The Team

Info about the Team

Undergrads

Matt Baron

Short Bio

Matthew Farnitano

Short Bio

Cameron Kim

Cameron Kim is a senior studying biomedical engineering, mathematics, and genome sciences & policy. He is a Pratt Undergraduate Research fellow in Dr. Gersbach's lab where he utilizes synthetic biology for applications in genetic reprogramming and regenerative medicine. In his spare time, Cameron can be found on the quidditch pitch, where he serves as the president and coach of the Duke Quidditch team. He is also involved in theater at Duke and enjoys baking for others. He plans to attend graduate school to pursue synthetic biology research next year.

Hyun Soo Kim

Short Bio

Ashley Reid

Ashley is a rising sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Chemistry. She hopes to attend medical school after graduation and become a neurosurgeon. As a part of the 2013 iGEM team, she is excited to explore the world of synthetic biology in the Gersbach and Buchler labs.

Janan Zhu

Janan is a sophomore from New York, New York majoring in Biophysics and Mathematics. He hopes to work in a field that applies quantitative approaches in understanding biology and is excited to be part of iGEM as a way to explore these interests.

Grad Students

Charlie Cooper

Short Bio

Instructors

Nicolas Buchler, Ph. D.

Short Bio
Website: [http://buchler.phy.duke.edu// Lab Page]

The Buchler Lab is interested in the systems biology and evolution of epigenetic switches (bistability) and clocks (oscillators) in gene regulatory networks, two functions that are essential for proper patterning, cell proliferation, and cellular differentiation in biological systems. We use several approaches (experiment and theory, biology and physics, evolutionary systems biology and synthetic biology) to understand the diverse molecular and evolutionary mechanisms by which combinatorial control, ultrasensitive thresholds, bistability, and oscillation have evolved in gene networks.

Charles A. Gersbach, Ph. D.

Short Bio
Website: [http://gersbach.bme.duke.edu/ Lab Page]

The Gersbach Lab is focused on engineering new methods for directing cell behavior to regenerate diseased or damaged tissues and treat genetic diseases. We are particularly interested in developing and applying technologies that manipulate cellular processes at the genetic level. Our work capitalizes on the products of the Genomic Revolution and modern advances in the fields of genetic reprogramming, gene delivery, protein engineering, stem cell transplantation, and synthetic biology to create innovative biologic approaches to improving human health. These studies also facilitate a better understanding of complex processes including organogenesis, cell lineage determination, and gene regulation that will ultimately lead to improved design of drugs and biotherapeutics. Our efforts are catalyzed by interdisciplinary collaborations with investigators in engineering and medicine at Duke and other institutions.