Kevin Marsh qualified in medicine at the University of Liverpool in 1978 and after undertaking specialist training as a physician began his research career at the Medical Research Council Unit in the Gambia working on the immunology of malaria. From 1985-89 he was at the Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford and in 1989 established with colleagues a series of research projects on the clinical epidemiology and immunology of malaria at Kilifi on the Kenyan coast. These have subsequently developed into the current programme. The programme's research is multidisciplinary and ranges from community based epidemiology, though bedside clinical research and basic sciences to social science and health systems and policy research applied to all major causes of morbidity in east Africa.

He is professor of tropical medicine at the University of Oxford and chair of the Oxford Tropical Network. He is chair of the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Committee recently established to advise the Director general of the WHO on malaria. Professor Marsh has a particular interest in developing and strengthening research capacity and scientific leadership in Africa. He is a member of a number of international advisory committees relating to malaria and to global health research.

Kevin has a particular interest is in the development of science in Africa. He is currently seconded for 50% of his time as senior adviser to the African Academy of Sciences.