He was born in the municipality of Ataco in the Department of Tolima (Colombia).

 He finished his high school studies at the José Max León School in Bogotá. He entered the Faculty
of Medicine of the National University of Colombia where he obtained his degree in 1971

Already by 1983 he was absolutely committed to his great bet: obtaining a vaccine that
counteracted the actions of malaria, a disease that is transmitted by mosquito bites, especially in
the tropical and subtropical areas of the Asian, African and American.

The vaccine was first used experimentally and achieved satisfactory results, a fact that would
clearly provoke a fight between pharmaceutical companies to obtain the patent. In spite of the
succulent economic offers that he received, Patarroyo decided to donate the vaccine to the World
Health Organization with the only condition that its production and commercialization take place
in his country.

Nowadays, Patarroyo directs the different researches that are generated in the institute of its
creation, the Foundation Institute of Immunology of Colombia, plus other activities related to the
investigation, such as the professor of the Center for the development of vaccines Of OMS.

Nowadays, Patarroyo directs the different researches that are generated in the institute of its
creation, the Foundation Institute of Immunology of Colombia, plus other activities related to the
investigation, such as the professor of the Center for the development of vaccines Of OMS.