Obituary: Michel Dumas (1934–2025) – A Founding Figure of Tropical Neuroepidemiology

Professor Michel Dumas (Fig. 1) passed away in Limoges, France, in November 2025. He was a pioneering neurologist, neuroepidemiologist, and global health leader whose work profoundly shaped tropical neurology and neuroepidemiology over more than 6 decades. His legacy combines scientific rigor, institutional vision, and an exceptional commitment to training generations of clinicians and researchers across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.Born in Bamako (Mali) in 1934 and raised partly in Dakar (Senegal), Michel Dumas developed early a deep familiarity with African societies and health systems. He trained in neurology in Dakar under Professor Henri Collomb, a founding figure of neuropsychiatry in Francophone Africa. In the context of a near absence of structured neurological services in sub-Saharan Africa, Michel Dumas played a decisive role in establishing neurology as a clinical and academic discipline. As Head of the Neurology Department at Dakar University Hospital, he contributed to the emergence of a specifically African neurological practice, grounded in clinical observation and attentive to local epidemiological realities.In 1976, Professor Dumas was appointed Head of the Neurology Department at Limoges University Hospital. Shortly thereafter, he laid the foundations for what would become his most enduring institutional contribution: the creation, in December 1981, of the Institute of Tropical Epidemiology and Neurology (Institut d’Épidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale IENT). This institute was the first and remains the only academic structure in Europe explicitly devoted to neurological diseases in tropical and resource-limited settings, with clear missions encompassing research, training, networking, and international cooperation.From its inception, the IENT integrated epidemiological approaches into the study of neurological diseases. Long before “neuroepidemiology” became a widely recognized field, Michel Dumas promoted population-based investigations to document the burden, distribution, and determinants of neurological disorders in tropical regions. His early work focused on neuroinfectious diseases, including human African trypanosomiasis, cysticercosis, and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy, in close collaboration with African clinical and laboratory teams. These studies laid methodological foundations for field-based neurological research in low-resource contexts.Over time, the scope of research expanded to encompass epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases, cognitive disorders, and comparative neurology. Epilepsy became a central theme of his neuroepidemiological work, combining community surveys, clinical characterization, and health system perspectives. Through these contributions, Michel Dumas helped establish epilepsy as a major public health priority in tropical countries, well before its recognition on the global health agenda.Professor Dumas’s scientific output was exceptional in both volume and breadth. He authored or co-authored more than 600 scientific publications, including original articles, reviews, and book chapters, and contributed to several landmark textbooks in tropical neurology and neuroepidemiology 1, 2. His work was characterized by careful clinical description, methodological rigor, and an unwavering concern for relevance to local health needs. Beyond publications, he was instrumental in structuring research teams, ultimately leading to the emergence of a dedicated neuroepidemiology research unit that later evolved into an Inserm- and IRD French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development-recognized unit.Training and transmission were central to Michel Dumas’s vision. Through the IENT and the Limoges Neurology Department, hundreds of physicians, epidemiologists, and health professionals from Africa and other regions received specialized training. He played a direct or indirect role in the training of several generations of African neurologists, epidemiologists, and neuroepidemiologists, many of whom later became academic leaders in their home countries. His approach combined high scientific standards with personal mentorship, fostering both autonomy and confidence among his trainees.A major milestone in the institutionalization of neuroepidemiology was the creation in 2008 of a dedicated master’s track in neuroepidemiology, building on earlier public health training initiatives in Limoges. This program formalized the interdisciplinary link between neurology and epidemiology that Michel Dumas had long advocated, and it contributed to the broader development of public health education at the University of Limoges. This trajectory ultimately led to the establishment of a comprehensive public health curriculum and, more recently, to the renaming of the institute as the “Michel Dumas Institute for Epidemiology and Global Health” in 2025.Michel Dumas’s influence extended well beyond academia. He was deeply involved in international scientific networks and professional societies, including the World Federation of Neurology, which awarded him the Medal for Services to International Neurology. He also served as an expert for numerous international organizations and was widely recognized for his role in promoting equitable North-South research partnerships.Despite his many honors, Michel Dumas remained a man of remarkable humility. He often reminded his students that titles mattered less than commitment, integrity, and usefulness to others. Until his final years, he remained actively engaged with the institute he founded, regularly visiting his office, reviewing archives, and offering thoughtful guidance to colleagues and former students.Professor Michel Dumas leaves behind an extraordinary scientific and human legacy. Through the institutions he built, the disciplines he helped shape, and the generations of professionals he trained, his influence will continue to resonate within neuroepidemiology, tropical neurology, and global health for decades to come.