José A. Chávez Viamontes MD MS
Embryologist with a master’s degree in comprehensive pediatric care. An associate professor and research methodologist at the Medical University of Camagüey, Dr Chávez has conducted research on congenital birth defects, management of febrile convulsions and ethical implications of biotechnology research involving humans. His current research focuses on risk assessment and prevention of congenital birth defects.
Dervel F. Díaz Herrera MS
Biochemist specializing in immune technology. Adjunct researcher, AIDS Research Laboratory (LISIDA), Havana, Cuba. Mr Díaz has published in Cuban and international journals on the development, improvement and validation of diagnostic systems for human retroviruses, including HIV-1, HIV-2 and HTLV-1. His current work concentrates on identification of concurrent HIV-1 and -2 infection using serologic and molecular methods.
Enrique Galbán García MD PhD
Epidemiologist with a doctorate in public health. Dr Galbán is a senior researcher at Cuba’s National Gastroenterology Institute, where he chairs the epidemiology department. He is an associate professor of epidemiology at the Medical University of Havana. He has published widely on sexually-transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and international health regulations and is consultant to PAHO’s program on HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted diseases. He was honored by Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health for his leadership in the development of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.
Belkys M. Galindo Santana MD MS
Family physician with a second specialty in epidemiology. Dr Galindo is an assistant professor and associate researcher at the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana, where she oversees the vaccine-related adverse events surveillance system. She served as consultant to WHO on polio eradication in Angola and has received several honors for her research, including the Cuban Academy of Sciences prize for a principal investigator and the Pedro Kourí Centenary Medal. Dr Galindo is currently investigating the safety and effectiveness of H1N1 vaccine in pregnancy.
Calixto Machado Curbelo MD PhD DrSc FAAN
Neurologist. Senior professor and researcher, Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana. Dr Machado chairs the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology and heads the Neurophysiological Laboratory for Cerebrovascular Diseases and Intensive Care Unit. He is president of the Cuban Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, chair of the Network on Defining Death of the International Bioethics Association, and chair of the Cuban Commission for Brain Death Diagnosis. He is the author of numerous articles on neurology and determination of brain death, and six-time recipient of the annual Award for Best Medical Scientific Research in Cuba.
Ivonne Pedroso Ibáñez MD MS
Family physician with a second specialty in neurology and a master’s degree in clinical neuroscience. Staff neurologist at the Movement and Neurodegenerative Disorders Clinic, International Neurological Restoration Center in Havana, where she is also an associate researcher. Her research centers on neuroprotection in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Yamilé Peña Quián MD PhD
Internist. She has been director of research at the National Clinical Research Center since 2004. Dr Peña’s studies focus on nuclear medicine applied to a range of conditions, particularly cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Her work has garnered a number of national and international awards. Her article in this issue stems from her doctoral work, which she successfully completed while the manuscript was in process.
Francisco Rojas Ochoa MD PhD
Physician with a master’s degree in public health and health administration and a doctorate in medical sciences. Distinguished professor and distinguished researcher at the National School of Public Health, Dr Rojas is a full member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. He is director of the Revista Cubana Salud Pública (Cuban Journal of Public Health) and chairs the advisory committee of Cuba’s Medical Sciences Publishing House. In a career spanning over five decades, he has published prolifically and received numerous honors, including PAHO’s Award for Health Administration.
