From 2013.igem.org

Revision as of 20:27, 26 September 2013

• HOME
• PROJECT
• TEAM
• PARTS
• MODELING
• HUMAN PRACTICES
• NOTEBOOK
• SAFETY
• ATTRIBUTIONS
• JUDGING

The Team

Our interdisciplinary team of undergraduates and advisors shares an understanding, passion, and excitement for synthetic biology. We are dedicated to creating applicable solutions with our ability to manipulate the immediate biological world around us.

Students
	David Yao Year: Senior Major: Neuroscience Officer Position: Co-Head Coordinator Working with Brandon, Dr. Agapakis, and the officers of the Synthetic Biology Club, I assist with coordinating our programs. My independent research focuses on profiling the transcriptional networks that regulate the kinetics of cellular reprogramming during the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. With an education in neuroscience but bench-side training in molecular, cell, and developmental biology, I am fascinated by the subtle genetic and epigenetic changes that program enigmatic organs and complex cellular processes -- as well as the events that can disrupt them and lead to disease. I joined the UCLA iGEM team to explore new scientific frontiers, and tackle challenges with a team of passionate, inspiring, and awesome individuals!
	Gloria Lee Year: Senior Major: Chemical Engineering Officer Position: Graphics Designer I design the flyer, logo, website, and other visual materials needed for the club. I am currently working in a lab that engineers bacteria into biofuel producing factories. I am interested in synthetic biology and epigenetic. I joined iGEM because I would like to promote our newly built organism with my art talent!
	Chelsea Hu Year: Senior Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Officer Position: Lab Manager I've been working in the filed of synthetic biology as a undergraduate research assistant and I'm I am fascinated about living cells and their complex regulatory systems. As I'm moving on to graduate school in the fall to delve deeper into this field, I want to express the fun and excitement of synthetic biology research to more undergraduate students at UCLA.
	Varun Bhadha Year: Sophomore Major: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Officer Position: Secretary I am Secretary for the club. I am doing research in miRNA in mice. I joined the team because I am interested in learning more about the cutting edge of biological research. I am also very excited to participate in the creation of our own genetically engineered machine.
	Anuved Verma Year: Sophomore Major: Physiological Sciences Officer Position: Media Director My job for the UCLA iGEM team, and Synthetic Biology Club, involves maintaining any related media (website, team wiki, etc.) and helping to reach out to build SBC's public image. I'm currently involved in research on neural repair mechanisms and the effects of lifestyle on trophic factor production in the CNS with UCLA's Physiological Department. I joined iGEM to learn more about the engineering aspect of fields in biology, get an opportunity to work with some of the most accomplished students and faculty at UCLA, and mostly to have a good time!
	Dewal Gupta Year: Sophomore Major: Computational & Systems Biology Officer Position: Treasurer I am the treasurer for the UCLA iGEM team and its my job to ensure that our team has the appropriate funding for all the experiments, traveling, and all the little things in the middle. I research in bioengineering, in a microfluidics lab. Specifically we use technologies like deformability cytometry to better understand the mechanical properties of cells. I have always loved building and creating but also biology and medicine. iGEM bridges the gap between engineering and biology perfectly which is why i joined the UCLA team. I am super excited to work on this project, and can't wait to compete!
	Michael Cheng Year: Freshman Major: Bioengineering I am a bioengineering student here at UCLA. As an engineer, I am fascinated by how life, even with all its complexity and intricacies, can be understood and tinkered with at the level of individual components. Simply put, life is an incredibly amazing machine, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to work in synthetic biology with an awesome team this year.
	Jae Hong Year: Senior Major: Neuroscience I joined SBC to learn about latest biological technology, and be with peers who share the same interest. The thing I am most looking forward to is performing new and exciting experiments.
	Michael Huang Year: Sophomore Major: Integrative Biology and Physiology Officer Position: Internal Affairs I maintain our social media pages and I coordinate events for the members of the club. I joined iGEM because I was interested in pursuing a career in synthetic biology as well as gaining some research experience. I look forward to developing a project and developing friendships with the people with whom I work.
	Daniel Cancilla Year: Sophomore Major: Biochemistry I'm part of various pre medical clubs such as AMSA and med friends. I am also part of C.U.R.E., a club for helping undergraduates participate in research. I like sports and am an avid tennis player. I also enjoy snowboarding and skateboarding and other such outdoor activities.
	Brandon Brown Year: Senior Major: Neuroscience I work in a lab studying how electrical excitability affects neuronal morphology in the developing zebrafish embryo. I am broadly interested in neuroscience, computational biology, and evolution. I want to participate in iGEM because I like to build things, and what's more awesome than building new organisms?

Acknowledgements

Advising:
Ryan Marcheschi
Keegan Owsley
Sharooz Rabizadeh

Help with Bordetella MTD:
Diego Arambula
Huatao Guo
Jeff Miller

Help with mRNA display:
Anders Olson

Advice about Phage:
Robert Modlin
Laura Marinelli

Ice Machine:
Tang Lab, UCLA

Reagents and plasmids:
Ralph Cacho
Fabienne Duchoud
Hannah Park
David Wernick
Luisa Gronenberg
Hirsch Lab, UCLA

Lab Space:
Foad Mashayekhi
UCLA Department of Bioengineering

Financial Support:
UCLA Department of Bioengineering
Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education
Tama Hasson, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Research

Administrative Support:
Stacey Tran

Graphic Design:
Gloria Lee

Science Fiction Advisor:
Megan Daalder