The wanderings of a free radical

In my career I have moved from chemistry to biochemistry to plant science to clinical chemistry and back again (in a partial way) to plants. This review presents a brief history of my research achievements (ascorbate–glutathione cycle, role of iron in oxidative damage and human disease, biomarkers of free radical damage, and studies on atherosclerosis and neurodegeneration) and how they relate to my research activities today. The field of free radicals/other reactive species/antioxidants underpins all of modern Biology. These agents helped to drive human evolution and the basic principles of the field are repeatedly found to be relevant in other research areas. It was an exciting field when I started some 40 years ago, and it still is today, but some major challenges must be faced.