Dr. Romero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago. Her research program focuses on identifying novel interventions for ovarian cancer prevention and treatment. To approach this her lab evaluates the cancer protective effects of medications that are widely used for non-cancer indications. Given the high cost and difficulty of new cancer drug development, drug repurposing or taping into the anti-carcinogenic potential of economical and widely used drugs is an important paradigm shift in cancer research. Her research program integrate of in vitro cancer biology techniques, mouse models of ovarian cancer and human clinical data and samples. Using this integrated approach, her group has reported anti-ovarian cancer effects of two commonly used medications: metformin used for diabetes and statins used for high cholesterol. Complementary to her research endeavors, Dr. Romero’s clinical practice provides comprehensive obstetrical and gynecological care to women at high risk for gynecologic malignancies, including those with a genetic predisposition to cancer.
University of Utah
UT
- Ob/Gyn
2005
Hershey Medical Center
PA
- Ob/Gyn
2003
University of New Mexico
NM
MD - MD
2001
Prenatal Diethylstilbestrol Exposure and Cancer Risk in Males.
Strohsnitter WC, Hyer M, Bertrand KA, Cheville AL, Palmer JR, Hatch EE, Aagaard KM, Titus L, Romero IL, Huo D, Hoover RN, Troisi R. Prenatal Diethylstilbestrol Exposure and Cancer Risk in Males. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2021 10; 30(10):1826-1833.
PMID: 34272263
Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Physician Experiences with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Healthcare Training.
Guerrero-Hall KD, Muscanell R, Garg N, Romero IL, Chor J. Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Physician Experiences with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Healthcare Training. Med Sci Educ. 2021 Apr; 31(2):599-606.
PMID: 34457914
Adipocyte-Induced FABP4 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Cells Promotes Metastasis and Mediates Carboplatin Resistance.
Mukherjee A, Chiang CY, Daifotis HA, Nieman KM, Fahrmann JF, Lastra RR, Romero IL, Fiehn O, Lengyel E. Adipocyte-Induced FABP4 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Cells Promotes Metastasis and Mediates Carboplatin Resistance. Cancer Res. 2020 04 15; 80(8):1748-1761.
PMID: 32054768
Mesothelial Cell HIF1a Expression Is Metabolically Downregulated by Metformin to Prevent Oncogenic Tumor-Stromal Crosstalk.
Hart PC, Kenny HA, Grassl N, Watters KM, Litchfield LM, Coscia F, Blaženovic I, Ploetzky L, Fiehn O, Mann M, Lengyel E, Romero IL. Mesothelial Cell HIF1a Expression Is Metabolically Downregulated by Metformin to Prevent Oncogenic Tumor-Stromal Crosstalk. Cell Rep. 2019 12 17; 29(12):4086-4098.e6.
PMID: 31851935
A Pan-ALDH1A Inhibitor Induces Necroptosis in Ovarian Cancer Stem-like Cells.
Chefetz I, Grimley E, Yang K, Hong L, Vinogradova EV, Suciu R, Kovalenko I, Karnak D, Morgan CA, Chtcherbinine M, Buchman C, Huddle B, Barraza S, Morgan M, Bernstein KA, Yoon E, Lombard DB, Bild A, Mehta G, Romero I, Chiang CY, Landen C, Cravatt B, Hurley TD, Larsen SD, Buckanovich RJ. A Pan-ALDH1A Inhibitor Induces Necroptosis in Ovarian Cancer Stem-like Cells. Cell Rep. 2019 03 12; 26(11):3061-3075.e6.
PMID: 30865894
SPHK1 Is a Novel Target of Metformin in Ovarian Cancer.
Hart PC, Chiyoda T, Liu X, Weigert M, Curtis M, Chiang CY, Loth R, Lastra R, McGregor SM, Locasale JW, Lengyel E, Romero IL. SPHK1 Is a Novel Target of Metformin in Ovarian Cancer. Mol Cancer Res. 2019 04; 17(4):870-881.
PMID: 30655321
Genetic Testing and Clinical Management Practices for Variants in Non-BRCA1/2 Breast (and Breast/Ovarian) Cancer Susceptibility Genes: An International Survey by the Evidence-Based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles (ENIGMA) Clinical Working Group.
Nielsen SM, Eccles DM, Romero IL, Al-Mulla F, Balmaña J, Biancolella M, Bslok R, Caligo MA, Calvello M, Capone GL, Cavalli P, Chan TLC, Claes KBM, Cortesi L, Couch FJ, de la Hoya M, De Toffol S, Diez O, Domchek SM, Eeles R, Efremidis A, Fostira F, Goldgar D, Hadjisavvas A, Hansen TVO, Hirasawa A, Houdayer C, Kleiblova P, Krieger S, Lázaro C, Loizidou M, Manoukian S, Mensenkamp AR, Moghadasi S, Monteiro AN, Mori L, Morrow A, Naldi N, Nielsen HR, Olopade OI, Pachter NS, Palmero EI, Pedersen IS, Piane M, Puzzo M, Robson M, Rossing M, Sini MC, Solano A, Soukupova J, Tedaldi G, Teixeira M, Thomassen M, Tibiletti MG, Toland A, Törngren T, Vaccari E, Varesco L, Vega A, Wallis Y, Wappenschmidt B, Weitzel J, Spurdle AB, De Nicolo A, Gómez-García EB. Genetic Testing and Clinical Management Practices for Variants in Non-BRCA1/2 Breast (and Breast/Ovarian) Cancer Susceptibility Genes: An International Survey by the Evidence-Based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles (ENIGMA) Clinical Working Group. JCO Precis Oncol. 2018; 2.
PMID: 31517176
Intensive Surveillance with Biannual Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Downstages Breast Cancer in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers.
Guindalini RSC, Zheng Y, Abe H, Whitaker K, Yoshimatsu TF, Walsh T, Schacht D, Kulkarni K, Sheth D, Verp MS, Bradbury AR, Churpek J, Obeid E, Mueller J, Khramtsova G, Liu F, Raoul A, Cao H, Romero IL, Hong S, Livingston R, Jaskowiak N, Wang X, Debiasi M, Pritchard CC, King MC, Karczmar G, Newstead GM, Huo D, Olopade OI. Intensive Surveillance with Biannual Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Downstages Breast Cancer in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers. Clin Cancer Res. 2019 03 15; 25(6):1786-1794.
PMID: 30154229
Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Specialty at the Forefront of Care for LGBTQ Patients.
Romero IL. Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Specialty at the Forefront of Care for LGBTQ Patients. Semin Reprod Med. 2017 09; 35(5):395-396.
PMID: 29073676
Lesbian Pregnancy: Care and Considerations.
Bushe S, Romero IL. Lesbian Pregnancy: Care and Considerations. Semin Reprod Med. 2017 09; 35(5):420-425.
PMID: 29073680