translated from Spanish: Chilean scientist author of vaccine against the virus syncytial participates in the creation of the Ministry of Science in Colombia

Dr. Alexis Kalergis, academician of the Catholic University and Director of the Millennium Institute in Immunology and Inmun Oterapia, IMII, was invited by the University of Antioquia (Medellín, Colombia) to analyze the discussion of the bill that will be created by the Ministry of Science, Technology and innovation in Colombia (MinCTI).
In addition to participating in the panel of expert Advisors, the creator of the vaccine against the Syncytial virus (VRS), will be in charge of the Central Conference for the academic seminars organized by the Colombian House of Studies. (Wednesday, May 29th, 10:00 hours. Extension Building University of Antioch. Academic Corporation basic Biomedical Sciences). In the opportunity the national scientist will address the importance of immunology in the world and the implications for vaccine design.
The scientist pointed out that-as in our country-he hopes that with his creation science will transform “into a real contribution to citizenship, both culturally, economically and integral social development.” Therefore, the implementation of the Ministry comes to facilitate, strengthen and enhance the actions that from this area can favor the resolution of problems of citizenship throughout the country in matters such as health, energy, food communications, among Other points. ”
He added that the change in institutionality in Chile as in the rest of the region constitutes a very significant advance and positions the science, knowledge, technology and national innovation as real solutions for specific and relevant problems in the Different regions of the country.
“With this new ministry the scientists will be able to contribute through their research to benefit the quality of life of the citizens. An example is the improvement and access to some necessary technologies or eliminating the connectivity problems that may exist in some territories. Without a doubt, they are aspects that science can contribute, through the opportunities that the new ministry will deliver and that will facilitate the research work of professionals related to the scientific and technological world. ”
Scientific Advisor
Since the year 2016, Dr. Alexis Kalergis is scientific advisor to the challenges of the future, science, Technology and Innovation Commission of the Senate of Chile, composed by the Senators: Carolina Goic, Guido Guirardi, Francisco Chahuán, Juan Antonio Coloma and Alfonso de Urresti.
Role that has enabled it to “contribute to the discussion of public policies aimed at improving the development of science in Chile, through funding, institutionality and legislation”.
The scholar emphasizes the central impact of the Ministry of Science, which is to create a legal, formal structure that gives the Government the opportunity to strengthen the development of the country through science and knowledge.
From Colciencias to the Ministry of Sciences
Currently in Colombia there is the administrative department of Science, Technology and innovation, Colciencias, which will be transformed into the Ministry of Science, Technology and innovation. This determination was made after the establishment of this new entity by the plenary of the Senate of the Republic in the year 2018.
The initiative will transform Colciencias into a ministerial entity, which can capture more resources to promote research projects. The creation of the MinCTI coincides with the commemoration of the 50 years of the National Council of Science, the Scientific Research Fund ‘ Francisco José de Caldas ‘, a predecessor to Colciencias.
Importance of vaccines
For the academic of the Catholic University it is necessary to visualize the importance of vaccines in the world. “While the only disease that is absolutely eradicated from the planet is smallpox, there are others like polio and measles that are on the way to being eliminated. Currently they are controlled, however, bad information can generate outbreaks, which in many cases can prove fatal. ”
Alexis Kalergis explains that smallpox a long time ago was a disease that caused an enormous death, “much worse than Ebola,” he emphasizes.
“Now, if I ask an audience who knows what smallpox is, very few will be able to respond correctly and that happens because it is an extinct disease and people forgot about it. The fact that people do not know it is because there was a control and subsequent elimination thanks to vaccines. Thus, the only scientific discipline that can say that it has eradicated a human disease is the combination between immunology and microbiology and that through vaccine development is controlling other pathologies such as polio and measles, “explains the director of IMII.
Kalergis explains that vaccines have avoided public health disasters that previously occurred and have been forgotten by the community. In this context, he reiterates that there is a human social phenomenon, “which is to forget in mass of some serious events that passed and harmed the humanity, as it has been with epidemics by infectious diseases and atrocities resulting from wars”. Their hypothesis is that the forgetfulness of epidemics has caused vaccines to be questioned and serious mistakes are made, such as not immunizing infants against diseases that are preventable with these technologies.
“Groups of people from different countries deny or forget many of the atrocities that occurred during the Second World War. Remembering these phenomena to the citizenry is a permanent and necessary process of not forgetting. ”