bryan "taco" gworek
Email: bgworek2@illinois.edu
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biography
I'm an experimental and computational biophysicist. My interests lie in connecting experimental measurements to theoretical results. I'm motivated to pursue the multidisiplinary field of biophysics, integrating my knowledge on molecular biology, biochemistry, physics, and computer science. My mission is to solve complex biological problems that relate to neurological diseases, such as, Alzheimer's disease and Schizophrenia. My expertise is in the field of cell signaling, programmed cell death, optogenetics, and molecular dynamics. I also like to yap and do weird stuff.
current position
- Second Year Ph.D. Student at the Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign (since August, 2023). I am co-advised between Dr. Kai Zhang and Dr. Taras Pogorelov. Dr. Zhang specializes in optogentics and cell signaling. Dr. Pogorelov specializes in molecular dynamics of plasma membranes and protein dynamics.
previous positions
- Undergraduate researcher at California State University, Fullerton, advised under Dr. Wylie Ahmed in (January 2022 - May 2023).
- Visiting Student Researcher at Brandeis University (June 2022 - August 2022).
- Funded by the National Science Foundation, I particpated in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program advised under Dr. W. Benjamin Rogers.
- Undergraduate researcher at California State University, Fullerton, advised under Dr. Gina Passante (December 2020 - August 2021).
education
- Ph.D. in Biophysics and Quantitative Biology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (in progress).
- Bachelor's of Science in Physics with a minor in Mathematics and Cinema and Television Arts at the California State University, Fullerton (Completed May 2023).
- python, bash, C++, charmm++, git, LaTeX, markdown, html (although I'm clearly not a dev) programs I use ⮯
- NAMD, VMD, PyMol, Alphafold2, Blender, windows/mac/linux systems (ubuntu/arch), jupyter notebook, KiCad, QMK, Fiji (ImageJ), CellProfiler, PyDDM, github, AVRdude, MS products lab knowledge ⮯
- cell culture (epitheial/neuron), virus culture (lentivirus), cloning, western blot, diffusion assays microscopy ⮯
- confocal, Minflux (super-res.), epi-fluorescence, TEM, live-cell, PICO, TIRF, spacial light modulation (Mightex)
----> check out my nonsensical academic work
skills & techniques
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coding languages ⮯