Marcel Roche
5732885
214532652
2008-05-24T00:08:20Z
Tovian
6576338
Removed category "Venezuelan educators" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]])
{{Infobox_Scientist
|name = Marcel Roche
|image = Marcel_roche.jpg
|image_width = 225px
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1920|8|15|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Caracas]], [[Venezuela]],
|residence = [[Venezuela]]
|nationality =
|death_date = {{death date and age|2003|5|3|1920|8|15|df=y}}
|death_place = [[Miami]]
|field = [[Endocrinology]], [[Nuclear medicine]]
|work_institutions = [[Central University of Venezuela]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] (1958-1960)
|alma_mater = [[Johns Hopkins Medical School]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|doctoral_students =
|known_for =
|prizes = [[Kalinga Prize]]
|religion =
|signature =
|footnotes =
}}
'''Marcel Roche''' (b. [[August 15]], [[1920]], [[Caracas]], [[Venezuela]]; d. [[May 3]], [[2003]], [[Miami]], [[United States|USA]]) was a [[physician]], [[scientist]] and scientific leader.
He was born into a wealthy family of [[France|French]] origin. His father, [[Luis Roche]], was a well known urbanist. His secondary education was conducted in [[Paris]], [[France]], graduating in [[1938]]. Following this, he moved to the USA and got a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree at [[St. Joseph’s College]], in [[Philadelphia]], following by studies in [[medicine]] at [[Johns Hopkins Medical School]], in [[Baltimore]]. After graduation in [[1946]], he specialized in [[endocrinology]] and [[nuclear medicine]]. Before returning to Venezuela in [[1951]], he carried out biomedical research for some time at the [[New York Institute of Public Health]].
In Venezuela Dr. Roche started several pioneering works as an Assistant Professor of the [[Central University of Venezuela]] on [[goitre]], [[hookworm]] infections and [[nutritional deficiencies]] and [[anaemia]]s, especially among the poor and [[Indigenous peoples|aboriginal]] people.
He was founder and director of the Institute of Medical Research at the Central University, and in 1958 he also became the Secretary General of the [[Venezuelan Association for the Advancement of Science]]. Other institutions directed by him were the Institute of Neurology and Brain Investigation, reorganised in 1959 as the [[Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research]] in [[1959]]. During his tenure, Dr. Roche became interested and supported the development of [[anthropology]] and the study the [[history of science|history]] and [[sociology of science]].
He was founder and director of the [[Venezuelan National Council of Scientific Investigation]] and the magazine [[Intersciencia]], as well as being involved in the publishing of several other scientific periodicals. Dr. Roche was also a pioneer in the area of [[public understanding of science]] and a pioneer in the production of [[TV]] programs and [[documentary film]]s on many science subjects. He was very active in promoting science to the public and participated in many national and international organizations promoting science. Dr. Roche was an advisor to the [[WHO]], [[UNESCO]], a Governor of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] (1958-1960), Research Director at HIMEOBS Labs and was a Member and President of the Council of the [[University of the United Nations]] in [[Tokyo]], and Secretary of the [[Third World Academy of Sciences]].
He received many honours and degrees from [[Belgium]], [[Germany]], [[France]], the [[United States]], [[India]] and [[Brazil]]. He won the [[Kalinga Prize]] from UNESCO for his work.
==External links==
* [http://www.ivic.ve/estudio_de_la_ciencia/?mod=roche.php Marcel Roche biography]. In Spanish.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roche, Marcel}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Caracas]]
[[Category:Venezuelan scientists|Roche, Marcel]]
[[Category:Venezuelan physicians|Roche, Marcel]]
[[Category: Central University of Venezuela faculty]]
[[es:Marcel Roche]]