Sean Phillip Riley

Sean Phillip Riley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Maryland, College Park, within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. His research focuses on intracellular bacteria, particularly Rickettsia, and their interactions with mammalian hosts.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky
• B.S. from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign
• Postdoctoral training at Louisiana State University and the University of Chicago

Dr. Riley's research centers on understanding how Rickettsia pathogens, such as R. rickettsii (the cause of Rocky Mountain spotted fever), interact with host cells and the immune system. His lab investigates host-directed therapeutics, the interplay between Rickettsia and the innate immune system (particularly the complement system), vaccinology for rickettsial diseases, and bacterial adaptations in different host environments (mammalian vs. arthropod vectors). This work aims to develop new diagnostic tools, antibiotics, and vaccines.

His recent publications (2020-2023) primarily focus on Rickettsia infections, highlighting the role of the complement system and macrophage activation in controlling bacterial proliferation. The research spans microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases, with an emphasis on host-pathogen interactions and therapeutic interventions.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.

Dr. Riley advises several students, including PhD candidate Jinyi (Cornelia) Zhu and undergraduate student Marissa Elassal. He also mentors postdoctoral scholar Mustapha (Masten) Dahmani. While specific grants are not detailed, his research is supported by ongoing projects in host-directed therapeutics and rickettsial pathogenesis.

His laboratory, located in the Avrum Gudelsky Veterinary Center, is part of the integrated Department of Veterinary Medicine and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. The team includes postdocs, PhD candidates, and undergraduates working collaboratively on cutting-edge research in intracellular bacterial pathogens.