Rolando Aníbal Hernández Fernández

His prolonged educational work, exercised over generations of health sciences professionals in Cuba, constitutes a legacy and example, indelible in the memory of his students and work colleagues.

Of celebrated prestige for his profound and up-to-date knowledge, he mastered perfectly the rules and principles of pedagogical excellence.

Native of Jovellanos, province of Matanzas. He entered medical studies through premedical courses, remaining throughout his career linked to the Department of Biochemistry of the Institute of Basic and Preclinical Sciences "Victoria de Girón", of which he was a student assistant and non-graduate instructor, demonstrating his vocational inclination toward educational work.

Since his time as a student he stood out among his classmates for his high intelligence and broad general culture, characteristics that accompanied him always. His classmates affectionately called him "Brain".

Once graduated, in 1970, by virtue of the needs generated by the mass training of physicians, he remained as a professor at this educational center where he attained the titles of specialist of first and second degree in Clinical Biochemistry, and progressed through all teaching categories until reaching those of Full Professor and Consultant Professor. He provided his internationalist collaboration in Guinea Bissau and participated in postgraduate teaching work in the Dominican Republic and Bolivia.

His academic results manifested themselves fundamentally in the elaboration and implementation of study plans in Health Sciences careers and in the specialties of Clinical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, as well as in the publication of dozens of textbooks, teaching materials, and review and update papers.

He held various institutional responsibilities and at the moment of his passing was serving as head of the Department of Biochemistry of "Victoria de Girón", a position he held for 23 consecutive years.

A tireless worker, his passing found him in full exercise of his teaching and directing duties at the head of the department where he was trained and to which he dedicated his productive life.
Unable to remain without taking on new projects and tasks, he was engaged, in his capacity as principal co-author, in a new edition of the award-winning Biochemistry textbook, which has served for the preparation of countless pre and postgraduate students in Cuba and abroad.

His colleagues preserve with appreciation the memory of his tall, distinguished figure and the grateful affection for his imperishable teachings.