Meet our team!

Team Morale Booster
Hanna is a MSc Biotechnology student from Aalto University. “As a teen, my fascination with science shows sparked my interest in the accuracy of it all. The series Orphan Black, especially, ignited a passion for genetics and engineering. iGEM offered the perfect blend: a cool lab environment where I could learn and grow.”
Hanna Dahl
Team Co-leader
Human Task Manager
Nisa is a MSc Genetics and Molecular Biosciences student from University of Helsinki. “Might be a cliché answer but I was always a super curious individual & I guess that’s what led me to science. And like all curiosity driven individuals, the urge to try new things and finding solutions has always resonated with me hence my being part of iGEM.”
Nisa Rashid Pitafi
Team Co-leader
Technical Problem Solver
Ardalan is a MSc Biotechnology student from Aalto University. “Microbial mysteries sparked my love for microbiology. Now, in my Master’s degree of Biotechnology, I joined iGEM to bridge the gap between microbes and our world through hands-on experience.”
Ardalan Rahimipour
Inspired Digital Alchemist
Mahin is a MSc Biotechnology student from Aalto University. "I have always been interested in science as long as I can remember which mainly comes from the fact that there is the opportunity to constantly learn new stuff. And I chose iGEM because I have the opportunity to do a project of our own and work with students from diverse backgrounds."
Mahin Irfan
Innovative Solution Provider
Nicholas is a MSc Genetics and Molecular Biosciences student from University of Helsinki. “I am interested to discover the reason behind observable phenomena in nature. For example, why does one amino acid mutation cause resistance to HIV infection? I chose iGEM to gain more experience in molecular biology and do a science project that starts from scratch.”
Nicholas Farrel Wijaya
Relentless Why Seeker
Sazzad is a MSc Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology student from University of Helsinki. “It’s not the science that lets me not just observe life, but engineering it, rewrite its very code. It’s a captivating pursuit, a chance to unlock the mysteries of life itself. Therefore, since I can remember, I have forever been interested in synthetic biology.”
Sazzad Shahrear
Human Outreach Facilitator
Shamila is a MSc Biotechnology student from Aalto University. “My fascination with experimentation got me into science and creating meaningful change led me to iGEM, where I can contribute to projects with significant potential impact.”
Shamila Hussain
Invigorated Curious Wanderer
Uma is a MSc Neuroscience student from University of Helsinki. “A natural curiosity, sparked by childhood experiments relevant to synthetic biology, ignited a lifelong passion for science. Now, after a detour, iGEM rekindles my interest in synthetic biology, providing it’s never too late to revisit old flames.”
Umamaheswari Umasankar
Calm Steady Achiever
Viivi is a MSc Genetics and Molecular Biosciences student from University of Helsinki. “I like science because I simply finds it very fascinating. Most importantly, I enjoy being part of the iGEM team because the project includes many different disciplines and activities, allowing me to learn and experience many new things.”
Viivi Mäkinen