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Team:TU Delft-Leiden/Team
From 2014.igem.org
Meet the team
Our team comprises 13 students from TU Delft, Leiden University and Rotterdam University. We are a multi-national team with very diverse backgrounds, including biology, physics and industrial design. Thus, we are well equipped to tackle the broad range of challenges that will occur during our iGEM project!
Click on a person or scroll through the profiles below!
Tomek Diederen
Function: Science Manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Biochemistry and Biotechnology
February this year I was cleaned out from under my bridge, and heard that the TU Delft iGEM project offered shelter in a lab during the summer months. Turns out iGEM was a project about synthetic biology where I was allowed total freedom in the way I would like to conduct research! Unlike other lab-experiences, I could design experiments and then conduct these trying to prove outlandishly wild ideas and literally exploring the (redox)-potential of that bug that governs my gut-feeling: E.coli. Because of the large amount of team-members from other disciplines, and because of the duration of the project I learned a lot about working in a team. I learned the difficulty of communicating science to laymen, and the utter importance of doing so.
Anne van der Meij
Function: Science Manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Microbial Biotechnology
The invisible world of microbes has always been fascinating to me. As a result I am a master student in Microbial Biotechnology. On my way discovering the little life I met synthetic biology. The creation of new biological systems is an exciting area of research and the iGEM competition is a major opportunity to perform this cutting edge research. For ELECTRACE I am mainly involved in experimental design and lab work. I am especially triggered by the challenges regarding the implementation of the extracellular electron transport pathway in E. coli. It is a great experience to do this with students who are all motivated to accomplish our goals and it is extremely exciting to match modelling results with lab results. It showed that the outcome of complex pathways can be determined by only a few parameters. This motivated me to take mathematical biology courses. The interdisciplinary character of iGEM is an incredible advantage for science!
Sim Castle
Function: Gadget building manager
Nationality: English/Finnish
Background: Industrial Design Engineering
I am an industrial designer currently in my first year of master’s at TU Delft. Most designers haven’t even heard of synthetic biology (terrible, right!?), but ever since I first read an article about its potential a couple of years ago I have been excited by the future products it could bring. Synthetic biology is on the brink of being the technological revolution of the 21st century, and I want to be part of bringing that revolution to the masses! iGem is just the start...
Mariëlle van Kooten
Function: Science Manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Background
I am currently enrolled in one of several MSc programmes Life Science and Technology at Leiden University.
Interests
Why join the iGEM 2014 TU Delft team? My interests are, amongst others, signal transduction mechanisms and signaling networks. These and other aspects lead to an interest in synthetic biology: to develop a minimal cell, understand the fundamentals of biology and begin the process of building a new cell and organism with optimized functions. To me, the complexity and opportunities in the field of molecular and cellular systems are amazingly challenging and the possibility of building biological systems and operating them in living cells is, in my opinion, grand. On a different level, I would like to explore approaching challenges multidisciplinary, creating a dynamic get-together in which it is possible to optimize existing strategies and consider new leads. I am keen to bring things to the next level in collaborations.
Project Electrace Marked as fundamentally challenging, implementation of pathways for extracellular electron transport in Escherichia coli has been immensely motivating. (Modeling and) In-depth understanding of metabolic fluxes and improving and optimizing relevant (chemistry of) proteins continue to pose an incredible challenge.
Cristy Verzijl
Function: Lab manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Biology and Medical laboratory research
Hi! I’m Cristy Verzijl and I am studying in my final year of the Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Medical Laboratory research in Rotterdam. I'm also involved in the Honors Program for a second degree, in which I'm doing a lot of projects. I am planning to study veterinary medicine or science and business management next year. I love hiking, running and swimming but I also love challenges, like iGEM. The creation of new biological systems is an amazing process and I’m very grateful that I can be involved in this world of technology by participating in iGEM. ELECTRACE is an project where complex pathways are implemented in E. coli, and that was a big challenge for our team. iGEM TU Delft 2014 is truly a multidisciplinary team and that is a great advantage for our project, where biology and technology come close together. I find it especially interesting to see whether the modeling results match with the results from the lab.
Duco Blanken
Function: Policy & Practice manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Applied Physics
Hi, my name is Duco. Im 22 years old and I live in Delft. I´ve done a bachelor in applied physics and I´m currently doing an applied physics master with a focus on bionanoscience. In this iGEM project, my main role is that of Policy&Practice manager, which comes down to me having a lot of interesting discussions with various stakeholders during the summer. Besides my P&P job, I've been involved in the modeling and characterization parts of our project. I've really enjoyed my participation in iGEM, and I can't wait to tell other iGEM teams about our awesome project at the jamboree.
Mathijs Rozemuller
Function: Modeling Manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Applied Physics
Why does this dude join iGEM when he studies applied physics? Well, because synthetic biology is awesome of course. I was (and still am) attracted by the idea of, with total freedom I must add, defining a project together and then actually realizing it. Furthermore, I especially enjoy working in a multidisciplinary team. As physicist you only work alone in dark windowless rooms, so there is no group experience. What I've been involved with the most is modelling with Anton and Duco. You will find most of my work in the curli modelling page. Other information you might want to know is that I am 22 years and that I focus my master on both bionanoscience and (acoustical) imaging.
Joan Cortada García
Function: Safety and Science manager
Nationality: Spanish
Background: Biotechnology
I'm Joan and I have studied a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology in the area of my natal city, Barcelona. I am currently studying at TU Delft a Master of Science in Biochemical Engineering. I really like travelling, taking pictures, eating nice food and playing the piano. Regarding iGEM, I have been involved together with Tomek, Mariëlle and Anne in the decision making of scientific matters; as well as taking responsibility of the safety issues with the collaboration of Anamaria.
Anamaria Buda
Function: Team Leader
Nationality: Romanian
Background: Management of Technology
My interest in the advancements and new trends of technology, along with my diligence, inherent curiosity and motivation, determined me to be part of this iGEM team. I find this competition challenging from the point of view of the interdisciplinary elements that it offers. I am intrigued by how basic engineering concepts are combined with biology. Being part of this team, was a great experience that helped me to expand my knowledge on synthetic biology, while exercising my abilities to work in an international team and to deal with a novel and multidisciplinary project.
Janna Bogers
Function: Fundraising and PR
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Nanobiology
My name is Janna and with 19 years of age I am (by far) the youngest member of the team. Currently I am in my third year of a Bachelor’s degree in Nanobiology, which combines physics and biology to gain a deeper understanding of life at the nanoscale. I joined the iGEM team of the TU Delft because I saw it as a true challenge for myself, especially because of the multidisciplinary setting. In this project I have learned lots of practical aspects in conducting research, opposed to the theoretical aspects I have learned about in my studies so far. My role in the iGEM project has been PR and fundraising manager, but I soon found myself to be in the lab rather than contacting media. So in the end my biggest contributions have been in fundraising and labwork, where I worked on cloning and characterization of the conductive curli module.
Esra Bekdas
Function: Manager Illustration
Nationality: Dutch-born to Turkish parents
Background: Biology and Medical Laboratory Research / Life Sciences
Hi! My name is Esra Bekdas. I am currently studying in my final year of Biology and Medical Laboratory Research Engineer (BSc.) with a focus on Life Sciences at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool Rotterdam). Besides my study I’m also involved in the honors program to achieve a second degree. In this iGEM project I have been involved in different parts e.g. Graphic design, PR, fundraising and lab work… In my main role as graphic designer I have tried to visualize several parts of the project. Special thanks to my teammates which I have learned a lot from!
Anton Pols
Function: Modeling Manager
Nationality: Dutch
Background: Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering
Hi, I am Anton. Currently, I am doing a Masters in Applied Physics and I finished my Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, both at Delft University of Technology. My responsibilities were managing the modeling efforts of our team together with Mathijs. I did a lot of modeling myself as well. Also, I helped with fundraising and coding of our wiki. I am really looking forward to presenting our results at the Giant Jamboree in Boston, as well as learning about the work other iGEM teams did. By the way, I also have five fingers on my left hand in case you were wondering! :) (see group picture above)
Debarghya Ghosh (Debu)
Function: Social chair
Nationality: Indian
Background: Mechanical and control engineering
Hi, I am doing a masters in Control Engineering at the Delft Centre for Systems & Control (DCSC), TU Delft. I have been actively involved in building the Potentiostat and microfluidics along with Simeon. I enjoy Science fiction and specifically authors like Dan Brown ,Michael Chrichton etc. I used to play the keyboard/piano although I have definitely lost touch. i-GEM was a good experience where I got exposed to many devices and gadgets that I frankly did-not even imagine existed in our university.I shall miss the fun once we are done!
Advisors
