Dr. Ignacio Melero, Full Professor of Immunology at the University of Navarra, has been appointed corresponding academician of the Royal National Academy of Medicine of Spain. The ceremony of admission and submission of medal and academic diploma was held yesterday at the headquarters of the Corporation. During the scientific session Dr. Melero, co-director of the Immunology Service of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and researcher senior of the Immunology and Immunotherapy Program of the research center Applied Medicine (CIMA), gave the lecture "Immunostimulatory monoclonal antibodies: new therapeutic tools in cancer treatment".

graduate Dr. Melero obtained a degree in Medicine from the University of Navarra and completed the specialization program in Immunology at the Hospital Universitario de la Princesa (Madrid). Between 1994 and 1998 he worked at the high school of research pharmaceutical of the company Bristol Myers Squibb, in Seattle (USA), together with Dr. Lieping Chen and Dr. Karl E. Hellstrom. One of the results obtained in his area of work was the identification of 4-1BB (CD137) as a target in cancer immunotherapy.

In 1998 he joined CIMA and Clínica Universidad de Navarra where he leads a translational research team working on cancer immunotherapy strategies based on cell therapy, gene therapy and monoclonal antibodies. Dr. Melero is the researcher principal investigator in more than 30 immunotherapy clinical trials.

RANME The Royal National Academy of Medicine of Spain (RANME) is a scientific corporation under public law, integrated in the high school of Spain. Created in 1734, it has the High Patronage of His Majesty the King as recognized by art. 62 of the Spanish Constitution.