Melina Kibbe, MD
President of UTHealth Houston
Melina Kibbe, MD became president of UTHealth Houston and assumed the Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair in September 2025. This appointment reflected a career shaped by clinical service, research leadership, and long-term dedication to academic medicine. Before taking on this role, she served as a medical school dean and chief health affairs officer, overseeing education, research, and healthcare delivery. From early faculty roles to senior executive positions, Melina Kibbe has focused on strengthening institutions while remaining committed to patient care and professional education.
Executive Leadership in Medicine
Her career includes leadership across multiple academic health systems, with responsibilities spanning faculty affairs, research strategy, and clinical operations. She previously served as chair of a department of surgery at a public academic institution, where she guided clinical growth, faculty development, and research productivity. Earlier roles included serving as vice chair for research and as deputy director of a multidisciplinary institute dedicated to scientific innovation. In these positions, she worked to promote collaboration across disciplines and ensure that research efforts aligned with patient care priorities. Her leadership approach has emphasized transparent governance, mentorship, and steady decision-making.
Foundations in Medical Training
Her academic path began with undergraduate education in biological sciences, followed by earning a medical degree from a respected medical school. She completed her internship, residency, and research fellowship at a major academic medical center, where she developed a strong foundation in surgery and investigation. She later completed a vascular surgery fellowship at another leading institution. She is board-certified in general surgery and vascular surgery and holds additional certifications in vascular imaging. Throughout her career, she has maintained meaningful involvement in clinical practice, with extensive experience performing both open and endovascular procedures for patients with vascular disease.
Advancing Vascular Research
Melina Kibbe, MD has developed a research program focused on improving treatment options for patients with vascular disease. Her work centers on the development of drug-eluting therapies and the study of how these treatments affect blood vessels at the biological level. She has served as principal investigator on multiple grants supported by federal agencies and national organizations, and she has also contributed as a co-investigator, consultant, or mentor on many other funded projects. Her experience includes leadership roles in gene- and cell-based clinical trials for patients with critical limb ischemia, as well as advisory roles in trials focused on peripheral artery disease. She holds more than 10 patents, including provisional patents, reflecting a commitment to translating research discoveries into clinical tools. Early in her career, her scientific contributions were recognized with a national award honoring early-career researchers.
Service, Advocacy, and Editorial Work
Her professional service includes extensive involvement in national and international medical organizations. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of a leading surgical journal and has previously held elected leadership roles, including serving as president of several professional societies. She also serves in officer and committee leadership positions within major organizations and remains actively engaged in academic service. Her contributions have been recognized through election to respected honorary societies, including the National Academy of Medicine. In addition to organizational leadership, she has been a strong advocate for addressing sex bias in biomedical research. Her published work on this topic gained national attention and helped inform policy discussions involving federal research agencies and legislative bodies.
Scholarship, Education, and Personal Background
Her academic record includes more than 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts, review articles, and book chapters, as well as hundreds of abstracts presented at national and international meetings. She has received numerous awards recognizing leadership, service, and equity, as well as more than 20 honors for excellence in teaching. She is a member of a national medical honor society. She has supported innovation beyond academia by co-founding a biomedical company focused on vascular medical devices, where she served as chief medical officer. Raised in Southern California, she later completed executive and management training programs to develop her leadership skills further. Throughout her career, Melina Kibbe, MD has remained committed to advancing education, research, and patient care through thoughtful, steady leadership.
Executive Leadership in Medicine
Her career includes leadership across multiple academic health systems, with responsibilities spanning faculty affairs, research strategy, and clinical operations. She previously served as chair of a department of surgery at a public academic institution, where she guided clinical growth, faculty development, and research productivity. Earlier roles included serving as vice chair for research and as deputy director of a multidisciplinary institute dedicated to scientific innovation. In these positions, she worked to promote collaboration across disciplines and ensure that research efforts aligned with patient care priorities. Her leadership approach has emphasized transparent governance, mentorship, and steady decision-making.
Foundations in Medical Training
Her academic path began with undergraduate education in biological sciences, followed by earning a medical degree from a respected medical school. She completed her internship, residency, and research fellowship at a major academic medical center, where she developed a strong foundation in surgery and investigation. She later completed a vascular surgery fellowship at another leading institution. She is board-certified in general surgery and vascular surgery and holds additional certifications in vascular imaging. Throughout her career, she has maintained meaningful involvement in clinical practice, with extensive experience performing both open and endovascular procedures for patients with vascular disease.
Advancing Vascular Research
Melina Kibbe, MD has developed a research program focused on improving treatment options for patients with vascular disease. Her work centers on the development of drug-eluting therapies and the study of how these treatments affect blood vessels at the biological level. She has served as principal investigator on multiple grants supported by federal agencies and national organizations, and she has also contributed as a co-investigator, consultant, or mentor on many other funded projects. Her experience includes leadership roles in gene- and cell-based clinical trials for patients with critical limb ischemia, as well as advisory roles in trials focused on peripheral artery disease. She holds more than 10 patents, including provisional patents, reflecting a commitment to translating research discoveries into clinical tools. Early in her career, her scientific contributions were recognized with a national award honoring early-career researchers.
Service, Advocacy, and Editorial Work
Her professional service includes extensive involvement in national and international medical organizations. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of a leading surgical journal and has previously held elected leadership roles, including serving as president of several professional societies. She also serves in officer and committee leadership positions within major organizations and remains actively engaged in academic service. Her contributions have been recognized through election to respected honorary societies, including the National Academy of Medicine. In addition to organizational leadership, she has been a strong advocate for addressing sex bias in biomedical research. Her published work on this topic gained national attention and helped inform policy discussions involving federal research agencies and legislative bodies.
Scholarship, Education, and Personal Background
Her academic record includes more than 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts, review articles, and book chapters, as well as hundreds of abstracts presented at national and international meetings. She has received numerous awards recognizing leadership, service, and equity, as well as more than 20 honors for excellence in teaching. She is a member of a national medical honor society. She has supported innovation beyond academia by co-founding a biomedical company focused on vascular medical devices, where she served as chief medical officer. Raised in Southern California, she later completed executive and management training programs to develop her leadership skills further. Throughout her career, Melina Kibbe, MD has remained committed to advancing education, research, and patient care through thoughtful, steady leadership.
