Katherine Maniates

Dr. Maniates completed her postdoctoral work at Rutgers University where she worked to identify new genes required for fertilization and the role of post-translational modifications of proteins on the surface of the sperm and egg in C. elegans. While she was a postdoc, she was an NIH IRACDA fellow, where in addition to her research experience she received teaching training and taught at William Paterson University. Prior to her postdoc work, she completed her graduate work at Marquette University studying the role of microRNAs in sex determination. Dr. Maniates joined the Department of Biological Sciences at Duquesne University as an Assistant Professor in 2026. The Maniates Lab works to understand how post-translational modifications on the surface of gametes impact fertilization and gamete activation. 

• B.A. in Biology, St. Catherine University
• B.S. in Public Health, St. Catherine University
• Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Marquette University

Infertility impacts one in five couples globally. Despite this, the genes and protein modifications required for fertilization, particularly those required from the egg are still largely unknown. The persistent lack of investigations around the molecular mechanisms surrounding fertilization and egg activation hinders the development of therapeutic interventions for infertility, as well as the generation of new targets for contraceptive innovation. Dr. Maniates' research seeks to understand how the post-translational modifications to the membrane of the sperm and egg mediate fertilization and gamete activation.