Rubem David Azulay was born on June 9, 1917, in Belém in the State of Pará, to David Rubem Azulay and Luna Garson Azulay.
He studied at the Federal Fluminense University (UFF) College of Medicine, where he graduated in 1940. Later on, he chose to pursue further studies and specialized in the field of dermatology in the United States in 1945.
As a Full Professor, he taught the subjects of clinical dermatology, dermatology, and syphilography at the College of Medical Sciences of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) and at the now defunct University of Brazil (renamed as the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ) National School of Medicine.
Dr. Azulay led and was an Emeritus Professor of the Institute of Dermatology of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia General Hospital in Rio de Janeiro. He was also an Emeritus Professor at UFRJ, UFF, Gama Filho University, and Souza Marques University’s School of Medicine.
The acclaimed dermatologist displayed a fond interest in researching and studying tropical diseases that were largely ignored at the time. To this end, he concluded a program focused specifically on the subject at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, after which he started giving massive contributions to the field of dermatology. In particular, his papers on tropical diseases such as leprosy, leishmaniasis, and mycoses are still significant references in medicine to this day.
Dr. Azulay served as President of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology and was appointed as the Honorary President of several institutions aimed to cure leprosy in countries where the disease was still endemic. He was also an Honorary Member of the Brazilian Academy of Military Medicine, the American Association of Dermatology, the Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft, the Société Française de Dermatologie et de Syphilography, and the British Society of Dermatology. Finally, he held the honorary position of President of the International Society of Dermatology.
In December 2002, the Rio de Janeiro-based Santa Casa da Misericórdia General Hospital’s Institute of Dermatology changed its name to the Prof. Rubem David Azulay Institute of Dermatology as a tribute to him, and it was also there that he was Head of the Department of Dermatology, until his passing.
In 2010, Dr. Azulay received the Order of Medical Merit by the hands of Brazil’s Minister of Health. He was also honored with a medal celebrating three different centennials: that of the French Society of Dermatology medal, another one for the first-ever, Paris-held World Congress of Dermatology, and the third one acknowledging the São Luís Hospital Museum.
Dr. Azulay was bestowed with numerous other honors. These include the “Oswaldo Cruz” Gold Medal; the “Antonio Pedro” Gold Medal; the “Albert Sabin” Medal of Merit; the “Clementino Fraga” Medal; the “Tamandaré” Medal granted by the Minister of the Navy; the Military Merit Medal in the rank of Grand Officer given by the Ministry of Defence; the Governor of the State of Pará-issued Júlio Cezar Ribeiro de Souza Medal; the Medal of the Royal National Academy of Medicine of Spain, and the title of “Physician of the Year” in 1999. Finally, his efforts were appreciated with the Adolpho Bloch Award in the Field of Health and the Alfred Jurzykowski Award from the National Academy of Medicine.
During his life, Rubem David Azulay authored over 700 papers, including a Compendium of Dermatology that is currently in its third edition.
Among his numerous books, some of the highlights include “Traços da minha vida” (“Traits of my life,” freely translated), “Contribuições dos Judeus na Medicina” (“Contributions made by Jews to Medicine,” freely translated) and “Dermatologia (“Dermatology”). Throughout his long-lasting career, he helped to educate almost 10,000 doctors and mentored 600 dermatologists in graduate programs, of which eighteen became full professors in universities around the country.
Dr. Azulay additionally held the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Brazilian Annals of Dermatology twice, during which time he was responsible for conducting several innovations.
While running for a seat as a Full Member of the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM), he submitted a dissertation addressing the topic of “Immunofluorescence in the serological diagnosis of syphilis”. Later on, he would become President of the institution for the 1995-1997 term.
Rubem David Azulay passed away on August 11, 2013, at the age of 96.
Academic number: 476
Chair: 48
Member: Holder
Section: Medicine
Election: 27/11/1969
Inauguration: 25/06/1970
President: Deolindo Augusto de Nunes Couto
Death: 11/08/2013
Academic number: 476
Chair: 48
Member: Holder
Section: Medicine
Election: 27/11/1969
Inauguration: 25/06/1970
President: Deolindo Augusto de Nunes Couto
Death: 11/08/2013
Rubem David Azulay was born on June 9, 1917, in Belém in the State of Pará, to David Rubem Azulay and Luna Garson Azulay.
He studied at the Federal Fluminense University (UFF) College of Medicine, where he graduated in 1940. Later on, he chose to pursue further studies and specialized in the field of dermatology in the United States in 1945.
As a Full Professor, he taught the subjects of clinical dermatology, dermatology, and syphilography at the College of Medical Sciences of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) and at the now defunct University of Brazil (renamed as the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ) National School of Medicine.
Dr. Azulay led and was an Emeritus Professor of the Institute of Dermatology of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia General Hospital in Rio de Janeiro. He was also an Emeritus Professor at UFRJ, UFF, Gama Filho University, and Souza Marques University’s School of Medicine.
The acclaimed dermatologist displayed a fond interest in researching and studying tropical diseases that were largely ignored at the time. To this end, he concluded a program focused specifically on the subject at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, after which he started giving massive contributions to the field of dermatology. In particular, his papers on tropical diseases such as leprosy, leishmaniasis, and mycoses are still significant references in medicine to this day.
Dr. Azulay served as President of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology and was appointed as the Honorary President of several institutions aimed to cure leprosy in countries where the disease was still endemic. He was also an Honorary Member of the Brazilian Academy of Military Medicine, the American Association of Dermatology, the Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft, the Société Française de Dermatologie et de Syphilography, and the British Society of Dermatology. Finally, he held the honorary position of President of the International Society of Dermatology.
In December 2002, the Rio de Janeiro-based Santa Casa da Misericórdia General Hospital’s Institute of Dermatology changed its name to the Prof. Rubem David Azulay Institute of Dermatology as a tribute to him, and it was also there that he was Head of the Department of Dermatology, until his passing.
In 2010, Dr. Azulay received the Order of Medical Merit by the hands of Brazil’s Minister of Health. He was also honored with a medal celebrating three different centennials: that of the French Society of Dermatology medal, another one for the first-ever, Paris-held World Congress of Dermatology, and the third one acknowledging the São Luís Hospital Museum.
Dr. Azulay was bestowed with numerous other honors. These include the “Oswaldo Cruz” Gold Medal; the “Antonio Pedro” Gold Medal; the “Albert Sabin” Medal of Merit; the “Clementino Fraga” Medal; the “Tamandaré” Medal granted by the Minister of the Navy; the Military Merit Medal in the rank of Grand Officer given by the Ministry of Defence; the Governor of the State of Pará-issued Júlio Cezar Ribeiro de Souza Medal; the Medal of the Royal National Academy of Medicine of Spain, and the title of “Physician of the Year” in 1999. Finally, his efforts were appreciated with the Adolpho Bloch Award in the Field of Health and the Alfred Jurzykowski Award from the National Academy of Medicine.
During his life, Rubem David Azulay authored over 700 papers, including a Compendium of Dermatology that is currently in its third edition.
Among his numerous books, some of the highlights include “Traços da minha vida” (“Traits of my life,” freely translated), “Contribuições dos Judeus na Medicina” (“Contributions made by Jews to Medicine,” freely translated) and “Dermatologia (“Dermatology”). Throughout his long-lasting career, he helped to educate almost 10,000 doctors and mentored 600 dermatologists in graduate programs, of which eighteen became full professors in universities around the country.
Dr. Azulay additionally held the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Brazilian Annals of Dermatology twice, during which time he was responsible for conducting several innovations.
While running for a seat as a Full Member of the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM), he submitted a dissertation addressing the topic of “Immunofluorescence in the serological diagnosis of syphilis”. Later on, he would become President of the institution for the 1995-1997 term.
Rubem David Azulay passed away on August 11, 2013, at the age of 96.