Joseph E. Alouf is Professor of Microbiology at the Pasteur Institute of Lille. He is former Head of the Department of Bacteriology and Mycology at the Pasteur Institute at Paris and Chairman of its Scientific Council. He served as Secretary General of the French Society of Immunology from 1984-1986 and President of the Federation of the European Microbiological Societies from 1989-1992. His 40-year research work relates to the field of bacterial protein toxins and immunology of infectious diseases. He is also the co-editor of several books.