Population Council Research that makes a difference

José Romero

Senior Research Investigator

José Romero, a senior research investigator at the Population Council’s Center for Biomedical Research, along with his group works on the preclinical testing of microbicide formulations with a particular focus on their activity against sexual transmitted infections and their pharmacokinetic profiles. Jose received an intensive training in virology at the Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana after graduating from the University of Havana. Before joining the Council he worked at Havana University teaching virology and genetic engineering while doing research on indigenous plants and their antiviral activity against different viral families. He has worked with viruses for over 12 years and specifically with HIV since beginning work with the microbicides laboratory in early 2002.

José Romero

Senior Research Investigator

Determining the Safety of Sexual Lubricants (more)
Council scientists have conducted biomedical research to better understand the relative safety of personal lubricants used during sexual intercourse.
(1/2000 - ongoing)
Topics: HIV biomedical research; RTIs/STIs
Countries: United States

Nonclinical Laboratory Studies: Microbicide Formulation and Delivery (more)
Population Council laboratory scientists are developing vaginal rings and water-based gels to deliver microbicide formulations.
(1/2004 - ongoing)
Topics: HIV biomedical research; Microbicides
Countries: United States

Nonclinical Laboratory Studies: PC-1005 Gel (Carrageenan with Added MIV-150 and Zinc Salts) (more)
Council scientists are investigating microbicide gels containing carrageenan, MIV-150, and zinc salts that might block acquisition and transmission of HIV.
(1/2004 - ongoing)
Topics: HIV biomedical research; Microbicides
Countries: United States

Nonclinical Laboratory Studies: PC-700 Series Gels (Carrageenan with Zinc Salts) (more)
Council researchers are studying microbicide gels containing carrageenan and zinc salts that might block acquisition and transmission of herpes and HIV.
(1/2000 - ongoing)
Topics: HIV biomedical research; Microbicides
Countries: United States

Nonclinical Laboratory Studies: Vaginal Rings Loaded with MIV-150 (more)
Council scientists are conducting studies of vaginal rings releasing MIV-150 that might provide continuous protection from acquisition and transmission of HIV for at least one month.
(1/2007 - ongoing)
Topics: HIV biomedical research; Microbicides
Countries: United States

José Romero

Senior Research Investigator

A single dose of a MIV-150/zinc acetate gel provides 24 h of protection against vaginal simian human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase infection, with more limited protection rectally 8-24 h after gel use  (abstract) (HTML) 
Kenney,Jessica; Singer,Rachel; Derby,Nina R.; Aravantinou,Meropi; Abraham,Ciby J.; Menon,Radhika; Seidor,Samantha; Zhang,Shimin; Gettie,Agegnehu; Blanchard,James; Piatak Jr.,Michael; Lifson,Jeffrey D.; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Robbiani,Melissa
AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 28(11): 1476-1484
Publication date: 2012

An intravaginal ring that releases the NNRTI MIV-150 reduces SHIV transmission in macaques  (abstract) (HTML) 
Singer,Rachel; Mawson,Paul; Derby,Nina R.; Rodriguez,Aixa; Kizima,Larisa; Menon,Radhika; Goldman,Daniel; Kenney,Jessica; Aravantinou,Meropi; Seidor,Samantha; Gettie,Agegnehu; Blanchard,James; Piatak Jr.,Michael; Lifson,Jeffrey D.; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Robbiani,Melissa; Zydowsky,Thomas M.
Science Translational Medicine 4(150)
Publication date: 2012

The nonnucleoside reverse transcription inhibitor MIV-160 delivered from an intravaginal ring, but not from a carrageenan gel, protects against simian/human immunodeficiency virus-RT infection  (abstract) (PDF) 
Aravantinou,Meropi; Singer,Rachel; Derby,Nina R.; Calenda,Giulia; Mawson,Paul; Abraham,Ciby J.; Menon,Radhika; Seidor,Samantha; Goldman,Daniel; Kenney,Jessica; Villegas,Guillermo; Gettie,Agegnehu; Blanchard,James; Lifson,Jeffrey D.; Piatak Jr.,Michael; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Teleshova,Natalia; Robbiani,Melissa
AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 28(11): 1467-1475
Publication date: 2012

Zinc acetate/carrageenan gels exhibit potent activity in vivo against high dose HSV-2 vaginal and rectal challenge  (abstract) 
Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Abraham,Ciby J.; Rodriguez,Aixa; Kizima,Larisa; Jean-Pierre,Ninochka; Menon,Radhika; Begay,Othell; Seidor,Samantha; Ford,Brian E.; Gil,Pedro I.; Peters,Jennifer; Katz,David; Robbiani,Melissa; Zydowsky,Thomas M.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 56(1): 358-368
Publication date: 2012

An antiretroviral/zinc combination gel provides 24 hours of complete protection against vaginal SHIV infection in macaques  (abstract) (PDF) 
Kenney,Jessica; Aravantinou,Meropi; Singer,Rachel; Hsu,Mayla; Rodriguez,Aixa; Kizima,Larisa; Abraham,Ciby J.; Menon,Radhika; Seidor,Samantha; Chudolij,Anne; Gettie,Agegnehu; Blanchard,James; Lifson,Jeffrey D.; Piatak Jr.,Michael; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Robbiani,Melissa
PLoS ONE 6(1): E15835-
Publication date: 2011

Identification of personal lubricants that can cause rectal epithelial cell damage and enhance HIV-1 replication in vitro  (abstract) 
Begay,Othell; Jean-Pierre,Ninochka; Abraham,Ciby J.; Chudolij,Anne; Seidor,Samantha; Rodriguez,Aixa; Ford,Brian E.; Henderson,Marcus; Katz,David; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Robbiani,Melissa; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.
AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 27(9): 1019-1024
Publication date: 2011

The nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor MIV-150 in carrageenan gel prevents rectal transmission of simian/human immunodeficiency virus infection in macaques  (abstract) 
Singer,Rachel; Derby,Nina R.; Rodriguez,Aixa; Kizima,Larisa; Kenney,Jessica; Aravantinou,Meropi; Chudolij,Anne; Gettie,Agegnehu; Blanchard,James; Lifson,Jeffrey D.; Piatak Jr.,Michael; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Robbiani,Melissa
Journal of Virology 85(11): 5504-5512
Publication date: 2011

Validation of a dye stain assay for vaginally inserted hydroxyethylcellulose-filled microbicide applicators  (abstract) 
Katzen,Lauren L.; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Sarna,Avina; Murugavel,Kailapuri G.; Gawarecki,Daniel; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Mensch,Barbara S.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 38(11): 1050-1055
Publication date: 2011

Carrageenan/MIV-150 (PC-815), a combination microbicide  (abstract) (HTML) 
Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Thorn,Mitchell; Turville,Stuart G.; Titchen,Kanani; Sudol,Kristin M.; Li,Jifan; Miller,Todd; Robbiani,Melissa; Maguire,Robin A.; Buckheit Jr.,Robert W.; Hartman,Tracy L.; Phillips,David M.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 34(1): 9-14
Publication date: 2007

José Romero

Senior Research Investigator

Evaluating the use of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in carrageenan-based microbicides (abstract)  
Presentation at XVII International AIDS Conference, Mexico City, 3-8 August
Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Maguire,Robin A.; Zydowsky,Thomas M.; Mawson,Paul; Chudolij,Anne; Begay,Othell; Ford,Brian E.; Phillips,David M.
Publication date: 2008

Carrageenan and MIV-150 block uptake and transmission of HIV-1 by primary cervico ectoepithelial cells (abstract)  
Poster presentation at Microbicides 2006, Cape Town, 23-26 April
Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Turville,Stuart G.; Miller,Todd; Frank,Ines; Robbiani,Melissa; Titchen,Kanani; Maguire,Robin A.; Phillips,David M.
Publication date: 2006

Zinc-carrageenan (PC-710): A novel microbicide (abstract)  
Presentation at Microbicides 2006, Cape Town, 23-26 April
Maguire,Robin A.; Wallace,Andrea R.; Fernandez-Romero,Jose A.; Li,Jifan; Thorn,Mitchell; Sudol,Kristin M.; Titchen,Kanani; Buckheit Jr.,Robert W.; Hartman,Tracy L.; Phillips,David M.
Publication date: 2006