Marie-Claire Arrieta

Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta is an Associate Professor in the departments of Physiology, Pharmacology and Pediatrics of the University of Calgary. Research from the Arrieta lab examines the interactions between the early-life gut microbiome and the infant’s immune, metabolic, and neurological development. Our research program is framed around a translational approach, in which samples collected from children undergoing clinical care or enrolled in birth cohort studies are used to characterize the microbial alterations (dysbiosis) associated with the risk to develop asthma, obesity and stress dysregulation. Our research group also examines the causality and mechanisms of these associations in mouse models, placing our work at a critical interface between clinical studies and experimental animal work. 

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.