Ian Marriott

Ian Marriott is a Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on immune response initiation, particularly in bone cells (osteoblasts/osteoclasts) and central nervous system (CNS) glial cells (microglia/astrocytes). He investigates bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, emphasizing roles of cytokines (e.g., substance P), nucleic acid sensors (e.g., cGAS, RIG-I), and therapeutic nucleic acid nanoparticles.

Research highlights include understanding how bacterial infections trigger immune responses in bone and CNS tissues, and developing strategies to enhance host defenses. His work spans microbiology, immunology, and biomaterials science, with applications in vaccine development and anti-infective therapies. He holds the 2017 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Teaching, integrating research and education.

His lab explores neuroimmunological pathways, including neurogenic inflammation and cytokine regulation in glial cells. Key projects involve designing immunomodulatory nanoparticles to combat bacterial infections and studying sex-based differences in immune responses. He is actively involved in translational research, aiming to bridge basic science discoveries with clinical applications.