Mayana obtained a BA in Biology at University of São Paulo in 1968, a M.Sc. and a D.Sc. in Biological Sciences from University of São Paulo in 1970 and 1974, respectively, her post-doctorate in Medical Genetics at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), in 1977, and her livre-docência from University of São Paulo, in 1987. Mayana became interested in the study of muscular dystrophies when she was at college and followed a patient from a family with a high incidence of the condition, and who wanted to start a family.