Biography

Maria del Mar Romero López, MD, MS, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. She also holds an appointment with the Institute for Clinical Research and Learning Health Care.

Dr. Romero López earned her medical degree from the University of Valencia in Spain, where she also completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She went on to complete a pediatrics residency at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid and further training at King’s College Hospital in London, Beaumont Hospital in Michigan, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she completed a fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine. She later earned a PhD in Medicine, focused on the pathophysiology of fetal development, from the Autonoma University of Madrid.

Board-certified in both pediatrics and neonatal-perinatal medicine, Dr. Romero López provides care for critically ill newborns at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. Her research focuses on neonatal nutrition, vitamin D metabolism, and metabolic bone disease of prematurity. She is the principal investigator on multiple federally and foundation-funded studies, including research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Gerber Foundation, and the Bone Disease Program of Texas.

Dr. Romero López has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, invited reviews, and book chapters, and she serves as a reviewer for several high-impact journals. She is recognized with several awards, including the Southern Society of Pediatric Research (SSPR) Young Faculty Award (2025), Super Doctors Texas Rising Stars (2023), and finalist for the SSPR Young Investigator Award (2024).

Additionally, Dr. Romero López is an active mentor and educator. She teaches medical students, residents, and fellows in neonatology and mentors them on their research endeavors. A certified instructor in the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Dr. Romero López also contributes to quality improvement initiatives focused on neonatal nutrition, antibiotic stewardship, and early detection of metabolic bone disease in premature infants.

Through her clinical, research, and educational efforts, Dr. Romero-López is committed to advancing the care of newborns and training the next generation of pediatricians and neonatologists.

Education

PhD in Medicine (Fetal Metabolism and Physiology)
The Autonoma University of Madrid, Spain
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship
Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
Pediatric Residency
Beaumont Children's Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan
Pediatric Residency
La Paz Hospital, Madrid, Spain
Master´s Degree in Child Psychology
Institute of Applied Technical Studies, Malaga, Spain
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship
Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
Doctor of Medicine
Valencia University, Valencia, Spain
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Valencia University, Valencia, Spain

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

High-risk infants
Evidence-based medicine
Patient and family-centered care

Research Interests

Clinical trials
Nutrition
Neonatal lung disease
Long-term follow-up

Publications

Dr. Romero Lopez’s Google Scholar profile contains a list of publications.

  • Humphreys, J.D., Jain, A., Khan, A.M., Findley, T.O., Romero-Lopez, M., Saroukhani, S., Swinford, R.D., Rysavy, M.A. Urinary biomarkers of acute kidney injury in neonates < 25 weeks’ gestation: a pilot study. Pediatr Nephrol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-025-06968-y
  • Romero-Lopez M, Wootton S, Tyson J. Reflections on Exception From Informed Consent in Pediatric Trials. JAMA Pediatr. Published online September 15, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3079
  • K. Mcbeth, D.F. Rodriguez-Buritica, M. del Mar Romero Lopez, T. Harris, I. Magana, W. de Jesus Rojas, A. Luz, C.K. Jon, M.D. Mcdowell, C. Gatcliffe, J.M. Stark, S. Zuleta De Bernardis, D. Larrain, A. Torres, D. Yassa, G.N. Colasurdo, and R.A. Mosquera. Synergistic Heterozygosity: Clinical Manifestations in Twins With Co-occurring Pathogenic Variants for Cystic Fibrosis and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025;211:A6521.
  • D. Larrain, M.D.M. Romero, H. Koochak, I. Magana, K. Owens, W. De Jesus, M. Tellez, C. Juarez, S. Gonzalez, F. Boricha, J. John, T. Reddy, L. Hartman, A. Luz, K. Ahlstrom, C. Da Costa, S. Zuleta De Bernardis, A.A. Torres, D. Yassa, G.N. Colasurdo, and R.A. Mosquera. Salivary Transcriptomic Profile of Inflammatory Markers in Patients With Established Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025;211:A3481.
  • D. Yassa, I. Magana, F. Abene, J.M. Muñiz-Hernández, W. De Jesus-Rojas, M.D.M. Romero Lopez, J.A. Castillo Moguel, C.K. Jon, M.D. Mcdowell, K. Mcbeth, C. Gatcliffe, D. Larrain, S. Zuleta De Bernardis, A.A. Torres, J.M. Stark, G.N. Colasurdo, and R.A. Mosquera. Analyzing Respiratory Cilia Dynamics in Relation to Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Severity [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025;211:A3157.
  • S. Zuleta De Bernardis, H. Koochak, I. Magana, W. De Jesus-Rojas, M.E. Tellez, M.D.M. Romero, J.A. Castillo Moguel, C. Juarez Ortiz, S. Gonzalez, T. Harris, L. Hartman, A. Luz, C.K. Jon, M.D. Mcdowell, K. Mcbeth, C. Gatcliffe, D. Larrain, A. Torres, D. Yassa, J.M. Stark, G.N. Colasurdo, and R.A. Mosquera. Salivary Dipeptidyl Peptidase-1 and Derived Proinflammatory Markers in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Patients: Implications for Brensocatib Therapy [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025;211:A7770
  • A. Torres, I. Magana, S. Hashmi, H. Koochak, W. De Jesus-Rojas, T. Harris, A. Luz, C.K. Jon, M.D. Mcdowell, K. Mcbeth, C. Gatcliffe, D. Larrain, S. Zuleta De Bernardis, D. Yassa, J.M. Stark, G.N. Colasurdo, R.A. Mosquera, M. Romero, J.A. Castillo Moguel, C. Juarez Ortiz, and S. Gonzalez. Inflammation Is Associated With Poor Quality of Life in Pediatric Patients With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025;211:A5422.
  • Romero-Lopez M, Naik M, Hartman T, Anderson-Berry A, Thoene M. Evidence and unknowns for the relevancy of applying current parenteral nutrition support recommendations among infants born less than 750 g or younger than 25 weeks’ gestation: a narrative review. J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2025; 1-12. doi:10.1002/jpen.2761
  • Romero-Lopez, M., Naik, M., Holzapfel, L.F. Tyson L., Pedroza, C., Ahmad, K.A., Rysavy, M.A., Carlo, W.A., Zhang, Y., Tibe, C., and Salas, K.A. Enteral nutritional practices in extremely preterm infants: a survey of U.S. NICUs. J Perinatol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02198-6
  • Romero-Lopez, M., Su, S., Bravo, R., Rios, D., Findley, T., Tibe, C., McNamara, P. The effect of furosemide on extremely premature infants treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for persistent patent ductus arteriosus. J Perinatol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02148-2
  • Romero-Lopez, M., Naik, M., Holzapfel, L.F. et al. Survey of vitamin D supplementation practices in extremely preterm infants. Pediatr Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-024-03514-8
  • Romero-Lopez M, Tyson JE, Naik M, Pedroza C, Holzapfel LF, Avritscher E, Mosquera R, Khan A, Rysavy M. Randomized controlled trial of enteral vitamin D supplementation (ViDES) in infants <28 weeks gestational age or <1000 g birth weight: study protocol. Trials. 2024 Jun 28;25(1):423. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08274-8. PMID: 38943179.
  • Bongurala AR, Romero-Lopez M. Char Syndrome. 2024 Jun 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 38861638.
  • Wootton SH, Rysavy M, Davis P, Thio M, Romero-Lopez M, Holzapfel LF, et al. Practical approaches for supporting informed consent in neonatal clinical trials. Acta Paediatr. 2024;00:1–8. https://doi. org/10.1111/apa.17165
  • M Romero Lopez, M Naik, LF Holzapfel, KA Ahmad, J Tyson, WA Carlo, L Harrington, A Salas, 497 – Enteral nutrition practices for extremely preterm infants: a nationwide survey, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Volume 367, Supplement 1, 2024, Pages S299-S300, ISSN 0002-9629, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9629(24)00550-0.
  • S Su, R Bravo Santos, A Yazdani, TO Findley, S Munir, M Romero Lopez,168 – The impact of furosemide on preterm infants during treatment for persistent patent ductus arteriosus, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Volume 367, Supplement 1,2024, Pages S95-S96, ISSN 0002-9629, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9629(24)00221-0.
  • Romero-Lopez M, Oria M, Ferrer-Marquez F, Varela MF, Lampe K, Watanabe-Chailland M, Martinez L, Peiro JL. Fetal lung hypoxia and energetic cell failure in the nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia rat model. Pediatr Surg Int. 2023 Apr 13;39(1):180. doi: 10.1007/s00383-023-05452-8. PMID: 37055635.
  • Sbragia, L., Oria, M., Scorletti, F. et al. A novel surgical toxicological-free model of diaphragmatic hernia in fetal rats. Pediatr Res (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01702-4
  • Romero-Lopez MDM, Oria M, Watanabe-Chailland M, Varela MF, Romick-Rosendale L, Peiro JL. Erratum: Romero-Lopez et al. Lung Metabolomics Profiling of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in Fetal Rats. Metabolites 2021, 11, 177. Metabolites. 2021;11(4):229. Published 2021 Apr 9. doi:10.3390/metabo11040229
  • Romero-Lopez MDM, Oria M, Watanabe-Chailland M, Varela MF, Romick-Rosendale L, Peiro JL. Lung Metabolomics Profiling of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in Fetal Rats [published correction appears in Metabolites. 2021 Apr 09;11(4):]. Metabolites. 2021;11(3):177. Published 2021 Mar 18. doi:10.3390/metabo11030177
  • Del Mar Romero Lopez M, Carratola M, Redmann A, et al. Right mainstem bronchial atresia successfully corrected with slide tracheobronchoplasty. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2021;56(2):329-332. doi:10.1002/ppul.25159
  • Romero Lopez MM, Pryce C, Maisels MJ (2017) A Newborn with a Blueberry Muffin Rash, Hepatosplenomegaly, Thrombocytopenia
    and Severe Cholestatic Jaundice at Birth. Clin Pediatr OA 2: 121. doi:10.4172/2572-0775.1000121