Concepción campa huergo, president & general director, finlay institute.

Pharmacist, biochemist, and lead scientist of the Cuban team that developed the meningitis B vaccine, Concepción Campa has been internationally recognized for her scientific contributions to children's health; this vaccine, patented as VA-MENGOC-BC®, was awarded the World Intellectual Property Organization's Gold Medal in 1989. Currently, Campa is President and General Director of the Finlay Institute, the Cuban scientific center dedicated to research, development, production, and marketing of vaccines for human use. Among many other distinctions, Concepci�n Campa is: Senior Member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences; World Health Organization Temporary Consultant & Scientific Advisor; Pan American Health Organization Temporary Advisor; Member of the Scientific Council of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health; and Member of the Cuban Expert Committee on Vaccines. She received an honorary PhD from the University of Havana in 1996. Dr Campa sat down with MEDICC Review to discuss Cuba's vaccine research approach, development of the meningitis B vaccine, what it's like to lead an internationally-renowned scientific institution, and more.