CV
Education
- Ph.D in Physics, North Carolina State University, 2025 (expected)
- M.S. in Physics, North Carolina State University, 2022 - View Diploma
- B.S. in Physics, Minor in Mathematics, North Carolina State University, 2018 (Magna Cum Laude) - View Diploma
- View Complete Academic Transcript
Work experience
- 2020 - Present: PhD Candidate/Biophysics Researcher
- North Carolina State University, Elting lab
- Research focuses on investigating the cytoskeleton of Spirostomum ambiguum
- Discovered how its unique myoneme filaments allow ultrafast contraction
- Skills include electron microscopy, confocal imaging, microinjection, and cell culture
- 2022 - Present: President and Technical Director
- Koinslot INC
- Co-founded company to produce nostalgic gaming system for education
- Received initial funding and contracted with Betabox INC
- 2020 - 2022: Technical Director
- Sonar Applications INC
- Built audio social media app with approximately 1000 beta testers
- 2018 - 2019: Director of Technological Operations
- Betabox Learning
- Managed IT systems, programming, web design, electronics, and teaching K-12
- 2018 - 2019: Condensed Matter Researcher
- North Carolina State University, Dougherty Lab
- Experiments with growing monolayer transistors using vacuum deposition
- Experience with AFM, glovebox, spin coaters, vacuum chambers, and lasers
Additional Experience
- 2019 - 2020: Teaching Assistant - NCSU Physics Department
- 2017 - 2018: IT Field Technician - Optix Media
- 2015 - 2017: System Administrator - NCSU Physics Department IT
Skills
- Programming
- Python - Data analysis, automation, and figure creation
- Bash - Linux environments and scripting
- Mathematica & MATLAB - Numerical analysis and computer vision
- C/C++ - Microcontroller programming
- Laboratory Techniques
- Microscopy - SEM, TEM, confocal, birefringence, FLIM, immuno-labeling
- Cell Culture - Protists, yeast, bacteria, and mammalian cells
- Advanced Techniques - Microinjection, high pressure freezing, ultramicrotomy
- Sample Preparation - TEM, SEM, AFM
- Fabrication
- 3D Printing - FDM and SLA printers, 3D modeling
- Electronics - Circuit design, board creation, soldering
- Metal & Wood Working - Lathe, mill, welding, woodworking tools
Publications & Preprints
- Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum
Joseph Lannan, Carlos Floyd, L. X. Xu, Connie Yan, Wallace F. Marshall, Surirayanarayanan Vaikuntanathan, Aaron R. Dinner, Jerry E. Honts, Saad Bhamla, and Mary Williard Elting
Biorxiv (2025)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.07.622534 — layout: archive title: “CV” permalink: /cv/ author_profile: true redirect_from:/resume
Education
- Ph.D in Physics, North Carolina State University, 2025 (expected)
- M.S. in Physics, North Carolina State University, 2022
- B.S. in Physics, Minor in Mathematics, North Carolina State University, 2018 (Magna Cum Laude)
Work experience
- 2020 - Present: PhD Candidate/Biophysics Researcher
- North Carolina State University, Elting Lab
- Research focuses on investigating the cytoskeleton of Spirostomum ambiguum, using advanced imaging techniques
- Skills include SEM, TEM, Confocal microscopy, microinjection, and cell culture
- Supervisor: Dr. Mary Elting
- 2022 - Present: President and Technical Director
- Koinslot INC
- Co-founded a company producing a nostalgic gaming system for education
- Lead hardware development and technical direction
- 2020 - 2022: Technical Director
- Sonar Applications INC
- Developed an audio social media app with approximately 1000 beta testers
- 2019 - 2020: Teaching Assistant
- North Carolina State University, Physics Department
- Taught physics labs for undergraduate engineering students
- Worked in physics tutoring center helping students with assignments and exam preparation
- 2018 - 2019: Director of Technological Operations
- Betabox Learning
- Managed IT systems, programming, web design, electronics, teaching K-12, logistics, and fabrication
- 2018: Condensed Matter Researcher
- North Carolina State University, Dougherty Lab
- Worked on growing monolayer transistors using vacuum deposition
- Experience with AFM, Glovebox, spin coaters, vacuum chambers, and lasers
- 2017 - 2018: IT Field Technician and System Administrator
- Optix Media
- Managed WiFi networks for apartment complexes
- Managed Cisco network infrastructure
- 2015 - 2017: System Administrator
- North Carolina State University, Physics Department IT
- Maintained and set up computers in the Physics Department
- Worked with bash and python, primarily on Linux systems
Skills
- Programming
- Python - Data analysis, automation, image processing
- Bash - Linux environments, scripting
- Mathematica - Physics problem-solving, numerical analysis
- MATLAB - Automation, computer vision, data analysis
- C/C++ - Microcontroller programming
- Fabrication
- 3D Printing - FDM and SLA printers, 3D modeling
- Electronics - Circuit design, PCB fabrication, soldering
- Metal & Wood Working - Lathe, mill, welding
- Laser Cutting - Design and operation
- Laboratory Equipment
- AFM - Experience as superuser at NCSU
- Cell Culture - Aseptic technique for various cell types
- Electron Microscopy - SEM, TEM, sample preparation
- Confocal Microscopy - Multiple platforms including Andor Dragonfly spinning disk
- Microinjection - Sutter and Eppendorf systems
- Laser Systems - Alignment, calibration, maintenance
- Software
- ImageJ - Image processing, quantitative analysis, scripting
- Imaris, Illastik - Image analysis and pipelines
- Autodesk Fusion 360 - 3D design and modeling
- Adobe Suite - Photo editing, figure creation, video editing
- Linux - System administration and operation
Publications
Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum
Joseph Lannan, Carlos Floyd, L. X. Xu, Connie Yan, Wallace F. Marshall, Surirayanarayanan Vaikuntanathan, Aaron R. Dinner, Jerry E. Honts, Saad Bhamla, and Mary Williard Elting
Biorxiv (2025)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.07.622534Culture and imaging techniques for the study of the ultrafast giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum (In progress)
Conferences & Presentations
- American Society for Cell Biology San Diego (2024)
- Poster and oral presentation: “Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum”
- Triangle Cytoskeleton Raleigh (2024)
- Poster presentation: “Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum”
- Betabox Learning Corner, Invited Speaker (2024)
- General public talk about science for K-12 school teachers
- MBL Whitman Researcher Woods Hole (2024)
- Research on Spirostomum ambiguum using microinjection, birefringence microscopy, and FLIM
- American Society for Cell Biology Boston (2023)
- Poster presentation: “Ultrafast contraction: Investigating the structures underlying myoneme force generating networks in Spirostomum sp.”
- American Physical Society March Meeting Las Vegas (2023)
- Talk: “Ultrafast contraction: Investigating the structures underlying myoneme force generating networks in Spirostomum sp.”
Leadership & Additional Experience
- Lab Mentor (2020-Present)
- Mentored multiple undergraduate researchers on the Spirostomum project
- Students include Noah Love, DJ Teasley, Vineet Krishna, Copeland Lachapelle, and Grant Sherrill
- Physics Tutor (2020-Present)
- Tutored multiple students struggling with physics
- Physics Senior Design Mentor (2023)
- Mentored a group of three senior undergraduates on their capstone project
- Project focused on building a computer vision tracking system for TEM samples
- AFM Super User (2020-2025)
- Maintained and supported an Asylum MFP-3D AFM
- Assisted course instructors in teaching AFM techniques
- 3D Printer Super User (2020-2025)
- Maintained and supported a Prusa MK3S+ 3D printer
- Advanced Coursework
- MBL Physiology Course - Selected from a competitive pool of applicants
- Biotechnology courses - Protein interactions, electron microscopy, core technologies
- Graduate Physics - Statistical mechanics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, computational physics, condensed matter physics, quantum optics, biological physics
Certificates & Awards
- The Bruce and Betty Alberts End Scholarship in Physiology (2023)
- MBL Physiology Graduate (2023)
- Advanced Open Water Diver PADI/SSI with specializations
- Center for The Physics of Biological Function (2020) - The Physics of Life Summer School
- IBM Quantum Computing Open Source Development (2020) - Quiskit Summer Jam
- DiversityEdu, DEI in the workplace (2020)
Companies Founded
- Koinslot INC. (2022)
- President and co-founder
- Producer of nostalgic gaming systems for education
- Sonar Applications INC. (2020)
- Technical director
- Audio social media app developer