Mostafa Zamanian

Mostafa Zamanian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine. He leads an active research laboratory focused on parasitic helminths, particularly filarial and neglected tropical diseases, combining molecular, genomic, and computational approaches. He is affiliated with multiple graduate training programs, including Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Cell and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Molecular and Cell Pharmacology (MCP), and Quantitative Biology (QBio). He also serves on NIH T32 training grants in Parasitology and Vector Biology (PVB) and Genomic Sciences Training Program (GSTP).

His research aims to understand the biology of neglected parasitic diseases and develop novel strategies to disrupt host-parasite interactions. Key areas include parasite secretory functions, exosome biology, chemosensation, drug resistance mechanisms, and new drug target identification. The lab employs cutting-edge techniques such as spatial transcriptomics, single-cell analysis, long-read RNA sequencing, and image-based phenotyping.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward integrating genomics and systems biology to understand parasite behavior and identify vulnerabilities. Work spans from field studies in the Colombian Amazon to high-throughput drug screening and computational modeling. A major focus is on Mansonella, Brugia, and Schistosoma species, with applications in diagnostics, epidemiology, and therapeutic development.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• NIH F32 Fellowship
• Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship (Honorable Mention)
• NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
• 1st Place Poster Prize at BSP/ISP Joint Meeting
• GHI Visiting Scholar Award
• Multiple presentation awards at national meetings

Dr. Zamanian is actively involved in mentoring, advising graduate and undergraduate students, and securing competitive grants. His lab has received funding from:

• NIH/NIAID R01 (Parasite secretory function)
• NIH/NIAID K22 Phase II Award
• Parasitology and Vector Biology T32 Training Grant (PVB)
• Genomic Sciences Training Program (GSTP)
• Global Health Institute (GHI) Grant
• National Center for Veterinary Parasitology (NCVP) / AHS

He trains students through multiple interdisciplinary programs and encourages fellowship applications from postdoctoral researchers.

The Zamanian Lab is a dynamic team of postdocs, PhD students, and undergraduates working on diverse aspects of helminth biology. Current members include Kendra Dahmer, Nic Wheeler, Katie Ryan, Clair Henthorn, and postdoc Sebastián Díaz based in Medellín, Colombia. The lab fosters international collaboration and field-based research, particularly in endemic regions of South America.