Professor Tumani Corrah is the UK Medical Research Council's foundation Director of Africa Research Development and the first Emeritus Director of the MRC Unit, The Gambia. For over thirty years, he has pursued three passions: improving outcomes in patient care in challenging environments; research into diseases that impact the developing world disproportionately; and building human capacity in health research in West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa.

Tumani Corrah played a significant role in the establishment of the Medical School in The Gambia and as Unit Director, developed health research capacity for hundreds of Africans. As a clinician, he established the first endoscopy unit in The Gambia. He also maintains strong links with the Methodist Mission's medical and dental work in rural villages in The Gambia, where he continues to raise funds, share his medical expertise and direct the vision of the medical mission's work.

His role as the MRC's pioneer Director of Africa Development is the latest incarnation of his quest for growing a new generation of outstanding African health researchers working in Africa. He is leading a new charity, the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) that gives much-needed support to bright, early postdoctoral African scientists at the most vulnerable point in their careers. The charity aims to provide the foundation for these young scientists and clinicians to compete and win grants, enabling them to continue their health research careers in Africa. Since its inception in 2015, AREF has witnessed a growing number of its alumni winning significant awards that will help to propel their careers in research of relevance to African populations.

During his long career at MRC Unit, The Gambia, Tumani Corrah rose through the ranks from ward clinician to Director of one of Africa's leading research institutions. a position he held through many challenges for over ten years.

He retains active research interests in Tropical and Infectious Diseases, including tuberculosis, HIV and malaria. He holds a PhD from his studies on tuberculosis which included the ground- breaking science of the introduction of immunotherapy as an adjunct treatment for tuberculosis in The Gambia.

An expert on research governance, he was a long-standing member of The Gambia Government/MRC Joint Ethics Committee, including 4 years as Chairman. He is a joint recipient of a Gold Medal awarded by the International Medical Informatics Association and serves on the committees of numerous international bodies including the Wellcome Trust, WHO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the EU.

Tumani Corrah continues to place his experience as a scientist, MRC Unit Director clinician and his professional links with governmental and non-governmental organisations globally at the service of African research.