Academic Enterprise Announcements


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UTMB to Welcome Vidal Melo, New Anesthesiology Chair

A Message from the Executive Vice President, Provost, and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine

 I am very happy to share that Marcos Vidal Melo, MD, PhD, will join UTMB as Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, effective Jan. 10, 2025. Dr. Vidal Melo is an accomplished physician-scientist with more than 23 years of cardiothoracic anesthesiology experience at major academic medical centers.

Dr. Vidal Melo earned his medical degree at the Fluminense Federal University, Brazil, and a PhD in Experimental Surgery from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He completed his anesthesiology clinical residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He completed fellowships in Cardiac Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, both at MGH.

Throughout his career, he has balanced rigorous clinical practice and research, while actively contributing to his institutions’ educational and administrative missions. His most recent experience has been at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, serving as Chief of the Division of Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology since November 2021. In this role he has initiated new surgical programs, expanded services in the community, enhanced the fellowship curriculum, and provided valuable mentorship to junior and senior faculty. Prior to joining Columbia, Dr. Vidal Melo spent more than 20 years at MGH and Harvard Medical School.

With a significant focus on research, Dr. Vidal Melo chaired the Surgery, Anesthesiology and Trauma NIH Study Section for two years and was a member for six years. He has been federally funded for more than 20 years, with 17 years as a Principal Investigator. He is the co-founder and director of the national Perioperative Research Network, leading a collaborative effort of 18 major academic institutions working on large clinical trials in anesthesiology.

I am confident Dr. Vidal Melo’s experience and vision will guide our Department of Anesthesiology toward excellence across all our mission areas. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Vidal Melo!

Sincerely yours,

Charles P. Mouton, MD, MS, MBA
Executive Vice President, Provost, and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine
Thomas N. and Gleaves T. James Distinguished Chair

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