Playwright and actor
Novelist
Writer and poet
Volleyball player
Italian-Peruvian naturalist and geographer
Singer and percussionist
Last Inca emperor
Politician, former prime Minister
Journalist and TV host
Poet
Inca warrior
Actor and comedian
Biophysicist
Poet
Doctor and researcher
Businessman, Interbank group
Journalist and writer
Poet and writer
Singer and songwriter
Writer
Film director, Berlin Golden Bear winner
Football player
Writer and journalist
Doctor and scientist
Photograph
Chess player
Industrialist
Former general
Specialist in public health
Actress and singer
Afro-Peruvian music singer
Mathematician and engineer
Indigenous chronicler
Neurologist and anthropologist
Painter
Football player
National hero, military leader
Intellectual and reformer
Chef and entrepreneur
Fashion designer
Singer-songwriter
TV presenter
Marathon runner
Indigenous Peruvian chronicler
Theologian
Former national team captain
Economist and former health minister
Inca princess
Writer and television host
Folk musician
Poet and guerrilla
Former UN secretary-general
Chef, known for fusion cuisine
Football player
Peruvian aviation pioneer
Poet and artist
Marxist philosopher and writer
Industrialist and businessman
Novelist and ethnologist
Painter and muralist
Opera tenor
Fashion designer
Cardinal of Lima
Peruvian tennis player
Football coach
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Military hero
War of the Pacific hero
The youngest mother in history
Politician
Creole music singer
Tennis player
Musician
Writer and politician
Politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party
Founder of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae
Archaeologist and anthropologist
Military leader and politician
Television host
Actress and singer
Contemporary sculptor
Women’s rights activist
Beauty queen
Astrophysicist
Heroine of independence
Mathematician and archaeologist
Historian and anthropologist
Military figure and historical figure
Fashion photographer
Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature, Politician
Revolutionary leader
Environmental activist
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Musician from Gaia band
War hero
Military leader and politician
Chef, known for Nikkei cuisine
Volleyball coach and former player
Environmental activist
Television personality
Writer
Football player
Epidemiologist and former health Minister
Inventor and aerospace pioneer
Soldier and inventor
Rock singer
Chef and co-owner of Central restaurant
Painter
Football player
TV presenter and actress
Actor
Writer and historian
Journalist and lawyer
Archaeologist, founder of Caral site
Monk and Saint
Saint, patron of Latin America
Physicist and engineer
World champion surfer
Actress
Oncologist
Singer, Latin Grammy winner
Former mayor of Lima
Singer
Actress
Former football player
Painter
Former football player
Painter
Inca leader
Archbishop, saint
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Revolutionary indigenous leader
Diplomat and intellectual
Sculptor and painter
Political leader, founder of APRA
Lawyer and Former prime minister
Chef of Central restaurant
Former head of secret services
Popular singer
Fashion designer
Exotic music singer
Fernando Cabieses Molina (1923-2012) is one of the most prominent figures in the field of neurobiology and traditional medicine in Peru. As a scientist, researcher, and physician, he dedicated his life to exploring the mysteries of the human brain and conducting extensive research on medicinal plants used in traditional Peruvian medical practices. His multidisciplinary approach, combining modern science with ancestral knowledge, greatly enhanced the understanding of the therapeutic properties of Andean and Amazonian plants. Cabieses is also known for founding the Museum of Medicine in Lima, an important institution for preserving and disseminating medical knowledge in Peru.
Fernando Cabieses Molina was born in Lima in 1923 into a family of intellectuals. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in the natural sciences, which led him to study medicine at the National University of San Marcos, Peru's oldest and most prestigious university. After earning his medical degree, Cabieses pursued further studies in neurobiology, a field still relatively unexplored in the mid-20th century.
He continued his training abroad, particularly in the United States and Europe, where he worked alongside some of the leading specialists in neurobiology and neurology. This international experience allowed him to acquire a solid scientific foundation while maintaining a close connection with the medicinal traditions of his homeland.
Upon returning to Peru, Fernando Cabieses Molina established himself as one of the country’s first neurobiology experts. He conducted groundbreaking research on the functioning of the human brain, particularly on pain mechanisms, sensory perception, and the role of neurotransmitters. His work contributed to advancing knowledge of the central nervous system and provided new insights into neurological disorders such as migraines and epilepsy.
As a professor and researcher at San Marcos University, Cabieses trained many generations of doctors and scientists, helping to create a Peruvian school of neurobiology. He published numerous articles in renowned scientific journals and participated in international conferences, promoting Peru’s scientific potential on the global stage.
In parallel to his work in neurobiology, Fernando Cabieses Molina became deeply interested in medicinal plants and their traditional use in Andean and Amazonian communities. He conducted extensive research on the healing properties of plants such as ayahuasca, San Pedro, and coca, seeking to understand how these plants could be integrated into modern medicine.
Convinced that modern medicine had much to learn from ancestral knowledge, Cabieses advocated for an integrated approach to medicine, where science and tradition could complement each other. He collaborated with traditional healers (curanderos) and shamans, studying their practices and analyzing the bioactive compounds in the plants they used. Thanks to his efforts, many Peruvian medicinal plants were scientifically studied, and their therapeutic benefits were recognized internationally.
In 1995, Fernando Cabieses Molina founded the Museum of Medicine in Lima, a unique institution that traces the history of medicine in Peru, from pre-Hispanic practices to modern medicine. The museum houses an impressive collection of medical instruments, ritual objects, and medicinal plants, illustrating the country’s rich medical tradition.
The Museum of Medicine is also a research and knowledge dissemination center for traditional Peruvian medicine. Cabieses organized numerous seminars and conferences to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and the general public about the importance of preserving ancestral medical knowledge. Through this initiative, he helped strengthen the dialogue between traditional and modern medicine.
Throughout his career, Fernando Cabieses Molina received numerous accolades for his contributions to science and medicine. He was a member of several international scientific academies and received awards for his work in neurobiology and medicinal plants. He was also the author of several books that remain reference points in these fields.
His legacy continues through his writings, research, and the many people he inspired. The Museum of Medicine, which he founded, remains a key institution for preserving traditional medical knowledge and promoting research in alternative medicine.
Fernando Cabieses Molina left an indelible mark on the history of science in Peru. His contributions to neurobiology and his dedication to recognizing traditional medicinal plants transformed the way medicine is perceived and practiced in Peru. His work not only enriched scientific knowledge but also reinforced the importance of dialogue between modern and ancestral wisdom. Today, Fernando Cabieses is celebrated as a pioneer and visionary, whose legacy continues to influence medicine and science in Peru and around the world.