Team:DTU-Denmark/Team
Team
Meet the Entire Team
Marcus Medom Ryding
MScEng Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I really like the idea of synthetic biology (engineering and biology? sign me right up!) and the great potential it holds for making the world a better place. And the idea of taking part in a student-driven project which at the same time would allow me to indulge my competitive side sounded simply too good to pass up!
What do you do in your spare time?
So, so many things! Ask me 3 months in a row, get 5 different answers. Recent ones include hydroponics, knitting, 3D printing, programming, juggling, and a short-lived foray into thin-shell and tensile fabric structures. Despite the variety, some main themes persist: growing/building/making things, and complex systems admitting interesting mathematical descriptions. Guess it's no wonder I'm so fond of systems biology?
Helena Utzon
MScEng Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
Joining iGEM offered a great opportunity for being part of a project from start to finish. Furthermore, I was really excited to become a part of a team working on a great project.
Finally, I wanted to become more proficient in laboratory techniques used in synthetic biology, as I normally work with microbiology.
What do you do in your spare time?
I love visiting little coffee shops that specialize in craft coffee and I'm very passionate about good coffee.
Whenever I have been properly caffeinated, I read fiction books, play classical piano, do jigsaw puzzles, and run (away from my responsibilities).
However, if I haven’t had any coffee you should refrain from talking to me, looking at me, or generally engaging in any form of contact (you have been warned).
Louise Almer
MScEng Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I have heard a lot about iGEM from previous participants and had to try it for myself! Previously I have mostly worked with microbiology and food safety so I did not have a lot of experience in synthetic biology. However, I love learning new things and taking on new project so I decided to challenge myself.
What do you do in your spare time?
When I am not working on iGEM, I like to cook, bake, read, travel, and spend time with my cat. I also have two jobs beside my studies. In one of them, I teach high school students biotechnology and lab techniques and in the other, I work on a local news paper where I write about i.a. what to do in the local area.
Mikkel Hansen
MScEng Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I decided to join the iGEM team, due to the opportunity to be highly involved in a challenging research project from beginning to the end. I value that I throughout the project has been able to have a significant saying in what the project should contain, and how to find solutions and overcome challenges along the project. I also saw joining the iGEM team as an opportunity to expand my network of likeminded ambitious people. Furthermore, I wanted to use and improve my skills with a lot of hands-on work and to expand my innovative abilities and knowledge within the field of synthetic biology.
What do you do in your spare time?
I have been involved in many activities at the university, among other things I have been a tutor for first-year students, and I have both been president and a student representative of the student study board. Besides being a university student, I am adventurous and globally interested. This shows in my passion for traveling and getting to know new cultures – I am close to reaching 50 countries I have visited. Furthermore, I enjoy greatly to experiment with food which includes both cooking and trying new recipes and exotic food along my travels.
Jacob Mejlsted
BscEng in Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I also participated in the iGEM competition in 2018 and I simply couldn’t get enough. The iGEM competition is a wonderful way of getting to work on a project on the cutting edge of science and engineering with a team of awesome people and I am extremely happy that I get to be part of it again.
What do you do in your spare time?
Besides my studies and iGEM, I don’t have a lot of time, but I dance lindy hop and I like to read and learn new things. This spring I helped start a book-club where we try to become a bit more educated on non-engineering topics such as: How to conquer the world, how to become a great speaker, and how to become a better person, all over a nice cup of tea, or maybe four.
Philip George Hau Sørensen
MScEng Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
This is my second time doing iGEM! I really missed the freedom of doing iGEM, and I reckon most of you will end up really missing the good old iGEM times as well once you finish your project. So just remember to enjoy it while it lasts - even though I know how frustrating iGEM can get sometimes.
What do you do in your spare time?
I have a lot of interests, including Formula One, aviation, and infrastructure design. I mean, I do study to become an engineer after all, so I just went all-in on the whole fascination with mechanical stuff. I also quite like to craft stuff myself, and I used to do some cosplay. Cosplay is a great way to build something by yourself, and have fun with it! Also, I feel that the whole community around cosplaying is really nerdy and positive.
Philip Thomsen
MScEng Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I hope that by pursuing an independent research goal, and working alongside peers who are equally passionate about biotechnology, I will be able to grow as a scientist. iGEM is also an opportunity to challenge myself academically, and try yet unexplored flavors of synthetic biology.
What do you do in your spare time?
I enjoy reading, gardening, hanging out with friends, and exploring the nature around us.
Mathias Laursen
MScEng Biotechnology
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I joined iGEM because it is a good opportunity to be involved in a project, from the very beginning to the finish line. That is something I find very exciting and appealing.
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I enjoy spending time in nature. There is nothing better than a good hike, with an incredible view. Besides that I love to travel and experience new cultures, and learn a little of bit of a new language.
Elisavet Angeli
MScEng Quantitative Biology and Disease Modelling
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I was always fascinated by the power of nature and how everything is perfectly designed in order to balance. Joining iGEM is a huge opportunity to challenge myself, learn new things, combine knowledge, meet people with different backgrounds and create something that will promote scientific activity for a good reason.
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I love practicing yoga, walking by the sea, reading, and travelling.
Michelle Lind Østrup
MSc Digital Media Engineering
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I created the wiki last year, and this year I intend to win Best Wiki ;)
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I like to learn. It can be anything from woodworks to surviving in the wilderness, but the thing that I have consistently spent the most time on is creating stories, which is why most of my spare time is dedicated to writing, drawing, 3D modelling, and animation.
Christopher Workman
Associate Professor, DTU Bioengineering
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I am a complete believer in the importance of Synthetic Biology as an enabling set of technologies that will transform the way we manufacture drugs, food, fuel and many other important commodities in a more sustainable future society.
What’s your favorite fermentation product?
My favorite fermentation product right now is beer. A fresh over-hopped IPA cannot be beat on a hot summer day.
Henrik Toft Simonsen
Associate Professor, Biotechnology and Biomedicine
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
Synthetic biology is a key part of the research we do. Thus, adding supervision of iGEM teams was obvious. Likewise, it is a great pleasure to work with engaged students.
What do you do in your spare time?
I like to read crime novels, and love outdoor activities.
Kyle Rothschild-Mancinelli
PhD Fungal Genetic Engineering
What is your motivation for joining the iGEM team:
I competed in iGEM when I was a student at Edinburgh University and wanted to get involved again, so being a PhD supervisor was a logical next step.
What do you do in your spare time?
I am a competitive bagpiper and fly to Scotland and Ireland to compete at various championships including the European and World Championships during the summers. In addition to this, I love travelling the world and seeing new cultures and places, which is one of the reasons I am an expat American living in Denmark. I also like to eat and cook, but mostly eat.
