Zulema Romero Garcia, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Adjunct Professor, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
ZulemaR@ucla.edu
Research Areas
Publications
UCLA scientist Zulema Romero smiles in the lab.

Zulema Romero Garcia, Ph.D., focuses on developing gene therapies for inherited blood disorders and inborn errors of immunity through genetic modification of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, or HSPCs. Her research combines advances in in vivo genome-editing delivery with studies of HSPC biology and interactions with the bone marrow microenvironment, with the goal of improving the safety and efficacy of stem cell-based therapies.

Romero Garcia's work has contributed to the development of lentiviral gene therapy approaches for sickle cell disease and the clinical translation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated correction of the sickle mutation. As lead scientist at UCLA for the CRISPR_SCD001 program, she played a key role in developing and optimizing the manufacturing process supporting a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial.

She is also developing an adenine base-editing therapy for CD3D-SCID, a rare and life-threatening primary immunodeficiency. Her work has demonstrated the potential of base editing to correct the disease-causing mutation and restore T-cell development. Building on her expertise in HSPC biology and genome editing, she is expanding her research to investigate in vivo genome editing of human HSPCs and how the bone marrow microenvironment influences HSPC function during aging. 

  • Developing adenine base-editing therapies for CD3D-SCID and other inherited blood and immune disorders
  • Advancing the clinical translation of HSPC gene-editing therapies through optimization of manufacturing processes and evaluation of their safety and efficacy
  • Investigating in vivoA process, procedure or study performed on or in a living organism.in vivoA process, procedure or study performed on or in a living organism. genome-editing delivery to human HSPCs using lipid nanoparticles, with a focus on how HSPC heterogeneity, surface-marker expression and engraftment dynamics influence editing efficiency and selectivity
  • Investigating how bone marrow matrix stiffness influences human HSPC function during aging and identifying the underlying mechanotransduction mechanisms