Abel Laerte Packer is Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME/PAHO/WHO) in São Paulo, Brazil, since March 1999. Brazilian, of nationality, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s degree in Library Science from Syracuse University in New York.

He joined BIREME/PAHO/WHO in September 1986, where he has been in charge of the information systems development for more than 10 years. He has actively participated in the design, development and operation of major BIREME projects, such as the Latin American and Caribbean System on Health Sciences Information, the LILACS database (referencing the Health Sciences literature from Latin American and Caribbean coun tries), the LILACS/CD-ROM (launched in 1987), the SciELO project – Scientific Electronic Library Online (launched in 1997) and the Virtual Health Library, the current LA & C framework for the technical cooperation in health-related scientific and technical information led by BIREME.

He is the author and co-author of several articles in his specialty.