Team:Concordia-Montreal/Team
Davindra Singh
Biosensor Team Captain
Davindra Singh
Study: Bachelor in Biology
Curricular activities: Running, reading, hiking
Why you joined iGEM: The reason why I joined iGEM is because I am very interested in scientific research and I love to compete.
Future goals: To explore, travel and learn as much as I can about the world.
Fun fact: "A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." Nelson Mandela
Kathy Mu
Team Leader, Biosensor Team
Kathy Mu
Study: Bachelors in Biology
Curricular activities: Anything food related, exploring new places, visiting dog parks
Why you joined iGEM: I never knew I’d someday end up in a lab because I always detested lab work and anything research related; I even promised myself I’d never end up in research! But everything turned upside down once I enrolled into a 6-credit undergraduate research project because I was trying to avoid Ecology classes and somehow completely fell in love with research, especially anything that deals with beautiful, smelly E. coli.
Future goals:My ultimate goal in life is to become rich enough to adopt as many dogs as possible.
Fun fact: Apart from being the biggest biology nerd (I’m fun at parties I swear...), I’m also the biggest (self-proclaimed) animal lover! I would literally cuddle any animal out there (except bugs, they’re the devil) and spend my entire day looking at cute puppy videos if I could. Apart from starting unsolicited conversations about dogs all day, another hot topic in my world is food! A-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y LOVE food, and I mean ALL foods: big or small, hot or not, tall or short, weird or normal… all of it! Last but not least, I love to travel and discover new cities and countries (probably mostly because of new foods).
Lancia Lefebvre
Team Leader, Electrochemistry Team, Human Practices
Lancia Lefebvre
Study: Bachelor in Biochemistry
Curricular activities: Biking, gardening, herbalism, foraging, fishing.
Why you joined iGEM: After hearing Drew Endy, iGEM founder, speak on the Long Now, I was inspired to follow through with a second degree in the sciences. iGEM encourages diversity, collaboration and creativity; three things I love! I had just finished a BFA in Photography and was concerned these aspects might be lesser in the sciences. Drew Endy’s elaborations of iGEM were, more than anything, playful! Joining the Concordia iGEM team was a no brainer.
Future goals: Researching in the tropics, basketry.
Fun fact: I love tacos and cookies. And flowers. OMG flowers!
"Never a problem only an opportunity!" -Dad
"Don't forget to enjoy the journey!" -Mom
Aleem Aamir
Biosensor Team
Aleem Aamir
Study: Bachelor in Biology
Curricular activities: I like kickboxing, soccer, and sports in general. I also enjoy participating in community projects on important issues such as the environment.
Why you joined iGEM: I joined iGEM to learn as much as possible from my peers and mentors about the field of synthetic biology and learn from the independence with which we have to carry out our project.
Future goals: I hope to spend the rest of my undergrad exploring different careers in science, but for now, my goal is to become a medical researcher.
Fun fact: I want pictures of Spiderman (2002)
“Don’t quit - suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion” - Muhammed Ali.
Gemini Ramasamy
Wiki, Biosensor Team
Gemini Ramasamy
Study: Bachelor in Biochemistry
Curricular activities: Reading, learning languages, photography and skiing.
Why you joined iGEM:Create something which impacts society, to solve a problem using science and engineering, learn new skills, gain experience in scientific research, work in a multidisciplinary team.
Future goals: Continue my undergraduate degree...
Fun fact:There are too many to choose from!
Giuliana Giacomini
Biosensor Team, Human Practices
Giuliana Giacomini
Study: Bachelor in Biochemistry
Curricular activities: Shopping, travelling and drinking coffee
Why you joined iGEM: My love and interest for research!
Future goals: Travel everywhere in the world
Fun fact: I can't go a day without ice cream, no matter the temperature
Matthew Tiranardi
Biosensor Team, Modelling, Electrochemistry Team
Matthew Tiranardi
Study: Bachelor in Biochemistry
Curricular activities: Outside of the lab, I normally lead tutorials in organic chemistry and spectroscopy to help students succeed in these courses. During the little free time I have, I usually build or play musical instruments or go for a run.
Why you joined iGEM: I am always eager to explore new concepts as I find everything absolutely fascinating. It may also explain my disturbing interest in drug synthesis of and explosives.
Future goals: Become a doctor of some sort
Fun fact: I'm a mad scientist at heart.
Pamela Yataco
Human Practices, Biosensor Team
Allison Pamela Yataco Marquez
Study: Bachelor in Ecology
Curricular activities: Drawing, writing, cosplaying, gardening, hiking, watching anime and looking at ants, frogs, birds, and other creatures.
Why you joined iGEM: Genetic engineering and biosynthesis is the future and can be used in many different ways to solve the problems we are facing today. There is much debate on the use of GMOs in ecology, however I think with further development of this technology, damage to the environment could be limited.
Future goals: Getting a masters somewhere and eventually work in Parks Canada, or the mounted police, working as a researcher in ecology or alternative food production such as genetically modified insects.
Fun fact: Would love to study Herpes (reptiles and amphibians) but currently working with bugs (and they should definitely NOT got to hell.)
Steven Li
Device, Software & Hardware Master
Steven Li
Study: MASc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Curricular activities: Stargazing, reading books, exploring the vast world around me
Why you joined iGEM: We, humans, busy ourselves building complex machines that can store and process information, while scratching our skulls to make them fully autonomous and self-replicating. Yet, we sometimes forget that nature is beating us at this game by approximately ... three and a half billion years. I want to be part of the humans who build upon the foundations of nature's multi billion-year project and make something meaningful out of it.
Future goals: Change the world and humanity and maybe try to build the Iron Man suit!
Fun fact: I’m not fun, I’m just a nerd on a small rocky planet searching for its place in the grandeur of the Cosmos.
"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan
Yana Moscovitz
Biosensor Team
Yana Moscovitz
Study: Bachelor in Cell and Molecular Biology
Curricular activities: Fetch with my dog, doing yoga, reading, playing guitar, traveling
Why you joined iGEM: My love for biology made me want to be a part of the team since I first heard of iGEM. It is also the best way to make the world a better place!
Future goals: Win gold at the Giant Jamboree ;)
Fun fact: I'm a chocolate and coffee dependent life-form
Jacqui Beaumont
Design, Hydrogel Team and Social Media
jacqui
Study: Bachelor in Fibres and Material
Curricular activities: Dreaming, anime, witchcraft, feeling the wind on my skin
Why you joined iGEM: Through interdisciplinary collaboration we can tackle a project from many different angles, and hopefully bring about a solution that has been maximized for symbiosis.
Future goals: never stop
Fun fact: “optimism without honesty, is denial”
Mentors
From left to right: Kenza, Ellie, Daniel, Farhat, Manjari and Mathieu!
Student Advisor
Ansley Gnanapragasam
Student Advisor
Ansley Gnanapragasam
Study: MSc in human genetics and cancer genomics
Curricular activities: Varsity rugby player, world travel, motorcycling.
Why you joined iGEM: I love solving problems, brainstorming and doing research. iGEM provides me with a competitive atmosphere with others who love the same stuff.
Future goals: I barely think one day in advance, never mind the future.
Fun fact: No matter how often I workout my legs, they remain toothpicks.
Brandiff Caron
Ethics Consultant
Supervisors
Aashiq Kachroo
Principal Investigator
Orly Weinberg
Administrator and Coordinator
Volunteers
Gabriel Scott
3D printing and drafting
Amy Pilette
Photography and Animation