Summary

Biophysicist investigating the ultrafast contraction of Spirostomum ambiguum. PhD Candidate at NCSU and founder of Koinslot INC, a retro handheld gaming company.

Education

• Ph.D in Physics

  2025 (expected)
  North Carolina State University

  Courses: Statistical Mechanics, Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, Computational Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Optics, Biological Physics
• M.S. in Physics

  2022
  North Carolina State University

  GPA: 3.9
• B.S. in Physics, Minor in Mathematics

  2018
  North Carolina State University

  GPA: 3.5

Work Experience

• PhD Candidate/Biophysics Researcher

  2020 - Present
  North Carolina State University, Elting Lab

  Research on the cytoskeleton of Spirostomum ambiguum, investigating its ultrafast contraction mechanism.

  • Advanced imaging techniques including SEM, TEM, Confocal microscopy
  • Immuno-TEM imaging of Spirostomum myoneme
  • Multiscale computational modeling
  • Magnetic tweezing development
• President and Technical Director

  2022 - Present
  Koinslot INC

  Co-founded a company producing a nostalgic gaming system for education.

  • Lead hardware development
  • Managed programming and technical teams
  • Received initial funding for education applications
• Technical Director

  2020 - 2022
  Sonar Applications INC

  Built an audio social media app that reached 1000 beta testers.
• Teaching Assistant

  2019 - 2020
  North Carolina State University

  Taught physics labs for undergraduate engineering students and worked in tutoring center.
• Director of Technological Operations

  2018 - 2019
  Betabox Learning

  Managed IT systems, programming, web design, electronics, teaching K-12, logistics, and fabrication.
• Condensed Matter Researcher

  2018 - 2018
  North Carolina State University, Dougherty Lab

  Experiments with growing monolayer transistors using vacuum deposition.

  • Experience with AFM, Glovebox, spin coaters, vacuum chambers, and lasers

Skills

Publications

• Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum

  2025
  Biorxiv

  This paper provides a cohesive, multiscale model for the contraction of Spirostomum, investigating how single cells can execute extreme shape changes with potential for advancing cell biophysics.

  View Publication
• Culture and imaging techniques for the study of the ultrafast giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum

  2025
  In progress

  Describes specialized techniques for culturing and imaging the challenging model organism Spirostomum ambiguum.

  View Publication

Presentations

• Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum

  2024
  American Society for Cell Biology

  San Diego, CA, USA

  Poster and oral presentation on Spirostomum contraction mechanism
• Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cell Spirostomum ambiguum

  2024
  Triangle Cytoskeleton

  Raleigh, NC, USA

  Poster presentation
• Research presentation on cellular biophysics

  2024
  Betabox Learning Corner, Invited Speaker

  USA

  General public talk about science for K-12 school teachers
• Ultrafast contraction: Investigating the structures underlying myoneme force generating networks in Spirostomum sp.

  2023
  American Society for Cell Biology

  Boston, MA, USA

  Poster presentation
• Ultrafast contraction: Investigating the structures underlying myoneme force generating networks in Spirostomum sp.

  2023
  American Physical Society March Meeting

  Las Vegas, NV, USA

  Oral presentation

Teaching

• Physics Labs for Engineering Students

  2019
  North Carolina State University, Physics Department

  Role: Teaching Assistant

  Taught undergraduate engineering students in physics laboratory courses
• Physics Tutoring Center

  2019
  North Carolina State University

  Role: Tutor

  Helped students with assignments and exam preparation
• AFM Training

  2020
  North Carolina State University, Physics Department

  Role: Super User

  Trained users on an Asylum MFP-3D AFM and assisted with teaching labs
• Undergraduate Research Mentoring

  2020
  North Carolina State University, Elting Lab

  Role: Mentor

  Mentored multiple undergraduate researchers on the Spirostomum project

Portfolio

• Koinslot Gaming System

  2022
  Entrepreneurship

  Co-founded a company producing a nostalgic gaming system for education. Designed the hardware and led technical development.

  View Project
• Sonar Applications

  2020
  Software

  Developed an audio social media app with approximately 1000 beta testers as Technical Director.

  View Project
• 3D Printing Projects

  2020
  Fabrication

  Various 3D printing projects shared on Printables.com.

  View Project

Languages

• English

  Native

Interests

• Biophysics

  Cellular mechanics, Cytoskeleton, Microscopy, Image analysis
• Entrepreneurship

  Educational technology, Open source hardware, Retro gaming

References

• Dr. Mary Elting

  Principal Investigator, North Carolina State University
• Dr. Daniel Dougherty

  Principal Investigator, North Carolina State University