After a medical degree in France and a PhD from the University of Liverpool, Marcel Hommel worked in various research institutes, including the National Institute for Medical Research, the Institut Pasteur and Harvard Medical School. In 1986, he was appointed Professor of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool. His research interests are mainly in the field of malaria immunology and pathophysiology, and he first described antigenic variation in Plasmodium falciparum and the importance of parasite diversity in the development of immunity. Also interested in the development of immunodiagnostic tests, particularly those applicable in a tropical environment, currently working on a test of cure for visceral leishmaniasis. Over the years, he has supervised 37 research students, taught and examined on many different courses worldwide. He has been on the editorial board of a number of journals and, for the past 10 years, has been Editor-in-Chief of Malaria Journal.