Marco Mellado obtained his degree as a Chemistry and Science Teacher from the Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación, where he was recognized as the best graduate of his class. He later completed a Master of Science in Chemistry at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, where he focused his thesis on Natural Products. He continued his training with a Ph.D. in Chemistry (UTFSM–Universidad de Valparaíso), oriented toward the rational design of bioactive compounds through chemical synthesis and computational tools (molecular docking and QSAR). During this period, he undertook a research stay at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), where he participated in drug discovery studies focused on neurodegenerative diseases. His postdoctoral research led to the development of fluorescent chemosensors with biomedical and environmental applications, securing funding through the VRIEA-PUCV project (2017) and a FONDECYT Postdoctoral Grant (3180408). These advancements contributed to sensitive detection methods for clinically relevant and environmental analytes. Subsequently, he was awarded the Installation in Academia Grant (77210078) at Universidad Central de Chile, where he currently serves as a researcher. His current research centers on the design of sensors and the application of computational methods to identify novel compounds with therapeutic potential, resulting in the proposal of candidate molecules for further bioactivity evaluation. He has established interdisciplinary collaborations in medicinal chemistry, natural product bioactivity, and fluorescent sensors, as reflected in his scientific publications and postgraduate teaching in QSAR-related courses. Marco Mellado has served as a peer reviewer for more than 50 manuscripts in international indexed journals, including Natural Product Research, Medicinal Chemistry Research, Archiv der Pharmazie, ACS Omega, Molecules, and Frontiers in Pharmacology. In addition, Dr. Mellado has evaluated national and international research projects. He also has extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and is committed to the training of future scientists through thesis supervision and academic mentoring.

Organic synthesis driven by computational analysis Dyes and pigments discovery and their photophysical properties Fluorimetric and colorimetric chemosensors and their application on living cell imaging