Roberto Joel Hernandez-Merlo is a native of Havana, Cuba, and holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Agrarian University of Havana, graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors in 1994. He also holds a master's degree in Public Health, Parasitology, and Tropical Diseases, which he earned in 2000. After completing his doctoral and postgraduate studies, Mr. Hernandez-Merlo began his career in research as an assistant researcher at Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK), which operates under the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba. In 2006, Mr. Hernandez-Merlo was awarded a scholarship by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (COSUDE) for a traineeship at the University of Basel, Swiss Tropical Institute. With over 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry, Mr. Hernandez-Merlo has a wealth of knowledge in wildlife veterinary medicine, conservation, and management. He has been employed by MARS, VCA since 2011 and joined BluePearl Pet Hospital in 2019. Mr. Hernandez-Merlo is committed to combining his research and practical experience with pet care. While in the USA, he spent five years working at the Cardio-Thoracic Research Lab, where he published two papers. He enjoys hiking with his dog, Havana, photography, and art projects when not at the hospital.