Professor Francis A. Waldvogel, a Swiss citizen, graduated from the University of Geneva Medical School in 1964 and undertook a postgraduate training in medicine, infectious diseases and clinical bacteriology at Harvard from 1966-1970. He then joined the academic staff at the University Hospital in Geneva to head Infectious Diseases and Clinical Bacteriology until 1986. In 1982, he became full Professor of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief in internal medicine, and from 1990 to 2001 Chairman of the Department of Medicine. In 1995, after having served as Vice-President of the Swiss Science Council, he was elected by the Federal Government to become the President of the Swiss Polytechnic Institutes, a position he held until 2004.

His scientific activities led to more than 150 publications, several books, numerous invited professorships and lectures, and elections into several Academies (Switzerland, Leopoldina- European Academy etc.) He is President of several humanitarian Foundations. He has joined the "Race4Water" Foundation, to help stopping ocean and food chain pollution by plastics. He also participates in establishing scientific and awareness programs regarding this silent pollution on the ambassador boat of the foundation, Planet Solar."