Sarkis Mazmanian

Sarkis K. Mazmanian
Sarkis K. Mazmanian
Born	December 19, 1972
Nationality	Armenian American
Citizenship	United States
Alma mater	University of California at Los Angeles, B.S. (1995), Ph. D. (2002)
Awards	Helen Hay Whitney Fellowship (2002) Searle Scholarship (2006) MacArthur Fellowship (2012)
	Scientific career
Fields	Microbiology Immunology Neuroscience
Institutions	California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Website	sarkis.caltech.edu

Sarkis Mazmanian is a medical microbiologist. He has been employed at the California Institute of Technology since 2006, and is currently the Luis & Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. Before his current position, he was associated with the University of Chicago and Harvard Medical School.[1] In 2012, Mazmanian was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for his pioneering work on the human microbiome.

Work

Mazmanian's research investigates the symbiotic relationship between beneficial bacteria and their hosts. In seminal work, Mazmanian discovered the first microbial molecule that has direct beneficial effects on mammals. Working in Dennis Kasper's lab, he showed in 2005 that a particular bacterial species, Bacteroides fragilis, from the human microbiome augments immune function and balances a dysregulated immune system.[2] Mazmanian has described and defined a novel paradigm in science whereby the gut microbiome intricately controls the development and function of the mammalian immune system. These discoveries include the demonstration that B. fragilis can treat experimental inflammatory bowel disease by inducing the activity of protective, regulatory immune cells. Further, his laboratory revealed that the gut microbiome impacts autoimmune diseases such as experimental multiple sclerosis.

References

"Sarkis Mazmanian". MacArthur Foundation. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
Mazmanian SK, Liu CH, Tzianabos AO, Kasper DL (2005). "An immunomodulatory molecule of symbiotic bacteria directs maturation of the host immune system". Cell. 122 (1): 107–18. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.05.007. PMID 16009137.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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[1] "Sarkis Mazmanian". MacArthur Foundation. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[pmid16009137-2] Mazmanian SK, Liu CH, Tzianabos AO, Kasper DL (2005). "An immunomodulatory molecule of symbiotic bacteria directs maturation of the host immune system". Cell. 122 (1): 107–18. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.05.007. PMID 16009137.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)