UTMThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · Biomedical Engineering
The Liver Regeneration Lab
Marites Pasuelo Melancon · Houston, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Marites Pasuelo Melancon's research focuses on improving treatments for liver cancer patients by developing innovative drug delivery systems. Her lab aims to enhance liver regeneration before surgeries by creating degradable scaffolds that release a bile acid called obeticholic acid (OCA). This approach not only aids in the growth of healthy liver tissue but also reduces the risks of complications after surgery. Ultimately, her work could help more patients qualify for lifesaving liver surgeries.
liver cancerdrug deliveryliver regenerationbiopolymeric scaffoldsnon-invasive imaging
Research Aims
3AIM 01Develop a rat tumor model with a cirrhosis background.
AIM 02Fabricate resorbable polymeric scaffolds for sustained delivery of obeticholic acid.
AIM 03Utilize novel radio-tracers for in vivo monitoring of liver growth and tumor progression.
Skills the Lab Values
polymer fabricationanimal modeling (rat)sustained drug releasepositron emission tomography (PET) imagingcell culture
Output against the department
Publications150bottom 33% of dept.398th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations4.6kbottom 35% of dept.388th of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.