Alvaro Rojas-Peña, MD

I am an Associate Research Scientist in the Section of Transplantation Surgery at the University of Michigan and the Director of the “Robert H. Bartlett” Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) Laboratory. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, I earned my MD from La Escuela Colombiana de Medicina in 2002 and joined the University of Michigan as a research fellow shortly thereafter. I became faculty in 2010 and have since led impactful translational research at the intersection of surgery, biomedical engineering, and public health.
My research focuses on cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, mechanical circulatory support, and organ preservation technologies, with a particular emphasis on extending the viability and function of organs for transplantation. I am an expert in large animal models for testing novel medical devices and the development of the next generation of devices, as well as establishing new surgical techniques for vascular access in mechanical support. I am the Principal Investigator on couple NIH R01 grants and serve as a co-investigator on several others aimed at mitigating surgical complications, improving extracorporeal life support outcomes, and reducing systemic anticoagulation. Throughout my career, I have collaborated with multiple clinicians and principal investigators from Michigan Medicine and various UM colleges, contributing to securing over $20 million in funding. In 2023, I was honored to be appointed Chair of the Mechanical Adverse Events Subcommittee for E-CENTRAL in pediatrics, and in 2024, I was also appointed Chair of the same subcommittee for adult populations.
I am widely recognized for my scientific and professional leadership. In 2024, I was elected to the Board of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) and joined the editorial board of the International Journal of Translational Medicine. I am also a long-standing Ad-Hoc Reviewer for NIH panels across multiple domains, including nanotechnology, biomaterials, NIAID, Small Business Programs, and Training (K) grants. Mentorship is a vital part of my work—I have guided over 500 undergraduate students, medical trainees, surgical residents, and Ph.D. candidates throughout my career. I am a proud graduate of the New Leadership Academy (NLA) 2018–2019 cohort, a founding member of the NLA Science Track, and currently serve on the NLA Advisory Board, where I promote inclusive leadership and support scientists from underrepresented backgrounds. In recognition of my contributions, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Medicine by the University of Nuevo León (UNT), Mexico, in 2025.

Physician-scientist and translational researcher leading an independent University of Michigan program that advances life‑support technologies, organ preservation, and biomedical innovation. My team develops wearable artificial lungs, artificial placenta systems, advanced ex‑situ organ perfusion (including >24‑hr preservation), and NO‑based biocompatibility strategies for ECLS, supported by an NIH R01, multiple industry partnerships, and patents. I direct large‑animal preclinical models and regulatory‑aligned testing to accelerate device translation, resulting in contributions to FDA‑cleared technologies (e.g., MC3 Crescent® cannula, Nautilus™ oxygenator), a co‑invented automated artificial‑lung controller now in commercialization, and a 2024 patent filing for a normothermic ex‑situ organ perfusion system. As co‑founder and CMO of Halexe, Inc., I lead development of automated CO2 sensing and portable ECCO2R devices; our STTR proposal scored strongly and underscores translational promise. I have helped secure >$20M in extramural funding (NIH, DoD, SBIR/STTR, industry), received Frankel Innovation Initiative awards totaling $1.35M, and serve as a Research Scout for U‑M with $150K to advance high‑impact ideas. National leadership roles include ASAIO Board of Trustees (2024) and Chair, Adult ECMO Consortium (2025); honors include the Kahn Pediatric Critical Care Grand Challenge Grant and a Doctor Honoris Causa (2025). I focus on accelerating interdisciplinary translation, commercialization, and equitable adoption of technologies that extend treatment windows and improve outcomes in critical care and transplantation.