Co-Presidents
Wet Lab
Jeff Chen
Jeff is a third-year pathobiology student who brings technical expertise and design thinking skills to the team, demonstrating a deep dedication to the success of the project. His passion for synthetic biology drives his enthusiasm for exploring its future applications in stem cell engineering. Jeff is excited to holistically explore this field through the interdisciplinary nature of iGEM, reflecting his commitment to comprehensive scientific advancement.
Mindy (Minyi) Yu
Mindy is a diligent and uplifting leader who prioritizes the growth of her team members alongside the success of the project. As a wet lab lead, she strives to create a friendly environment where input from all perspectives is valued and encouraged. Her unwavering passion for molecular biology, combined with her love for interdisciplinary research, underscores her deep dedication to our project.
Angela Leung
Angela is an engineering science student interested in interdiciplinary applications of physics, environmental science and biomedical engineering. In the wet lab team, Angela works on documentation and experimental design, and wishes to apply a systematic engineering design mindset to all projects she tackles.
Betty Liu
Betty is a fourth year biochemistry student with a fierce passion for benchside research. She enjoys the troubleshooting aspect of research and coming up with solutions to experiments that don't work on the first try. Her research interests include bacteriophages, vaccine development, and most recently autoimmunity. Outside of the lab, you will likely find her making preparations for her latest hobby, cosplaying.
Claire Cui
Claire is a second year biochemistry and pharmacology/toxicology double major student at the University of Toronto.
Claire Cui
Wet Lab
Daisy Thomas
Daisy is a fourth-year student majoring in Cell & Molecular Biology and Neuroscience. She is passionate about exploring how synthetic biology can be harnessed to address real-world challenges, particularly those affecting human health. Daisy thrives in collaborative environments and is excited to contribute to the innovative work done by the iGEM team.
Daisy Thomas
Wet lab
Darya Porat
Darya, a molecular genetics student, passionately explores developmental and fertility research. Her current project focuses on developing methods for binding an emerging spin label to beta-sheet proteins. Drawing from her extensive genetics knowledge and hands-on experience, Darya aims to foster creative connections and innovative thinking at the intersection of synthetic biology and genetics, contributing to cutting-edge discoveries.
Huy Giang
Huy is a pharmacology student interested in studying neonatal disease. He is studying Dopamine Transporter Deficiency Syndrome and will start a new project in Biliary Atresia beginning September 2024. He hopes that with the intensive research in signalling pathways, especially in the developmental stage, future scientists can develop new therapeutics targeting the deficits/mutated proteins/DNA that give rise to the disease development.
Leah Tang
Leah is a dedicated student pursuing studies in pharmacology and immunology, driven by her passion for making universal healthcare accessible to all. Ambitious by nature, Leah thrives on connecting with others and values the importance of understanding diverse perspectives. Her commitment to learning and engaging with people underscores her aspiration to make a meaningful impact in the healthcare field.
Patricia Rea
Patricia is a second-year student perusing a Biological Chemistry Specialist, Biochemistry Major, and Science, Technology and Society Minor. She is passionate about synthetic biology and its potential non-medical applications. Patricia has a particular interest in protein engineering and loves bringing creative thinking to all aspects of her projects. She strives to approach scientific problems in new ways, and brings this perspective to all of her work in iGEM.
Rushil Dua
Rushil is a second year graduate student in medical genomics. He is interested in genome and RNA biology, currently working in advancing these fields. Within iGEM, Rushil contributes to both the wet-lab and human practices teams, aiding with execution and documentation of lab experiments, stakeholder engagement, and community education.
Latisha Lau
Latisha is a fourth year biochemistry student at the University of Toronto.
Latisha Lau
Wet lab
Elisse Liu
Elisse is a fourth-year pharmacology and cell and modecular biology major.
Elisse Liu
Wet lab
Linda Liu
Linda is a second year cell-systems biology and neuroscience major, doing a minor in immunology.
Linda Liu
Wet lab
Dry Lab
Jacqueline Zhu
Jacqueline Zhu is a second-year Engineering Science student hoping to specialize in Electrical & Computer Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. She is passionate about developing bioelectronics and AI-powered technologies that address cardiorespiratory disparities and bring equity for all.
Karththigan Pushparaj
Karththigan is a Materials Engineering student, minoring in Bioengineering, at University of Toronto. He is interested in blending his transdisciplinary background to develop computational tools for analyzing biological systems and driving innovation in bioengineering and synthetic biology.
Hardware
Kenneth Sulimro
Kenneth is a chemical engineering student with interests in electronics and automation. He works at the confluence of chemical process engineering and computer science, and approaches every project with a systems-oriented approach and diverse skillset. In the hardware team, he integrates industrial workflows and synthetic biology to form coherent product systems.
Oscar Sun
Oscar is part of the Hardware Team and he's an engineering science student interested in the application of software algorithms and machine intelligence in healthcare and autonomotive industries. He enjoys picking up new skills from design tasks and the process of collaborating with like-minded peers.
Selena Persad
Selena is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Engineering Science, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. She is strongly passionate about research in the medical field. She enjoys working in process and project management at pharmaceutical and medical device companies, with the goal of improving the existing technology. Some hobbies include dance, boxing and art.
Joyce Kexin Qian
Joyce is a third year chemical engineering student at the University of Toronto, with an interest in machine learning and power systems.
Joyce Kexin Qian
Hardware
Michael Chan
Michael is a fourth year chemical engineering student at the University of Toronto currently on their PEY Co-op term at CNRL, with an interest in process engineering and integrating programming in chemical engineering practices.
Michael Chan
Hardware
Entrepreneurship
Santiago Plata Salazar
Santiago is iGEM Toronto's Entrepreneurship Lead. With a natural ability to merge science with entrepreneurial ventures, Santiago embraces risk, driving significant gains for the team. Their innovative mindset and relentless energy push the project beyond just completion, guiding it toward successful market entry. Santiago’s skill in blending laboratory expertise with creative business strategy paves the way for a fresh approach to science-driven entrepreneurship.
Ayalinch Jonathan
Ayalinch is pursuing double specialization in Fundamental Genetics and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto. Strongly passionate about genetics and cancer research, he is dedicated to driving positive impact. He has extensive knowledge in these areas and is committed to applying his expertise in synthetic biology.
Dorothy Cheung
Fourth year biochemistry student interested in the intersection of technology and healthcare. Dorothy enjoys exploring new opportunities and meeting new people, she does so by joining various (research) projects. Feel free to connect and talk about science, society or anything really.
Jenny Hoijin Kwon
Jenny is currently pursuing an undergrduate degree in fundamental genetics, with a minor in immunology. She is deeply interested in various applications of research and biotechnology to everyday life. Additionally, she is highly passionate in science communication, where she believes clarity and design aspects make or break understanding.
Kris (Kuei-Tzu Lo) Shivkumar
Kris is a passionate individual whose whole mindset is centered around innovation. Studying fundamental genetics as well as cell and molecular biology with a focus in stem cells and developmental biology, Kris strives to use his multifaceted skill set to unite people towards a shared goal. Kris's ability to adapt to any situation poises him to take on once insurmountable challenges.
Hanul (Sarah) Kim
Sarah is currently a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a Specialist Program in Psychology and a French Minor. With a passion for developmental and social psychology, marketing and consumer behavior, the French language and linguistics, and everything in between, she is always seeking to grow professionally in the areas she enjoys most.
Human Practices
Francesca Chernous
Francesca is a second year student specializing in Biochemistry. She hopes to contribute to the integration of modern science and technology into society. She is highly fascinated by synthetic biology and gene editing. Francesca finds joy in problem solving and collaborating with others. Her research interests include protein function, cancer, and cell communication.
Francesca Chernous
Human Practices
Kaitlyn Chen
Kaitlyn is a second-year student specializing in fundamental genetics. She is interested in advancing the field of biotechnology through the potentials of synthetic biology. She is passionate about public science education and health equity. She is commited to promoting ethical and responsible scientific innovation and research as well as patient advocacy in healthcare. Her research interests include gene editing, cancer treatments and neurodegenerative diseases.
Anthony Dinglasan
Anthony is a second year life science undergraduate student at the University of Toronto.
Anthony Dinglasan
Human Practices
Kashmeena Mangal
Kashmeena is a fourth year life science undergraduate student at the University of Toronto.
Kashmeena Mangal
Human Practices
Lauren Altomare
Lauren is a third-year engineering science student.
Lauren Altomare
Human Practices
Taylor Markel
Taylor is a third-year student studying physiology and genome biology
Taylor Markel
Human Practices
Wiki
Fatima Masood
Fatima is a third year student studying Mathematics, Statistics and French. She is passionate about integrating technology to tackle real-world challenges and thrives in collaborative environments. Fatima enjoys engaging in meaningful conversations and applying her analytical skills to develop innovative solutions.
Shayana Ramachandran
Shayana is a second year electrical engineering student. She is interested in coding and art as side hobbies, which brought her attention to their intersection in the world of web design. She is passionate about delivering a responsive, accessible user interface that is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Outreach
Evelyn Chen
As a curious and driven innovator, Evelyn is passionate about bridging the gap between scientific discovery and real-world impact. With a strong foundation in biochemistry and a knack for interdisciplinary collaboration, she is dedicated to transforming complex research into tech-based solutions for real world problem. Her leadership in outreach initiatives reflects her commitment to engaging communities and fostering collaborative efforts to drive meaningful changes.
Dawei Wang
Dawei is a third-year student in Human Biology and Immunology. He is interested in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. His focus is working on scientific research while spreading awareness about iGEM's latest developments to ensure that our research remains accessible and understood by the public.
Dawei Wang
Outreach
Wet Lab
Sania Ahmad
Sania is a third-year student majoring in Cell/Molecular and Human Biology, with a profound interest in human diseases and pathology. Driven by her passion for scientific communication, she skillfully harnesses social media and wiki platforms to translate complex research into accessible knowledge, bridging the gap between cutting-edge science and public understanding.
Alisha Imtiaz
Alisha is a fourth year molecular genetics and microbiology student at the University of Toronto.
Alisha Imtiaz
Outreach
Anya Mathur
Anya is a second year engineering science undergraduate student at the University of Toronto.
Anya Mathur
Outreach
Jessica Wu
Jessica is a fourth year human biology and immunology student at the University of Toronto.
Jessica Wu
Outreach
Jenny Min
Jenny is a third year PhD student at the University of Toronto studying laboratory medicine and pathobiology.
Jenny Min
Outreach
Lucas Hyvarinen
Lucas is a second-year chemical engineering student.
Lucas Hyvarinen
Outreach
Sania Bahman
Sania is a second-year student studying physiology and psychology
Sania Bahman
Outreach
Tigran Bleyan
Tigran is a second-year student doing a double major in Physics and Molecular Genetics
Tigran Bleyan
Outreach
Finance
Antonia Cheung
Antonia is currently a fourth year student, double majoring in Psychology and Fundamental Genetics, with a minor in Immunology. Her passion for learning extends beyond the classroom, as she's explored various fields such as Python programming, veterinary medicine, and entrepreneurship during her free time. When she's not focused on her studies, you can find her dancing or working on fashion design projects. As an ambitious individual, Antonia is always seeking new challenges and opportunities to grow.
Jasmine Jing
Jasmine is a third year life science student majoring in health and disease and evolutionary ecology and biology, with an immunology minor. On the side she enjoys doing research at her lab at Sickkids, which focuses on childhood onset lupus and their implications on mental health and development. Additionally, she is also interested in the ecological world and the organisms that live and interact with their environment, and hopes to pursue some kind of research in this field as well going forward. Some interests outside of school include volleyball, badminton, and video games.
Robinson Meng
Robinson is a third year student studying Cell & Systems Biology, Biochemistry and Economics. A spirit of boundless curiosity, he wishes to see all that the world has to offer, whether that is through treading across foreign cities with his own feet, or dividing into the sea of knowledge within libraries. He has a particularly strong compassion in the convergence of science and business, to bring promising research into the hand of those who need it the most.
Johnny McRae
Johnny is a third year chemical engineering undergraduate student at the University of Toronto.
Johnny McRae
Finance
Madhav Gupta
Madhav Gupta is a first-year student majoring in statistics, with and economics and mathematics specialist.
Madhav Gupta
Finance
Advisor
Kaitlyn Wong
Kaitlyn is a third-year mechanical engineering student specializing in solid mechanics and mechatronics. She has been exploring different extracurricular activities to further enhance her skills and leadership. As an advisor in iGEM hardware, she guides and assists members for CAD modelling and 3D printing.
Ethan Tang
Ethan is a first year robotics engineering masters' student at the University of Toronto.
Ethan Tang
Advisor
Ally Cheung
Ally is a graduate of University of Toronto's biomedical engineering undergraduate program who currently works at Procter & Gamble as a supply chain analyst.
Ally Cheung
Advisor
Cynthia Wu
Cynthia is a first year PhD student at the University of Toronto.
Cynthia Wu
Advisor
Kenneth Ting
Kenneth is a UofT graduate who advises the finance team based on his experience as a past sponsorship director.
Kenneth Ting
Advisor
Marry Xuan
Marry is a UofT alumnus who majored in cell systems biology and human biology.
Marry Xuan
Advisor