Prof.dr. Ivo Maćela je rođen u Trpnju 1891. godine u obitelji peljeških kapetana. Osnovnu školu pohađao je u Trpnju, a klasičnu gimnaziju u Dubrovniku i Splitu.

U razdoblju od 1923. do 1925. dodjeljena mu je Rockfellerova stipendija za usavršavanje u svjetskim medicinskim institutima u New Yorku, Bostonu, Torontu (u laboratoriju prof Maclead dobitnika Nobelove nagrade 1923.), Montrealu, Cambridge-u i Oxfordu.

Godine 1926. postaje docent na Karlovom sveučilištu u Pragu.

Nakon toga 1928. odlazi u Bratislavu na sveučilište Komenski kao izvanredni profesor eksperimentalne patologije i postaje predstojnik Instituta za eksperimentalnu patologiju.

Godine 1933., u dobi od 44 godine, postaje redoviti profesor sveučilišta u Bratislavi, a nakon toga dekan i prodekan Medicinskog Fakulteta u Bratislavi. Od 1939. predaje ponovo u Pragu kao sveučilišni profesor.

Godine 1945. osnovao je novi medicinski fakultet u Plzenu, gdje je postao šef katedre i prorektor sveučilišta.

Godine 1947. profesorski zbor Praškog medicinskog fakulteta jednoglasno ga je predlažio za kandidata za Nobelovu nagradu za dugogodišnji istraživački rad u području endokrinologije, posebno na inzulinu "per os", na usta.

Godine 1952. umire u Bratislavi od srčanog infarkta u svojoj 61. godini života, a sahranjen je u obiteljskog grobnici u Trpnju.

Prof.dr. Ivo Maćela bio je istaknuti znanstvenik, vrsni pedagog i organizator sveučilišta. Objavio je radove iz fiziologije, patofiziologije, endokrinologije (inzulin), kardiologije (o dinamici srca) i dr. i to na engleskom, francuskom, njemačkom, češkom i slovačkom jeziku. Bio je poliglot, osobni prijatelj i kolega prof. Lavoslava Ružičke, hrvatskog nobelovca.

Njegova predavanja su bila iznimno posjećena, primao je stručnu literaturu iz cijelog svijeta i prenosio studentima posljednja istraživanja s puno entuzijazma. Ponuđena su mu u dva navrata katedre u Zagrebu, ali iz nekog razloga nije došlo do realizacije. Inače je neizmjerno čeznuo za rodnim Trpnjom gdje je s obitelji dolazio ljeti.

Professor Ivo Maćela was born in 1891 in Trpanj on the peninsula of Pelješac in Croatia, into a family of Pelješac captains. He attended primary school in Trpanj, and grammar school in Dubrovnik and Split.

In 1918 he graduated from the Medical Faculty at the Charles University (Univerzita Karlova) in Prague. Later on he was appointed assistant to professor Biedl, world renowned endocrinologist, at the Chair of General and Experimental Pathology.

In the period from 1923 to 1925 as a Rockefeller Foundationer, takes study trips and works at the leading laboratories in New York, Boston, Toronto (in the laboratory of professor John Macleod, Nobel Prize winner in 1923 for the discovery of insulin), Montreal, Cambridge and Oxford.

Since 1926 he lectured as assistant professor at the Charles University in Prague.

In 1928 he moved to the Comenius University (Univerzita Komenskeho) in Bratislava in Slovakia, at the position of associate professor of Experimental Pathology and founder and Chief of the Institute for Experimental Pathology.

In 1933, at the age of 42, Ivo Maćela became full professor and later on Dean of the Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava. Since 1939 he lectured again at the Charles University in Prague.

In 1945 Ivo Maćela founded the Medical Faculty in Plzen in Czech Republic, run the Chair of Pathology and was elected a Vice-President of the Medical Faculty in Plzen.

In 1947 he was nominated unanimously candidate for the Nobel Prize by the Council of Professors at the Medical Faculty of the Charles University in Prague, for his research and important achievements in endocrinology, in particular for his contribution in research of insulin per os, taken by mouth.

He died in Bratislava of heart attack in 1952. His earthly remains are in a family tomb in his native Trpanj.

Professor Ivo Maćela was a distinguished scientist, excellent lecturer and efficient university administrator. His research works on physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology (insulin), cardiology (on heart dynamics), etc. were published in English, French, German, Czech and Slovak language. This scientist and polyglot was a good friend and colleague of professor Lavoslav Ružička, Croatian Nobel prize winner.

He was a great lecturer, well informed about latest researches through medical journals he received from abroad, that he passed with great enthusiasm to his students. He was offered twice a chair at the Medical Faculty in Zagreb but for some reason this never realized. He longed very much for his native Trpanj, which he often visited on summers with his family.