Team:Uppsala-Sweden/Team

• Anthony Forster

Anthony Forster

Dr. Forster received from the University of Adelaide, Australia, a B.Sc. majoring in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1983, a B.Sc. Hons. in Biochemistry in 1984, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1988. He was a post-doctoral fellow with Nobel laureate Sidney Altman at Yale and received an M.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1996. He then completed a residency in Anatomical Pathology followed by research as an Instructor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

He was Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, from 2005-2011 before moving to Uppsala University, Sweden, as a Professor. Dr. Forster discovered the hammerhead catalytic RNA structure, invented photobiotin for the preparation of nucleic acid diagnostics and external guide sequences for ribonuclease P, and has created unnatural genetic codes de novo. He has published in journals including Cell, JACS, Nature, PNAS and Science, edited a volume of Methods, and has authored patents. His technology has founded 3 biotech companies. He currently researches synthetic biology, protein synthesis and drug discovery.

• Anders Virtanen

Anders Virtanen

Anders Virtanen is a professor at the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology and a member of the Uppsala RNA Research Centre (URRC). Anders studies primarily enzymes involved in regulating the fate of mRNA. In his research, experimental systems based on mammalian and Drosophila cells are employed. A main goal is to understand how mRNA turnover/degradation, through the mRNA specific cap and poly(A) tail, is integrated with other essential mechanisms of gene expression/regulation. Another goal is to identify previously unrecognized small non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) and to determine their functions. These studies will be of importance for the general understanding of mechanisms controlling the fate of eukaryotic mRNA.

The two greatest discoveries made by Anders Virtanen are: the first known mRNA polyA-site in a human virus; and the enzyme in the animal cells that removes polyA-tail from mRNA.

• Erik Gullberg

Erik Gullberg

PhD student in Medical Bacteriology at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology at Uppsala University since 2009. Has a M.Sc. in Engineering Biology from Linköping University, Sweden, with a specialization towards Microbial Biotechnology.

During his master's thesis at Linköping University he worked on constructing a system for recombinant expression of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase from the malaria parasite in yeast, and he is now working on antibiotic resistance in bacteria in the Dan Andersson group at the Uppsala Biomedical Center. So far he has published articles in PLoS Pathogens and Molecular Microbiology.

• Tomas Klingström

Tomas Klingström

• Lidaw Pello-Esso

Program: MSc Engineering Molecular Biotechnology

Age: 25

Background: Swedish student with Togolese roots

Why i want to participate in iGEM: I’m interested in biology in general but in synthetic biology in particular. iGEM gives me the opportunity to apply my engineer skills on biological system and be creative. Synthetic biology is the playgrounds were you can play with your fantasy no matter how childish it might seem. I like challenges and solving problems using a different approach

As was approaching the end of my first master year. I became very curious how synthetic biology would work in practice and the huge possibilities it can offer. Hence iGEM is the perfect opportunity to get a flavour of this exciting new field and cooperate with fellow students with the same interest.

Interests: I like soccer, meeting new peopled and friends and. I’m also interested in alternative energy/ sources green, economy and entrepreneurship.

• Eugenia Kalliontzi

Eugenia Kalliontzi

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• Tomas Dalmo

Tomas Dalmo

Programme: Masters Programme in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering

Age: 24

Background: Just starting the 5th year at the Molecular Biotechnology Engineering Programme at Uppsala University. Plan to finish the degree yin spring 2012, thereby hoping to start the degree project in autum 2011. Though there is no very specific focus in the engineering program, one interest is technological applications within the field of biotechnology.

Why i want to participate in iGEM: Synthetic biology is an interesting approach which applies engineering thinking to biological systems. This makes it an especially interesting and inspiring field of research. Also since it is a competition it will be nice to see what ideas the other teams have come up with.

Interests: Family and friends, skiing during the winter, would like to take a diving certificate.

• Lei Sun

Lei Sun

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• Amin Zarif Saffari

Amin Zarif Saffari

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• Phani Rama Krishna Behra

Phani Rama Krishna Behra

Program: Masters Program in Bioinformatics

Age: 23

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Interests: Playing chess

• Antonio Avalos

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• Sibel Ciftci

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• Ismail Abubeker

Ismail Abubeker

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• Johanna Spaak

Johanna Spaak

Program: Masters Programme in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering

Age: 22

Background: Starting my fourth year at the Masters Programme in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering at Uppsala University. Currently, I am observing my regular science classes and in addition, also some business distance-learning courses.

Why i want to participate in iGEM: This is my first time participating in iGEM and I am looking forward to gain more experience in the field of synthetic biology.

Interests: During my spare time I usually catch up with friends, visit my family and since the studies consume most of the time, I balance it by training Thai-boxing or go dancing.

• Mohamed Beyan

Mohamed Beyan

Program: Molecular Biotechnology Engineering Programme

Age: 22

Background: Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, my parents have roots in Eritrea. During high school, I studied science. Now I am studying third year in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering Programme.

Why i want to participate in iGEM: Combining Science and Technology, design and manufacture new biological functions and systems not found in nature interests me very much. I think that synthetic biology is the future and i think also that it is interesting to follow how the synthetic biology will affect our daily lives in the future.

Interests: I spend much of my free time to play football in a team called IFK Uppsala, a division 4 team in Uppsala.

• Erik Lundin

Erik Lundin

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• Laura Alexis

Laura Alexis

Program: Molecular Biotechnology Engineering Program

Age: 19

Background: Starting the 2nd year at the Molecular Biotechnology Engineering Program at Uppsala University. Planning to finish the degree in spring 2015. I am adopted from Colombia and have lived in Sweden since the age of three.

Why i want to participate in iGEM: I chose to participate in this year’s iGEM competition to achieve a better understanding of synthetic biology.

Interests: I enjoy dancing, skiing and travelling but most of my time is distributed for my university studies.

• Hamid Gavali

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• Karl Dyrhage

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• Anna Gustafsson

Anna Gustafsson

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• Pikkei Yuen

Pikkei Yuen

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• Cherno Sidibeh

Programme: Master of Science in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering

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Background: Having discovered that I had profound interest in biology at an early age, I decided to take on natural science in high school. This later evolved into a deeper interest in the field of biotechnology; so naturally I thought this was the route to take on the road towards higher education.

Consequently I applied to Uppsala University for the programme in Molecular Biotechnology and am now in my fifth and final year.

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Interests: Football, music and The IT Crowd.

• Daniel Camsund

Daniel Camsund

Daniel Camsund is a doctoral student in the Microbial chemistry group of Prof. Peter Lindblad at the Department of Photochemistry and Molecular Science (Fotomol), Uppsala University, Sweden. After receiving his M.Sc. in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering at UU in 2007, he worked one year as a research assistant at Fotomol before continuing with his doctoral studies, with Prof. Alfonso Jaramillo (institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology, France) and Dr. Thorsten Heidorn (Fotomol) as co-supervisors. His research interests include the development of molecular tools for transcriptional control and introduction of genetic circuits relevant for bioproduction in bacteria, especially cyanobacteria, as they enable renewable biotechnology powered by photosynthesis. Further, he is interested in the dissemination of synthetic biology and co-organized/supervised the first two iGEM-teams of Uppsala University. To date, he has published three refereed articles and a book chapter.