Pictured are APS President Patricia Molina, M.D., Ph.D.; APS Past President David Pollock, Ph.D.; APS Executive Director Martin Frank, Ph.D.; SCCF President Alberto J. Dorta Contreras, Ph.D.; and Director of the Cuban National Council of Scientific Societies of Health Pedro Luis Veliz, M.D.As the political climate between the United States and Cuba slowly begins to thaw, a nephrologist at UAB is capitalizing on his membership in a prominent scientific society to promote academic interchange with Cuban scientists. David Pollock, Ph.D., professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology, recently visited Cuba with a delegation from the American Physiological Society to sign a historic agreement for research collaboration with the leaders of the Cuban Society of Physiological Sciences. The memorandum of understanding was executed on April 28, 2015, formalizing an agreement for the exchange of scientific information and resources between the two organizations.
As past president of the APS, Pollock hopes that this relationship will facilitate more global interactions among Cuban, American and other international physiologists. “Both the American and Cuban physiological societies have a lot to learn from each other’s experiences, having worked in very different cultures for many years. During my visit, I was very impressed by the passion and knowledge of physiology and scientific inquiry in Cuba,” Pollock said.
He notes that in stark contrast to the crumbling Spanish architecture that featured so prominently in his visit, academic medicine is thriving. In addition to having an active research community, Cuban medical institutions attract a number of international students, making it a significant destination on the global medical education stage.
“I firmly believe that personal contact among scientists provides benefits that cannot be gained from simply reading the literature or even sending emails. It is my hope that as our governments improve relations, we as physiologists will be there to grow and develop strong and lasting relationships,” Pollock said. “Science should know no boundaries as we all strive for new discoveries that can improve the human condition.”