Juan Melero-Martin

Dr. Melero-Martin graduated in Chemical Engineering from University of Seville, Spain, in 1998. After working three years in industry, he went on to earn a PhD in biochemical engineering from the University of Birmingham, UK, in 2005. From 2005 to 2008, he trained as a post-doctoral fellow in the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children's Hospital. He joined the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Children's Hospital in 2008.

Education

• Ph.D. University of Birmingham (2001 — 2005)
• M.Sc. The University of Birmingham (2000 — 2001)
• B.Eng. Universidad de Sevilla (1991 — 1998)

Companies

• Associate Professor Harvard Medical School (2017)
• Research Associate Boston Children's Hospital (2005)
• Assistant Professor Harvard Medical School (2010 — 2017)
• Instructor in Surgery Harvard Medical School (2008 — 2010)
• Post-doctoral Research Fellow Harvard Medical School (2005 — 2008)
• Chemical Engineer INERCO, S.A. (1997 — 2000)

Research Abstract

The goal of my laboratory is to develop cell-based technologies that will allow engineering vascularized tissues in vivo using postnatal progenitor cells obtained from patients by non-invasive means. In particular, our focus is on the combined use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) and human blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to regenerate adipose and skeletal muscle tissues in vivo lost after tumor resections (e.g., mastectomy and carcinoma removal). The research conducted in my laboratory is trying to address whether generating a vascular implants with highly purified and defined MPCs and EPCs will drive tissue development in vivo. We give priority to the initial establishment of a functional vascular network within the implant, and propose that as a result of this neo-vascularization appropriate tissue formation and remodeling will be achieved.