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Thomas J. Mariani, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Office: (585) 276-4616

Fax: (585) 276-2642

Research Labs

Mariani Lab

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Locations

University of Rochester Medical Center
School of Medicine and Dentistry
601 Elmwood Ave, Box 651
Rochester, NY 14642

Faculty Appointments

Biography

Research

Premature infant morbidity and mortality often results from pulmonary complications, primarily insufficient lung maturation or alveolar formation. Likewise, many adult lung diseases involve obliteration of the distal respiratory structure. With the advent of clinical means to dramatically improve pre-term infant survival, there has been a growing appreciation of a relationship between developmental complications and susceptibility to chronic lung disease. The broad objectives of Dr. Mariani's laboratory are to identify the genetic mechanisms of susceptibility to chronic lung diseases, particularly focusing upon their developmental antecedents and the influence of environmental factors. Recent efforts have also investigated biomarkers and disease mechanisms involved in infant respiratory infection. Dr. Mariani's research program focuses upon defining regulatory networks involved in lung development and maturation, and which may be perturbed in diseased states. His laboratory uses a combination of animal modeling research and studies of human subjects. He is a leader in the application of genomics methods to pulmonary biology and lung disease. Current research projects in the Mariani lab include:

1. Studying immune cell dysregulation associated with chronic respiratory morbidity following preterm birth.

2. Identifying diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets defining severity of clinical responses to respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants.

3. Determining the contribution of resident cells and the extracellular matrix to normal lung development, lung homeostasis and susceptibility to respiratory disease.

4. Characterizing the cellular and pathological effects of exposure to non-traditional tobacco-related products, particularly during childhood.

This work is currently supported by the NIH.

Credentials

Education

1989
B.S. | Rutgers University, Cook College
Biology

1993
PhD | Rutgers University
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

1997 - 1998
Research Associate, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

1994 - 1997
Postdoctoral Fellow, Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Awards

2006
Mentored 2nd place winner - Respiratory Disease Young Investigators' Forum

2005
Mentored 1st place winner - Respiratory Disease Young Investigators' Forum

2000 - 2003
Parker B. Francis Fellowship in Pulmonary Research

1994 - 1997
Individual National Research Service Award
Sponsor: NHLBI

1994 - 1994
Novartis (Ciba) Foundation Bursar
Sponsor: Ciba

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Publications

Journal Articles

10/20/2018
Hamvas A, Feng R, Bi Y, Wang F, Bhattacharya S, Mereness J, Kaushal M, Cotten CM, Ballard PL, Mariani TJ, . "Exome sequencing identifies gene variants and networks associated with extreme respiratory outcomes following preterm birth." BMC genetics.. 2018 Oct 20; 19(1):94. Epub 2018 Oct 20.

10/18/2018
Yu J, Peterson DR, Baran AM, Bhattacharya S, Wylie TN, Falsey AR, Mariani TJ, Storch GA. "Host Gene Expression in Nose and Blood for the Diagnosis of Viral Respiratory Infection." The Journal of infectious diseases.. 2018 Oct 18; Epub 2018 Oct 18.

10/1/2018
Bandyopadhyay G, Huyck HL, Misra RS, Bhattacharya S, Wang Q, Mereness J, Lillis JA, Myers JR, Ashton J, Bushnell T, Cochran M, Holden-Wiltse J, Katzman P, Deutsch GH, Whitsett JA, Xu Y, Mariani TJ, Pryhuber GS. "Dissociation, cellular isolation, and initial molecular characterization of neonatal and pediatric human lung tissues." American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology.. 2018 Oct 1; 315(4):L576-L583. Epub 2018 Jul 05.

Books & Chapters

2006
Chapter Title: Developmental genetics of the pulmonary system
Book Title: Principles of Developmental Genetics
Author List: Mariani, T.J
Edited By: Moody, S.A
Published By: Elsevier 2006 in San Diego, CA

2006
Chapter Title: Microarray techniques and data in asthma and COPD
Book Title: Lung Biology in Health and Disease
Author List: Mariani, T.J.; Ramoni, M.F
Edited By: Postma, D.S.; Weiss, S.T
Published By: Informa Health Care 2006 in New York, NY

2005
Chapter Title: Extracellular matrix gene expression in developing mouse aorta
Book Title: Extracellular Matrices and Development
Author List: McLean, S.E.; Mecham, B.H.; Kelleher, C.M.; Mariani, T.J.; Mecham, R.P
Edited By: Miner, J.H., Editor; Wassarman, P.M., Series Editor.
Published By: Elsevier 2005

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