Team:UIOWA/Team
WELCOME TO OUR TEAM
Nicholas McCarty
Meet Nicholas McCarty, co-founder of Iowa iGEM. Nicholas graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.Sc. in biochemistry. Since the prehistoric dawn of his freshman days, he has done cardiovascular and autophagy research, molecular biology, gene sequencing, and microRNA assays. And a lot of mouse work. Nicholas' current research project aims to understand how glucose transporters, proteins that are responsible for taking up glucose into cells, are regulated and recycled via cell trafficking mechanisms within the diabetic heart. He joined the Iowa iGEM team to gain experience in synthetic biology because he thinks manipulating bacteria is neat! Fun fact: He used to play the saxophone but has given it up due to noise complaints from the neighbors.
Paul Taufalele
Meet Paul Taufalele, co-founder of the Iowa iGEM team. Paul just graduated from the University of Iowa with his biomedical engineering degree. He will begin a Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt University in the fall. He has studied molecular mechanisms of heart failure in the setting of diabetes, specifically elucidating underlying mechanisms to cardiac dysfunction induced by a mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 deficiency within the heart using transgenic mouse models. Paul joined Iowa iGEM because he is interested in doing cool science. Fun fact: He enjoys snowboarding and skateboarding.
Donaldo Lopez
Meet Donaldo, one of the members of the 2017 Iowa iGEM team. Donaldo is a biomedical engineering student from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He will graduate from the University of Iowa in December 2017. With determination and a lot of hard work, Donaldo played a pivotal role in launching the Gold Rush campaign to fund our project. 💵 He joined Iowa iGEM to gain experience with lab work. Fun fact: He's got LOYALTY in his DNA; seriously, run a genome test.
Shahaed Hasan
Meet Shahaed, one of the members of the 2017 Iowa iGEM team. Shahaed is a double Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering major from Hudson, Iowa. Both disciplines have strengthened his knowledge of chemical analytics, a unique skillset he brings to the team. Shahaed will graduate from the University of Iowa in December 2017. He joined Iowa iGEM to enhance his abilities in genetic engineering and to use CRISPR Cas-9. Fun fact: Shahaed is better at snowboarding than Paul. 🏂
Paige Noble
Meet Paige, one of the members of the 2017 Iowa iGEM team! Paige is a senior studying biochemistry at the University of Iowa. She joined the team because she wanted to learn more about synthetic biology.
Mason LaMarche
Meet Mason, one of the members of the Iowa iGEM team. He studies health science and multidisciplinary sciences and will graduate in December 2017. Mason has worked in bioinformatics and genetics in the lab of Dr. John Manak studying cleft lip and palate disorders. He joined Iowa iGEM to work with other motivated undergraduates on a self-directed project and was really drawn to the idea of a team-based competition. Fun fact: Mason is a huge Ed Sheeran fan and regularly bump his tracks in the lab!
James Cory
Meet James, one of the members of the 2017 Iowa iGEM team. James studies biomedical engineering and brings an engineering mindset to the team. He joined Iowa iGEM to contribute to research in a way that was unique on campus. iGEM at Iowa has never been done before and he loves the idea of synthetic biology. Fun fact: His all-time favorite T.V. series is a draw between The Office and Chappelle's Show. Both are just too great.
Nina VanDerZanden
Meet Nina, one of the members of the Iowa iGEM team. Nina studies biomedical engineering and is from Ames, Iowa! She has conducted research in cell culture and imaging. Nina joined iGEM because she has an interest in cell engineering after work in lab coupled with interest in regenerative medicine, and iGEM is a great opportunity for hands-on synthetic biology research. Fun fact: Nina intends to pursue a PhD in stem cell engineering post-graduation!
Kevin Lin
Meet Kevin, one of the members of the Iowa iGEM team. He is pursuing a BS in Human Physiology at the University of Iowa. He does biochemical research in the E. Dale Abel laboratory using mouse models and chemical and assay preparation. Kevin joined Iowa iGEM because it was an amazing opportunity to not only practice microbiology in an open and creative environment, but also to be the first team from the University of Iowa to participate in the international competition. Fun fact: He can cook a mean Chicken Parmesan dish.
Henry Conlan
Meet Henry, one of the members of the 2017 Iowa iGEM team! Hailing from Chanhassen, Minnesota, he studies biomedical engineering at the University of Iowa. Henry has worked within the tissue engineering department for the last year and has experience culturing and quantifying results and developing experimental methods. He joined the Iowa iGEM team because it's a project that has everything he's been looking for and the experience is worth its weight in gold to him. Fun fact: Henry can't straighten his arms!
Titus Hou
Meet Titus, a member of the 2017 Iowa iGEM team! Titus is a biochemistry major at the University of Iowa and hails from Lisle, IL. He will graduate in May 2018. He works in a structural biology lab and has already completed many of the methods we'll be using this summer. Titus joined the Iowa iGEM team to expand his skill set in research by gaining more experience in the skills that he's already learned and working on a project different from his own. Fun fact: Titus can wiggle his ears! 😜👂
Faculty Mentors
Meet our amazing faculty mentors! From left to right: Jan Fassler, Professor of Biology; Edward Sander, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering; and Craig Ellermeier, Associate Professor of Microbiology.
