Carman Melendrez

Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Davis

M.S.  in Interdisciplinary Studies (Chemistry and Animal Science)

B.S. in Animal Science

B.A. in Chemistry

For more than two decades, Carman Melendrez has supported individuals and teams of faculty from a broad array of disciplines and backgrounds in securing extramural funding for their research, scholarship, and creative activities. She has also supported administrators and staff in generating funding for institutional capacity building; student internships, scholarships, undergraduate research experiences, workforce development, and technical training; outreach services; and professional development activities.

Prior to being selected as the founding Director of Research Development at UNC in September 2023, Carman served as a Research Development consultant for almost four years, working with dozens of UNC faculty and staff to prepare and submit proposals to federal and state funding agencies, and private foundations.

In taking the new Directorship at UNC, she served as the Program Manager of a $15M NSF-funded Sustainable Regional Systems Transformation Network at the University of New Mexico, a transdisciplinary collaboration between eight institutions across the Inter-Mountain West focused on improving resilience for headwater dependent communities.

Over the past decade, Carman has participated in myriad Research Development conferences, symposia, webinar series, reading clubs, and team science professional activities to generate skills and connect with national and international networks of professionals working to promote Research Development, Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research, Integration and Implementation Sciences, and Convergence Research. Her focus has been on enhancing the research capacity of academic institutions and their ability to make significant contributions to complex societal issues.

Professional Memberships

• Member, National Organization of Research Development Professionals, (NORDP; 2018–Present)
• Member, Science of Team Science International Network (INSciTS; 2019–Present).
• Member, INTEREACH Community of Practice (INSciTS Special Interest Group; 2019–Present).

• Melendrez, C., and Meizel, S. 1996. Immunochemical Identification of the Glycine Receptor/ Cl^– Channel in Porcine Sperm. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 223:675-678.
• Melendrez, C., and Meizel, S. 1995. Studies of Porcine and Human Sperm Suggesting a Role for a Sperm Glycine Receptor/ Cl^– Channel in the Zona Pellucida-Initiated Acrosome Reaction. Biology of Reproduction.  53:676-683.
• Melendrez, C., Meizel, S., and Berger, T. 1994. Comparison of the Ability of Progesterone and Heat Solubilized Porcine Zona Pellucida to Initiate the Porcine Sperm Acrosome Reaction In Vitro. Molecular Reproduction and Development. 39:433-438.
• Melendrez, C., Ruttle, J., Hallford, D., Chaudhry, P., and Casillas, E. 1992. Polyamines in Ejaculated Ram Spermatozoa and Their Relationship with Sperm Motility. Journal of Andrology. 13(4):293-296.