The Cuban Society of Immunology and Las Tunas University of Medical Sciences are organising two events in April related to the history of immunology. The First Virtual International Symposium on the History of Immunology will take place during the entire month and is expected to be a window for the memory of outstanding personalities, whether local or international, as well as of relevant advances, impacts and the teaching of immunology. Interestingly, indigenous knowledge in the treatment of immune-mediated diseases has also been included as a central topic.

On April 29th, celebrating the Day of Immunology, the Museum of the History of Cuban Immunology will open at Las Tunas University of Medical Sciences. A diverse collection of documents, images and objects will show the relevance of local immunology, both for public health achievements and for the advancement of the nation. From the introduction of smallpox vaccination in 1804 to the development of five anti-covid-19 vaccine candidates by the Cuban biotechnology industry, reports of the first case of Béguez-Chediak-Higashi syndrome and of the inoculation of a tumor into a researcher’s blood circulation, many facts, discoveries, curiosities, institutions and personages are covered in the hall. The museum is intended not only to safeguard an invaluable scientific heritage but also to promote investigations among medical students, health professionals and any other interested in immunology.