Team:Warsaw/Team

From 2012.igem.org

Warsaw Team





STUDENTS




Dorota Kaja Sabat



Kaja I am studying biology and psychology at the College of Interfaculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences . So far I was researching mutations in POLG1 human gene, but this year I am beginning my adventure with embryology. Aside from science, I like traveling and taking photographs. I am also enthusiastic rock climber :)




Krzysztof Szczepaniak



Krzysiek I'm finishing my studies at the College of Interfaculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences but I'm going to stay in Science business;) Beside biology, I like computer programming and I try to develop my skills in this field. Outside the lab I am a scout leader, I'm interested in foreign languages, astronomy and I love everything connected with science-fiction and fantasy.




Magda Ghanim



Magda I'm studying biotechnology and chemistry at the College of Interfaculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Warsaw. My main areas of scientific interest are Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Analytic Chemistry. My B. Sc. thesis will investigate mutations of mitochondrial DNA after chemotherapy in leukemia patients. Aside from science, I love classical literature, ancient history, traveling, animals (I have two cute kitties and a guinea pig) and mountain hiking.




Monika Szewczyk



Monika I come from Przychojec, the most beautiful village in south-east Poland. I am a student of chemistry and biotechnology at the College of Interfaculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Warsaw. My scientific interests include biophysical chemistry and molecular biology. I love traveling, meeting new people and cycling.




Elżbieta Jankowska



Ela I'm a fifth year student of Biotechnology, which means I'm going to spend next year working on my Masters thesis. My area of scientific interest includes ancient DNA, molecular phylogenetics, synthetic biology (of course:p) and anything I find interesting at the moment. Apart from that I like travelling, singing and sci-fi & fantasy.




Weronika Krzynowek



Weronika

Weronika Krzynowek is twenty-one years old
She's polite and always does as she's told
For a girl her age, she's considerate and nice
But she wants to be just like she's throwing the dice

She doesn't mind living with her sister, dog, and cats
Though she'd rather share a home with spiders and bats
There she could reflect on the horrors she has invented
and wander dark hallways alone and tormented

But imagines dipping her in wax for his wax museum
He likes to experiment on her dog Abocrombie
In the hopes of creating a horrible zombie
So that he and her horrible zombie dog
could go searching for victims in the London fog

Her thoughts aren't only of ghoulish crime
He likes to paint and read to pass some of the time
While other kids read books like "Go Jane Go"
Weronika's favorite author is Edgar Allen Poe.




Anna Misiukiewicz



Anna I’m a last year student of biotechnology at the University of Warsaw. My Bachelor thesis was done at the Department of Applied Microbiology, so does Master. Usually, my lab partner is Yersinia enterocolitica but this summer I decided to make an exception and befriend Bacillus subtilis. I can’t imagine my life without a cup of black tea, weather forecast and visiting my hometown – Białystok. I dream of spending my holiday walking and taking some pictures with my old Zenit camera, but this year my fondness of bacteria turns out to be stronger ;)




Nikodem Latocha



NikodemHi, my name is Nikodem. I do my research in the Department of Immunology at the Medical University of Warsaw. I`m interested in sports, computers and science of course ;) I think iGEM is a great opportunity to learn about synthetic biology and take part in a relatively young area of science.




INSTRUCTORS




prof. dr hab. Jacek Bielecki



prof. Bielecki
Education: MSc, University of Warsaw, 1975 ;PhD, University of Warsaw, 1981 ;Associated professor, Warsaw University, 1995; Professor at University of Warsaw, 1996 ;Vice Dean of Faculty of Biology, 1996 - 1999, and 1999-2002
Research interests: Molecular mechanisms of virulence of bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, especially the role of a hemolysin, listeriolysin O (LLO).




dr. Radosław Stachowiak



Radek My adventure with biology and biotechnology dates back to 1995 when I became a biotechnology student at the University of Warsaw. In the year 2000 I completed my MSc thesis and I guess I couldn’t stop there so I immidiately started PhD studies. Now I’m done with studying and my job is to take care of students and introduce them into science. Still, I like being involved in crazy projects so characteristic of Sudents’ Societies. The more crazy and incredible project the better. I guess this is the case so here I am.




dr. Takao Ishikawa



Takao Born in Tokyo, working and living in Warsaw, I am interested in protein-protein interactions. In my research, I employ in silico modeling of protein complexes and theirs verification by molecular biology methods. I am not only fascinated by life science, but also being in love with popularization of science. Giving lectures for students, teachers, and children give me a lot of fun!







                    


  


         


                    



  


OUR SINCERE THANKS GO TO:





- The scientists and students working at the Department of Molecular Biology, Department of Applied Microbiology and Department of Metabolism Regulation of Faculty of Biology at Warsaw University for their support and patience.

- Our instructors: prof. Jacek Bielecki and dr. Radosław Stachowiak from the Department of Applied Microbiology and dr. Takao Ishikawa from the Department of Molecular Biology.

- Ania Olchowik and Michał Lower for all the help and advice they provided.

- Prof. Krzysztof Staroń, dr. Jan Fronk, and dr. Alicja Czubaty from Department of Molecular Biology, prof. Jadwiga Bryła from Department of Metabolism Regulation, as well as Katarzyna Roeske from the Department of Applied Microbiology and Cora Chmielowska for the support and kind words during the whole summer.

- Prof. Marta Kicińska-Habior, Vice-Rector for Student affairs, prof. Andrzej Twardowski, the Director of the College of Interfaculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Science, and the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, especially our Deans: prof. Joanna Pijanowska, dr. Magdalena Markowska, dr. Piotr Borsuk and dr. Maciej Garstka.

- Gilbert for his magical skills.

- University of Warsaw Foundation for the trust they granted us.

- All of our sponsors - without them we wouldn't be able to make anything.

- iGEM teams: Edinburgh Team, who graciously granted us the multihost pTG262 plasmid. Also, we send our heartfelt thanks to Slovenia Team for sending us the CMV promoter.

Attribution



We had an ambitious project and very little time; therefore, we adopted a shift based work system in the wet lab. Some team members used to come early in the morning and after dinner their experiments were passed to others, who like working late.



Bacillus subtilis construct




The parts for Bacillus subtilis were designed by Elżbieta Jankowska, Krzysztof Szczepaniak, and Nikodem Latocha. The whole team helped in the lab work, which was mainly supervised by Ania Misiukiewicz, our chief microbiologist, whose skills and patience were crucial in this part of the project.


Mammalian construct




The work was designed and performed mainly by Kaja Sabat. The whole team helped wherever they could.


Shuttle vector




The work was mainly designed by Kaja. The whole team helped wherever they could.


Human practice




Kaja, Krzysztof and Elżbieta went to the conference 'Numbers, Computers, Life', where Ela and Krzysztof gave a presentation, and all three of them presented a poster about last year's iGEM project. There they met Weronika Krzynowek, who joined our team in the summer.

The whole team ran the stand on the Biologists' Night at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw.

Dr. Radosław Stachowiak, our instructor, performed a presentation on the 2nd International Scientific Seminar "Science-Society-Didactics" on synthetic biology.


Wiki




The website was coded by Weronika, our codemaster. The graphics and pictures were made by Elżbieta, our homemade artist. Kaja wrote the "steps" part. The whole team contributed to our wiki, which was corrected and edited by Magda Ghanim, the grammar nazi.


Fundrising




Monika Szewczyk did a great job acquiring sponsors and rising funds. During the summer, Magda contributed to the organization of funds and invoices. Krzysztof helped in acquiring all the stamps we needed.