Team:UConn/Team
The UConn iGEM Team
Scroll down to learn more about our awesome team!
Alex Fisher
Major? Biomedical Engineering and Molecular/Cell Biology, Class of 2020
Where are you from? Rheinland-Palatinate, Germany
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Running
What are your career interests? Biotechnology
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Drug Delivery Simulations/3D Printing Hydrogels
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I have Italian citizenship
Who is your favorite scientist? Craig Venter
Brittany Galuppo
Major? Physiology and Neurobiology, class of Winter 2017
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Skiing, playing piano, and volunteering at a hospital
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I love spicy foods, I will add raw jalepenos to almost anything
Who is your favorite scientist? Stephen Hawking
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Skiing, playing piano, and volunteering at a hospital
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I love spicy foods, I will add raw jalepenos to almost anything
Who is your favorite scientist? Stephen Hawking
Charlie Wright
Major? Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2018
Where are you from? New Hampshire
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I like to play basketball (actual and video games), go fishing, and biking
What are your career interests? I want to work in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering in the future, and possibly pursue a Master's in BME
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in Dr. Vanden Berg-Foels lab of the UConn BME department on cartilage regeneration and characterization
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I play saxophone in the UConn Rock Ensemble
Who is your favorite scientist? Walter White
Where are you from? New Hampshire
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I like to play basketball (actual and video games), go fishing, and biking
What are your career interests? I want to work in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering in the future, and possibly pursue a Master's in BME
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in Dr. Vanden Berg-Foels lab of the UConn BME department on cartilage regeneration and characterization
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I play saxophone in the UConn Rock Ensemble
Who is your favorite scientist? Walter White
Craig Mendonca
Major? Molecular/Cell Biology and Physiology/Neurobiology Double Major, Class of 2019
Where are you from? Massachusetts
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Binge watching entire seasons of shows within a day
What are your career interests? After graduating from UConn, I'm planning to go to medical school and then start my career as a doctor
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences [at UConn] under Dr. Burgess, on the microsphere drug delivery system
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I have a collection of headphones I constantly add to
Who is your favorite scientist? Nikola Tesla
Where are you from? Massachusetts
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Binge watching entire seasons of shows within a day
What are your career interests? After graduating from UConn, I'm planning to go to medical school and then start my career as a doctor
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences [at UConn] under Dr. Burgess, on the microsphere drug delivery system
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I have a collection of headphones I constantly add to
Who is your favorite scientist? Nikola Tesla
Danielle Caefer
Major? Biomedical Engineering, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Math (minor), Class of 2019
Where are you from? Massachusetts
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I am a competitive figure skater
What are your career interests? I hope to complete a MD/PhD program and pursue a
career focusing on regenerative medicine or the CNS
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Undergraduate Research in Dr. Schwartz's lab at UConn
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I can surf, I even have my own board
Who is your favorite scientist? Dr. George Church
Where are you from? Massachusetts
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I am a competitive figure skater
What are your career interests? I hope to complete a MD/PhD program and pursue a
career focusing on regenerative medicine or the CNS
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Undergraduate Research in Dr. Schwartz's lab at UConn
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I can surf, I even have my own board
Who is your favorite scientist? Dr. George Church
Deivydas Giedrimas
Major? Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics, Class of 2020
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Playing basketball, hiking, making and
listening to electronic music
What are your career interests? Pre-Med and I hope to one day be a doctor
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in computational biology projects in the Core Lab at UConn
What is an interesting fact about yourself? My oldest brother is two decades older than me
Who is your favorite scientist? Marie Curie
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Playing basketball, hiking, making and
listening to electronic music
What are your career interests? Pre-Med and I hope to one day be a doctor
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in computational biology projects in the Core Lab at UConn
What is an interesting fact about yourself? My oldest brother is two decades older than me
Who is your favorite scientist? Marie Curie
Helena Newandee
Major? Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2020
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Swimming, hiking, camping, and anything
else outdoorsy
What are your career interests? After college I would like to travel and get a job
in bioinformatics
Do you do any research outside iGEM?
Drug delivery systems in Dr. Dianne Burgess' Lab
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I have been on the tallest and longest roller coaster in the world (Kingda Ka)
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Swimming, hiking, camping, and anything
else outdoorsy
What are your career interests? After college I would like to travel and get a job
in bioinformatics
Do you do any research outside iGEM?
Drug delivery systems in Dr. Dianne Burgess' Lab
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I have been on the tallest and longest roller coaster in the world (Kingda Ka)
Juan Jeffrey
Major? Molecular and Cell Biology with German and Chemistry minors, class of 2018
Where are you from? Ohio
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Reading, biking, camping, fishing,
and motorcycle riding
What are your career interests? Pursue a PhD in Genetic Engineering and/or Developmental Biology and work in applied research
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Technician in the MARS/CORE facility
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I am an amateur herpetologist, I love finding snakes and amphibians in the wild
Who is your favorite scientist? John Crag Ventner
Where are you from? Ohio
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Reading, biking, camping, fishing,
and motorcycle riding
What are your career interests? Pursue a PhD in Genetic Engineering and/or Developmental Biology and work in applied research
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Technician in the MARS/CORE facility
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I am an amateur herpetologist, I love finding snakes and amphibians in the wild
Who is your favorite scientist? John Crag Ventner
Katie Tiernan
Major? Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, class of 2019
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Trying new things, reading, listening to music
What are your career interests? Industry or graduate school
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I am a very good cook
Who is your favorite scientist? Bill Nye
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Trying new things, reading, listening to music
What are your career interests? Industry or graduate school
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I am a very good cook
Who is your favorite scientist? Bill Nye
Krishna Channa
Major? Molecular and Cell Biology and Bioinformatics, class of 2020
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Tennis, gongoozling, and caligraphy
What are your career interests? I wish to go to medical school and pursue an MD/Ph.D
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in the UConn chemistry department with nanoparticles
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I always have ink stains on my hands because of my fountain pens
Who is your favorite scientist? Linus Pauling
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Tennis, gongoozling, and caligraphy
What are your career interests? I wish to go to medical school and pursue an MD/Ph.D
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work in the UConn chemistry department with nanoparticles
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I always have ink stains on my hands because of my fountain pens
Who is your favorite scientist? Linus Pauling
Maddie Gastonguay
Major? Math/Stat major, Bioinformatics and French minor, class of 2020
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I am in an a cappella group at UConn named Rubyfruit, and I am a ballerina
What are your career interests? I want to do industry work in systems biology or bioinformatics
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I am studying the effect of host genetic variability on the susceptibility of Epstein Barr Virus derived cancers in Dr. Rachel O'Neill's lab
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I love cats and hope to be fluent in French
Who is your favorite scientist? Marie Curie
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I am in an a cappella group at UConn named Rubyfruit, and I am a ballerina
What are your career interests? I want to do industry work in systems biology or bioinformatics
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I am studying the effect of host genetic variability on the susceptibility of Epstein Barr Virus derived cancers in Dr. Rachel O'Neill's lab
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I love cats and hope to be fluent in French
Who is your favorite scientist? Marie Curie
Mark Roper
Major? Biomedical Engineering and German Studies, class of 2020
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I like to run, hike and play basketball
What are your career interests? I want to work in biotech after I graduate, maybe in Germany
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I am going to study abroad for the entire
2018-2019 academic year
Who is your favorite scientist? Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I like to run, hike and play basketball
What are your career interests? I want to work in biotech after I graduate, maybe in Germany
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I am going to study abroad for the entire
2018-2019 academic year
Who is your favorite scientist? Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Nicholas Hellmann
Major? Molecular and Cell Biology and bioinformatics, class of 2018
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Cycling
What are your career interests? I want to work as a geneticist
Who is your favorite scientist? Watson and Crick
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Cycling
What are your career interests? I want to work as a geneticist
Who is your favorite scientist? Watson and Crick
Omar Padua
Major? Double major in Molecular and Cell Biology and Philosophy, class of 2019
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I play jazz guitar in a punk band
What are your career interests? Genetics and pharmacology research
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I did Bollywood dancing at a professional level
Who is your favorite scientist? Jonas Salk
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I play jazz guitar in a punk band
What are your career interests? Genetics and pharmacology research
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I did Bollywood dancing at a professional level
Who is your favorite scientist? Jonas Salk
Sayan "Neal" Basu
Major? Biomedical Engineering, class of 2019
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I am a sports junkie
What are your career interests? I am pre-med, and have interests in biomaterials and drug delivery research
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Biocompatible polymer composites and structures
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I can play the violin, but can't read music
Who is your favorite scientist? Nikola Tesla
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? I am a sports junkie
What are your career interests? I am pre-med, and have interests in biomaterials and drug delivery research
Do you do any research outside iGEM? Biocompatible polymer composites and structures
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I can play the violin, but can't read music
Who is your favorite scientist? Nikola Tesla
Sricharan Kadimi
Major? Chemical Engineering major, Math Minor, class of 2019
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Running
What are your career interests? Probably medical school, but maybe grad school for engineering and drug delivery research
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work at the Self-Assembled Functional Nanomaterials (SAFN) Lab
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I dressed up as Aladdin for Halloween
Who is your favorite scientist? JW Gibbs
Where are you from? Connecticut
What hobbies do you have outside IGEM? Running
What are your career interests? Probably medical school, but maybe grad school for engineering and drug delivery research
Do you do any research outside iGEM? I work at the Self-Assembled Functional Nanomaterials (SAFN) Lab
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I dressed up as Aladdin for Halloween
Who is your favorite scientist? JW Gibbs
