Award-winning neurologist created the Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology.
By Pierre-Marie Preux and Amadou Gallo Diop
Prof. Michel Dumas, MD
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Prof. Michel Dumas, who died Nov. 8, 2025, in Limoges, France.
After having contributed to the establishment of the first Francophone Departments of Neurology in West and Central Africa and trained the first professors and teams — thereby helping to bridge major human resources gaps in sub-Saharan Africa — Prof. Dumas joined the Faculty of Medicine at University Hospital of Limoges, France, in 1976. He founded and chaired the Department of Neurology until 2000 and served as vice dean from 1980 to 1990.
In 1982, he created the Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology (IENT), which rapidly garnered international recognition for its pioneering research and training on neurological disorders in tropical and low-resource settings. Under his leadership, Limoges became a vibrant hub for the training of neurologists and public health specialists from Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
A devoted advocate of international cooperation, he established long-standing partnerships with institutions across continents and inspired generations of neurologists and researchers to build bridges between clinical practice, public health, and social responsibility.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to international neurology, Prof. Dumas received the Services to International Neurology Award from the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) in 2015. He was also a corresponding member of the French National Academy of Medicine.
The institute he founded now bears his name: the Michel Dumas Institute for Epidemiology and Global Health. It is a living legacy of his vision, commitment, and humanity. His influence endures through the countless students, colleagues, and institutions he inspired worldwide. •
Pierre-Marie Preux, MD, PhD, is chair of the WFN Neuroepidemiology Specialty Group and director of the Michel Dumas Institute for Epidemiology and Global Health at the University of Limoges. Amadou Gallo Diop, MD, PhD, is a past trustee of the WFN and a member of the Senegal National Academy of Sciences. He is also past chair of the Department of Neurosciences at the University of Dakar.
