Castro's son explains the foundation of Cuba's biotech success

[Mika]

Castro's son explains the foundation of Cuba's biotech success
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=130348

CUBA is undisputably a poor and underdeveloped country. Its gross domestic product (GDP), measured in purchasing power parity terms (PPP), was estimated as being just over $51-billion last year, in comparison to a South African 2007 GDP (also PPP) of $467,6-billion. Cuba's per capita GDP is $4 500, as against South Africa's $10 600.

Yet Cuba has established itself as one of the world's leading countries regarding biotechnology, in both qualitative and quantitative terms, and with regard to both research and the development and commercialisation of new products. For example, Cuba is one of only three countries to have developed and produce a Hepatitis B vaccine (the other two are the US and France). The Cuban vaccine is widely regarded as the best available, and has been exported to more than 30 countries.

How has such a poor country created such an impressive high-technology sector? "What is necessary to promote scientific capability is human resources," explains Cuban State Council scientific adviser Dr Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart. "The creation of knowledge needs substantial human resources and access to information. The key fact in the application of science and technology to our national economy was the availability of large numbers of workers with education, capable of being trained."

"Cuba based its achievements on its human potential," states Castro Diaz-Balart, who is the son of former Cuban President Fidel Castro. "It required considerable effort, but it promises a bright future."

Castro Diaz-Balart cites a comment by Cuba's national hero, José Martí, "to be free, first be cultured."

"Drawing from our own experiences - which may not be applicable to everyone - we first gave due attention to education, combatting illiteracy; the second thing is to create some facilities. Start with the universities; universities play a very important role. In Cuba, half of all research is done in universities," elucidates Castro Diaz-Balart. "Third, develop facilities for international collaboration, both South-South and South-North, otherwise you will have a brain drain. In the past 40 years, 1,2-million Latin Americans have gone from Latin American universities to North America and Europe. The aim should be real collaboration between different countries."

In 1959, Cuba had three universities with about 15 000 students. Today, it has 66 universities - including 15 dedicated medical universities, plus other specialist universities - with some 600 000 students. "In Cuba, education is free, but that doesn't mean it doesn't cost. We have worked for decades to have what we have now," he highlights. "We had human capacity building in the 1970s and 1980s, with lots of people studying abroad - in Russia; we graduated 22 000 people in Russia. But we (now) have critical mass in many areas."

The heart of Cuba's biotechnology sector is the West Havana Scientific Pole, which comprises 25 scientific institutions and 58 manufacturing centres, employing more than 10 000 people, of which more than 3 000 are scientists and engineers. Key institutions in the Pole include the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Centre, the National Bio-Preparations Centre, the Molecular Immunology Centre, the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Centre, and the National Centre for Animal and Plant Health. "I think it is the largest biotech complex in the Third World," says Castro Diaz-Balart. It operates in the fields of medicine, animal health, and agrobiotech.

Since 1981, Cuban biotechnology has developed more than 60 commercial products.
At first, progress was limited - between 1981 and 1990 only three such products were developed. Since then, however, things have accelerated significantly - between 1991 and 2000 19 more were added to the list, and another 38 commercial biotech products were developed between 2001 and 2007.

This progress has also been based on four strategic concepts - ‘closed loop organisation' meaning that research, development, commercialisation, and production take place under the aegis of the same institution; export orientation; building an Intellectual Property platform; and maintaining a tight relationship between research and industrial strategy. "These strategic concepts have proved most useful," reports Castro Diaz-Balart.

DR FIDEL CASTRO DIAZ-BALART:
We have worked for decades to
have what we have now.



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[roody]

1. Since I will probably never meet Fidel Sr.,

I'll dream of meeting Fidel Jr.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Saving your article to read with more concentration. Isn't it great this guy got involved in Cuba's

world famous (except for the U.S. news blackout, obviously!) medical research, which has been celebrated internationally for years.

Even the World Bank President said it's astonishing that Cuba could have developed such a high degree of achievement considering it has been operating with astounding handicaps due to the crushing embargo from the U.S.

That son has an astonishing resemblance to his father, doesn't he?

He almost looks a little like his father's collegue, as well, or a cross between them!



Dr. Castro, Dr. Guevara