Melina R. Kibbe, MD, is Professor of Surgery with tenure, the Edward G Elcock Professor of Surgical Research and Vice Chair for the Department of Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  Dr. Kibbe also serves as Deputy Director of the Simpson Querrey Institute for Bionanotechnology.  Dr. Kibbe obtained her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Chicago, completed her surgical internship, residency, and postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, and completed her vascular surgery fellowship at Northwestern University.  Her research interests focus on developing novel therapies for patients with vascular disease while simultaneously studying the mechanism of how these therapies impact the vascular wall.  Currently funded projects include developing a novel biodegradable drug-eluting liquid cast stent, developing a new methodology to treat atherosclerosis by reducing plaque burden, investigating the role of resident adventitial progenitor cells in the vasculature, developing and evaluating an endothelial progenitor cell-derived bioengineered ePTFE graft, developing highly innovative, targeted therapeutics to prevent restenosis following cardiovascular interventions, and developing and evaluating novel sustainable and renewable methods to deliver nitric oxide to the vasculature using prosthetic materials.  Dr. Kibbe also serves or has served as the national PI or site PI of many gene and cell-based clinical trials for patients with critical limb ischemia.  Dr. Kibbe’s research was recognized by President Obama with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2009.