Maneli earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Tehran, where she investigated microbial interactions and communication. As part of her training, she completed a year-long research internship at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Her work there focused on cell-cell communication in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, specifically examining the impact of quorum quenching in mixed bacterial populations.
Following her Ph.D., Maneli joined McMaster University as a postdoctoral fellow, where she specialized in synthetic biology and functional genomics. Her research aimed to identify the minimal genomic components required for biological nitrogen fixation in Sinorhizobium meliloti. She later started a second postdoctoral position at McMaster, expanding her focus to the characterization of phage defence mechanisms in S. meliloti.
Dr. Zamani is deeply committed to education and student mentorship. She was awarded a competitive two-year teaching fellowship by the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University, during which she taught courses in synthetic biology, genome editing technologies, and molecular plant-microbe interactions. Her dedication to fostering student growth and engagement has been a consistent hallmark of her academic career.
In 2022, driven by her passion for both teaching and laboratory work, Dr. Zamani joined the School of Interdisciplinary Science as a Level IV Instructional Assistant, where she continues to contribute to interdisciplinary science education and research.