UAB to award honorary doctorate to Venezuelan gynaecologist Roberto Romero

El ginecòleg veneçolà Roberto Romero, dr. honoris causa per la UAB

Roberto Romero, one of the world's leading authorities in perinatal research, will be awarded an honorary doctorate by UAB on Wednesday 2 May at noon at the Vall d¿Hebron Hospital University (conference hall of the General Building, 10th Floor). Dr Romero was nominated for the award by the Faculty of Medicine. He will be sponsored by Lluís Cabero, professor of the Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Preventive Medicine of the UAB.

26/04/2012

Roberto Romero is professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Wayne State University, USA, and director of the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. His academic and research centre is one of the most important worldwide in the fields of genomics and proteomic applied to perinatology.

Romero has made substantial contributions to literature in diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies, prenatal diagnosis, amniocentesis, fetal growth restriction, premature births, infections resulting from premature birth and prenatal molecular biology. His personal achievements also stand out, given that Dr Romero begun his work in a country little known for activities in this field of research and went on to the most prestigious international centres dedicated to perinatal research.

Born in 1951 in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Roberto Romero earned his degree as doctor (magna cum laude) in 1974 at the University of Zulia, Maracaibo. His residency placement in obstetrics and gynaecology took place at Yale University, where he worked as head of residents in 1978 and 1979. He began to offer lectures at Yale in 1982. In 1992 he was named director of the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

He has published books such as Sonography in Obstetrics & Gynecology: Principles and Practice and Pre-term Labor and is editor and member of the publishing committee of several journals and publications: Prenatal and Neonatal Medicine, Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Journal of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and many others.

Throughout his career Dr Romero has received several awards such as the ISUOG Service Award from the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1995, the CAOG Young Research Award in 2000, the Excellence Award for the best oral communication by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in 1999 and the Ian Donald Golden Medal in 2004.

He currently is member of several committees and societies, including the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine (with only 31 members worldwide), the Central Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists and the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Ceremony programme

Ana Ripoll, Rector of the UAB, will open the ceremony and present the sponsor of the honorary doctorate, Lluís Cabero, who will offer a short conference. Following this, the honorary doctorate diploma and medal will be awarded to Dr Romero, who will offer a master lecture on nanotechnology and molecular images in neuroinflammation and prevention of brain paralysis (“Nanotecnología e imágenes moleculares en neuroinflamación y prevención de parálisis cerebral”).

A musical performance will follow as well as the closing speech by UAB Rector Ripoll. The ceremony will conclude with the traditional singing of Gaudeamus igitur.