Dr Kourí, MD and PhD, significantly continued the tradition of his father whom the Tropical Medicine Institute Pedro Kourí (IPK) in Havana was named after. Dr Kourí was one of the founders of the Cuban System for Biomedical Research, performing as Research Director at the National Center for Scientific Research of Cuba since 1968 until 1970, when he started as vice Dean at the Faculty of Medicine in Havana. Later on, he performed as vice-rector of Research and Postgraduate studies at Havana University, a work continued at nationwide level once constituted the Higher Education Ministry in 1976. Specialized in Virology, he was also President of the Cuban Society for Microbiology and Parasitology, and vice-president of the Cuban Academy of Sciences.

He attended the request of our Commander in Chief Fidel Castro in 1977 to enforce the scientific performance of the IPK, leading this center to a remarkable excellence through the years in the field of infectious diseases in Cuba and other countries. His main research contributions were in parasitology, Dengue prevention and vector eradication areas. Recently, he was awarded as Honorary Director-Founder of the IPK by the Cuban Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Health.