Charles Anthony (Tony) Hart, a modest man, had the distinction of being the youngest Professor of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool, when he was appointed to the Chair in 1986. Later, in 1990, when the University Department of Genitourinary Medicine merged with the Department of Medical Microbiology, he became the first professor of the combined Department of Medical Microbiology and Genitourinary Medicine.

He was born on 25 February 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham, and educated at St Michael’s College, Leeds and at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, University of London. He obtained BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry in 1969 followed by MBBS in 1972.

His interest in biochemistry in the earlier years kept him at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, first as a Wellcome Research Scholar, and later as a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry. His initial research was concerned with the physical chemistry and …