
ANTUN SKANATA, PHD
​
I use physics, mathematical techniques, and computational approaches to build theoretical models of living systems. My interests include the role of memory in populations of cells and in complex communities, the evolutionary consequences of host-pathogen interactions, and elucidating the principles of ecological robustness, diversity and stability. My career path allows me to look at complex biological phenomena from an angle that is unique to my skill set, which lies at the interface of physics, mathematics, biology and ecology.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Physics Department, Syracuse University
2021 - present
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Biology Department, Queens College CUNYÂ
2020-2021
POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE
Biology Department, New York University
2014-2020
PHD IN THEORETICAL PHYSICS
Physics Department, Brown University
2014
BSC IN THEORETICAL PHYSICS
University of Zagreb, Croatia
2007
RESEARCH INTERESTS

POPULATION PLASTICITY
AND RESPONSE OPTIMALITY

COEXISTENCE, SURVIVAL AND EVOLUTION UNDER MIGRATION-DRIVEN FLUCTUATING SELECTION

ECOSYSTEM DESIGN AND ROBUSTNESS
PUBLICATIONS
EVOLUTIONARY PHASE TRANSITIONS IN RANDOM ENVIRONMENTS
Antun Skanata and Edo Kussell
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 038104 (2016)
ECOLOGICAL MEMORY PRESERVES PHAGE RESISTANCE MECHANISMS IN BACTERIA
Nature Comm. 12:6817 (2021)
MEMORY AND ADAPTATION IN TIME VARYING ENVIRONMENTS
Antun Skanata and Edo Kussell
Roadmap on biology in time varying environments,
Arvind Murugan (Ed.),Â
Phys. Biol. 18 041502 (2021)
HUMIDITY REDUCES RAPID AND DISTANT AIRBORNE DISPERSAL OF VIABLE VIRAL PARTICLES IN CLASSROOM SETTINGS
Antun Skanata, Fabrizio Spagnolo,
Molly Metz, Davida Smyth & John Dennehy
Environmental Science & Technology Letters 9 (7), 632-637 (2022)
SINGLE-MOLECULE OBSERVATION OF COMPETITIVE PROTEIN–PROTEIN INTERACTIONS UTILIZING A NANOPORE
Jiaxin Sun, Antun Skanata & Liviu Movileanu
ACS Nano 2025 19 (1), 1103-1115 (2024)
HUB OCCUPANCY BY COMPETITIVELY INTERACTING PROTEINS OBEYS A SIMPLE QUEUING LAW
Yuming Jiang, Antun Skanata & Liviu Movileanu
The Journal of Physical Chemistry B Article ASAP (2025)