Team:Bielefeld-Germany/Members

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Students

iGEM-Team Bielefeld 2012: Back-row from left to right: Robert Braun, Gabriele Kleiner, Kevin Jarosch, Moritz Müller, Hakan Geyik, Miriam Fougeras, Saskia Scheibler, Agatha Walla. Front-row from left to right: Sebastian Wiebe, Isabel Huber, Julia Schirmacher, Nadine Legros, Malak Fawaz, Derya Kirasi, Julia Voss.

Our Team consists of 15 dedicated undergraduate students from Bielefeld University. We are majoring in Molecular Biotechnology, Genome-Based Systems Biology, Bioinformatics and Molecular Cell Biology. Our participation in this competition enables us to get involved in an international project, which gives us the chance to collaborate and challenge with excellent early stage researchers from all over the world. This participation results from personal and scientific interest and all our work is realized in our spare time besides the regular academic calendar. In order to realize our project, we try to maintain a high level of organization charge and accomplish a large amount of work. But despite all the work, we have a lot of fun.

My Studies:

Molecular Biotechnology, because it's an impressive and innovative combination of industrial production processes and research with a deeper understanding in molecular operations.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

Taking part in iGEM is maybe the best chance to surpass the own limits and to compete with other young scientists. The greatest things about iGEM is the “spirit”, the chance to meet and get to know hundreds of young people, be part of the innovation of iGEM and to realize that all those people from around the world share the same passion. Participating in iGEM offers the chance to plan and hold an own project. I would like to learn about communication with the industries as well as the broader public. Of course I also want to expand my laboratory skills and to deepen my scientific understanding.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

As many and as good as possible lab results and success in communicating our project and our result with the society?
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

For me, the best way to enjoy the few hours of leasure time is sitting in the sun at the “Siegfriedplatz” in Bielefeld. Which, to be honest, is rarely the case. Either it rains (which is nearly always the case), or, well, it rains.
What I think about safety and how I want to practise it:

Think before you act, so you can take the appriopriate steps to protect you, others and the environment. And always, always, always be careful when doing something stupid.
Preffered time to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

The later the evening gets, the better the results. Nothing against the early bird, but I need my sleep.

"Synthetic Biology - Do I need to say more? Working in this young, aspiring and rapid growing field of life science is challenging, but also fun. Having the chance to participate in iGEM is maybe the best chance to work in Synthetic Biology being a young scientist."

Malak Fawaz

My studies:

Genome-Based Systems Biology, because it’s an interdisciplinary field of study that combines genome research and systems biology, both of which I’m interested in!
The reason why I participated in iGEM:

iGEM is a worldwide competition in synthetic biology, which enables its participants to explore this field in a competitive and collaborative environment. It’s a great experience being part of an iGEM team :)
What I hope to achieve during working in the lab:

I hope we could produce laccases clever enough to solve our case ;)
What I do if I'm not in the lab:

It's been a while since I last had time to do something outside the lab, but I usually enjoy cooking, especially Mediterranean and Oriental food!
What I think about safety and how practice it:

Lab safety is certainly a priority when working in labs. If you’re not aware of the safety rules and guidelines, then you’ld better stay out of labs, especially when it comes to synthetic biology or GMOs!
My favorite protein

Serotonin, the happy hormone :)
My best and most productive work time:

I’m definitely a night person and a grouch in the morning. The darker it gets, the more productive I become!

"As a member of an iGEM team I hope we would be able to achieve our expected results and develop a filter system to purify wastewater with the help of synthetic biology. On the other hand, I also hope we could improve the public perception of synthetic biology and reveal the great potential of this emerging field of science."

Miriam Fougeras

My studies:

After a practical course in the lab I decided to deepen my knowledge by going to university and studying molecular biotechnology.
The reason why I participated in iGEM:

I am taking part at iGEM to learn how to plan a reasearch project and to work in a motivated team. Especially, I am interested in meeting people from a number of different countries.
What I hope to achieve during working in the lab:

I am hoping to get more practical training in the lab and of course I hope that at least most of our experiments show meaningful results and that we can convince the committee with our project.
What I do if I'm not in the lab:

My favored free time activity is traveling. Further, I like to meet friends, go out on weekend and cook. Besides my studies I have a job as a waitress at the weekends.
What I think about safety and how practice it:

Depends... sometimes I think Oh My Gosh, is that really necessary?! But I know that it is just for my safety... so of course I care about my safety and wear gloves, coat and safety glasses.
My favorite protein

Laccase, what else should it be?! :)
My best and most productive work time:

Lab working I like to do in the early morning. When it comes to studying our data analysis I prefer the evening. Besides, I hate to work at nights.

"I am taking part at iGEM to learn how to plan a research project and to work in a motivated team. Especially, I am interested in meeting people from a number of different countries. I am hoping to get more practical training in the lab and hopefully have fun with my and the other teams in Boston :)."

Hakan Geyik

My Studies:

I study GBSB because i am fascinated about the genomresearch.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

IGEM-Rockt :)
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

That everything works in Lab
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

Enjoying the "beautiful" Bielefeld weather.
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

The lab and person safety is important. The material you work could be replaced but the person not, so i care about my own safety while working at lab.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

Not a morning person

"Changing the biology of organisms using synthetic biology is changing the world to a better place"

Isabel Huber

My Studies:

Genome-Based Systems Biology
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

It’s a great opportunity to work as a team on our own project and to get to know other young scientists.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

Much good results, what else ;)
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

It’s very important to care about and know all safety regulations because we work with S1 organisms and chemicals in the lab every day and it’s in our responsibility to use them in a manner not to harm other people, the environment or ourselves.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

Definitifly a nightowl.

"It’s a great opportunity to work as a team on our own project and to get to know other young scientists. I hope to gain new experiences and knowledge in lab and around."

Kevin Jarosch

My Studies:

Molecular Biotechnology, I think this field of study is the best combination of biochemistry, bio-organic chemistry, biological process engineering and molecular genetics.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

To participate in iGEM is the great chance to acquire interdisciplinary skills and to realize our own project in a new and innovativ sciencific field. It is a great opportunity to gain new research experiences and to get to know hundreds of interessted scientists from a variety of disciplines from all over the world. Another very exciting aspect is to compete with different Universities and to represent my University in an international and famous competition. And of course the FUN :-D
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

To produce our own proteins and to generate a functional System to degrade the microcontaminants in the water.
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

Sleeping and working for the perfect Wiki.
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

Everybody is responsible for the safety in the lab. The first and improtant think in the lab is to think about every step i want to do. It is important to know, which chemicals and organisms i want to use and to think about, which safety aspects i have to respect to protect me, my labmates and the environment.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

All day and night long.

"The reason why I participate in iGEM is to work on our project, to improve my Softskill and to get new connections to the scientific Network. I hope to win the Main Award and the Improvement of my Skills."

Derya Kirasi

My Studies:

Genome-based Systems Biology
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

The competition "iGEM" is one of the best opportunities to gain experience in synthetic biology.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

To gain experience.
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

Talk with iGEM-Members or watching TV, meeting friends...:)
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

Safety is very important and everyone should know the risks.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

Later evening.

"Synthetic Biology - Do I need to say more? Working in this young, aspiring and rapid growing field of life science is challenging, but also fun. Having the chance to participate in iGEM is maybe the best chance to work in Synthetic Biology being a young scientist."

Gabriele Kleiner

My Studies:

Molecular Biotechnology
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

In my opinion the iGEM competition offers us a possibility to plan OUR OWN project starting from an initial idea up to financial aspects and the lab work. Trough my participation I hope I will learn how to plan and to organize a project and the lab work in a team and also how to present a project (to improve my soft skills). Furthermore I think it is very interesting to get to know a lot of different scientists from all over the world to create some kind of network, which is very useful. But apart from that, one of the most important factors is also to get a lot of different experiences, to have a great time and a lot of FUN :)
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

I hope we will get promising results, that means that we are able to produce one or more active laccases (especially one of the bacterial ones, because it exists less knowledge about them), that we are able to immobilize them efficiently and that they will degrade the predicted substances. :)
What I do if I'm not in the Lab:

In my spare time I like to do nearly every type of sports (especially riding, swimming, handball,..), to play the piano and to meet friends to cook, watch movies, go to parties and so on :) I am also very interested in photography, but at the moment I haven’t got the time to focus on this hobby ;)
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

It’s difficult to write about security in laboratories in a few sentences. I think it’s obvious that security is very important and everyone has to keep in mind that he is not only responsible for himself but also for all the other people. So it is necessary to follow all the rules in laboratories and to think about all risks of an experiment before starting it.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

Doesn't matter ;)

"In my opinion the iGEM competition offers us a possibility to plan OUR OWN project starting from an initial idea up to financial aspects and the lab work. Trough my participation I hope I will learn how to plan and to organize a project and the lab work in a team and also how to present a project. "

Nadine Legros

My Studies:

Molecular Biotechnology, because of it's interdisciplinary. I wanted to study something with both biology, excessively genetics and chemistry and I'm also interested in informatics and physics.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

I love to possibility to plan and operate our own project. To get in contact with other international teams and to work for our selves. I wish to learn something about organising new projects and about interacting in a team, in which everyone has the same goal. I want to use iGEM to improve my soft skills and to learn new interesting methods.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

Great results of course. And fun, even if something does not work... we'll find a way.
What I do if I'm not in the Lab:

Sports, I like do go mountain-biking, swimming, doing archery, or just running trough nature, if I can find some time between lab, working an learning. I also would like to paint a picture again, but this will have to wait.
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

It's quite important and everybody should know what she or he's doing when working in a laboratory.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

If I'm able to get enough sleep definitely someone who likes to work early in the morning. The Lab is quite nice when everybody is still sleeping.
My favourite laboratory equipment:

UV-table it's making things glow
My favourite protein:

GFP, RFP and everything colourful.
And my favourite organism:

Hansenula polymorpha – it hates me, but I love it anyway.

"I love to possibility to plan and operate our own project. To get in contact with other international teams and to work for our selves. I wish to learn something about organising new projects and about interacting in a team, in which everyone has the same goal. I want to use iGEM to improve my soft skills and to learn new interesting methods."

Moritz Müller

My Studies:

Molecular Biotechnology, because it's biology and application in one.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

to broaden my horizon, meet clever people & have a lot of fun
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

That even setbacks lead to better results
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

My band, Jeet Kune Do
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

Better be safe than sorry – history can tell what happens if the wrong organism is in the right place.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

I like to start early, take a break mid-day (especially in summer) and then continue work ‘til night

"Today biology is known to build the smallest machines and tools, named enzymes and proteins. Synthetic biology is going to make this usable and controllable by mankind. It's time to get the 10-100 kDa wrenches working!"

Saskia Scheibler

My Studies:

Molecular Cell Biology - Because cells rule!
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

I enjoy being able to plan and carry out a whole project independently with other students and not to work after some professors script.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

To learn some new methods, to feel successful in the end and of course to have fun and many many active and happy laccases.
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

I´m baking. :)
What I think about safety an how I want to practice it:

Of course safety is one of the most important aspects in the laboratory. I do think that everyone is able to read safety instructions but it is a lot harder to also practice them. This is what I am setting high value on, things such as wearing gloves all the time but taking them off when touching something being not lab equipment or label everything correct and properly and and and..
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

I can do both but I usually get an energy boost at about 11 pm ;)

"I enjoy being able to plan and carry out a whole project independently with other students and not to work after some professors script. I hope to learn some new methods, to feel successful in the end and of course to have fun."

Julia Schirmacher

My Studies:

My studies are „Genome Based System Biology“ and I have choosen this because I am interested in an interdisciplinary research between genomics and computational system biology.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

Synthetic biology is a young research field and its great to be a part of it. It gives the opportuity to work on this field with an high motivated and selforganised team.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

I hope to get some satisfacted results and to colaborate with other teams world wide. Maybe our system will help to eliminate water contamination and that these ideas will produce a lot of food for thought.
What I think about safety and how I want to practise it:

The personal laboratory safty and the laboratory security are two very important things. I wear a lab coat, gloves and security glasses where it is necessay and protect myself and others. It is important to confidence in others that they will also pay attencion in safty and security. Because we are working with some toxic components and GVOs.
What is your fovourite laboratory device:

The PCR cycler is my favorite device. We are in an inner relationship, some thimes we are in love and sometimes in trouble, like a married couple.
What is your fovourite organisms:

I like water bears, because it is a cute organisms and I am impressed by the ability to cryptobiosis.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

I like to works around the clock, sometimes late and sometimes in the early morning.

"Learning from others, show what I can do and how to work and comunicate in a team with many different characters is the best experience I get of iGEM.

Julia Voß

My Studies:

Genome based Systems Biologie, because it is always important to look at and to understand the whole System.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

I think iGEM is a great chance to improve our own skills in- and outside the lab. Finding sponsors and to go up to different companies to find co-operation partners is a very interesting experience.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

I hope we get many positiv results and find a way to install our immobilized laccases - theoretically.
What I think about safety an how I want to practise it:

One of the most important aspects in the laboratory of course is safety. To know that there are safty instructions is not enough to adopt them everyday is the real complicated part, but so important.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

If I'm needed, I'm there!

"To realize your own project in a group of totally different persons is wonderful and a great chance to learn a lot from each other. That´s why I think iGEM is such a interesting and important experience."

Agatha Walla

My Studies:

Molecular Cell Biology, because it gives me the opportunity to gain as much practical experience in the lab as possible.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

Because I want to have a nice time with people I like and who are interested in the same topics as I am. Of course I wish that our team can achieve as much as possible, but I want to finish this project knowing that we all worked together, gave our best, learned a lot and had a nice time.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

Satisfied Laccases that willl allow us to get good results ;)
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

Cooking and eating. Sometimes the other way round or even simultaneously.
What I think about safety and how I want to practise it:

Lab safety is a very important topic. Everyone should be aware of safety when entering the lab and check for example if there is any food or water that should be left outside. Reading the safety instructions of chemicals and knowing how to dispose them properly are also basics. In my opinion one of the most significant aspects about lab safety is to leave the working area in a safe and tidy state.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

I like so start early because it makes me excited knowing that I already did something while other people are sleeping. Working in the evening is also fun. But that makes me need a nap in the afternoon.

"The reason why I participate in iGEM is that it gives young scientists the oppurtunity to deepen their knowledge in this very new field of synthetic biology. I hope that we get as much out of it as we can as a team."

Sebastian Wiebe

My Studies:

Genome-Based Systems Biology, because the wish to understand a whole System is a suitable kind of insanity for me.
The reason why I participate in iGEM:

There is no better way to learn, than to work on a manageable project by choice.
What I hope to achieve during working in Lab:

I hope that either our experiments verify our model, or lead us to right calculations.
What I do if I'm not in Lab:

When im not in the Lab, i drink some maté-tea, ride my mountain bike, chop trees, play my Violin or my Bass and when i have no idea I play video games.
And my favourite organism:

Me, because i coudnt imagine the world without me.
Time I like most to work: (early bird/ not a morning person):

I like it, when the floors are dark, and you think, you are alone in the Lab. But couriosly I work mostly at the same time like all the others.

"There is no better way to learn, than to work on a manageable project by choice."

Supervisors

Nils Lübke

Timo Wolf

We are guided by two graduate advisers, Timo Wolf and Nils Lübke, who were members of previous Bielefeld iGEM-Teams. They were team members in 2010 and 2011 and now helping us with their experience and knowledge.

Dr. Jörn Kalinowski

Dr. Christian Rückert

Also we are actively supported by professors and lecturers, namly Dr. Jörn Kalinowski (member of the executive committee from CeBiTec and Head of Research Group Microbial Genomics and Biotechnology, Prof. Dr. Alfred Pühler (Senior Research Professor at CebiTec at Bielefeld University), Prof. Dr. Erwin Flaschel (holds the Chair of Fermentation Engineering at the Faculty of Technology at Bielefeld University) and Dr. Christian Rückert (Postdoc at Research Group Microbial Genomics and Biotechnology).

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About our Wiki

Fifteen students from different fields of study from the Bielefeld University aspired to complete a project called TOXIC COMPOUNDS IN NATURAL WATER - A CASE FOR LACCASE. In his Wiki we document our achievements and our approach.

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