georg Friedrich Stromeyer

Louis Stromeyer

Georg Friedrich Louis Stromeyer was a German surgeon who was born in Hanover. He was the son of surgeon Christian Friedrich Stromeyer .-Biography:...

 (1804–1876). He furthered his medical training in Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

 with Carl Rokitansky

Carl Freiherr von Rokitansky

Baron Carl von Rokitansky , was a Bohemian physician, pathologist, humanist philosopher and liberal politician.-Medical career:...

 (1804–1878), Joseph Hyrtl (1810–1894) and Josef Skoda

Josef Škoda

Joseph Škoda was a Czech physician, medical professor and dermatologist. Together with Carl Freiherr von Rokitansky, he was the founder of the Modern Medical School of Vienna.-Life:...

 (1805–1881), and in Würzburg

Würzburg

Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....

 under Rudolf Virchow

Rudolf Virchow

Rudolph Carl Virchow was a German doctor, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician, known for his advancement of public health...

 (1821–1902). Afterwards, he returned to Freiburg where he became an associate professor in 1859. Later he became a full professor, and in 1864 founded the first institute of pathological anatomy at Freiburg.

With Adolf Kussmaul (1822–1902), Maier provided the first comprehensive description of periarteritis nodosa, which is sometimes referred to as Kussmaul-Maier disease. The two doctors described their findings in the inaugural edition of the journal Deutsches Archiv für klinische Medicin, which was co-founded by Friedrich Albert von Zenker

Friedrich Albert von Zenker

Friedrich Albert von Zenker was a German pathologist and physician, celebrated for his discovery of trichinosis. He was born in Dresden, and was educated in Leipzig and Heidelberg. Attached to the city hospital of Dresden in 1851, he added, in 1855, the duties of professor of pathological...

 (1825–1898) and Hugo Wilhelm von Ziemssen

Hugo Wilhelm von Ziemssen

Hugo von Ziemssen was a German physician, born at Greifswald. He studied there, at Berlin, and at Würzburg. In 1863 he was called to Erlangen as professor of pathology and director of the clinic, and in 1874 to Munich as director of the general hospital...

 (1829–1902). Among Maier's written works were biographical treatises on 16th century physicians, Johannes Schenck von Grafenberg

Johannes Schenck von Grafenberg

Johannes Schenck von Grafenberg was a German physician. He studied at Tübingen, and was later a physician to the city of Freiburg im Breisgau...

 (1530–1598) and Michael Servetus

Michael Servetus

Michael Servetus was a Spanish theologian, physician, cartographer, and humanist. He was the first European to correctly describe the function of pulmonary circulation...

 (1511–1553).

• Associated eponym:
• Maier's sinus: A depression in the internal surface of the lacrimal sac
  Lacrimal sac
  The lacrimal sac is the upper dilated end of the nasolacrimal duct, and is lodged in a deep groove formed by the lacrimal bone and frontal process of the maxilla...
  
  .