Ogobara K. Doumbo, author of this month's essay, is the Director of the Malaria Research and Training Center at the University of Bamako, Mali. With expertise in tropical medicine, epidemiology, and parasitology, he has been making a global impact on the study, treatment, and prevention of malaria, paying special attention to the social and cultural subtleties that govern participation in medical research. In 2003, Dr. Doumbo became a member of Mali's National Committee on Ethics.