Team:DTU-Denmark/Team

From 2013.igem.org

Team

Contents

Our Team

DTU igemteam.jpg

Official Team Profile

Additional team photos

Students




30px Katarzyna Chyzynska

My name is Kasia and I am a workaholic. I also happen to be 2nd year MSc student of Systems Biology at DTU. I am a fan of bioinformatics, computational biology-based research and getting tan under a laminar flow cabinet (true story). And now that I still do not expect to be paid for my work I have decided to join the iGEM team to work on the damn cool project and put my skills to good use.



Canada Flag.jpg Helen Cook

I've just finished the first year of my Systems Biology MSc at DTU. In a nutshell, this means I write code to study biologically relevant patterns in genomic information, and I make predictions that can be tested experimentally. I joined the iGEM team because my concept of 'fun' includes dedicating my summer to work on a big project with other committed people. Synthetic biology can be used to build a more sustainable future for us and our planet, and I'm excited to be a part of a team that is making that happen. Also, I am quite fond of chocolate cake.



30px Kristian Davidsen

Biology and chemistry are my biggest interest and also a sort of hobby to me so I chose to study biotechnology because of the mix of the two. I joined the DTU iGEM team to learn synthetic biology and to get the experience of doing it. I also like the idea that you can go into the lab and create something that has never been made before. When I’m not doing school work I enjoy watching sports like football, handball and boxing but road cycling beats them all. My favorite cake is banana cake with big chunks of chocolate.



Greece Flag.jpg Ariadni Droumpali

I am an environmental engineer, really excited to be on the iGEM team. I come from Greece with a background in Environmental Engineering and my study line on the master in DTU is Environmental Microbiology. My inspiration about microbiology is encouraged while working with other team members from different study fields like biology, chemistry, biotechnology as we contribute in our ambition to complete this project. When I am not in lab, university or class, I enjoy participating in film festivals and a photography team. My favorite cake is brownies with chocolate and nuts!



30px Piotr Dworzynski

Hi there! I just handed in my MSc thesis in Computer Science at DTU. My main areas of interest are high-performance computing, distributed systems and web applications. I joined the team as although, I have been working in as a scientific programmer in bioinformatics for quite a while, I have never been able to experience the "wet" side of research. Besides, I like mocking Kristian for the late-night stays in the lab way too much. Banana bread & coffee, anything else is a compromise.



30px Malgorzata Futyma

Hi! My name is Gosia, I study Biotechnology at DTU. I joined iGEM team because I think it is a great experience to work with dedicated people interested in science. I want to learn more about synthetic biology, gain new skills and experience. I want to apply my lab experience in our project. My interests focus mainly on microbiology, Lactic Acid Bacteria, molecular biology and dairy products manufacturing. I like animals and plants, especially orchids and bonsai trees art. My cake is cheesecake.



30px Jakob Berg Jespersen

I am studying Advanced and Applied Chemistry with a focus in an area a little different: Computational Biology. I joined the iGEM team, to have a good excuse to do some wet lab work, while having the fun of doing a project over the summer. I like structural biology, and can spend hours in Pymol. I like setting up computational solutions, and will try to integrate structural biology in a protein-protein database search algorithm as my Master Thesis. In my free time, I enjoy simple sports such as running and swimming. My favorite kind of cake includes many blueberries and lots of chocolate.



30px Vanessa Jurtz

Hi my name is Vanessa and I study systems biology at DTU. I am especially interested in the mathematical modelling of biological systems. I think iGEM is a great opportunity to gain experience. I like to spend my free time outdoors and enjoy beeing so close to the beach here in Copenhagen. My favourite cake is Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.



Greece Flag.jpg Anastasia Mourka

Hi all! I am a MSc student in Computer Science and Engineering at DTU, while my first degree was in Electrical and Computer Engineering at AUTH. My Biology knowledge is left back in high school, but I have a personal interest in creating websites. Therefore, I decided to join the iGEM team! Apart from that, I like working as a member of a big project and meeting new people! I enjoy dancing Latin and traditional Greek dances and my favorite cake is chocolate cake! The more the chocolate, the better the cake!



Greece Flag.jpg Natalia Papargyri

I have a bachelor degree in Chemistry, but I was always fascinated by biology! ..And now here I am, studying Systems Biology at DTU and being part of this year's iGEM team! I joined the team because I believe that learning by doing is the best way to really gain new skills and have a better understanding of the field of your interest, and of course is more fun!! It is also my first time working in a team at university level, with people having different backgrounds, and cultures, something that makes this experience all the more valuable to me! My favorite cake is…well, whatever has chocolate! :)



Italy Flag.png Julia Villarroel

I’m doing my M.Sc. in Systems Biology. I joined the iGEM team because I wanted to take active part in a research group (a really special one :-)) and because I wanted to spend the summer holidays working and having fun with wonderful people. Although I enjoy the wet lab, lately I’m getting more and more interested in bioinformatics. For me computers are still mysterious machines that perform some kind of magic but we managed to reach a level of cooperation. During my free time I love dancing, especially salsa and other Latin dances. I also enjoy practicing yoga and swimming. My favorite cake is Gulerodskage, carrot cake.



30px Henrike Zschach

I'm following the Systems Biology study line at DTU. I joined the iGEM team to learn about how to see a project through from the beginning to the end and also to gain a deeper understanding of synthetic biology. My scientific interest is in the area of bioinformatics. My favorite cake is chocolate cake.

Supervisors




USA Flag.png Chris Workman (PI)

Dr. Workman is an Associate Professor at the Center for Biological Sequence Analysis. He is a group leader of Regulatory Genomics and has combined industrial biotech and academic research experience. His group has extensive experience in gene expression analysis, biological network analysis and he has contributed as a developer for the Cytoscape open source project during his postdoc at UCSD. He has previously supervised DTU iGEM teams from 2010 and 2011 and served as a judge for the European regional in 2012. He also likes chocolate brownies.



Flag of Belgium.svg.png Barth Smets

B.F. Smets is Professor of Environmental Microbiology in the Department of Environmental Engineering. He is educated in Belgium and the USA.

He is especially interested in the management and engineering of microbial communities for environmental service endpoints. He leads a group or researchers that try to bridge the disciplines of molecular ecology and environmental biotechnology, using experimental and computational approaches to study fundamental and applied questions in biofilm science and engineering, the engineered nitrogen cycle, and soil microbial ecology.

Favorite cake: Tiramisu

Advisors




Turkey Flag.png Ali Altıntaş

I am a PhD student in the Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark and also a member of Regulatory Genomics group of the department. My original profession is on molecular biology, genetics and systems biology; besides, I have been improving my skills on computational biology and bioinformatics during my PhD. Thus, my life is a purgatory between lab and computer, when I am not playing drums or football. The lab had been so lonely before iGEM hard-workers were there and I am kind of sad that there will not be as many people around any more.



30px Anne Mathilde Lund

Anne Mathilde Lund is a PhD student, who loves to spend time in front of all of her computers to elucidate the fantastic gene expression profiles of Chinese Hamster Ovary cell lines. Mathilde's main interests are in the fields of mammalian cell technology, innovative cloning techniques and fashion design. She is just as passionate about her shoe collection as she is about her discoveries in the mammalian lab. Mathilde was part of the DTU iGEM team 2011, and has been a valuable advisor for this years iGEM team for which she has contributed with her extensive knowledge and experience in molecular cloning techniques.



Flag of France.png Sébastien Muller

I am a post-doctorate in the group of Regulatory Genomics led by Christopher Workman. I have been trained in Molecular Biology and I have a particular fascination for the world of non-coding RNAs. Since 10 years I am focusing on the characterization of different species of non-coding RNAs and their involvement in diseases. Here, my aim is to identify new non-coding RNA candidates playing important roles in the genesis of diabetes.



30px Andreas Porse

I am a master student with a broad (and deep) interest in biotechnological research, which is why I use most of my spare time in the lab. My main interests are in the fields of (medical) microbial biotechnology, biodiversity and bioinformatics, although I’m always curious about getting new angles or using an array of scientific disciplines if relevant in solving an interesting problem. Therefore I love to help out in ambitious projects were many aspects of biology are involved, and where I might be able to contribute with my relevant experience - which is why I appreciate my role in this iGEM project.



30px Julie Rank

Julie Rank has just reappeared to the surface of the real world after having submitted her magnificient Master Thesis within the field of mammalian cell technology. Julie’s main interests are mammalian cell technology, innovation, and business development. Julie participated in iGEM 2011, which led to a dream job in an entrepreneurial organisation, where she has worked as a startup advisor and pitch trainer for many teams and startups in Copenhagen. Julie contributed with her extensive knowledge and experience in presentation techniques, the art of ‘getting your points across’, and team management.



30px Thomas Trolle

I am currently a PhD student at the Center for Biological Sequence Analysis (CBS) at DTU, working within the field of immunoinformatics. I have a passion for molecular biology, bioinformatics and immunology. I was part of the 2010 DTU iGEM team, which gave me a lot of experience planning a project from start to finish, as well as in depth experience with a variety of molecular biology techniques, both wet lab and in silico.





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