Thomas J. Mariani

Thomas J. Mariani, Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center, holds joint appointments in the Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology) and Department of Environmental Medicine. With a PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Rutgers University, his research focuses on genetic mechanisms linking lung development to chronic disease susceptibility, environmental influences on respiratory health, and biomarker discovery for infant respiratory infections.

• Education: PhD, Rutgers University (1993); B.S., Cook College, Rutgers (1989)
• Postdoctoral Training: Washington University School of Medicine (1994-1998)

His research agenda spans:

• Immune dysregulation in preterm birth complications
• RSV severity biomarkers and therapeutic targets
• Extracellular matrix in lung homeostasis
• Tobacco product effects on childhood lungs
• Multi-omics analysis of lung development

Recent work highlights single-cell transcriptomics and proteomic profiling to map regulatory networks during lung maturation. Supported by NIH grants, his lab bridges animal models and human studies to decode developmental antecedents of chronic lung disease.

Scientific Awards:

• Andy Tager Mentoring Award (2020)
• Parker B. Francis Fellowship (2000-2003)
• Novartis Foundation Bursar (1994)
• NIH Individual NRSA (1994-1997)

Dr. Mariani leads the Mariani Lab, a hub for pediatric molecular medicine, and contributes to consortia like LungMAP and Pediatric Translational Biospecimen Laboratory. His mentorship extends to undergraduate interns and collaborative projects across genomics, environmental health, and perinatal medicine.