Profile Details

Create Project

★★★★★

☆☆☆☆☆

USD 150 /hr

★★★★★

☆☆☆☆☆

Hire Joe M.

France

USD 150 /hr

Scientific Visualization (PhD) | High-End Microscopy & Analysis

Profile Summary

I am a PhD-level Cell Biologist and Virologist with over eight years of hands-on experience at the cutting edge of host-pathogen interactions and advanced fluorescence microscopy. As a Postdoctoral Researcher and the Founder of Viroscope, I specialize in transforming highly complex biological datasets into quantitative insights and striking visual narratives. Recently named the Global Winner of the 2026 CiteAb Image of the Year, my work is defined by an uncompromising standard for data fidelity and aesthetic quality. I partner with biotech firms, research institutions, and AI developers to optimize bioimaging pipelines, conduct rigorous image analysis, and provide high-level scientific communication. Core Competencies & Technical Skills: Advanced Bioimaging: World-class expertise in confocal (scanning and spinning disk), Super-Resolution (Airyscan, STED) and high-speed live-cell imaging. Bioimage Informatics: Specialized in extracting data from complex multiplexed assays. Proficient in script-based image analysis using ImageJ/FIJI, IMARIS, ZEN, and custom tools. Molecular Virology & Cell Biology: Extensive background in viral production and titration across 6 viral families, whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9 loss-of-function screens, and multiplexed single-molecule labeling (SABER-FISH, immunofluorescence). Scientific Writing & Peer Review: First-author on multiple high-impact papers and active peer reviewer for leading journals including Nature, Cell Host & Microbe, and PLOS Pathogens. Notable Research Highlights: Viral Dissemination Mechanisms: Discovered and characterized a novel transmission mode wherein deltaviruses package their genomes inside unrelated helper viruses to breach species barriers (Cell, 2026). Spatiotemporal Immunity: Challenged and redefined the static model of MX1 antiviral restriction, demonstrating via high-speed live-cell imaging that MX1 actively transports influenza A genomes to the MTOC for sequestration (PNAS, 2025). Structure-Function Analysis: Identified the critical amino acid residues dictating the subcellular localization and antiviral efficacy of MX1 against diverse RNA viruses (Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2023). Consulting Services Offered: Bioimage Analysis: Evaluating and analyzing complex cellular imagery. Scientific Visualization: Transforming raw, robust scientific data into premium, publication-ready visual assets for R&D and marketing campaigns. Experimental Design & Scientific Writing: Advising on multiplexed imaging assay development and drafting comprehensive, peer-reviewed level manuscripts and methodology reports.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Virology
• ★ Cell Biology
• ★ Microscopy
• ☆ Microbiology
• ☆ Molecular Virology
• ☆ Data Analysis
• ☆ Image Processing
• ☆ Data Visualization
• ☆ Cell Culture
• ☆ Large Scale Cell Culture
• ☆ Pulmonology/Respiratory Disease
• ☆ Influenza
• ☆ Technical & Scientific Writing
• ☆ Manuscript & Journal Article Writing
• ☆ Science Communication
• ☆ Scientific Proofreading & Editing

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Data & AI

Writing Clinical Trial Documentation, Medical Writing, Technical Writing, Copywriting

Research Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review

Consulting Scientific and Technical Consulting

Data & AI Image Processing, Image Analysis

Work Experience

Founder

Viroscope

January 2026 - Present

Post-doctoral researcher

IGMM

2022 - 2025

PhD Student

IRIM

2018 - 2022

Master 2 Intern

IRIM

2018 - 2018

Master 1 Intern

IRIM

2017 - 2017

Education

PhD (Health-Biology (Virology & Cell Biology))

Université de Montpellier

2018 - 2022

Master Degree (Health-Biology: Microbiology and Immunology)

University of Montpellier

2016 - 2018

Certifications

• BSL-3 certification

  CEMIPAI

  June 2023 - Present

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Joe McKellar, Isabelle K. Vila, Yasmine Messaoud-Nacer, Clara Taffoni, Jane Jardine, Roger J. Eloiflin, Adeline Augereau, Soumyabrata Guha, Moritz Schussler, Pierre Le Hars, et al. (2026). DNA-PK interacts with cyclic dinucleotides and inhibits type I interferon responses . Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Joe McKellar, Jimmy Cadènes, Francisco García de Gracia, Corentin Aubé, Ana Luiza Chaves Valadão, Marine Tauziet, Mary Arnaud-Arnould, Antoine Rebendenne, Lenka Kociánová, Emmanuel Labaronne, et al. (2025). Human MX1 orchestrates the cytoplasmic sequestration of neosynthesized influenza A virus vRNPs . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Joe McKellar, Mary Arnaud-Arnould, Laurent Chaloin, Marine Tauziet, Charlotte Arpin-André, Oriane Pourcelot, Mickaël Blaise, Olivier Moncorgé, Caroline Goujon (2023). An evolutionarily conserved N-terminal leucine is essential for MX1 GTPase antiviral activity against different families of RNA viruses . Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Joe McKellar, Antoine Rebendenne, Mélanie Wencker, Olivier Moncorgé, Caroline Goujon(2021). Mammalian and Avian Host Cell Influenza A Restriction Factors . Viruses. 13. (3). p. 522. {MDPI} {AG}

Joe McKellar, Antoine Rebendenne, Mélanie Wencker, Olivier Moncorgé, Caroline Goujon (2021). Mammalian and Avian Host Cell Influenza A Restriction Factors . Viruses.

Joe McKellar, Irene Pila-Castellanos, Shin-Ru Shih, Diana Molino, Laetitia Lines, Juliane Da Graca, Marine Tauziet, Laurent Chanteloup, Ivan Mikaelian, Laurène Meyniel-Schicklin, et al.(2021). Mitochondrial morphodynamics alteration induced by influenza virus infection as a new antiviral strategy . PLOS Pathogens. 17. (2). p. e1009340. Public Library of Science ({PLoS})

(2021). SARS-CoV-2 triggers an MDA-5-dependent interferon response which is unable to control replication in lung epithelial cells . Journal of virology.

(2019). Fatty acid synthase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 are conserved druggable cofactors of Old World Alphavirus genome replication . Antiviral Research.

PREPRINT

Joe McKellar, Aurélien Fouillen, Sébastien Lyonnais, Florian Seigneuret, Marie-Pierre Blanchard, Antonio Trullo, Lorena Kumarasinghe, Sylvain De Rossi, Roni Sleiman, Solange Desagher, et al. (2025). Deltaviruses spread through a viral Trojan Horse .

Joe McKellar, Antoine Rebendenne, Caroline Soulet, Ana-Luiza Chaves Valadaõ, Boris Bonaventure, Olivier Moncorgé, Caroline Goujon, María Moriel-Carretero (2024). SARS-CoV-2 predation of Golgi-bound PI4P primes the massive activation of the DNA Damage Response kinase ATM in the cytoplasm .

Joe McKellar, Isabelle K. Vila, Yasmine Messaoud-Nacer, Clara Taffoni, Jane Jardine, Roger J. Eloiflin, Adeline Augereau, Soumyabrata Guha, Moritz Schussler, Pierre Le Hars, et al. (2024). DNA-PK interacts with cyclic dinucleotides and inhibits type I Interferon responses .

Joe McKellar, Francisco García de Gracia, Corentin Aubé, Ana Luiza Chaves Valadão, Marine Tauziet, Mary Arnaud-Arnould, Antoine Rebendenne, Aymeric Neyret, Emmanuel Labaronne, Emiliano Ricci, et al. (2024). Human MX1 orchestrates the cytoplasmic sequestration of neo-synthesized influenza A virus vRNPs .

Joe McKellar, Mary Arnaud-Arnould, Laurent Chaloin, Marine Tauziet, Charlotte Arpin-André, Oriane Pourcelot, Mickael Blaise, Olivier Moncorgé, Caroline Goujon(2022). The N-terminal domain of MX1 proteins is essential for their antiviral activity against different families of RNA viruses . Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

OTHER

Joe McKellar, Boris Bonaventure, Antoine Rebendenne, Francisco Garcia de Gracia, Ségolène Gracias, Emmanuel Labaronne, Marine Tauziet, Ana Luiza Chaves Valadão, Eric Bernard, Laurence Briant, et al.(2020). The DEAD box RNA helicase DDX42 is an intrinsic inhibitor of positive-strand RNA viruses . Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory