Axel RADIN

"I am a student in the first year of a master’s degree of Health Biology, with a major in microbiology. I decided to participate in iGEM because this competition will allow me to explore various interdisciplinary fields around biology while keeping in touch with the wet lab. Next year, I want to join the Master Microbiology and Bioengineering at the University of Orsay in a sandwich course. After the Master, I aim to acquire some experience before creating my own research and development start-up."

Suzanne PHENGSAY

"I am a student in a bachelor’s degree of Life Sciences. I wanted to participate in iGEM to be able to retrieve this agreeable sensation of completing an association project. I also try to mix art and science during this adventure. Beside my studies, I work on a comic project aiming to popularize science and on the 2.0 version of an immunology serious game. Those projects are particularly important to me because I want to transmit a scientific knowledge to a vast public, through them. All of this is part of the job I want to do: scientific illustrator."

Paul AHAVI

"Keen on politic, pastry, and, of course, science, I am currently a student of the Master of Life Science at the University of Paris-Sud and affiliated to the magistère of biotechnology of Orsay. Before this school year, I didn’t know the iGEM competition. It was introduced to me by our Team Leader Esteban, during a synthetic biology class that we had in common. I instantly liked the concept, mainly because it’s a synthetic biology project that help the development of the worldwide research through the characterisation of biobricks, and because it promotes interdisciplinarity. However, what pleased me most was the complete autonomy which benefit iGEM teams. That’s why it seems to me that this experience is a formidable springboard toward research and entrepreneurship. Like most of our team members, it’s that last choice that is interesting me the most, because entrepreneurship is a mean to have an impact on our society. For the same reason, I plan to create or participate in humanitarian projects."

Yassine AJLIL

"Proudly graduated from a bioinformatic Bachelor, I finally found my place in the world of science. After going through a first year of medical studies, then Biology classes and finally Bio-informatic, I confidently orient myself toward the field of biotechnologies, mainly synthetic biology, aiming, in the end, to work in the applied research. I participate in iGEM this year, for different reasons. First, for the experience, unmatched by any internship, that we can acquire during an iGEM project, especially concerning project management. Also, to learn advanced notions in the fields of biology, bioinformatic or even biochemistry but also in ancillary domains such as economy or law."

Yann BOURGUES

"I’m currently studying Computer Science and Business at the University of Evry-Val-d'Essonne. I decided to participate in the iGEM adventure because of the importance that I give to the research in general. Moreover, this competition gathers teams of the whole world, gathering to make evolve the science. This is a reason for me to bring my help to this most interesting adventure. At the end of my studies, I would like to participate in an equally exciting adventure: the launch of a start-up, whether with a biological project, computer or mixing both."

Paul DEL RINCON

"Student in Biology and participant of the 2017 edition of the iGEM competition by accident, I came back this year to learn more and pass on what I received last year. My free time is essentially taken by reading, cooking and reading cooking books. I came back to iGEM to go further than last year, by embracing a more important role and by exploring fields that other team members took care of in 2017. I hope to develop new skills while retrieving a teamwork spirit and a fun at least as strong as the previous year. I want to join a master specialised in synthetic biology, and maybe obtain PhD afterward. Then, I would like to become a researcher, no matter where, as long as I can live from my passion for biology."

Solène CASTANIER

"I am a student in a bachelor’s degree of Life Sciences. I wanted to participate in iGEM to take a glimpse at what is the work of a researcher and know if I really would like to do this job. But I also wanted to participate for the human side of the project. This contest allows us to meet people from the entire world, within our team and during the meetups. Later, I would like to work in the field of research to find cures for rare genetic diseases."

Angelo CARDOSO BATISTA

"I am a former biotechnologist from Brazil. My interests on iGEM starts in 2014, when I did an internship in synthetic biology. Since that, I have spread no effort to popularize science and engage students to participate to iGEM. For the time being, I am still not decided if I will pursuit my willing through education or my own business."

Marine PODEVIN

"I am a student in a bachelor’s degree of Life Sciences. I wanted to participate in iGEM to deepen my knowledge and my team spirit. I would like to join the French-Chinese Health Biology master’s degree at the University of Evry and then work on the search of new ways to perform tests in lab, without using animal testing. I am sensitive to the ethical and ecological questions of our world, and I want to help answering them, maybe by creating my own company in those fields."

Sara Sadat AGHAMIRI

"I'm interested in interdisciplinary projects like IGEM. From my first master 2 in Systems & Synthetic Biology, I understood the importance of Systems Biology in different fields of Biotechnology, especially in Synthetic Biology. By taking part in IGEM competition I could improve my teamwork skills and also I had the opportunity to learn new methods and technologies in this field."

Léa RAUSCHER

"Currently in my 5th year of Law studies, I am specialized in Health and Biotechnology. I am writing a thesis about the juridical status of AI-controlled robots. A trendy topic, exciting and confusing, needing to grasp the world of tomorrow with its practical as well as ethical questions. I wish to pursue a professional career in link with health, social services and biotechnologies."

Sambavi MARKANDU

"I am a Biology student at the University of Evry and I am specialized in Genomic and Physiology. I wanted to participate in iGEM for the experimental part of the project, teamwork, but also to meet new iGEMers. Later, I want to continue into a Biology master at the University of Evry and become a researcher in Endocrinology."

Azim-Berdy BESYA

"I am a mechanical engineer, with several years of experience working in automotive industry. This year, I started my new career in synthetic biology with M2 education in synthetic biology, without any former education in biology. In iGEM, my expertise is math, but currently I am doing lots of wet-lab practice."

Camille MONTEIL

Charlotte DENEAUX

"I am a student in a bachelor’s degree of Life Sciences. I joined the iGEM adventure because I wanted to have an insight on biology through another mean than studies. iGEM is the ideal contest to begin working in biology and acquire new skills. Later, I would like to reorient myself toward plant biology, more precisely toward the creation of medically aimed GMO plants. I plan to pursue my studies within the French-Japanese Master of the University of Bordeaux."

Nada FANJAOUI

"I am a student in a bachelor’s degree of Life Sciences. I wanted to participate in iGEM to broaden my knowledge in synthetic biology, which is an emergent field that I didn’t knew much about before this year. I had the chance to discover synthetic biology during the 2nd semester of my 3rd year of Bachelor. This combination of Biology and engineering principles, that I allow myself to describe as an art, do not stop surprising me through the utility it brings to different fields. More than deepening my knowledge, I wanted to see what it feels to work within a team on a project and to do more wet-lab work, to have the chance to meet new people that, just like me, like science and to share their knowledge and ideas. Later, I would like to study Oncology and have my own laboratory to devote my life to the Research."

Khawla ACHOCH

"I am a student in a bachelor’s degree of Life Sciences. I wanted to participate in iGEM because it is an opportunity to acquire new skills. I find it to be a wonderful experience. I am more interested in the scientific aspect of the project because the student-leaded research is the most interesting part of the contest from my point of view. For the evolution of my career, I wish to keep studying in the Genetic field."

Ioana POPESCU

Associate Professor — iSSB, University of Evry Val-d’Essonne

Manish KUSHWAHA

Senior Scientist — INRA

Jean-Loup FAULON

Research Director — INRA / iSSB / University of Manchester

Nazim SARICA

Researcher PhD student — iSSB, University of Evry Val-d’Essonne

Steff HOREMANS

Researcher PhD student — iSSB, University of Evry Val-d’Essonne