Team:Goettingen/Team
Contents
Verena Siebert
About you:
My name is Verena Siebert, I am member of the organization team and also responsible for the wet lab, our Facebook appearance and some creative parts. Before my academic studies I was trained as a Biological-Technical Laboratory Assistant and spent some time working in this profession. This degree, as well as my Bachelor in Biology and the current Master studies in Microbiology and Biochemistry here at the Georg-August-University Göttingen (Germany), underpin my interest in experimental lab work, synthetic biology and the iGEM competition. I am very excited to also work on creative aspects surrounding our project.
Interesting fact:
I am a composer, singer and songwriter. So in my rare free time I produce electronic music in a crossover of R&B, Pop, New Beat, House, Movie Music (Score) and others. An option for the iGEM competition? – You never know…
Stefani Diaz
About you:
Hi world! Stefani Diaz here.
Directly from Costa Rica I’m now in Germany collecting new experiences, the latest one: being part of the iGEM team Gottingen 2015!
As a biotechnologist with a big background in mass communication, I believe that social communication of science, or scientific outreach, is a must in our modern society; everybody should have the chance to know how amazing our word is! iGEM represents for me an opportunity to bring science out of the traditional academic world, to unleash our team creativity and have some scientific fun.
Interesting fact:
Painting and reading are also among my passions. And chocolate, especially chocolate, call me a “chocoholic” ;) .
vities.
Sindhu Thiagarajan
About you:
I am Sindhu Thiagarajan from India. I completed my bachelor’s in Biotechnology in India and currently pursuing masters in Microbiology and biochemistry in Göttingen. I had a great interest in science, specifically biology from my high school which motivated me to develop my career in this scientific field. I am a member of iGEM 2015 and responsible for wet lab works. I consider the iGEM competition as a great opportunity to gain good practical knowledge and an International work experience.
Interesting fact:
I am a multilingual person and have a great passion for learning languages. Sketching, painting and gardening are my leisure time activities.
Nida Amin
About you:
It’s me Nida Amin from Pakistan, I am member of the IGEM team 2015 and responsible for the wet lab work. I had completed my Bachelors in Zoology last year from University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. My goodluck started last year when I was selected on EXPERTS III scholarship as Master’s exchange student from Pakistan to study in Microbiology and Biochemistry program of Georg-August- Universität, Göttingen, Germany. The combination of my Bachelor’s degree with this current Master’s program and especially membership of this team, provides me the platform to excel in my desired area and achieve my goals of becoming a little scientist in future. It was my wish to enhance my own knowledge and to do research work in a competitive environment where I will effectively utilizes my analytical, interpersonal skills to reach the pinnacle of success and with the passage of time every wish is coming true.
Interesting fact:
I feel very lucky because from my school life to uptill now my parents don’t have to pay for my studies because Its my record to be on scholarship for each degree due to my hardwork.
Avril von Hoyningen-Huene
About you:
My name is Avril von Hoyningen-Huene and I am part of the organisation team for the iGEM Team Göttingen. Before coming to Göttingen I studied Biology with Media, Communications and Culture at the University of Keele, England. This degree, as well as my current Masters in Microbiology and Biochemistry, provides the grounds for my interest in, not only synthetic biology but also the possibility to get involved with artwork, policy making and business ventures through the iGEM competition. I am eager to work on the different aspects that surround our project and its implications for the future.
Interesting fact:
In my free time I like to dress up as a soldier and re-enact the English Civil War as a royalist.
Alexander Lohmeyer
About you:
Hey, my name is Alexander Lohmeyer. Within the iGEM project I’m member of the website team. My study in business informatics started just last year, so I am still at the beginning of my studies. But I am really excited to join a fascinating project such as iGEM. My job in this team is to develop the website, manage it and do whatever I can do to support the iGEM Team Göttingen.
Interesting fact:
In my free time, I like to run and go to the volunteer fire brigade. Unfortunately I had to leave the fire brigade, when I moved to Göttingen. But in the future, I want to rejoin.
Alaa Shaikhqasem
About you:
My name is Alaa Shaikhqasem, a member of iGEM team Göttingen 2015. I earned my bachelor degree in biology from Birzeit University, Palestine in 2012. In 2014 I joined the master program of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of Göttingen. I gained a strong interest in scientific topics, especially those concerning the field of biology. Since I started studying biology, I was fascinated by the complexity and diversity of the living systems, and was impressed by the various possibilities which the study of these systems can offer. The reason I joined iGEM is to strengthen my research skills, to gain experience, and to be creative in science, and I find the topic of our project quite interesting.
Interesting fact:
In my free time I usually watch movies. I like gardening and cooking, and I consider the kitchen my second lab. I also like learning languages and someday I’ll create my own German word.
Deborah Horne
About you:
My name is Debborah Horne, but just called Debby and I am part of the iGEM Team 2015. After my A-levels I started to study Biology in Göttingen in 2010. I completed my bachelor in 2014 with my main focus on molecular biology. The current Master study in Microbiology and Biochemistry (and the iGEM completion) is a great opportunity to gain new experiences in the lab and work with a group of students from all over the world.
Interesting fact:
I was raised bilingual, learning german and english at home. Apart from working in the lab I watch a lot of series and play videogames.
Dennis Twesmann
About you:
My name is Dennis Twesmann, I am from Germany and currently participating in the Master’s program “Microbiology and Biochemistry” at the Georg-August-University of Göttingen. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in molecular biosciences there, too. During my bachelor thesis in the department of molecular structural biochemistry, I established a purification protocol for the spliceosomal DEAD box RNA helicase Prp28 from the thermophilic eukaryote Chaetomium thermophilum in order to investigate its structure by means of X-ray crystallography. The work in this field reflects my general interest in understanding the functions of enzymes on a molecular level as well as the underlying biological chemistry, done by these greatest chemists on earth. That is one of the reasons I joined the iGEM team 2015 pursuing a project where distinct enzymatic activities, brought together in a “Flexosome”, play a major role. So far, I inter alia helped to develop the booklet of our project in order to find sponsors and I am currently within the long-winded process of solving the practical implementation of our project in the lab.
Julian Schwanbeck
About you:
Hi there, my name is Julian Schwanbeck. Originally from Hamburg, I obtained my bachelor’s degree here in the Georg-August Universität Göttingen in the field of Microbiology, mainly by failing to find a new trans-membrane transporter in Mycoplasma pneumoniae. I am also with the organisation committee. iGEM interested me mostly, as planning, organising and undertaking an own research project is something an ordinary masters student usually doesn’t get to experience. I am mostly interested in learning new methods as well as planning the experimental setup efficiently. During the weekends, I like to play with our dog in Hamburg.
Interesting fact:
I enjoy writing lab journal entries and repairing keyboards more than writing a short passage about myself.
Udhaya Bhaskar
About you:
Hey Fellas,
I am Udhaya Bhaskar a.k.a Udhay from India. I am here in Göttingen pursuing my Masters in Microbiology and Biochemistry. It is a kind of dream for every student in India aspiring to have a research oriented future to pursue Masters in Deutschland and it came true for me. In Göttingen, I love the variety of people from different cultures come, live, study and pave a way for their future endeavours. I am always a curious guy who finds out some peculiar and different things around me and I believed that I am a good choice for the iGEM team. iGEM mainly teaches us teamwork and brings out certain talents that are important for research. In the iGEM team, I work in the wet lab performing lots of PCRs, transformation procedures in E. coli to bring out the desired product of our overwhelming futuristic project and also lots of chitchats with the iGEM buddies.
Interesting fact:
I love science and I am a surfaholic. An amateur in photography. I love cooking especially with friends.