About
WHO I AM
Rafael Rubio
Dr. Rubio was a full professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the university of Virginia for 27 years (1969-1996) and a professor at UASLP for 19 years (1995-2014). His undergraduate work was done in Mexico City and influenced by Dr. Arturo Rosenblueth and Walter B. Cannon, a visiting professor at Dept Physiology of the Instituto Nac. De Cardiologia in Mexico.
He was born in 1928 inQueretaro City during the Cristera (from Christ/religious war; the government had the churches closed) and Agrarista (the rights to the land by the peasants) civil wars which economically destroyed a large high plateau agricultural, and cattle area called el “Bajio”. Queretaro City is 1500s Spanish colonial city that rivals in beauty with Seville. His father loved bullfighting and used to organize fights in cities around Queretaro. When Dr. Rubio was five, he thought he might want to be a bullfighter, more than once he was put in front of a small brave bull and fought it, he realized that he was not that courageous and hated it and instead wanted to pursue his passion for music. At that point, because of the ongoing war, his father lost his profitable business: a family life full of comfort was lost, and his father lost all property which forced him to migrate with his family to Mexico City.
The arrival to Mexico City was in almost absolute poverty. His father’s modest provisions were verily enough to survive, with limited shelter, hygiene, food, and clothing. However, Dr. Rubio never remembers to have gone cold or going hungry or feeling dirty. No movies, no buses, no holidays, no vacations, however, elementary, and secondary schools were good, with small groups, and dedicated teachers.
The government had created different parts of the City with excellent, well staff and maintained sports parks; Olympic pools, diving platforms, and tennis and basketball courts where anybody could go and do exercise. At the age of twelve, Dr. Rubio joined the swimming team of one of these parks, where the coach “Chepo” was an excellent motivator, attracted mainly poor boys for his team and work out with them for 4 to 5 hours daily. Dr. Rubio improved as a fast swimmer worked and dreamed of becoming the fastest swimmer in the world and of course, the school attendance suffered. This adventure lasted four years. This transition from comfort to poverty Dr. Rubio thinks is the most interesting and educating period of his life because it taught him about the real value and relevance of things in life. What is valuable and why and what is not, what is really needed for you to survive as a being, and why and what is not? The initial period of comfort taught him how far and farther he could and should try to Reach and the second, how minimally your efforts can be and still survive in this state.
His mother, when the children came to an age in which after school could perform some work for somebody and be paid, would get them only for the boys to work. She would find those jobs that would bring some relief to the family economics. Dr. Rubio worked assisting car mechanics, a plumber, etc. but whe he became fifteen old no job would please him and either was fired or just left. This situation: swimming, some schooling, and no work, was a great concern for his patient mother and by serendipity, at 16 years old, he found an for a kid who wanted to work a few hours in Dr. A. Rosenblueth’s laboratory cleaning and organizing and that is when he became interested in science He arrived to the Instituto Nac. De Cardiologia where Arturo Rosenblueth was the head of the Physiology lab. Dr. Rosenblueth promised Dr. Rubio the job, but only if he promised to go to school and pursue an education there, to which Dr. Rubio agreed. He said the lab was very small and the few people who did occupy the lab would discuss their experiments out loud and so he learned physiology. Among the people there was the 75 years old, Walter B. Cannon; a Nobel prize nominee, who the young Rubio took to be a nice, gentle, old man since he had no idea who he was; “the father of American physiology” and a Nominated for the Nobel prize. He was eventually told that Cannon was a former chairman of the Department of Physiology at Harvard University (Harvard??) and that Dr. Rosenblueth had worked with him for 15 years. Cannon retired and traveled to Mexico City, and has been invited to spend a year doing research in Dr. Rosenblueth’s lab.
The 16 years Rubio eventually became Cannon’s technician, Rubio says “I was the only one around”, he took cats, nursed them and cleaned them for Cannon after he performs a delicate spinal cord surgery. Because Cannon was an older man, Dr. Rubio said his hands would shake, even ruining several experiments, and when he finally became frustrated, he asked Dr. Rubio if he could try to perform the surgery since he had watched the procedure and Cannon could not do it anymore, so Rubio did it successfully. Cannon explained to his “collaborator” the anatomy, physiology, and questions behind the experiments, and this is how Dr. Rubio said Walter B. Cannon influenced him for the rest of his life.
After working with Cannon, he stayed in Rosenblueth’s lab learned lots, and went to school, but did not know what he wanted to do, Medicine? Physics, Mathematics? None of these he felt gave him the training to pursue a career in physiological research for which no curriculum was available in Mexico. He improvised his training and curriculum emphasizing mathematics, physics, chemistry, physiology, and humanities and obtained some sort of bachelor’s degree from the University of Mexico.
Rosenblueth inclined mathematics and physics and believed these two disciplines were important to Biological research. During 1946-to 1950 Rosenblueth got funding to have visiting professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), among them the professor Norbert Wiener and a muchyounger professor, Walter Pitts. These professors spend the Cardiology Institute, several months, every year working with Rosenblueth on various physiological projects for a period of 4 years. The fortunate aspect of these MIT visitors for Dr. Rubio was that he became a friend of Walter Pitts, who at one point saw Dr. Rubio studying mathematics and a physics textbook and commented “This is what I teach at MIT”. Do you want me to help you with your math as well as with your physics course? The result is that Dr. Rubio for two years got personal tutor, an MIT professor, for free.
By the summer of 1951, Dr. Rubio had become a skillful and knowledgeable technician when another Harvard University visiting professor; Dr. Otto Krayer, head of the Department of Pharmacology came and spent three months in the Institute of Cardiology and Dr. Rubio was asked to work and assist Dr. Krayer in his experimental project. Dr. Krayer was very demanding, the six- day week was 15-16 hours long days and the project progressed very successfully. Dr. Krayer was most satisfied and at the end of his visit asked the young Rubio to come to Harvard, and be his assistant, but not only as a technician. Here are the terms of his proposal, he said; “I have come to know you well and I know that you participate in the projects not only technically, but also conceptually. You are an identifier of scientific problems, and you find ways of solving them technically and conceptually. My proposal is you work for me and at the same time, we will make arrangements for you to take courses and gradually fill the requirements for a Doctorate degree. In response, Rosenblueth became angered; “how come this visitor comes and takes our personnel away ” (he did not comment on the meager salary). This created an unjust obstacle and unfortunately, Dr. Rubio did not pursue more aggressively this proposal this unique opportunity was lost, and still at present, Dr. Rubio regrets it. Meager salaries at the Institute of Cardiology forced him to move and work for the research division of industry; Syntex in Mexico, with a salary ten times that at the Institute. After 3 years Syntex research division was moved to California offering Dr. Rubio to go with them. Dr. Rubio did not accept, have decided he wanted to do basic, not applied science, missed the opportunity to become a millionaire, and went back to the Institute of Cardiology where Rosenblueth has offered him his own laboratory. Now Dr. Rubio married Armida Dorantes, a chemist.
The next 9 years were productive; 25 international publications, but the economic situation became desperate and needed a new opportunity, a better future, and a salary. Serendipity again presented itself when in 1963 two professors of Physiology from Western Reserve Univ. Cleveland was visiting Mexico. They decided to visit Dr. Rubio’s Lab and see if he had made any advancements in a phenomenon described in a previous publication. They arrived while he was experimenting, they inquired, and he gave the background of the problem, explained what question he was trying to answer , and the means to reach for an answer. Both professors were very impressed and one asked; Where did you get your Doctorate? The reply was I have not a Doctorate! The other professor said, “Do you want one? YES! YES! Off, they went back to Cleveland and facilitated visas (green cards), and funds for travel (4 children and his wife) for his incorporation into their Physiology graduate program.
During an interview in Cleveland for the graduate program, the interviewer asked him why he was wasting his time applying for a program that would train him to do what he already knew how to do. Dr. Rubio said he knew he needed more formal, focused, and high-quality training and submitted himself to three years of a very rigorous and demanding curriculum. His Ph.D. thesis project was done under Dr. Robert M. Berne and almost at the point the thesis was being finished, Dr. Berne was offered the chairmanship of the Dept. Physiology at the Univ. of Virginia and asked Dr. Rubio to join him in Virginia, where as a professor spent the next 3×0 years, publishe 170 papers, and guided close to 40 young investigators in the pursuit of Science and academy In 1996 he moved back to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where he was an active professor: graduated with eight Doctors, instructed five postdoctoral fellows, and as a researcher published thirty papers and one book, all focused on Understanding the molecular mechanism by which flow stimulates coronary endothelial cells and modulate cardiac function and metabolism. 47 trainees went to Dr. Rubio’s Lab: 28 Doctors, 7 Masters, and 12 Postdoctors. Dr. Rubio published more than 200 articles and book chapters, 25 of those coming before he even obtained a bachelor’s degree. He was full professor of physiology at the University of Virginia until 1996 when he returne to Mexico as a professor of physiology at UASLP “to make a difference” and he did it. Most of his research focused on the mechanisms of couplin cardiac function and coronary blood flow. He left his post at the UASLP in 20014, is now retired, and lives in New Orleans LA
The government had created different parts of the City with excellent, well staff and maintained sports parks; Olympic pools, diving platforms, and tennis and basketball courts where anybody could go and do exercise. At the age of twelve, Dr. Rubio joined the swimming team of one of these parks, where the coach “Chepo” was an excellent motivator, attracted mainly poor boys for his team and work out with them for 4 to 5 hours daily. Dr. Rubio improved as a fast swimmer worked and dreamed of becoming the fastest swimmer in the world and of course, the school attendance suffered. This adventure lasted four years. This transition from comfort to poverty Dr. Rubio thinks is the most interesting and educating period of his life because it taught him about the real value and relevance of things in life. What is valuable and why and what is not, what is really needed for you to survive as a being, and why and what is not? The initial period of comfort taught him how far and farther he could and should try to Reach and the second, how minimally your efforts can be and still survive in this state.
His mother, when the children came to an age in which after school could perform some work for somebody and be paid, would get them only for the boys to work. She would find those jobs that would bring some relief to the family economics. Dr. Rubio worked assisting car mechanics, a plumber, etc. but whe he became fifteen old no job would please him and either was fired or just left. This situation: swimming, some schooling, and no work, was a great concern for his patient mother and by serendipity, at 16 years old, he found an for a kid who wanted to work a few hours in Dr. A. Rosenblueth’s laboratory cleaning and organizing and that is when he became interested in science He arrived to the Instituto Nac. De Cardiologia where Arturo Rosenblueth was the head of the Physiology lab. Dr. Rosenblueth promised Dr. Rubio the job, but only if he promised to go to school and pursue an education there, to which Dr. Rubio agreed. He said the lab was very small and the few people who did occupy the lab would discuss their experiments out loud and so he learned physiology. Among the people there was the 75 years old, Walter B. Cannon; a Nobel prize nominee, who the young Rubio took to be a nice, gentle, old man since he had no idea who he was; “the father of American physiology” and a Nominated for the Nobel prize. He was eventually told that Cannon was a former chairman of the Department of Physiology at Harvard University (Harvard??) and that Dr. Rosenblueth had worked with him for 15 years. Cannon retired and traveled to Mexico City, and has been invited to spend a year doing research in Dr. Rosenblueth’s lab.
The 16 years Rubio eventually became Cannon’s technician, Rubio says “I was the only one around”, he took cats, nursed them and cleaned them for Cannon after he performs a delicate spinal cord surgery. Because Cannon was an older man, Dr. Rubio said his hands would shake, even ruining several experiments, and when he finally became frustrated, he asked Dr. Rubio if he could try to perform the surgery since he had watched the procedure and Cannon could not do it anymore, so Rubio did it successfully. Cannon explained to his “collaborator” the anatomy, physiology, and questions behind the experiments, and this is how Dr. Rubio said Walter B. Cannon influenced him for the rest of his life.
After working with Cannon, he stayed in Rosenblueth’s lab learned lots, and went to school, but did not know what he wanted to do, Medicine? Physics, Mathematics? None of these he felt gave him the training to pursue a career in physiological research for which no curriculum was available in Mexico. He improvised his training and curriculum emphasizing mathematics, physics, chemistry, physiology, and humanities and obtained some sort of bachelor’s degree from the University of Mexico.
Rosenblueth inclined mathematics and physics and believed these two disciplines were important to Biological research. During 1946-to 1950 Rosenblueth got funding to have visiting professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), among them the professor Norbert Wiener and a muchyounger professor, Walter Pitts. These professors spend the Cardiology Institute, several months, every year working with Rosenblueth on various physiological projects for a period of 4 years. The fortunate aspect of these MIT visitors for Dr. Rubio was that he became a friend of Walter Pitts, who at one point saw Dr. Rubio studying mathematics and a physics textbook and commented “This is what I teach at MIT”. Do you want me to help you with your math as well as with your physics course? The result is that Dr. Rubio for two years got personal tutor, an MIT professor, for free.
By the summer of 1951, Dr. Rubio had become a skillful and knowledgeable technician when another Harvard University visiting professor; Dr. Otto Krayer, head of the Department of Pharmacology came and spent three months in the Institute of Cardiology and Dr. Rubio was asked to work and assist Dr. Krayer in his experimental project. Dr. Krayer was very demanding, the six- day week was 15-16 hours long days and the project progressed very successfully. Dr. Krayer was most satisfied and at the end of his visit asked the young Rubio to come to Harvard, and be his assistant, but not only as a technician. Here are the terms of his proposal, he said; “I have come to know you well and I know that you participate in the projects not only technically, but also conceptually. You are an identifier of scientific problems, and you find ways of solving them technically and conceptually. My proposal is you work for me and at the same time, we will make arrangements for you to take courses and gradually fill the requirements for a Doctorate degree. In response, Rosenblueth became angered; “how come this visitor comes and takes our personnel away ” (he did not comment on the meager salary). This created an unjust obstacle and unfortunately, Dr. Rubio did not pursue more aggressively this proposal this unique opportunity was lost, and still at present, Dr. Rubio regrets it. Meager salaries at the Institute of Cardiology forced him to move and work for the research division of industry; Syntex in Mexico, with a salary ten times that at the Institute. After 3 years Syntex research division was moved to California offering Dr. Rubio to go with them. Dr. Rubio did not accept, have decided he wanted to do basic, not applied science, missed the opportunity to become a millionaire, and went back to the Institute of Cardiology where Rosenblueth has offered him his own laboratory. Now Dr. Rubio married Armida Dorantes, a chemist.
The next 9 years were productive; 25 international publications, but the economic situation became desperate and needed a new opportunity, a better future, and a salary. Serendipity again presented itself when in 1963 two professors of Physiology from Western Reserve Univ. Cleveland was visiting Mexico. They decided to visit Dr. Rubio’s Lab and see if he had made any advancements in a phenomenon described in a previous publication. They arrived while he was experimenting, they inquired, and he gave the background of the problem, explained what question he was trying to answer , and the means to reach for an answer. Both professors were very impressed and one asked; Where did you get your Doctorate? The reply was I have not a Doctorate! The other professor said, “Do you want one? YES! YES! Off, they went back to Cleveland and facilitated visas (green cards), and funds for travel (4 children and his wife) for his incorporation into their Physiology graduate program.
During an interview in Cleveland for the graduate program, the interviewer asked him why he was wasting his time applying for a program that would train him to do what he already knew how to do. Dr. Rubio said he knew he needed more formal, focused, and high-quality training and submitted himself to three years of a very rigorous and demanding curriculum. His Ph.D. thesis project was done under Dr. Robert M. Berne and almost at the point the thesis was being finished, Dr. Berne was offered the chairmanship of the Dept. Physiology at the Univ. of Virginia and asked Dr. Rubio to join him in Virginia, where as a professor spent the next 3×0 years, publishe 170 papers, and guided close to 40 young investigators in the pursuit of Science and academy In 1996 he moved back to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where he was an active professor: graduated with eight Doctors, instructed five postdoctoral fellows, and as a researcher published thirty papers and one book, all focused on Understanding the molecular mechanism by which flow stimulates coronary endothelial cells and modulate cardiac function and metabolism. 47 trainees went to Dr. Rubio’s Lab: 28 Doctors, 7 Masters, and 12 Postdoctors. Dr. Rubio published more than 200 articles and book chapters, 25 of those coming before he even obtained a bachelor’s degree. He was full professor of physiology at the University of Virginia until 1996 when he returne to Mexico as a professor of physiology at UASLP “to make a difference” and he did it. Most of his research focused on the mechanisms of couplin cardiac function and coronary blood flow. He left his post at the UASLP in 20014, is now retired, and lives in New Orleans LA