Awards

Fulbright Award - 1999

Kenya

About Marilyn S. Bartlett

Marilyn Bartlett was an emerita professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the IU School of Medicine. She was raised in Indianapolis and received her B.S. from Purdue University. In 1970, after having five children and the youngest starting school, Bartlett began working at the IU Hospital in the microbiology laboratories while also pursuing her master’s degree. She graduated with her M.S. from IU in 1974. At the hospital, Bartlett helped develop and improve the areas of parasitology and mycology. Bartlett also performed pioneer work on Pneumocystis pneumonia by developing animal models of Pneumocystis in rats and mice and a culture system to study the organism. She worked with Dr. James W. Smith and Dr. Sherry Queener to receive NIH funding and discovered an alternate therapy for Pneumocystis pneumonia ultimately receiving two patents for anti-Pneumocystis drugs.  Bartlett retired from IU in 1998. She received a Fulbright Award in 1999 to train technologists to identify parasites and fungi at Moi University of Medicine and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. Bartlett was known as a leader in the scientific community. Her professional memberships included National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards; National Institutes of Health-Planning Panels; American Society for Microbiology; South Central Association for Clinical Microbiology where she served as President; Medical Mycological Society of Americas; International Society for Human and Animal Mycoses; American Society for Tropical Medicine Hygiene; Immune Compromised Host Society; and Sigma Xi. Barlett also received a Sagamore of the Wabash, the “Outstanding Contribution to Clinical Microbiology Award,” and was listed in Who’s Who in American Women and Who’s Who Women of Science. In addition to her professional activities, Bartlett was extensively involved with the community including the Indianapolis Museum of Art, St. Margaret's Hospital Guild, Eiteljorg Museum, the Children's Museum, IUPUI University Library, Indianapolis Sailing Club, Antiquarian Society, and Maxinkuckee Yacht Club in Culver. Bartlett passed away on March 25, 2015.