Dr. Anna Maria Romanelli-Flores, M.Sc, Ph.D

Dr. Anna Maria Romanelli-Flores is a highly skilled Clinical Microbiologist who serves as the Medical Director for the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at the University of California at Davis Medical Center. Dr. Romanelli-Flores is an expert in the field of fungal diagnostics and the development of new molecular test methods for rapid identification of microorganisms.  Dr. Romanelli-Flores directs the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases through the use of high complexity laboratory testing. 

Dr. Romanelli-Flores provides a consultancy service to clinical colleagues regarding care of patients with suspected infection. Dr. Romanelli-Flores advises on the most suitable patient samples to collect for  identification of the etiologic agent by microscopic examination, biochemical and molecular lab testing. 

Dr. Romanelli-Flores recommends treatment and monitors patients subsequent to its administration. In conjunction with supervisory roles in diagnostic laboratories, Dr. Romanelli-Flores contributes to public health strategies. She is engaged in minimizing antibiotic resistance by constructing guidance on appropriate prescribing for a range of diseases and promoting patient adherence to treatment regimens.

Dr. Romanelli-Flores collaborates with hospital infection control teams and estates departments to reduce the spread of nosocomial infections. Additionally, Dr. Romanelli-Flores monitors trends of infectious disease incidence at UC Davis Medical Center and in the surrounding community she serves.

Education:

Dr. Romanelli-Flores received her Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Biology and Chemistry in 2003 from Texas A&M International University. She continued her education at the University of Texas in San Antonio, where she received a Master of Science degree in Microbiology in 2005 and finished second in her class. Dr. Romanelli stayed in San Antonio to complete her doctorate degree in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Texas Health Science Center where she developed a special interest in medical mycology and fungal diagnostics. Dr. Romanelli was awarded with a Scholarship from the School of Biomedical Sciences for her contribution to the medical field through her doctoral research. She won numerous awards for her research at annual meetings and finished her dissertation with twelve publications. Dr. Romanelli moved to Pennsylvania where she began a highly competitive two year CPEP fellowship in Medical Microbiology and Public Health at the University of Pennsylvania, serving as the Acting Assistant Medical Director of Virology during her second year. Dr. Romanelli was involved in the development and implementation of molecular assays for the diagnosis of viral infections and provided her expertise in fungal diagnosis throughout her fellowship.