In Honour of Marcel Tanner, Parasitologist Extraordinaire

Dear Colleagues,

Marcel Tanner is an important figure in global health research and implementation. Trained as a parasitologist and public health specialist, he skilfully combines various fields of expertise: from basic to operational research, from the molecular level to health systems strengthening, from infectious to non-communicable diseases, from animal to human health (“One health”). Marcel Tanner’s work and lifetime achievements epitomise the crucial iterative process from the “bench to the field”, always striving to implement scientific findings to improve the fate of neglected populations and underperforming health systems. Marcel Tanner is a role model for how to encourage and create scientific institutions in low- and middle-income countries. He was a major driver behind the development of the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania, after which other major research centres in Sub-Saharan Africa are modelled, such as the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques in Côte d’Ivoire, the Centre de Support en Santé Internationale in the Chad, and the Manhiça Health Research Centre in Mozambique. With regard to research and elimination of specific infectious diseases, Marcel Tanner has produced key papers in the fields of schistosomiasis and malaria. He was the principal investigator overseeing the first malaria vaccine trial in Sub-Saharan Africa (SPf66) and—together with IHI and other partners—led the clinical trials for the malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S/AS01E. Marcel Tanner has authored/co-authored over 800 original research papers and is one of the most productive scholars in health systems research between 1900 and 2012 (rank 6). He supervised many PhD, MD and MSc, MIH, and MPH students and has paved the way for new models of research partnership.

Dr. Robert Bergquist
Dr. Lukas Meier
Guest Editors

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