Marie-Claire Arrieta

Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta is an Assistant Professor in the departments of Physiology, Pharmacology and Pediatrics of the University of Calgary. Her research examines the interactions between the early-life gut microbiome and the infant’s immune system. Her research program is framed around a translational approach, in which samples collected from children undergoing clinical care or enrolled in a birth cohort studies are used to characterize the microbial alterations (dysbiosis) associated with asthma and asthma risk. Her research group also examines the causality and mechanisms of these associations in mouse models of inflammation.
As an advocate of science communication to the public, Dr. Arrieta has written a best-selling public book, Let Them Eat Dirt, and is involved in several science communication initiatives within Canada and abroad, including public talks, a second book and a documentary film project.