My background is in molecular biology and synthetic biology, but I’ve since transitioned to being a full-time computational biophysicist. I specialise in atomistic and coarse-grained simulations of membranes, typically using the GROMACS software package.
I have experience in Python, Unix/Bash, HPC, and various workflow management softwares.
Education
PhD, Computational Biophysics
2022 - Present
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 & CNRS, Lyon, France
Advisor: Dr. Luca Monticelli
Thesis Title: Non-Equilibrium Simulations of Lipid Droplets and Beyond (working title)
Key Publications
- Crowley J., Hilpert C., Monticelli L. 2024. Predicting lipid sorting in curved membranes. Methods in Enzymology, Academic Press.
- Nieto V., Crowley J., Santos D., Monticelli L. 2023. Birth of an organelle: molecular mechanism of lipid droplet biogenesis. bioRxiv 2023.07.28.550987
Master of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering
2020 - 2021
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Advisor: Dr. Evelyne Deplazes
Thesis Title: Understanding the Membrane Interactions of Steroids Capable of Improving Batten Disease
Key Publications:
- Larder, M., Crowley J., Hossain S. I. H., Deplazes E. 2025. Steroids and steroid-like compounds alter the ion permeability of phospholipid bilayers via distinct interactions with lipids and interfacial water. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.
- Crowley, J, Withana M., Deplazes E. 2022. The interaction of steroids with phospholipid bilayers and membranes. Biophysical Reviews, 14(1): 163-179.
Awards:
- 2x Dean’s Merit List Award (2020 & 2021)
Bachelor of Medical Sciences
2015 - 2019
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Specialised in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Other Research Experience
Visiting Researcher, TU Dortmund
Jan 2025 - Mar 2025
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Jelger Risselada
Project title: Towards the Development of Lipid Droplet Sensing Peptides Using Genetic Algorithms
Summer Research Intern
Oct 2020 - Feb 2021
Pawsey Supercomputing Center
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Semester 2, 2019
Advisor: Prof. Robert Willows