At SkinBAIT, the diverse expertise within our team is our most valuable resource. We are a passionate group of Biomedical Engineers and Human Biologists dedicated to pushing the boundaries of synthetic biology. Each team member has brought unique skills, perspectives, and ideas that have been key in the development of our project.
Our journey in the iGEM competition has been driven by a shared commitment to hard-work, creativity and collaboration. With the guidance and support of our experienced instructors, with multidisciplinary careers, we have not only advanced in our project but also learnt to be future scientists and engineers. Together, we have created a project designed to make a real difference in the world through science.
Every member of the team has made a different contribution and SkinBAIT would not exist without the people who have made it possible. Get to know the people behind SkinBAIT, an inspired and dynamic team, ready to redefine what’s possible in synthetic biology.
Undergrad students
Inés is currently in her last year of Biomedical Engineering. As the team leader, she has been crucial for guiding the team, driving the project towards its goals with clear direction and motivation. With this iGEM project, she has gained valuable experience in leadership, enhanced her skills in laboratory research and deepened her understanding of integrating scientific work with community engagement through human practices. She has a passion for making education engaging and enjoyable, which she demonstrated by incorporating playful elements and interactive activities into educational sessions with community youth group, such as boardgames and workshops.
Inés Matheu Zorrilla
Team Leader
Wet Lab
Dry Lab
Helena is in her fourth year of Biomedical Engineering. As one of the two web developers, she was responsible for designing and programming the website. It was her first time using programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but she was really encouraged by the proposed project and by the fact that she truly believes that ‘science is not finished until it is communicated’. With this iGEM project, she has not only learned about website development but also discovered how intricate the world of synthetic biology is and what daily laboratory work entails. Looking ahead, she’s determined to keep learning with the same passion and enthusiasm that fueled her work on this project.
Helena Sánchez Ulloa
Team Co-Leader
Web Development
Wet Lab
David is currently in his fourth year of Biomedical Engineering. As one of the key web developers on the team, he played a vital role in both designing and coding the website. David is known for his commitment to doing things right, his hard-working attitude, and his perseverance until he achieves his goals. With this iGEM project, he has learned a lot when it comes to new programming skills, including mastering web development frameworks, improving his coding efficiency, and gaining experience in various fields. His dedication and passion for programming make it clear that he will continue to pursue a career in programming in the future, with a focus on building technologies that improve lives.
David Ribalta Heredia
Web Development
Wet Lab
Roger is a fourth-year Human Biology student who played a key role in developing and finalizing our iGEM project. He collaborated with the team to refine our ideas and conducted extensive literature reviews to support our research. In the lab, Roger performed essential experiments such as PCR and bacterial transformations, and meticulously documented all data. He also led an educational activity on synthetic biology at a local high school. His contributions were crucial to the project’s success, and he has discovered a strong interest in continuing his work in Synthetic Biology.
Roger Planell Pozo
Wet Lab
Education
Carlos is a fourth-year Biomedical Engineering student who has played a key role in both research and human practices. He has contributed to our project by researching essential proteins, developing protocols for cell cultures, and organizing important lab experiments over the summer. His passion for sharing knowledge led him to teach an engaging class for students, and he helped expand our community outreach through collaboration with another iGEM team. Guided by his philosophy to "live life to its maximum," Carlos is eager to use synthetic biology to make a lasting impact on society.
Carlos Pérez de Arenaza García
Wet Lab
Human Practices
Oriana, a fourth-year Biomedical Engineering student, contributed extensively to both research and lab coordination. She investigated cry proteins and their effects on mites, ensuring the viability of our project’s concept. In the lab, Oriana led key experiments, such as the transformation of C. acnes for protein expression, while meticulously documenting all findings. Her proactive approach also extended beyond the lab, as she secured sponsorships, coordinated outreach activities, and prepared workshops for students. Oriana’s dedication was essential to the project’s success.
Oriana Alejandra Castillo Ferreira
Wet Lab
Education
Keysha is a fourth-year Biomedical Engineering student who loves diving into both the creative and technical sides of our project. She spent hours exploring different iGEM wikis, brainstorming story ideas and sketching logos. Keysha didn’t just stick to design but she also contributed to helping with laboratory experiments. Additionally, she put together a list of potential funders and worked on the wiki design to make sure everything looked perfect. On the safety front, she tackled the preliminary safety form. Keysha is all about mixing creativity with science, and she’s excited to keep pushing boundaries and taking on new challenges.
Keysha Urgel Cantalejo
Wet Lab
Human Practices
Blanca is a fourth-year Biomedical Engineering student who played a significant role in bringing SkinBAIT to life. She carefully analyzed the wikis of other iGEM teams to propose a solid structure for our own. Additionally, she worked on designing a potential logo and crafting a catchy slogan that captured the essence of our project. Blanca also contributed in the lab by assisting with experiments and took the initiative to reach out to potential funders to support our work. In the future, she believes she will continue exploring the research world, as she thoroughly enjoyed this project.
Blanca Catalina Marco Reglero
Wet Lab
Education
Jose is a fourth-year Human Biology student. As the lead designer of the project, he played an essential role in creating and optimizing plasmid and DNA parts, which were critical to the success of the experimental procedures. One of his major achievements was working on the RNA thermometer, a crucial element of the project, ensuring its functionality. In addition to his technical expertise, Jose demonstrated strong analytical skills by interpreting experimental data and preparing educational activities for high school students, showcasing his ability to communicate complex scientific concepts effectively. He also contributed to the team’s exploration of intellectual property (IP), helping the project navigate through important legal aspects. After completing this project, Jose plans to continue his journey in the field of synthetic biology.
Jose Luis Pérez Rodríguez
Wet Lab
Education
Pau is a fourth-year Human Biology student who played a key role in the early stages of our project. Pau conducted thorough bibliographic research to draft the project's preliminary framework, ensuring a well-informed approach. His contributions extended to various laboratory tasks, including developing plasmids using Benchling and assisting with day-to-day experiments Additionally, he represented our team at the mini jamboree organized by other iGEM Madrid group and engaged in educational outreach by adapting the synthetic biology topic for school presentations.
Pau Figuera Belmonte
Wet Lab
Education
María is in her fourth year of Biomedical Engineering and served as the Social Media Manager for our iGEM project, playing a vital role in managing our online presence. Driven by her belief that "science reaches its full potential when it connects with the community," she ensured our project gained visibility and engaged with a broad audience. María also conducted expert interviews, helped secure funding opportunities, and contributed to the creation of visuals for our wiki and promotional videos. Her passion for communication and collaboration was key to the success of the project, and she looks forward to tackling new challenges with the same enthusiasm.
María Cortés Díaz
Social Media & Communications
Education
Instructors
Javier Santos-Moreno
Primary PI
Principal Investigator of the Synthetic Cell Programming lab
Guillermo Nevot
PhD student at Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Matsuri Rojano-Nisimura
Postdoc researcher at Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Marta Palau
Postdoc researcher at Synthetic Biology for Biomedical Applications Lab
Marc González
Postdoc researcher at Synthetic Biology for Biomedical Applications Lab
Lorena Toloza
Postdoc researcher at Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Maria Pol
PhD student at the Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Carles Bayod
Postdoc researcher at Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Maria Artigues
PhD student at the Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Special Thanks To:
Javier Macià
Principal Investigator of Synthetic Biology for Biomedical Applications Lab
Marc Güell
Principal Investigator of Translational Synthetic Biology Lab
Regina López
Strategic Research Projects Manager at Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Last but not least, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to Edu Suñé, who guided us through our early steps with invaluable insights and knowledge. Our heartfelt thanks also go to Yolanda Tor for her constant assistance as our laboratory technician. Her expertise and willingness to help at every stage were essential for the smooth running of our experiments.
Finally, we extend our sincere appreciation to Jordi Pla, his guidance helped us navigate complex computational challenges in our dry lab models.