Every year around 14,000 tons of sunscreen is washed into the oceans and seas.
A great number of commercially produced sunscreens contain chemical compounds with a broad-spectrum ultraviolet coverage, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are extremely toxic to the environment. Sunscreen washed into the ocean results in a dramatic increase of the toxicity level, causing a variety of pathologies to corals, including bleaching.
To prevent this we can use natural UV protection compounds, such as
mycosporine-like amino acids.
Our team is trying to produce MAA-s in yeast, using the genes from two different cyanobacterial species.
We are expecting to obtain shinorine and porphyra-334 (MAAs).
They work not only as sunscreen but also are able to protect skin from photoaging, have the anti-inflammatory effect and antioxidant activity and even could be considered as anti-cancer agents.
Irina Borovko
Russia
Irina is the team leader. She keeps in touch with all the working groups and keeps them connected, and she also participates in the lab work.
To listen to the lecture/meeting and remember its content despite being busy creating a new doodle masterpiece.
Molybdenum (Mo): Irina is trying to take part in everything she can. She is a bit impatient and likes to «catalyze» every process.
Aleksandra Panfilova
Estonia
Somehow help the advisor with directing some parts of lab work, leads the modelling team
Sasha can touch the tip of her nose with her tongue
Krypton (Kr): inert
Frida Matiyevskaya
Kazakhstan
Being a creative centre of the team Frida is responsible for the wiki and everything connected to the design and visual representation of our project. At the same time, she participates in the lab work and helps with collaborations.
Frida is super fast at acquiring new unthinkable skills.
Tungsten(W): She is determined, resistant to stress and responsible for lighting up the creative ideas.
Nargiz Kazimova
Azerbaijan
Nargiz is a very active member of the lab team. She is also responsible for Integrated Human Practices. She contacts scientists and experts from all over the world.
Nargiz can find any information on the Internet, even something hidden in the darkest corners of the World Web.
Chromium (Cr): She is bright, emotional and have a good taste and also reliable and protective of my friends.
Tinatin Tkesheliadze
Georgia
As an active team member,Tikuna tried to be involved in everything but most of her time was dedicated to the lab work and the notebook. She has also participated in collaborations with other teams.
After coming to Estonia, she has mastered to be in 4 countries in less than 24 hours.
Iodine (I): Just like iodine discovers the presence of starch, Tikuna can easily identify small nuances in personalities of different people. Moreover, iodine vapor color - dark purple is her favourite.
Turan Badalli
Azerbaijan
Turan is a member of our Lab team. He spends most of the time in the laboratory and helps the wiki team with the the content creation.
Memory.Especially, short-term memory. In a short period of time, Turan can memorize important things with all details.
Helium (He): As helium doesn't intend to make a bond with other elements, it can be used to characterize his unsocial side.
Nadya Chulkova
Russia
Nadya works in the lab and helps with this wiki page. She does 100 PCR samples a week and tries not to hate css.
To be worried about being worry.
Carbon (C): combustible, can be strong, flexible and sometimes easily breakable depending on the situation.
HUYNH NGOC CHAU PHAN (Jinnie)
Vietnam
Jinnie is working for Lab and Wiki teams. She is doing the experiments and make the content for the Wiki page.
Thinking creative and make it real.
Uranium (U): hard and malleable.
Alissa Agerova
Estonia
Alissa’s main responsibility includes management of PR and HP fields. Her activities range from managing our team’s social media accounts, marketing design decisions to organising and carrying out educational events.
Spontaneous large image content creation.
Platinum (Pt): resistant to external influence. Also, her name is derived from the Germanic Adalheidis meaning “noble”.
Anastasia Kolosova
Estonia
Anastasia is not only actively involved in the lab work, but also helps in finding new sponsors.
She can count more than 1500 colonies on the plate.
Nitrogen triiodide (NI3): touchy.
NI3
Arthur Astapenka
Belarus
Mostly lab work with some support in collaborations and sponsorship.
Master of gel: Arthur can drop it without losing any samples.
Lead (II) acetate: sweet but toxic.
Pb(C2H3O2)2
Veronika Kirillova
Latvia
She is working a little here and there. But most of the time Veronika spends in the laboratory.
She can collect tips with a speed of 3*10^8 m/s.
Klāvs Jermakovs
Latvia
Klavs is assisting the wiki team.
He can finish 3 week online course in 2 days.
Thulium (Tm): He converts dispersed energy into high energy ray.
Dainis Ivanovs
Latvia
Dainis is a junior instructor of the team.
Teleportation. He can be in any place at any time, but don't know where that will be.
Uranium (Ur): Dainis has lots of energy.
Luka Bulatovic
Montenegro
Junior instructor.
Gives free hugs to those in need.
Manganese (Mn): Occasionally confused about oxidation states, though always finds the right one.
Daniel Shmidt
USA
A junior instructor who can provide full support with the iGEM-wiki and lab stuff.
He can sleep for 14 hours.
Cobalt (Co):he is attractive like a powerful magnet.
Mart Loog
Estonia
Professor of Molecular Systems Biology, Medicinal Biochemistry PhD, Primary PI
To think about multiple things simultaneously, creating an extraordinary mind flow.
Livermorium. Supernatural, exists only in science. Has a lot yet undiscovered talents.
Ilona Faustova
Estonia
Bioorganic chemistry PhD, Secondary PI
She is like a Time Lord, can find time for everything.
Promethium: very rare and exceptional. Has an enormous amount of energy, like an atomic battery.
Artemi Maljavin
Estonia
Molecular Biology PhD student, Advisor.
Artemi can grow an additional number of ears to listen to every student’s question.
Aluminium (Al):he comes along well with both students and scientists.
Kaur Pääbo
Estonia
Advisor
Debugging molecular cloning designs.
C2H5OH:fun in moderate doses.
C2H5OH
Nastassia Shtaida
Belarus
Advisor
She is an information processor, can go through an enormous amount of text at once.
Lithium (Li): softhearted, responsive and quick to sympathise.
Anton Zemel
Kazakhstan
Anton guides the creation of the wiki site, works both with the code and design part.
Invisibility. An éminence grise of the team, unnoticeable but influential and irreplaceable member and advisor.
Iridium (Ir): Anton has a lot of colours, talented in very diverse fields. He may seem slightly distant, as he is very corrosion-resistant, but in reality Anton is a good friend, always ready to help.
Vladislav Tuzov
Russia
Lab and modelling teams member. Also, Vlad helped the sponsorship team.
Looking grumpy, yet always willing to help.
Chlorine (Cl): in its pure form is yellowish-green, but its common compounds are typically colorless.
