Iain George

Biological Sciences (2nd Year Masters)

This is my second year on our iGEM team at the University of Calgary. I am a master student in biological sciences at the U of C. My research is in investigating how RNA-binding proteins act to regulate various genes at the post-transcriptional level. Previously, I worked as a member of the Biofilm Research Group at the U of C, studying how bacterial biofilms could be applied to bioremediate environmentally contaminated sites. When I am not living/sleeping/supervising in the lab, you may find me in the mountains surrounding Calgary hiking and trying my hand at photography.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Lisa Oberding

Biological Sciences (1st Year Masters)

This is my second year with iGEM, and this year I am involved with both Calgary teams. For this team I have been both an advisor as well as the laboratory technician. In addition to making about a billion plates and ordering supplies, I've helped out a bit on every section of the project as well as helping with work on the graphic design for the website. Outside of iGEM I enjoy scuba diving, snowboarding, camping, reading, and drawing, in addition to getting whatever small amount of sleep I can get.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Wm. Keith van der Meulen

Electrical & Computer Engineering (2nd Year)

This summer, I have been responsible for the designing and coding this website and working on the modeling part of the team. I am pursuing a career in aeronautical robotics R&D, so I have found my time working in a research setting with iGEM this year very valuable. Besides staying up until 2 a.m. coding, I also spend my time running Foster Bikes, a non-profit, Seattle-based company I co-founded. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, backpacking, skiing, and trying to learn about this weird thing non-engineers call a "social life".

View My LinkedIn Profile

Chris Wintersinger

Biomedical Sciences (4th Year)

This is my second year on the iGEM Calgary team and I have my hands in every part of the project. Formally though, I am leading the detector team and have been nicknamed "Christoferritin" by my team mates. When I am not slaving in the early morning hours in our lab, you'll find me travelling on remote logging roads in the backwoods of Alberta, or covered in grease working on my pickup truck. After I conquer iGEM, I hope to start a career as a hand model, enter a travelling carnival, or failing those, continue my journey in synthetic biology as a graduate student.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Somshukla (Rai) Chaudhuri

Biomedical Sciences (4th Year)

My name is Somshukla Chaudhuri but I mostly go by Rai, my family given nickname. This is my second year in iGEM and I am an undergraduate supervisor for the iGEM Calgary 2013 team. I will be graduating this year with a major in biomedical sciences and a minor in health and society. When I am not pulling all-nighters in the lab, I can usually be found reading, salsa dancing, jamming to some Bollywood music, or tearing up to sappy Bollywood movies. I am potentially addicted to caffeine and usually very sleep deprived. But, hey! Sleep is for the weak, right?

View My LinkedIn Profile

Robert Mayall

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (Recent Alumni)

This is my third year in iGEM, and I am one of the advisors to the team this year. That means I get to yell slightly more than I did in previous years. When I'm not sitting around in a lab, I can be found swimming laps in a nearby pool or catching up on some of the sleep I lost during wiki freeze from the last few years. One day I want to grow up and face the real world, but I will put that off as long as possible by going to grad school.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Himika Dastidar

Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases (1st Year Masters)

I am an iGEM veteran and this is my 3rd year doing iGEM. This year I came back as a graduate supervisor. I get to supervise the kids this year. In my spare time or the lack thereof I study cancer biology, skate around in quad skates or you can find me drinking a beer at the bar.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Taylor Remondini

Cellular, Molecular, & Microbial Biology (4th Year)

This is my first year with the iGEM Calgary team and I have been involved primarily with the reporter, linker, and wiki design elements of the project. My main interest has been in testing the potential of chemically modified ferritin nano-particles as a reporter system for our project. Between working in the lab and harassing Keith about the design of the wiki you can find me on the golf course or ensuring that my car is spotless. Going into the future I am pursuing entrance into medical school to further my career. iGEM has been an invaluable experience for many of the trials I will face going forward with life.

Denny Hoang

Cellular, Molecular, & Microbial Biology (4th Year)

This is my first year in the iGEM team and I've largely played a role in the reporter part of the team. I've been previously exposed in a lab involving environmental microbiology, thus this experience has given me the opportunity learn many different techniques and skills used in synthetic biology. In my spare time I've enjoyed playing soldier, snowboarding and reading novels.

Patrick Wu

Biomedical Technology (1st Year Masters)

After four years of undergrad (and three years of iGEM) I am now working on my Masters of Biomedical Technology here at the University of Calgary. This is now my fourth year as a part of iGEM, though I now act as a part-time advisor/consultant/distraction to the team. I am very excited to see how user-centered design can be applied to non-traditional fields like biology, and iGEM never disappoints me with all the cool ideas that come out. In my spare time, you can probably find me fiddling around with Photoshop and Illustrator, or asleep. Sleep is always nice.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Ruth Moges

Biological Sciences (3rd Year)

This is my first year with iGEM. I've mostly been helping out the undergrad supervisors with their arbitrary needs, so I've been a part of the TALEs, Ferritin and Linker teams. I've loved the opportunity to work in a lab, this is my first year doing so independently. Later in life I hope to become an optometrist, looking into people's eyes is one of my favourite pastimes. When not in the lab though, I am doing other fun activities like reading, hanging out with my friends and soaking up as much vitamin D as I can before winter comes!

Kate Chatfield-Reed

Biological Sciences (4th Year PhD)

This is my first year as an advisor for iGEM and my first year involved with iGEM in any capacity. I’ve been offering small pieces of advice over all areas of the project. When I finally finish my PhD I hope to stay in the wonderful world of academia forever. In my spare time I play soccer and hockey or read too much.

Jamie Fegan

Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (3rd Year PhD)

I am studying vaccine design and antigen engineering against the pathogen Neisseria meningitidis, the causative agent of meningococcal disease. As an iGEM newcomer, I’m amazed at how everyone functions on so little sleep, but I’m doing my best as I help with the protein expression and purification side of the project. When I’m not running in circles around the lab, I can be found playing volleyball or squash with friends, sliding down a mountain in an attempt at snowboarding, or hanging out at home with a glass of wine binge watching entire TV series with my cats.

Dr. Anders Nygren

Electrical & Biomedical Engineering (Professor)

I have a PhD from Rice University, Houston, Texas, and MSc degrees from the University of Houston, Texas and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. I am an Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Co-Director of the Centre for Bioengineering Research & Education at the University of Calgary. I have a research background in computer modeling of biological and physiological systems and got involved in iGEM to learn about how computer modeling can be applied to Synthetic Biology. This is the fifth time I am involved as one of the facilitators for a U of C iGEM team.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Dr. Mayi Arcellana-Panlilio

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (Professor)

I have been involved with teaching/mentoring in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program since 2003, primarily to develop and deliver the Honours Cell & Molecular Biology course, a core requirement in the curriculum. I have taught every offering of that course and received numerous accolades from the Faculty and the students, most recently winning the Teaching Excellence Award for 2010-2011 from the University of Calgary Students Union. This is my third year as an iGEM Instructor and my interest in the program springs from my belief in the value of inquiry as a means to getting students engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and developing habits of becoming lifelong learners.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Dr. Mark Bieda

Bioinformatics (Assistant Director)

My overall research areas are in bioinformatics and epigenetics. I’m particularly interested in roles of epigenetic modifications in controlling processes in neuroscience and cancer. Here, I use epigenetics in the “modern” sense (some would say incorrect sense) to refer to modifications of DNA and histones to control gene expression. I’d add in transcription factors here, too, with the risk of diluting epigenetic to just mean “transcriptional regulation”.

Dr. Anthony Schryvers

Microbiology, Immunology, & Infectious Diseases (Professor)

I obtained a PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Alberta and an MD at the University of Calgary. During my Postdoctoral training at U of C I also served a 2 1/2 year term as VP Research for Chembiomed. During my first 17 years as a faculty member at the University of Calgary I was focused primarily on research. I have been involved in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program since its inception, and currently serve as Director of the Program and as Associate Dean, Undergraduate Science Education. I currently hold appointments in the Departments of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in the Faculty of Medicine, and in the Department of Food Production Animal Health in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Cesar Rodriguez

Senior Research Scientist (AutoDesk, Inc.)

I am a Senior Research Scientist in the Bio/Nano/Programmable Matter group at Autodesk where I focus on computer-aided design of biological systems. Prior to joining Autodesk, I was the Synthetic Biology Research Lead at Genome Compiler and Software Lead at BIOFAB: International Open Facility Advancing Biotechnology (BIOFAB). I am a co-founder and former co-editor of the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL), an emerging data exchange standard and have been an iGEM judge the last four years. Beyond pursuing exciting ideas and projects in Synthetic Biology, I enjoy raising two rambunctious daughters, snowboarding, football, computer animation (especially Pixar), electric cars, and travelling.

View My LinkedIn Profile

Justin Dole

Biological Sciences (2nd Year)

Heading into my second undergraduate year, I can undoubtedly say that the past few months have helped put my academic knowledge into context. I held various roles this summer, but was ultimately in charge of qualitative modelling using Autodesk Maya. This has been my first year with iGEM; the exposure to various disciplines has allowed me to see the interconnectivity between synthetic biology, engineering, and business. Besides waiting for the lab computer to process 22GB of RAM, I take pride in eating well, exercising regularly, sleeping in, and picking flowers for my Mom. I two-strap my backpack, have a keen interest in entrepreneurship, technology, and medicine, and love anything with an engine to the point that I consider myself obsessed.

Su Wang

Chemical Engineering (4th Year)

I am a chemical engineering student with a specialization in biomedical engineering. Prior to join iGEM I have been doing researches in chemical engineering labs for thermodynamics or in-situ oil upgrading. Those were professor-driven research projects where even though I had good experiences, there was little I could do to test my own hypothesis. That's why I came for iGEM; for the student driven research aspect. Here I wish to combine with what I have learned from system biology class, with my training in modelling, to work on things that interest me!

Sharon Feng

Biomedical Sciences (3rd Year)

This summer was my first year being involved in iGEM and a wet lab setting. I was fortunate to be a member of the TALEs team where I have learned so much about synthetic biology, bacterial genetics, and general lab practices. Last year, I was involved with clinical studies of children with inflammatory bowel disease at the Alberta Children's Hospital. In my free time, I enjoy reading novels, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Amanda Zucoloto

Biomedical Sciences (3rd Year)

This is my first year on iGEM and I have been working with TALEs, which involved alternative cloning strategies and lots of fun time doing protein work over the Summer. When I am not pippeting in the lab to the sound of Backstreet Boys, I spend my time working out, exploring Canada and catching up with family and friends who are all the way back in Brazil. Even though I still have a couple months here in Calgary, I can't wait to come back as a graduate student!

Julie Osgood

Biomedical Sciences (3rd Year)

This is my first year with iGEM and I have spent my summer focusing on the TALE aspect of our project. I devoted my time to designing the E. coli target sequences and putting together our TALE constructs. When I’m not redoing all my experiments that didn’t work, I enjoy dancing, reading, and watching Battestar Galactica. I have spent my past couple summers working in research labs, but I loved having the opportunity to join a student driven research team. In the future I hope to be a professional Quidditch player or a geneticist.

Ali Honarmand

Biological Sciences (4th Year)

This is my 2nd year of iGEM and I am leading the TALEs part of the project. That is how I got nicknamed "TALI.". I really like how iGEM is completely student driven and how it is not just about the science. It has really broadened my perspectives about all the different components that need to go into a project to make it successful and useful to the society. When I'm not in the lab serving dinner to E. coli or sitting in front of my computer staring at ATCGs, you can find me appreciating the gravity in the mountains either on my bike or snowboard, reading a book, or trying something completely random.

View My LinkedIn Profile