Team:British Columbia/Team

Undergraduate Team Members

Fisal Elstone

Liz Geum

Joe Ho

5th Integrated Science

Joe Ho is a fifth year Integrated Sciences student at UBC and a returning member from last year's iGEM team. This year, Joe is focused on generating biobrick constructs for engineering a microbial consortium which is capable of distributed metabolism. With this consortium, he will be monitoring its population dynamics through the use of standardized fluorescence proteins as well as assaying for its ability to cooperatively desulfurize organosulfur compounds, such as dibenzothiophene. Joe hopes that his experience with iGEM will allow him to excel in the field of synthetic biology in the future

Dan Korvin

5th year Microbiology and Immunology Major, Minor in Biochemistry

Oh hi, didn't see you there. Come, take a seat, and let us speak of biology. I first heard of Igem, through a friend back in 2009. However, at the the time I thought he was crazy. "E. Coli cultures lighting up like traffic lights!?" I said, "bro, you been at the giggle-water again?" And he had been. Two years later, in 2011, I stumbled across the openwetware wiki while doing research for a project, and this led me to the igem page. After seeing the kinds of incredible projects that had been attempted over the years, I was hooked, and knew that I had to join the UBC team at the next available opportunity. As the only member of the igem team with a stylish goatee, It's important to remember that I will inevitably be seen as the "leader" because of it, and as such how the other members of the team look up to me, and how my actions reflect upon the team as a whole.

Joel Kumlin

3rd year Chemical Engineering minor Honours Mathematics

One of the most enjoyable skills I've learned at university is how to model physical systems. I am excited for iGEM since provides an interesting opportunity to create models as well as learn about biological systems. When not sitting in front of a computer screen, I enjoy golfing, playing tennis, skiing, hiking, and pretty much most things outside.

Anna Müller

2nd year Microbiology and Immunology

I first heard about iGEM when I was in high school and ever since I wanted to be part of it. For me this is a very exciting opportunity. I can’t wait to make some awesome bacteria! I moved to Canada 2 years ago from Germany. Now I am really enjoying Vancouver. My favourite thing to do here is skiing in winter; I can’t wait for next season. Besides microbiology I am interested in marine biology. Through scuba diving I fell in love with the beautiful underwater world. On campus you can find me either in the lab, at the gallery or at the pool napping. But if there is something you should know about me is that I love travelling and living in different places around the world, so this is definitely not my last stop.

Michael Peters

4th year Chemical and Biological Engineering, Bioprocess option

I got interested in iGEM during a class presentation, but what really caught my attention is the opportunity for student driven innovative research. I was heavily involved in science fair during middle school and high school, and look forward to pursing team-lead innovative research again. A bit about myself: I love almost any water-sport, and would happily spend the rest of my life lounging about beaches and cottages, sailing and waterskiing in the sun until I develop arthritis or skin cancer, or both. A few random facts about myself: I hate bananas, I love the smell of incubators, I've been known to make super-heroes out of lab gloves, and I biked across North America two summers ago. My favourite piece of lab equipment is the vortex mixer; my goodness I could spend days playing with those things...

Frances Russell

3rd year Combined Honours in Computer Science and Biology

I started a combined honours degree after discovering computer science in my first year at UBC. Ever since, I have been exploring where the two subjects intersect in bioinformatics. I joined the iGEM team after hearing about it through my Co-op job at the Hallam Lab, and I hope to contribute to the modelling and wiki while also learning microbiology concepts and lab technique. In my spare time, I enjoy baking, cooking, camping, and knitting.

Negin Tousi

Grace Yi

2nd year Pharmacology

Having experienced being part of iGEM last year, I was inspired by the calibre of projects iGEM teams produced. I am excited to see what amazing things a new group of minds can accomplish at UBC. In addition to labwork, I hope to contribute to the human practices portion of the project - looking forward to creative paths down this road! My guilty pleasures include reading bad novels and baking large batches of cookies (and eating them).

Javi Zhang

Tony Zhao

Graduate Student Advisors

Niels Hanson

Christopher Lawson

Ray Socha

Cameron Strachan

Dave VanInsberghe

Michael VanInsberghe

3rd year PhD Student in Genome Science and Technology

I'm a PhD student in the Genome Science and Technology graduate program at the University of British Columbia. I'm working in the Hansen group to develop methods in single-cell genomics by exploiting recent advances in microfluidics. When not stuck in a cleanroom, I can usually be found out in the mountains surrounding the Lower Mainland.

James Round

2rd year PhD Student in Microbiology and Immunology

I'm a PhD student in the Eltis lab at the University of British Columbia. My project involves the identification and characterization of bacteria and bacterial enzymes that can degrade and modify lignin. Our goal is to use the aromatic portion of biomass to replace products made traditionally with fossil fuels with green alternatives.

Faculty Advisors

Joanne Fox

Steven Hallam