Driven by a love of design, Jose Gomez-Marquez, 33, studied mechanical engineering. And then, moved by an equally strong desire for social justice, he decided to devote that skill to leveling the playing field in health care. Today he directs the Innovations in International Health program at MIT, and his inventions (including an inhalable measles vaccine and a system that monitors tuberculosis treatment) are helping to improve medical access in the developing world.
What inspired you to focus on health care for the poor?
I was born a preemie in Honduras in 1976, and sometimes I had to be in the hospital. Half the people in my family were doctors, and even as a little kid I could see the difference. Rich people like me went to private appointments. Poor people went to the public hospitals and had to wait in lines.
Your family had its own reversal of fortune. ...
