Maniates Lab

A wide, photographic view of a modern university genetics laboratory dedicated to fertility research, captured from one corner of the room. Multiple lab benches line the space, each equipped with microscopes, pipette stands, vortex mixers, and neatly stacked boxes of consumables. Refrigerators and incubators form a clean backdrop along the far wall, with safety signage rendered as color blocks without readable text. Neutral overhead fluorescent lighting creates an even, clinical brightness with minimal contrast, revealing the subtle texture of white benchtops and polished floors. Shot with a wide-angle lens and deep depth of field so every workstation appears sharp, the composition emphasizes organization, rigor, and a collaborative environment for investigating C. elegans fertilization and gamete activation.

Our Research

Focusing on fertilization and gamete activation in C. elegans to uncover fundamental principles of reproductive biology.

Research

The Maniates Lab investigates how sperm trigger egg activation in C. elegans, revealing conserved mechanisms of fertilization that inform fertility genetics, embryonic development, and human reproductive health.

Explore research
A highly detailed, photographic image of a computer workstation displaying a vivid, false-color fluorescence micrograph of C. elegans sperm and oocytes interacting, shown as glowing, cell-like structures in greens and magentas. The monitor sits on a clean lab desk beside a research notebook with blank, cream-colored pages, pens, and a small rack of labeled sample tubes. Subtle reflections appear on the monitor’s black bezel. Overhead lab lights combine with the monitor’s cooler glow to create mixed, but soft illumination and gentle shadows behind objects. Captured from a three-quarter angle at desk height with a shallow depth of field that keeps the screen tack sharp while the peripherals softly blur, the mood suggests focused data analysis in a serious, academic fertility genetics lab.
An ultra-detailed, photographic image of a petri dish on a stainless steel lab bench, containing several thin, transparent agar plates with C. elegans nematodes visible as delicate, pale worms against the clear medium. Fine condensation beads form along the inside of the lids, hinting at recent incubation. The bench holds a precisely arranged set of micropipettes, a dissecting microscope off to the side, and color-coded lab tape and markers. Cool-white ceiling lights produce clean, diffuse illumination with soft reflections on the metal surface. Captured from a slightly elevated angle with a medium depth of field, the composition feels methodical and focused, emphasizing the careful groundwork behind studying fertilization and gamete activation in a real research lab.

Updates

Recent publications, preprints, and news on fertilization and gamete activation.