Gustavo Kourí Flores

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He was born in Havana, grandson of Lebanese immigrants in Cuba, and has the legitimate pride of being the son of Pedro Kourí Esmeja.

He studied at the "La Salle" School in the capital, where he graduated as a bachelor in 1953 as an "Eminent Student". He immediately began his medical studies at the University of Havana, forced to interrupt them due to the closure of the university in 1956.

Upon the triumph of the Revolution in 1959, Gustavo reincorporated himself into the University to continue his medical studies, graduating in 1962. Following the example of his father, he became involved early on in the specialty of Microbiology and Parasitology, quickly becoming a great scholar of tropical diseases.

From 1968 to 1970 he served as Sub-Director of Research at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNIC). The decade of the 1970s meant the consolidation of his vocation and his filial and social commitment.

From 1970 to 1973 he held the position of Vice-Dean of Research at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of Havana. In 1973 he obtained the title of Doctor in Biological Sciences (Ph.D) and the teaching rank of Full Professor of Microbiology.

From 1973 to 1976 he held the position of Vice-Rector of Research at the University of Havana. In 1977 he became Associate Full Professor at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Havana and in 1976 was promoted to National Director of Research of the newly constituted Ministry of Higher Education, a position he held until 1978.

In 1979, as recognition of his incessant effort to seek scientific answers to health problems, not only of the Cuban population, but of the world; but especially of those who inhabit tropical regions, he was appointed Director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine that bears the name of his father, Pedro Kourí.

For his part, the decade of the 1980s would be that of consolidation of his professional, teaching, and scientific competence. In 1981 he achieved the rank of Full Researcher in Virology. That same year he was appointed Member of the Common Coordinating Board of the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Medicine (TDR) of the WHO, World Bank and UNDP, a responsibility he assumed for one year. From 1982 to 1986 he held the position of International Coordinator for research in Tropical Medicine at the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON).

In 1984 he was recognized by the Czechoslovak Society of Parasitology, which conferred upon him the rank of Honorary Member. In 1985 he achieved the rank of Second Degree Specialist in Microbiology and in 1989 the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and the Dominican Medical Association conferred upon him the title of Honorary Professor and Honorary Member, respectively. His high degree of specialization in Virology has been greatly recognized, as until his death he was considered one of the world's leading experts in dengue.

The eminent high school student, who became the tireless medical professional, always eager to learn and share newly acquired knowledge, completed this first important stage of his professional, teaching, and scientific life by achieving the title of Doctor in Sciences in Czechoslovakia and Cuba in 1990. From that year—and until 2008—he was appointed Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Training and Research in Medical Malacology and Biological Control of Vectors and Intermediate Hosts.

In that same year 1990, the Dominican Society of Infectology conferred upon him the title of Honorary Member. The following year, he was appointed President of the Expert Meetings of the Pan American Health Organization for the Control of Dengue and Hemorrhagic Dengue in the Americas (Washington 1991, São Paulo 1992). During the rest of that decade he received recognition from several high-level academic institutions, first eight foreign ones. In 1992—and until 1998—he was granted the status of Active Member of the Academy of Sciences of New York, USA.

In 1993, the Academy of Sciences of Medicine and Surgery of Galicia appointed him Foreign Corresponding Member and the Guatemalan Society of Parasitology granted him Honorary Member status. That same year—and until 1997—the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene of England accepted him as a Member. Also from 1993—and until 1995—he was President of the Latin American Federation of Parasitology. And from 1993 itself—and until 1997—he was elected President of the Latin American Society of Tropical Medicine and Vice-President of the Common Coordinating Board of the World Program of Tropical Medicine (TDR).

In 1995, the Academy of Sciences of the Third World (TWAS) appointed him Member, at a time when only 5 Cubans had achieved that recognition; and the American Society of Travel Medicine granted him Member status. It was precisely then, in that very year 1995, that our Economic Society of Friends of the Country designated him Member and, the following year, he received recognition from the Academy of Sciences of Cuba, which recognized him as an Academician and, almost immediately, appointed him Vice-President. That year—and until 1997—he was elected President of the Latin American Federation of Parasitology (FLAP). In 1997 he was appointed Vice-President of the Cuban Commission of the Red Cross.

From 2000 to 2002 he held the position of President of the Latin American Society of Microbiology. In 2001 he was approved as Member of the Centennial Advisory Board of PAHO and, that same year—and until the moment of his death—he was also Member of the Council of the International Society of Infectious Diseases. That year 2001 also had special significance for the legitimate grandson of Lebanese immigrants, upon receiving from the Medical Union of Lebanon the status of Honorary Member.

From 2002—until 2004—he served as Member of the Common Coordinating Board of the Special Program of Tropical Medicine (TDR) WHO, Geneva. From 2003 until 2005 he held the position of First Vice-President of the Central American and Caribbean Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine. And, from 2005 until 2007 he was again Member of the Common Coordinating Board of the Special Program of Tropical Medicine (TDR/WHO) and President of the Central American and Caribbean Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine.

In 2007 he was incorporated as Member of the WHO Expert Group for "Neglected Tropical Diseases". From 2008 he was again Member of the Common Coordinating Board of the Special Program of Tropical Medicine (TDR) WHO, Geneva and, in the past year 2010 was reelected for 4 more years.

His eternal desire to share knowledge led him to provide more than 60 national courses and trainings. He advised 20 theses, some of them Diploma theses, most of them Residency theses and a few Doctoral theses. He presided over and participated in more than 30 state boards of Residencies and Scientific Degrees. Until the moment of his death he was the President of the National Board of Infectology and Tropical Diseases for the awarding of the Doctorate (PhD). He provided more than 50 international courses and lecture series in 30 countries of North, Central and South America, the insular Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Professor Kourí leaves around 200 publications and communications in national and foreign journals, of which more than 90 are about Hemorrhagic Dengue and the Epidemics of Cuba (1981, 1997 and 2001). Co-author of two books on Dengue, one published in the Dominican Republic and the other in Colombia (National Institute of Health). Several chapters on Dengue in books published in Cuba, Brazil and Germany.

He participated as a delegate in more than 180 national and international Congress and Scientific Meetings, presenting more than 180 scientific works, papers or lectures.

He presented research results to compete for Prizes from several Cuban academic institutions, obtaining Special and Honorific Mentions on several occasions; and Special and Relevant Prizes. Among them stand out: the Annual Prize of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba (1993, 1997, 2001 and 2002). The work awarded that last year was on Dengue. That last year 2002 he received the Annual Prize for Health in the Book category (author of 2 chapters) and the special Prize of CITMA in research Work of greatest social impact in all branches of sciences (principal author).

He leaves a legacy of a rich editorial activity. Member of the Editorial Board of the Mexican Journal of Public Health (Cuernavaca, INS); of the Venezuelan Journal of Tropical Medicine (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Central University of Venezuela); of the Journal Applied Biotechnology (Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba).

President of the Editorial Committee of the Cuban Journal of Tropical Medicine (Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí" Havana, Cuba); Member of the Editorial Committee and Reviewer of the Pan American Journal of Public Health (PAHO/WHO), Washington DC. Member of the Editorial Committee and Reviewer of the "Dengue Bulletin" edited by the WHO at its headquarters in India (SEARO).

Throughout his fruitful professional life he received nearly fifty distinctions, prizes and social recognitions from Cuba, from other countries and from international societies. Among them stand out: Commemorative Medal and Diploma for the Tenth Anniversary of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNIC); Commemorative Medal for the 150th Anniversary of the Discovery by Dr. Carlos Finlay; Medal for the 250th Anniversary of the University of Havana; Commemorative Medal for the 50th Anniversary of the Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí"; Order "Carlos J. Finlay"; Order Lázaro Peña First Class; Illustrious Son of the City of Havana; Hero of Work of the Republic of Cuba and a Commemorative Medal for the 480th Anniversary of the Founding of the City of Havana.

He also received several recognitions from foreign institutions, among which stand out: Medal from the Vatican "Pontificium Concilium Pro Pastorali Valetudinis Cura"; Bowl from Harvard University; Commemorative Plaque for the Centennial of PAHO and Medal from the National Institute of Health of the Ministry of Public Health of Peru.

As an admirer of Arab culture, especially Arab medicine, he received with particular satisfaction the Recognition Diploma from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon for contributions made to Medicine in the past year 2008.

Until very recently, with great vitality and scientific productivity and evident management skills, he served in his position as General Director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) and Director of the WHO Collaborating Center in vector control.

The life and work of this scientist, committed to the society that allowed him to develop all his potential, has become fertile seed that becomes an example to be imitated by young generations of Cuban scientists.