Dr. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo
A Colombian immunologist known for developing the first synthetic vaccine for malaria.
Their malaria vaccine, SPf66, developed in 1987, significantly reduced the disease in various parts of Latin America and Africa.
Here's a time line of Dr. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo's life:
- 1946 - Born on November 3rd in Ataco, Tolima, Colombia.
- 1965-1970 - Studies medicine and surgery at the National University of Colombia in Bogotá, graduating with honors.
- 1972-1974 - Conducts postdoctoral research in immunology and virology at Yale University in the United States.
- Early 1980s - Establishes the Institute of Immunology at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Bogotá, laying the groundwork for his malaria vaccine research.
- 1986 - After years of research with his team in Colombia, announces the first synthetic vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria, known as SPf66.
- 1987-1988 - Conducts initial field trials of the SPf66 vaccine in the Colombian Amazon region, working with indigenous communities.
- 1990s - Large-scale trials of the SPf66 vaccine are carried out in various countries in Latin America (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil) and Africa (Tanzania, The Gambia, Thailand). Results show variable efficacy.
- 1994 - In a controversial and celebrated move, donates the patent for the SPf66 malaria vaccine to the World Health Organization (WHO).
- 1995 - Awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research in recognition of his work.
- Late 1990s - 2000s - Relocates part of his research operations to the Amazon region, establishing the Amazon Institute of Immunology Foundation (FIDIC) on the banks of the Loretoyacu River. He continues working on a new generation of synthetic vaccines based on the "Molecular Logic" principle.
- 2011 - Publishes research in the journal Chemical Reviews outlining a new methodology for vaccine development based on logical rules for protein synthesis (the "Molecular Logic" principle), aiming to create highly effective and inexpensive synthetic vaccines.
- 2012-2020 - Continues his research in the Amazon, focusing on applying his principles to develop vaccines for other diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and others. His work remains a subject of both international interest and scientific debate.
- 2025 - dies at the age of 78.
"There is no doubt that Manuel Elkin Patarroyo was and always will be a beacon of hope and a universal benchmark of excellence and humanity. His legacy will live on in each of us and in every step we take toward a world free of disease."
-- President of the Spanish Society of Tropical Medicine and International Health (SEMTSI), Agustín Benito Llanes.