​ABOUT US

I am an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at the George Washington University. As an organismal biologist, my curiosity comes in two flavors: how and why. The how addresses proximal questions of cellular, molecular, and developmental mechanisms. For example, how do insect sperm remain motile for days to years within the female reproductive tract? The why addresses larger evolutionary questions, such as why do certain traits evolve rapidly? I have broad interests that encompass microevolution (processes acting within species), macroevolution (diversification among species and higher order lineages), molecular and cellular mechanisms of phenotypic diversity, and systems biology. My research program spans diverse fields, but it is unified by a common goal of understanding the how and the why of complex phenotypes important for fitness.

At present, we are using a wide range of approaches, from phylogenetic to molecular in scale, to explore questions along three axes: 1) structure and function of giant sperm and sperm storage organs, 2) transgenerational effects of parental environment on offspring phenotype, and 3) molecular mechanisms of communication along the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

​JOIN US

We are looking for talented and motivated graduate students to join our lab! I am also available to mentor promising candidates through the process of developing an NSF GRFP proposal (deadline Oct. 22). Applicants for this NSF funding opportunity must be US citizens or permanent residents, but anyone can apply to the lab. University funding for graduate students is available through teaching assistantships and departmental fellowships. Please contact Dr. Manier for more details. If you are interested in joining the Manier Lab team, please send your research interests and CV to manier@gwu.edu.

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