Marlen I. Castellanos-Fernández MD PhD
Gastroenterologist. Full professor at the Medical University of Havana and senior researcher at Cuba’s National Gastroenterology Institute, Dr Castellanos has published widely on topics in hepatology. Her research earned her the Cuban Academy of Science’s 2014 National Prize.
Helena J. Chapman MD MPH PhD
Physician specializing in public health. Dr Chapman trained in medicine at the Iberoamerican University in the Dominican Republic and public health (One Health) at the University of Florida. She is a research scientist in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Her research uses qualitative methods to evaluate public health practices for infectious disease prevention and control.
Rachel Evans MS
Doctoral candidate in cancer sciences in the Roswell Park Graduate Division of the State University of New York at Buffalo. Ms Evans has a master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences and is certified as a Clinical Research Professional by the Society of Clinical Research Associates. She is a clinical research associate in the Early Phase Clinical Trial Program at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Alina González-Quevedo MD PhD
Neurochemist. Full professor and senior researcher at Cuba’s Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute, where she was De-puty Director for Research in 1995–2010. Her main research areas have been demyelinating diseases and blood–brain barrier systems. Dr González Quevedo is currently investigating blood-based biomarkers of brain damage in asymptomatic arterial hypertension and cerebrovascular diseases.
Sergio Jorge-Pastrana
Historian. Executive director of the Cuban Academy of Sciences (ACC), Mr Jorge-Pastrana has published widely on topics to do with science diplomacy and has served as a consultant with several UN agencies. In 2014, he was ACC’s signatory for a historic memorandum of understanding on scientific cooperation with the American Academy for the Advancement of Science.
Joan O’Connell MHSc PhD
Health economist with a background in engineering and applied mathematics. Associate professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at the Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Dr O’Connell’s research addresses economic issues related to chronic disease prevention and treatment (particularly among American Indian and Alaska Native populations) and assessment of policies and programs to improve health service access and delivery.
Jorge Pérez-Ávila MD MS
Physician specializing in clinical pharmacology. Consulting professor and senior researcher in Havana’s Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK) Dr Pérez-Ávila is internationally known for his HIV/AIDS research and treatment. He established Cuba’s national reference center for treatment and diagnosis of HIV/AIDS at IPK.
Sonia Resik MD PhD
Physician specializing in microbiology, with a master’s degree in virology and a doctorate in medical sciences. Senior professor, senior researcher and director of the Polio Laboratory Network, Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute, Havana, Cuba. She has participated in a dozen international collaborations, including ten with WHO on inactivated polio vaccine.
Pedro A. Valdés-Sosa MD PhD DrSc
Physician with higher degrees in biological sciences and mathematics. Dr Valdés is deputy director of the Cuban Neuroscience Center and coordinates the Center’s national network of neurophysiology laboratories, as well as the Cuban Brain Mapping Project and the Latin American Brain Mapping Network. He is senior researcher and full professor at the Medical University of Havana, and a member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences; he serves on the Editorial Board of MEDICC Review.
