Research

Current Research

Currently a Scientist at Lila Sciences, building AI-driven workflows for accelerating scientific discovery. My focus is on applying machine learning and automation to X-ray characterization and data analysis pipelines.

Research Interests

  • X-ray Physics
  • Synchrotron
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Computational Physics
  • Self Assembly
  • Molecular Dynamics
  • Ptychography
  • Tomography
  • Coherent Phase Retrieval
  • Microscopy
  • Machine Learning
  • Imaging

Previous Research

Northwestern University (2018-2023)

Analyzed the self-assembly of lipid molecules and nano-particles using:

  • X-ray scattering experiments
  • Molecular dynamics simulations

Northwestern University (2017-2018)

Involved in the design and construction of multi-view microscope for the analysis of colloidal particles in an applied magnetic field.

Publications and Presentations

2025

Programming Defects and Cavities into Colloidal Crystals Engineered With DNA

Rachel R. Chan, Kaitlin M. Landy, Kyle J. Gibson, Sachin P. Kulkarni, Junjing Deng, Byeongdu Lee, Joseph McCourt, Soenke Seifert, Olivier J. G. L. Chevalier, Alexa M. Wong, Chaojian Chen, Peter H. Winegar, Koray Aydin, Chad A. Mirkin

Advanced Materials, Volume 37, Issue 41, October 16, 2025, e03522.

DOI: 10.1002/adma.202503522

CNN-enhanced nanostructure characterization via combined x-ray ptychography and SAXS imaging (pty-co-SAXS)

Joseph McCourt, Junjing Deng, Byeongdu Lee, Soenke Seifert, Mathew Cherukara, Hemant Sharma, Ming Du, Zhihua Cheng, Rachel Chan, and Pedro R. Mercado Lozano

Proc. SPIE PC13622, X-Ray Nanoimaging: Instruments and Methods VII, PC1362207 (19 September 2025)

DOI: 10.1117/12.3064586

Coupling of Charge Regulation and Geometry in Soft Ionizable Molecular Assemblies

Joseph McCourt, Leticia Lopez-Flores, Sumit Kewalramani, Noah Welke, Monica Olvera de la Cruz, Michael Bedzyk

J Phys Chem B.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5c00162

CNN-enhanced Nanostructure Characterization via Combined X-ray Ptychography and SAXS Imaging (pty-co-SAXS)

Joseph McCourt, Junjing Deng, Byeongdu Lee, Soenke Seifert, Mathew Cherukara, Hemant Sharma, Ming Du, Zhihua Cheng, Boyu Zhang, Matthew Jones, Rachel Chan, Pedro R. Mercado Lozano

MLXN 2025: Machine Learning for X-ray and Neutron Science: A Global 24-Hour Virtual Event, April 15th, 2025. Conference Presentation

2024

PtychoSAXS: Combined X-ray ptychography and SAXS imaging for nanostructure characterization

Joseph McCourt, Junjing Deng, Byeongdu Lee, Soenke Seifert

SAS2024 – XIX International Small-Angle Scattering Conference, 4 Nov. 2024, Taipei, Taiwan. Conference Presentation

PtychoSAXS: Combined X-ray ptychography and SAXS imaging for nanostructure characterization

Joseph McCourt, Junjing Deng, Byeongdu Lee, Soenke Seifert

ACA 2024 Annual Meeting, 10 July 2024, Denver, CO. Conference Presentation

DOI: 10.1063/4.0000440

2023

Electrostatic Mechanisms for Shape Selection in Charged Chiral Molecular Assemblies

Joseph M. McCourt

Northwestern University, PhD Dissertation

DOI: 10.21985/n2-vpr8-sg35

The Coupling of Charge Regulation and Geometry in Soft Ionizable Molecular Assemblies

Joseph McCourt, Sumit Kewalramani, Leticia Lopez-Flores, Michael Bedzyk, Monica Olvera De La Cruz

ACS Spring Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, March 26-30, 2023. Conference Presentation

The Coupling of Charge Regulation and Geometry in Soft Ionizable Molecular Assemblies

Joseph McCourt, Sumit Kewalramani, L Lopez-Flores, M Bedzyk

APS March Meeting Abstracts 2023, Z14.012. Las Vegas, NV. Conference Presentation

A Zoo of Chiral Structures: Electrostatic Directed Assembly of Charged, Chiral Amphiphiles

Joseph McCourt, Sumit Kewalramani, Monica Olvera de La Cruz, Michael Bedzyk

APS March Meeting Abstracts 2023, W01.004. Las Vegas, NV. Invited Conference Presentation

2022

Electrostatic control of shape selection and nanoscale structure in chiral molecular assemblies

Joseph M. McCourt, Sumit Kewalramani, Changrui Gao, Eric W. Roth, Steven J. Weigand, Monica Olvera de la Cruz, and Michael J. Bedzyk

ACS Central Science 8 (8), 1169-1181

DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00447

Electrostatic and Van der Waal Control of Charged Chiral Assemblies

Joseph McCourt, Changrui Gao, Sumit Kewalramani, Eric Roth, Steven Weigand

APS March Meeting Abstracts 2022, S16.007. Chicago, IL. Conference Presentation

2021

How Electrostatic Interactions Determine the Shape of Chiral Assemblies

Joseph McCourt, Sumit Kewalramani, Dulce Maria Valencia, Changrui Gao, Michael Bedzyk

APS March Meeting Abstracts 2021, L07.010. Virtual. Conference Presentation

2019

Electrostatic shape control of a charged molecular membrane from ribbon to scroll

Changrui Gao, Sumit Kewalramani, Dulce Maria Valencia, Honghao Li, Joseph M. McCourt, Monica Olvera de la Cruz, and Michael J. Bedzyk

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116 (44), 22030-22036

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913632116