Ari Melnick, new director of the Josep Carreras Institute, replacing Manel Esteller

BarcelonaThe board of trustees of the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute has selected Argentine oncologist Ari Melnick as the center's new scientific director. The doctor will take over as director of the institute, which specializes in research into cancer and other malignant blood diseases, replacing researcher Manel Esteller, who was in charge between 2019 and 2024. attracting talent."

Like his predecessor, Melnick is internationally recognized in the field of hematological malignancies and cancer epigenetics. His main fields of research are the biology and molecular targeting of B-cell lymphomas—the cells that generate antibodies against invading pathogens—and acute leukemias. He has also been one of the first to develop rationally designed transcription factor inhibitors, which allow the correction of metabolic imbalances, and to conduct large-scale epigenetic studies in humans.

A medical graduate from the University of Buenos Aires in 1990, Melnick has extensive research experience at the Josep Carreras Institute and has worked at prestigious institutions in the United States. He completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and oncology, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He also led the hematologic malignancies program and served as a professor of oncology, immunology, and pharmacology at Weill Corner Cancer Center in New York City. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the world's largest nonprofit blood cancer research organization, and on the scientific committee of the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

As the author of more than 360 studies, Melnich has published in renowned journals such as Nature, Science, Cell, Cancer Discovery and New England Journal of Medicine. In addition, several of the therapeutic approaches he has developed and identified have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or have undergone Phase III clinical trials. He and his researchers have developed several novel therapies to correct aberrant transcriptional regulation and signaling in blood tumors. He was also awarded the Ernest Beutler Award in Translational Research by the American Society of Hematology for "significant contributions to research in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia through a better understanding of epigenetics."

"Privileged" position

"It is a great honor to have been appointed Director of the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute," Melnick said in the same statement. The oncologist emphasizes that "in a very short time," the center has established itself as a world leader in hematological cancer research and has made a significant impact in offering innovative treatments to leukemia patients. "As an oncologist and scientist, I am convinced that the Josep Carreras Institute is in a privileged position to lead the development of pioneering new therapies and improve the quality of life of people suffering from hematologic malignancies," he added. In this regard, the new director points out that his arrival will accelerate the development and application of leading technologies in systems biology, artificial intelligence, 3D tumor reconstruction, and physiologically relevant disease models.

According to the new director, the Josep Carreras Institute "has a unique opportunity to promote translational research, thanks to its strong partnerships with top-tier hospitals and research centers in the Barcelona area." "We will continue to seek innovative ways to integrate scientific research directly into clinical care, ensuring that discoveries are quickly and efficiently translated from the laboratory to the clinic," he states. He also adds that the center will strengthen its international reach through strategic collaborations with leading centers in Europe, North America, South Asia, and Asia.