Romina Mariano

Biography

Romina Mariano is a clinician-scientist and strategic leader working at the intersection of clinical research, global health, and innovation. She currently serves as Chief of Staff at the Africa Clinical Research Network, where she is focused on building scalable, Africa-led clinical research infrastructure and enabling high-quality trials across the continent. Romina trained in medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand, graduating with distinction. She was awarded a South Africa-at-Large Scholarship in 2016 and completed a DPhil in Clinical Neuroscience at The Queen's College, University of Oxford. Her academic interests span neuroscience, clinical research systems, and the application of digital and AI-driven approaches to improve evidence generation in low- and middle-income settings. Her work is centered on strengthening research ecosystems—integrating site capacity, regulatory efficiency, digital platforms, and community engagement—to ensure that African populations are meaningfully represented in the development of new medicines. She has contributed to cross-sector collaborations involving academia, industry, and global health institutions, with a focus on accelerating trial delivery while building long-term, locally led capacity. Romina is particularly interested in how emerging technologies and new partnership models can reshape global clinical research to be more inclusive, efficient, and equitable.