12 March 2010

Katie and I decided to travel independently of the program to Viñales for the weekend after our two visits on the 12th. The visits were pretty cool. First we went to the center for genetic biological study. This is where a lot of genetic research is being done. A variety of projects are chosen to study, some address illnesses that can be cured in the following few years, then some require more time for research, and other long term projects are also taken on, such as a cure for cancer and AIDS. It is pretty incredible. The most lasting thing I took from the center was the motivation behind developing this research. 1) the primary goal is to eliminate the problem in Cuba. For example, they have essentially eliminated Hep B because they vaccinate all new borns. The next phase is collaboration and to take the drugs/research to the market. 2) The personal motivation for being a doctor is very different in Cuba. It is true that there are some in the tourist industry that may make even more money than a family doctor. Not only this, but patents are granted to the institutions for whom the researchers work, never to the researchers themselves. The guy we talked to worked on three of the now globally marketed projects, but when he leaves, he will have no proof of his contribution besides a personal satisfaction, which brings me to 3). Our genetic researcher who showed us around explained that he feels an immense sense of guilt that when he isn’t researching, he could be curing fellow Cubans. If the team of researchers at the center do no perform well, do not discover enough genetic mutations or cures even, they all but loose their jobs, demoted to less primary researching positions. It is very interesting to me, especially as I think about perusing biological research. We also visited a similar center of immunology medicine. Then, we got dropped off at the bus station for a three hour ride to Viñales.