The iGEM 2010 Team Freiburg

We are a team of students consisting of 15 members. Among, there are 13 biology students specialized in various topics such as Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology, Plant Biotechnology, Immunology and of course Synthetic Biology. Furthermore, our team has one student of physics and one student of informatics. Combining these abilities we handled the challenges associated with our project and realized it hand in hand. Over the past summer, the team of biology students worked in groups and was greatly supported by our instructors and supervisor. Each group consisted of 2-3 students and was specialized either on DNA cloning or on cell culture. These main topics were again divided into smaller ones, like for example ‘N-terminal fusion’ or ‘loop modifications’ of our virus. As our labjournal editings reached unlimited dimensions, we realized that we need further help. Luckily our Physics and Computer sciences students reinforced our team and designed the wiki and created mathematical models.
Besides the daily laboratory work, we all spent some free time together, watching movies cooking, and having fun together. One of the funniest events was our canoe trip, sunny weather but however, wet conditions.
For pictures see: [Link]

Team members

Instructors

Kristian M. Müller

Kristian is our supervisor, he coordinates and reinforces us in our efforts and plans.
You can reach him via his web-site (http://www.syntbio.net) or by e-mail (Kristian@syntbio.net).

Katja M. Arndt

Katja was with us during the start-up phase but then had to leave us during the project, because she followed a call to a professorship in Potsdam.

Sven Hagen

To tell the truth, he is the best instructor a team can have. Stop! Besides Tobi, of course. Thank you for everything.

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." (St. Francis of Assisi 1181/1182 – 1226)

Tobias Baumann

To tell the truth, he is the best instructor a team can have. Stop! Besides Sven, of course. Thank you for everything.

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate." (Henry J. Tillman)

Student Members

Achim Mall

Achim is surrounded by an aura of silence. Pipete more than 100 qPCRs? No problem! Keep cool and then let’s go.

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." (Douglas Adams)

Adrian Fischer

This is Adrian, he is not only one of the best in cell culture, but he brought music from all centuries (preferring the 90’s!) into our lives.

"You have to make the good out of the bad, because that is all you have got to make it out of." Robert Penn Warren

Anissa Bender

Anissa has skills in cloning and cell culture works, both without any difficulty. And if you need somebody to be really honest, she is the right person.

Anna Oschowitzer

She`s the heart and soul of the lab. Always good-humored and poised to do that needs to be done. She has skills in cloning and PCR and did a good job in winning sponsors.

"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing." (Wernher Von Braun)

Bea Kaufmann

Our ‘laboratory smurf’ is an organizing talent and takes care of the whole project and its single members.

"Good Morning!" (Unknown) --> Story to that: Leaving the lab at 4 a.m and being greeted from the security guard with a nice good morning! That is iGEM! Therefore, my citation of the month (or better: of the last months! ;-))

Christian Weingärtner

He is the real midiprep master, the nanodrop is overstrained when measuring these enormous concentrations.

"All the world's a stage" (William Shakespeare)

Hanna Wagner

The ITRs were nearly incomprehensible, until now! Here we have somebody with the fanciest methods and cloning strategies.

"I believe there is no philosophical high-road in science, with epistemological signposts. No, we are in a jungle and find our way by trial and error, building our road behind us as we proceed." (Max Born)

Jessica Günzle

Jessica is a multitalent. Planning our iGEM cajak tour, our trip and flight to Boston and working in the lab at the same time. That is great, man!

"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science." (Edwin Powell Hubble)

Kerstin Klingele

Our sweet little girl does great work in cell culture and using flow cytometry. You can be sure with every business, it is all in good hands.

Kira Meyerovich

Laboratory experience is greatly available. And a very smart way of working, too.

Max Schelker

Max is our physicist and a specialist in Systems Biology, he really knows how to handle data-based mathematical modeling.

"Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater." (Albert Einstein)

Stefan Bergmann

If you think there is no helping hand, you’re wrong. Stefan is everywhere and has got the plans in mind.

"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special." (S. Hawking)

Volker Morath

Guess who knows how to build a virus in his own basement. And if you need a straight opinion, go for Volker.

"Quand tu veux construire un bateau, ne commence pas par rassembler du bois, couper des planches et distribuer du travail, mais reveille au sein des hommes le desir de la mer grande et large." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

Patrick Schindler

He is a hard worker, whether there is something to do in the laboratory, or to eat meals for a whole team.

"If You Want Peace, prepare for war." (Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus)

Timon Schober

Do you see this great wiki? Yes, this is the work of our great web programmer and computer scientist Timon.

Friends

Fabian Haas

Fabi helped us where he can: You're great!

Johannes Zang

He takes the best pictures ever and knows how to fight with photoshop.