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Gustavo Melo, MD, PhD - 2011 ARVO Foundation/Pfizer Collaborative Research Fellowships recipient
Gustavo Melo, MD, PhD, was in the early stages of planning to do research in the U.S. when he read about the ARVO Foundation/Pfizer Collaborative Research Fellowships in ARVO's e-newsletter, Insight. Months later, he was honored at the 2011 ARVO Annual Meeting and presented with one of two $10,000 awards that made it possible for him to begin his research studies abroad at Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School.
Beginning in spring 2011, Melo, a retinal specialist at the Hospital de Olhos de Sergipe/Universidad Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil, spent six months collaborating with Michael J. Young, PhD. In Young's lab, Melo took part in two research projects that focus on the use of stem or progenitor cells to repair the retinal degeneration that occurs during disease or injury.
"In the project I applied for, I worked on the differentiation of retinal progenitor cells into photoreceptors to establish functioning retinal cells," said Melo. "I also worked on part of a larger study, creating induced pluripotent cells (iPS) and their differentiation into photoreceptors."
Melo grew up in the capital of the Brazilian state of Sergipe, Aracaju, and earned his degrees at Universidade Federal de Sergipe. His decision to study ophthalmology was driven by the possibility of being both a clinician and a surgeon and having "full knowledge of the whole eye." Prior to traveling to his collaborative work site in Boston, Mass., he had completed one year as a practicing retinal specialist, while carrying out his research for his PhD.
He points out that his experience in the U.S. has shown him how quickly research can be completed when the right elements are in place.
"Not only is the money available, but you can have everything you need in a few days because of the availability of materials," he explains. "Here in Brazil it could take three months, and in the U.S. it would take only a week to get the substrates and materials you need."
Research was not the only thing that impressed Melo during his stay in the New England region. "Some people from overseas tend to say northeasterners are not so gentle, but I found the opposite to be true. Almost 100% of the people were very nice and left a great impression."
Now back in his home country, he plans to keep working on retinal stem cells, as well as broaden to other fields of retinal research, applying the increased knowledge and techniques he acquired in this field during his collaboration.
Melo adds: "I had to stop working and needed funding. Being awarded this fellowship helped a lot. It made it possible for me to focus on the research without the financial worries."