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Jaime Rafael Merchan, M.D.

Jaime Rafael Merchan, M.D.

Department:

Medicine

Division:

Medical Oncology

Jaime Rafael Merchan, M.D.

Contact

Research/Lab Website

Roles

  • Professor
  • Co-Leader, Translational and Clinical Oncology Research Program
  • Director, Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program

  • Biography

    Dr. Merchan is a tenured Professor of Medicine in the division of Medical Oncology. He is the Co-leader of the Translational and Clinical Oncology Research Program, the Director of the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program, and the Associate Director of the NIH funded Calabresi Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Award. As a physician scientist, his contributions to science include redefining the role of the plasminogen activator system in cancer progression, the development of novel preclinical and clinical strategies to overcome resistance in RCC and angiogenesis dependent cancers, and the preclinical and clinical development of tumor and stromal targeted oncolytic viruses and virus-drug combinations. He leads the only academic phase I program in South Florida, bringing novel treatment strategies to many patients with advanced cancer. Dr. Merchan has an established track record in translational cancer research, bringing lab discoveries to the clinic, and has been involved in the development of novel, effective treatment strategies in genitourinary cancers, which resulted in practice changing publications and introduced new treatment options for cancer patients.

  • Education & Training

    Education

    • 2003
      Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
      M.Sc., Drug Development
    • 1992
      Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
      MD, Medicine

    Post Graduate Training

    • 2003
      Harvard Medical School-Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
      Fellowship, Fellow in the Clinical Investigator Training Program
    • 2001
      Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
      Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Hematology-Oncology
    • 1998
      University of Miami/VA Medical Center, Miami, FL
      Residency
    • 1998
      University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, FL
      Residency, Internal Medicine
    • 1997
      University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, FL
      Residency
    • 1995
      University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, FL
      Internship

    Licensures and Certifications

    • Diplomate, Hematology

    • Diplomate, Medical Oncology

    • State of Florida

      Florida Medical License (ME 74584)

  • Honors & Awards

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    • Teaching Interests

      Dr Merchan is the Associate Director of the Calabresi Clinical Oncology Research (K12) Career Development Award. He also serves as mentor for postdoctoral fellows, clinical oncology fellows, and junior faculty in the division of Medical Oncology. In this role, he plays an active role in the training of the next generation of cancer researchers, by teaching them the skills necessary to efficiently transform lab discoveries into clinical trials, giving career advice and serving as advocate for their career development.

    • Research Interests

      Dr Merchan's research efforts are focused on the preclinical and clinical development of novel strategies to overcome treatment resistance to targeted and immunotherapy agents in renal cell and other cancers. The goals of his funded laboratory research are to characterize the tumor and stromal mechanisms of tumor escape to oncolytic viruses, and the development of novel oncolytic virus - drug combinatorial strategies to enhance viral oncolysis and immunomodulation using xenograft and syngeneic cancer models, respectively. His collaborative research is focused on characterization and validation of understudied kinases as novel targets for kidney cancer drug development. As the director of the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program, Dr. Merchan oversees a dynamic team of investigators and clinical research staff, to bring promising, innovative treatments, and hope, to patients with advanced cancers.

    • Publications

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        Disclaimer: Information presented in this section has been consolidated using AI and machine learning technologies. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. If you identify any inaccuracies, use this link to inform our data team. Your feedback is appreciated and helps us improve the quality of our content.

      • Professional Activities

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        Articles & News

        Disclaimer: Information presented in this section has been consolidated using AI and machine learning technologies. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. If you identify any inaccuracies, use this link to inform our data team. Your feedback is appreciated and helps us improve the quality of our content.

        Clinical Trials

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