Amanda Melillo, Ph.D.

Amanda Melillo, Ph.D., is the Acting Director of the Division of Extramural Research (DER) at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), where she provides leadership and guidance for the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the NIDCR extramural research portfolio. Dr. Melillo served as Chief of the Integrative Biology and Infectious Disease Branch within DER from 2020–2025, where she managed a portfolio of basic and translational research.

Dr. Melillo came to NIDCR from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) where she oversaw a portfolio of grants in the areas of cell growth and differentiation, and organismal response to environmental stressors. She co-directed the Cellular, Biochemical, and Molecular Sciences Predoctoral Research Training Program and managed the NIGMS Human Genetic Cell Repository.

Prior to her time at NIGMS, Dr. Melillo was a program director at NIDCR. Amanda earned a B.S. in biology and biochemistry from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a Ph.D. in microbial disease from Albany Medical College in New York. She conducted postdoctoral research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and served as a technology transfer coordinator assistant also at FDA.