Melancon Laboratory
Marites P. Melancon, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Areas of Research
- Nanotechnology Research
- Imaging Research
The mission of our lab is to develop novel nanomedicine for cancer theranostics.
The main goal of my research is to apply the "seek and
treat" strategy in the development of targeted
imaging/therapeutic agents that will eventually be translated to the
clinic. This is to improve the management of cancer through early
tumor detection and individualized therapy. One focus is on the
synthesis and characterization of novel nanoparticulate systems that
can non-invasively monitor and treat cellular processes at the
molecular level that can lead to new ways of diagnosing and
characterizing disease, developing effective therapeutics, and
monitoring response to these treatments. Another focus is the
development of radiopaque absorbable medical devices to determine its
position and integrity over time to enhance its overall safety and
efficacy.
The primary focuses of our lab are:
•
Anticancer nanomedicine
• Nanomedicine in combination with
various ablation modalities
• Radiopaque absorbable medical
device
About Dr. Melancon
Melancon trained at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center's Department of Imaging Physics from 2008 to 2011. She then joined the institution's Department of Interventional Radiology in 2012.
Read more about Dr. Melancon here.
Grants
Nanoparticle-Infused Radiopaque Absorbable Medical Device
1 R01 HL141831-01 Melancon (PI) 09/01/2018- 08/31/2023
NIH - National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
To synthesize and characterize various radiopaque nanoparticles that will
Role: Principal Investigator
Drug Release and Pharmacokinetic after chemoembolization using
Guerbet Tam (PI) 07/01/2017-06/30/2019
Guerbet Pharmaceuticals
To determine the pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and antitumor effects of the
Role: Co-Investigator
Transportal
RSNA
Radiological Society of North America
To
Role: Co-Investigator
Completed Research Support
Nanoparticle-Infused Radiopaque Absorbable Medical Device
1 R56 HL131633-01 Melancon (PI) 09/01/2016- 08/31/2018
NIH - National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
To synthesize and characterize various radiopaque nanoparticles that will
Role: Principal Investigator
Development of Radiopaque Absorbable Inferior Vena Cava Filters For Dual Energy Computed Tomography
15BGIA25690005 Melancon (PI) 07/01/2015-06/31/2018
American Heart Association Beginning Grant-In-Aid
To develop gold nanoparticle-infused resorbable filters and optimize the dual-energy computed tomography parameters for image-guided deployment and monitoring of absorbable inferior vena cava filters
Role: Principal Investigator
Radiopaque enhancement of absorbable IVC filters mediated by iodine contrast agents
Institutional Research Grant Melancon (PI) 01/01/2015-12/31/2016
MD Anderson Cancer Center
To develop iodine-infused resorbable filters for image-guided deployment and monitoring of inferior vena cava filters
Role: Principal Investigator
Molecular Imaging Strategy for Treatment Planning of Brain Tumor Mediated by Stem Cells Labeled with Multifunctional Nanoparticle
2P50CA127001-06 Lang (PI) 01/01/2014-12/31/2015
NIH/NCI (SPORE in Brain Cancer
To label mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) with a multimodal MR-active gold-based nanoparticle to track the localization of MSCs injected via the carotid artery into mice bearing U87 tumors using MRI and
Role: Principal Investigator for the Career Development Award
Visual and Functional Characterization of Nanopore Formation after Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) in the Porcine Vertebral Body
SIR Foundation Tam (PI) 06/01/2014-06/31/2015
Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation
To visualize the
Role: Co-Investigator
Developing an electroporation and nanoparticle-based therapeutic platform for bone metastases
RSNA Tam (PI) 09/01/2014-08/31/2015
Radiological Society for North America Seed Grant
To investigate and validate local delivery strategies to optimize the
Role: Co-Investigator
Related Sites
Interventional Radiology
Interventional Radiologists pioneered minimally invasive interventions and continue to be at the forefront of medicine. We are integral to the world-class care provided at MD Anderson by diagnosing, treating, and palliating a wide range of health problems in our patients using the most advanced imaging techniques.
Diagnostic Imaging
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center's Diagnostic Imaging division has more than a dozen technologies available for radiologists to visualize tumors in both bone and soft tissue. From standard radiology to advanced techniques that can view the tiniest blood vessels, our radiologists take diagnosis, tumor staging and treatment planning to a whole new level.
Summer Imaging Research Program (SIRP)
The research fellowship program is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience in imaging clinical research, which will include one or all imaging modalities such as CT, MRI, ultrasound and PET/CT.
Summer Experience
The Summer Experience is a collection of programs that give students an opportunity to explore careers in basic research through working in labs with faculty mentors. Programs include lectures, panel discussions and professional development sessions designed to prepare students for research careers.
Odyssey Program
The Odyssey Program sponsors outstanding postdoctoral fellows who wish to pursue innovative cancer research at MD Anderson. Its mission:
- To support the training and research efforts of scientists at the beginning of their careers
- To encourage scientists to explore novel areas of clinical, translational, basic or population-based cancer research
- To give participants the opportunity to take advantage of the resources offered by the institution
The mission of the Center is to improve the management of cancer patients through the development and teaching of imaging-guided minimally invasive techniques for treatment and diagnosis.
To accomplish our mission, we use the funding provided by the
- A setting in which to develop new techniques and to
modify existing techniques to make them more effective for clinical use - A setting to develop, test and refine devices, drugs, and imaging agents to improve the treatment and quality of life of patients
- Training and educational programs
Contact Information
Phone: 713-794-5387
Fax: 713-792-4098