Team:Montreal/Team

Principal Advisor

• [http://www.mcgill.ca/microimm/department/associate_adjunct_prof/nadeau/ Jay Nadeau]

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduates

• Sara Abdollahi

'10 Chemical Engineering

With two years to go in her chemical engineering degree and one year of co-op experience under her belt, Sara hopes to supervise the applied science happening with the Montreal iGEMmers. She looks forward to using her engineering degree to help other people in the future and is taking a minor in Biomedical Sciences towards this end. In her spare time, she likes hiking, writing and reading.

• Avi Biswas

'08 Anatomy and Cell Biology

An undergraduate student in Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill, Avi is sticking around till December to graduate. Part of last year's iGEM team, he loved Jamboree'ing so much, that he's decided to stick around another year. He spends his spare time playing sports like tennis and soccer, and when Montreal doesn't allow that, he stays home and watches insane amounts of online streaming television. Within the ranks of the McGill team, Avi is known by the distinctive iGEM pseudonym of 'Manpri's' (derived from the article of clothing, the 'capri') and one day hopes to invent a robot that can spit out biobricks and write papers for you at the same time.

• James G. Choi

'10 Anatomy and Cell Biology

Having just completed his 2nd year at McGill studying Anatomy and Cell Biology, James is a first-timer to a research lab. While being an iGEMer is very exciting, he hopes to take this opportunity to take what was learnt in classrooms into practice.

• Sayeh Davoudi

'10 Biochemistry

My name is Sayeh (aka Powerpuff to my lab buddies) and I'm a second year biochem major. I'm pretty recognizable by being one of the only two girls in the lab, and trying to keep the lab tidy after everyone messes it up. iGEM is my first lab experience and when I'm not making DNA gels, I spend my time reading, going to the gym, and doing all kind of girly stuff . See you all at the Jamboree!!!

• Adrian Ebsary

'09 Hon. Biochemistry, Min. Biotechnology

A fourth year student on his way to getting an honours in Biochemistry with a minor in Genetic Biotechnology, Adrian spent his two previous summers before entering iGEM working for the biotechnology company Iogen Corp. in Ottawa, Ontario. After earning his experience there while working towards perfecting an industrial bio-ethanol production system, he threw his lot in with the McGill iGEM team. When not brickifying, Adrian spends his time playing soccer and squash. He hopes to attend graduate school following his final year of university.

• Hanmo Li

'08 Physiology

So this is my second year participating in iGEM, and I'm sure this time around we will be better! I just completed my last year of my B.Sc at McGill University, and I am looking forward to going further with my academic career.

• Alexandra Ortan

'08 Joint Honours in Mathematics and Physics

Having recently graduated from a Joint Honours in Mathematics and Physics, Alexandra is interested in mathematical modelling and as such has decided to put her math skills at the service of the McGill iGEM team. When not coding, Alexandra is doing math, and when not doing math, she's coding for iGEM. In moments this vicious cycle brakes, she watches period drama and makes origami.

• Vincent Quenneville-Bélair

'08 Joint Honours in Mathematics and Physics

Vincent just finished his degree in the Joint Honours in Mathematics and Physics at McGill and will pursue graduate studies in applied mathematics far far away. As a fervent mathematics lover, he decided to join the modeling crusade of the McGill iGEM team, thus sacrificing his sleep to paper and computer. Once decoupled from his tender laptop, he hikes, bikes and skies.

• Ken Sun

'10 Hon. Bio-organic Chemistry

Ken is the SUV-driving, gun-toting, red meat-eating, tree-burning, FOX News-watching Conservative of the McGill iGEM team. When he's not applying his extensive and far superior expertise in molecular biology techniques and chemistry skills to the group, he engages in a variety of activities including but not limited to:

• Scrounging for tinder and inexpensive flammable liquids
• Igniting said tinder and/or liquids
• And repeat

Despite the concerns of myopic labmates, he is not in fact a pyromaniac, but merely enjoys the challenges of maintaining a controlled flame. He takes no pleasure in the fiery destruction of property, his or otherwise. He is also particularly adept at throwing cards at targets from a distance, earning him the nickname [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambit_%28comics%29 Gambit].

• Kota Talla

’09 Hon. Microbiology and Immunology

A third year science major in Microbiology and Immunology, Kota is the resident microbiologist of the group with a research bent. As lab supervisor, he is concerned with proper observation of lab protocol and ready availability of materials (without resorting to plunder from the team advisor’s lab) over the course of the day’s toil. When not meditating on the implications of genetically engineered micro-machines, he battles against potential threats to lab security from within.

• Horia Vulpe

2008 Physiology 2012 Medicine

Horia (or Horea) is Romanian for "he played the flute (for people to dance)" and was the name of a famous Transylvanian revolutionary who was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_wheel broken on the wheel] after his peasant army was crushed by the Hungarian forces in 1784. When not fighting social injustice, Horia likes to read, speak latin when drunk, accompany his friends on the piano, and try to find ways to achieve a [http://www.transhumanism.org transhumanist] future. He is a proud warrior in this year's iGEM peasant revolution.

Post-Graduate Advisors

• Daniel Cooper

Biomedical Engineering, PhD

• Adrian Kaats

Biomedical Engineering, PhD

Where we're from

Montreal: City of the Expos, Canadiens and artery-clogging poutine. After eating mounds and mounds of these fries and cheese curds and gravy, we'll use a fine wine as a chaser.