Dr. Joann Romano-Keeler’s Lab
Developmental origins of health and disease and their impact on gut development. Research focus includes interactions among the microbiome, virome and immune system during fetal and early-life development.
The goal of Dr. Romano-Keeler’s translational research program is to understand how in utero and postnatal factors influence the developmental origin of health and disease in neonatal and pediatric patients. These factors include the maternal and neonatal epigenome, microbiome, and developing immune system. Her translational research program uses a Section of Neonatology-developed neonatal biorepository, which includes surgical intestinal tissue samples, stool, and urine from neonatal ICU patients. The basic science arm involves a novel murine model of in utero inflammation and infection in pregnant mice. This model is a vehicle for her studies on the role of in utero inflammation and infection on the postnatal microbiome, mucosal immune system, and pediatric health outcomes. Dr. Romano-Keeler’s research includes collaborators from the Departments of Pediatric Pathology, Gastroenterology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Genomics.
Dr. Romano-Keeler is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, of the University of Illinois College of Medicine (UIC-COM). She earned a B.A. in classical languages and a B.S. in biology from Duke University in 1998. She then went on to receive an M.S. in human nutrition from the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition, where she studied metabolic derangements of highly active antiretroviral therapy on pediatric patients during the early days of the AIDS epidemic. Dr. Romano-Keeler found that nutritional derangements were equally present in children as they were in adults. Dietary practices would be just as important on their short- and long-term health outcomes.
After completing her graduate studies, Dr. Romano-Keeler worked as the assistant director of the New York/US Virgin Islands AIDS Education and Training Centers, where she directed and developed training programs for healthcare professionals across New York State and the US Virgin Islands. She also worked as a nutritionist for the American Red Cross Early Head Start Program, designing menus and food options for homeless families across New York City.
In 2006, Dr. Romano-Keeler completed an MD and her pediatric residency at the Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. She completed a fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine at Vanderbilt University, where she first established a research lab focused on the gut microbiome and neonatal intestinal development.
In 2019, Dr. Romano-Keeler joined the UIC-COM’S Department of Pediatrics as a physician-scientist, where she directs the Neonatal Transport Team and is the associate director of scholarly research for the Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program. She also provides care for patients and their families at the Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic. She directs the Nutrition Committee for the Section of Neonatology, leading a multidisciplinary team of nutritionists, pharmacists, neonatal fellows, and medical students to develop nutrition protocols and guidelines designed to decrease the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis and improve the growth and development of NICU patients.
Dr. Romano-Keeler, a native New Yorker, is a horse and country music enthusiast, swimmer, and accordionist. She lives in the western suburbs with her husband, three children, two dogs, and horse.
Contact our lab if you are interested in joining our team!
Vitamin Bridge Heading link
Outside of her research and medical practice, Dr. Romano-Keeler serves on the Board of Directors for the Vitamin Bridge, a non-for-profit that provides prenatal vitamins and nutrition to under-resourced pregnant women through a network of community providers. She is also a catechist for the St. Pius Youth Ministry, with a specific focus on special needs children.
Lab Highlights Heading link
Ongoing Research Projects Heading link
Unraveling Intestinal Biology and the Gut Microbiome: Insights into Neonatal Health and Therapeutic Innovations
Dr. Romano-Keeler explores how intestinal health and microbial communities influence neonatal well-being. Her work uncovers the role of the gut microbiome in essential functions such as nutrient processing, immune system regulation, and maintaining the intestinal barrier. She is dedicated to discovering new therapeutic targets and personalized treatments in pediatric gastroenterology.
Impact of Chorioamnionitis on Neonatal Intestinal Development
Dr. Romano-Keeler investigates the molecular mechanisms triggered by chorioamnionitis—a fetal membrane inflammation—in shaping neonatal intestinal development. Using a murine model of chorioamnionitis, her studies aim to understand how early inflammatory exposures alter the maturation of intestinal tissues, immune responses, and long-term gastrointestinal health in newborns. Her research sheds light on critical factors influencing newborn health and disease susceptibility.
Lab Members Heading link
Joann Romano-Keeler
Phone:
Email:
Muthusamy Thiruppathi
Email:
Sohan Kolli
Email:
Facilities Heading link
Dr. Romano-Keeler’s translational research lab includes dedicated space and a hood for processing human samples. Her space specializes in processing biomedical human samples, particularly those of low-bacterial biomass that require special processing. This is the only dedicated space that provides an area to study fetal and early life vital and bacterial colonization.
Dr. Romano-Keeler’s facilities also include UIC cores, where she performs high-throughput sequencing and analyses:
- The Gnotobiotic Facility has opportunities to study the fetal microbiome and whether in utero bacterial colonization impacts intestinal development during early life.
- The UIC Genomics Research Core provides resources for next-generation sequencing. It has expertise in high-throughput microbiome studies and is highly responsive for time-sensitive sequencing projects.
- The Bioinformatics Core covers a wide range of computational molecular biology applications, including genomics (DNA sequence variation), transcriptomics (gene expression), epigenomics (gene regulation), metagenomics (microbiome), and metabolomics.
Collaborative Partnerships Heading link
David M. Aronoff, MD
David M. Aronoff, MD
Chair, Department of Medicine
John B. Hickam Professor of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Xiao-Di Tan, MD
Xiao-Di Tan, MD
Professor of Pediatrics (RT, tenured)
Director of CPTRE
Department of Pediatrics
University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael Federle
Michael Federle
Professor, College of Pharmacy – Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy
Director, Center for Biomolecular Sciences
Affiliate, Center for Biomolecular Sciences
University of Illinois at Chicago
Isabelle G. De Plaen, MD
Isabelle G. De Plaen, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Principal Investigator
Attending Physician
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Grants and Other Funding Heading link
- IBP-9414-020 – Romano-Keeler (Co-Principal Investigator)
Date : 4/1/2019 – Present
Project : The ConNECtion Study: Study to Prevent Necrotizing Enterocolitis - UIC Center for KL2 Clinical and Translational Science Scholars Program – Romano-Keeler (KL2 Affiliate Scholar)
Date : 6/1/2022 – Present
Project : Role of Short Chain Fatty Acids and Microbial Metabolites in Necrotizing Enterocolitis - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease Loan Repayment Program – Romano-Keeler (Principal Investigator)
Date : 9/1/2023- Present
Project : Role of Short Chain Fatty Acids and Microbial Metabolites in Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Dr. Romano-Keeler is an alumna-scholar of the UIC Center for Clinical and Translational Science KL2 program.
Dr. Romano-Keeler received the Young Investigator Cassady Presidential Award from the Perinatal Research Society.
Dr. Romano-Keeler’s impactful work on early life microbial colonization was featured in the Vanderbilt University Reporter.
Recruitment Heading link
Dr. Romano-Keeler is recruiting to continue contributions on important questions in neonatal health. She is interested in individuals who want to join her mission on how early life influences health.
Dr. Romano-Keeler’s lab has opportunities for students and junior scientists who are interested in these fields. Doctoral students, fellows, residents and medical students who are interested in unpaid work are encouraged to apply.
Understanding Long COVID in Infants exposed in Utero and Early Life Development Heading link
Recent post-pandemic research has pivoted to the impact of long covid on children and adolescents. Dr. Romano-Keeler has studied how early exposure in utero or post-natally impacts long-term and intestinal health.
For more information, go here: