Team

Leadership and Staff

  • Michael Kissner

    • Director of Operations

    Michael has been involved in the flow cytometry field since 2008, working across a variety of settings that have given him a unique perspective on the field. He was first introduced to flow cytometry and cell sorting as a laboratory technician in a developmental biology lab, where he was tasked with isolating primordial germ cells and has never looked back. Since then, Michael has managed multiple core facilities and held R&D and support roles at several companies, contributing to the launches of both cell sorting and cell analysis equipment.

    In 2017, Michael was recruited to Columbia University by Dr. Emmanuelle Passegué, Alumni Professor and Director of the Columbia Stem Cell Initiative (CSCI), to establish the Columbia Stem Cell Initiative Flow Cytometry Core from the ground up. Under his leadership, the core has grown from a three-instrument facility into a VP&S Scientific Platform that maintains an array of flow cytometer analyzers, cell sorters, image cytometers, and genomics equipment, supporting hundreds of labs and researchers across Columbia University and beyond.

    Michael is also an active member of the broader flow cytometry community, serving as Vice President of MetroFlow, the NY/NJ Flow Cytometry Users Group, and taking on leadership roles in other flow cytometry interest groups. He frequently participates as a speaker, sharing his unique perspective on supporting cutting-edge research at Columbia University.

  • Christopher Wu

    • Flow Cytometry Specialist

    Hailing from the great state of New Jersey, Chris joined the CSCI Flow Core in December of 2023 as a part of the core staff. Chris did his undergraduate at The College of New Jersey earning a B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Biology. Chris loves all things computing and engineering, working on his car and computer during his free time. You can find some of the current side projects he is working on in his GitHub below: https://github.com/mnist-wu.

  • Ryan Wantroba

    • Flow Cytometry Specialist

    Ryan Wantroba has been with CSCI since his move to NYC in December 2023. A Connecticut native, he obtained a B.S. in Psychology and Philosophy with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of Connecticut. In his free time, Ryan is a passionate hobbyist in artistic and competitive endeavors, including rock drumming, acting, directing, chess, and video games.

  • Juan Idiarte

    • Flow Cytometry Specialist

    Born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay, Juan is a biologist with a background in molecular and cell biology and clinical research. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences in 2021 from the Universidad de la República (UdelaR) before going on to pursue a Master's degree in Molecular and Cell Biology at the same institution, further deepening his expertise in the field. Juan has been a member of the CSCI Flow Cytometry Core since 2023, where he works alongside researchers to design experiments, operate cell sorters, cell analyzers, and imaging flow cytometers, and train researchers to use the instruments independently.