The UTK-Knoxville iGEM team is composed of four undergraduate students from the University of Tennessee College of Engineering, one high school student from Powell High School, one graduate adviser, and two faculty advisers.
Undergraduate Team Members
I am a senior in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with a research background in protein engineering, so for me iGEM is an opportunity to explore a new facet of chemical engineering research. After leaving UT Knoxville, I plan to obtain my PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
I am a senior in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, with an Honors Biomolecular concentration and a minor in Biological Sciences. Although I am originally from Kentucky, I now call Knoxville, Tennessee home and Rocky Top will always be home sweet home to me. After graduation, I plan to pursue a PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and continue with my love of research. I hope that iGEM will give me both technical experience and fun memories from my undergraduate career.
I’m a junior in Chemical Engineering with a Biomolecular concentration. My interest in chemistry is what initially drew me to this field, but I find the various biological applications the most engaging. (After all, the intricacies of the genetic code beat steam tables any day). To me, iGEM is a new and exciting way to connect with the scientific community on a global scale, something I see myself continuing to do as I work towards a career in research.
Hi! My name is Akshitha Yarrabothula and I'm a Senior in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Birmingham, AL. After graduation, I hope to one day attend medical school and pursue my passion of science, research, medicine, and people. Through iGEM, I hope to gain valuable experiences that will not only broaden my appreciation of research and creativity but will also prepare me for the years ahead!
I am a senior at Powell High School working with the UTK iGEM team through UT's Pre-Collegiate Research Scholar's Program. PCRSP has given me the great opprotunity to get involved in a field of research I'm interested in for the summer, fall, and spring semesters at UT in addition to my high school classes, allowing me not only to broaden my horizons but also to get a taste of the type of work I could be doing later down the road. I thoroughly enjoy my time in the lab and look forward to learning even more as I continue work with iGEM.
Graduate Advisers
Michael Wierzbicki
Adam Thompson
Faculty Advisers
Dr. Cong T. Trinh is an assistant professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering (with summa cum laude, honors thesis) at the University of Houston and earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He also worked at the Energy Biosciences Institute, University of California, Berkeley as a postdoctoral scholar. The Trinh Lab focuses on metabolic engineering and synthetic biology with a focus on the production of biofuels and other fine chemicals.
Dr. Daniel M. Close is a postdoctoral research associate in the Joint Institute for Biological Sciences. He received his B.S. in Biology with a minor in Forensic Science from Saint Louis University and earned his Ph.D. in Life Sciences from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is currently working on the development of “drop in ready” hydrocarbon biofuels that can be synthesized directly from S. cerevisiae.
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