Jacinto Convit | |
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Born | |
Died | 12 May 2014 Caracas, Venezuela | (aged 100)
Alma mater | Central University of Venezuela (UCV), Caracas, Venezuela |
Known for | Development of anti-leprosy vaccine and studies to cure different cancers |
Spouse | Rafaela Marotta D’Onofrio |
Children | Francisco Convit Oscar Convit Antonio Convit Rafael Convit |
Parent(s) | Flora García Marrero (mother) Francesc Convit i Martí (father) |
Awards | Prince of Asturias Award, Technical and Scientific Research (1987) Premio México de Ciencia y Tecnología (1990) |
Jacinto Convit García (11 September 1913 – 12 May 2014) was a Venezuelan physician and scientist, known for developing a vaccine to prevent leprosy and his studies to treat cancer. He played a role in founding Venezuela's National Institute of Biomedicine and held many leprosy-related positions. Among Convit's many honors for his work on leprosy and tropical diseases was Spain's Prince of Asturias Award in the Scientific and Technical Research category and France's Legion of Honor. In 1988, Convit was nominated for a Nobel Prize in Medicine for his experimental anti-leprosy vaccine.