Szonja Skenderovic
BSc Biochemistry ‘26
I’m Szonja, a Biochemistry student from Hungary and part of Imperial’s iGEM team this year. I grew up on Croatian beaches and I actually want to cave dive one day — always chasing the next challenge. When I’m not hands-on with biotech in the lab, I love coming up with crazy venture ideas and seeing where they take me.
Yeline Idir
MEng Biomedical Engineering ‘26
I’m Yeline, from Morocco, living at the intersection of science, chaos & creativity. I speak 4.5 languages, overthink everything, and dream in prototypes. My academic interests orbit around healthtech, therapeutics, and innovation! And when I’m not deep in ideas, I’m probably getting stained with paint. I signed up for iGEM to make bio a little wilder... Stay tuned and see what’s next :)
Jonathan Collard
MSc Chemical Engineering ‘25
Hi, I’m Jonathan. I’m from Indonesia. I both love and hate the sheer complexity of biology, but applying it is my favorite part. I’m really interested in how biology does so well to stop us from scaling it up so it can have real impact on our society. So right now I’ve put myself at the intersections of biomanufacturing, bioprocess engineering, and optimization. Outside the lab, you’ll usually find me swimming or behind a camera.
Akihito Gohdo
BSc Medical Biosciences ‘27
初めまして, I’m Akihito(Aki), currently studying Medical Biosciences at Imperial. My lab interests include metabolic engineering, cancer biology, and genomics. Outside of the lab, I’m usually producing music, cycling, or cooking for myself. Nice to meet you! よろしく！
Povilas Sauciuvienas
MEng Molecular Bioengineering ‘26
Hey, I’m Povilas, the Dry Lab team lead. I do Bioengineering and study Data Science on the side. I’m extremely eager for how AI (just not the vibe coded one) will revolutionize the field of biology. I love gymming and have the sleep schedule of a baby. I also somehow managed to not start drinking despite being from Eastern Europe (not really, Lithuania) and playing Rugby.
Frederick Steinmann
MEng Molecular Bioengineering ‘28
My name’s Frederick, I’m a Molecular Bioengineering undergrad from Switzerland. I have a strong interest in math in biology and cellular engineering applications. Outside of rotting in the lab or staring at publication graphs you may find me enjoying life, coffee, or international relations. I’m engaged with competitive debate at Imperial, for better or worse.
Zichen He
BSc Biotechnology ‘25
Hi! I’m Zichen, a recent Biotechnology graduate. I grew up in the UK, making me the only ‘british’ student of our very multicultural team! I’m really interested in mathematical modelling and machine learning, but also dabble in badminton and climbing outside this :)
Anabel Lau
BSc Biochemistry ‘26
Hi, I’m Anabel, a Biochemistry student from Hong Kong. I’m drawn to the complexities of understanding how biological systems and genomics are controlled. Outside the lab, you’ll find me playing guitar, tossing a frisbee, or with a pint in hand.
Tiffany Lin
BSc Biological Sciences ‘27
Hi, I'm Tiffany, an undergrad student who runs on Redbull (pink edition), Canva, and an alarming number of Google Chrome tabs. I love researching in the field of SynBio due to the unlimited possibilities to design, build, and test future bio-applications. I enjoy collecting languages like its Pokémon and also live to make everything scientifically aesthetic.
Asay
Hi, I’m Asay! I’m from Turkey and Spain, and I study Chemical Engineering. I’m passionate about applying engineering principles to real-world biological challenges. I’m especially interested in biotechnology and sustainable systems, and that’s what I hope to work on in the future.
Amber
MSc Physics ‘26
I’m Amber a first year Biochemistry student at Imperial. I love researching, writing and working in the lab on experiments (that may or may not work..). I am a climate tech enthusiast with a particular interest in how synthetic biology can solve issues regarding the planet. When I’m not in the lab, I’m probably designing a new dress, in a jazz club, or booking another ticket to Paris. Excited for the journey ahead!
Hugo
MSc Physics ‘26
Hi, I'm Hugo, a Physics student from the UK. I'm particularly fascinated by computational physics and how we can model complex systems to uncover the nature of reality. Outside of my studies, I'm passionate about economics, literature, and music. And yes, while I'm certainly dedicated to my work and can put in those 12-hour days, have no doubt you’ll find me on the dance floor afterwards!
Erika
BA Design, Screen, Media ‘28
My name is Erika Kasuga, and I am an artist and design student at Central Saint Martins specifically interested human centered design. I split my time between London, Tokyo and the US. In my free time, you'll find me at live houses and galleries.
Prof. Rodrigo-Ledesma Amaro
Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro is the Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and of the Microbial Food Hub. He leads a research group at the interface of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. His research lab is based in the Department of Bioengineering and the Center for Synthetic Biology and Innovation.
Dr. Jason Yu
Jason is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow whose research interests centre around investigating the genetic mechanims that regulate differentiation and reprogramming. He is particularly interested in the use of genome-wide forward genetic screens to identify novel factors that contribute to these processes.
Dr. Alexander Van de Steen
I am a post-doctoral bioengineering research associate at Imperial College London, working with Prof. Tom Ellis, Central Saint Martins and an LVMH subsidiary towards sustainable protein-based materials. Following my PhD, I am developing my biological engineering experience with industry-appropriate methodologies. My ambition is to support biotech solutions to reduce human impact on our environment. I believe this impact will be substantially achieved through the rapid scale-up in food-grade recombinant macromolecules.
Dr. Lisa Neidhardt
Hey there! I’m Lisa! Originally from Germany, I’ve been living in the UK for a while now, where I completed my PhD in Cambridge. My research focused on stress pathways in mammalian cells, and I expressed and purified over 100 different proteins for biophysical analysis. Now, I joined the food team at the RLA lab to explore the use of Yarrowia lipolytica for biomass fermentation. I’m passionate about community building — I’m a regional mentor for the Good Food Institute, where I support student groups in the sustainable food tech space. To balance all that brain work, I love staying active. You’ll often find me climbing, dancing (5Rhythms and contact improvisation), hiking, or taking a cold water swim.
Dr. Oliver Konzock
I am originally from Germany and completed my PhD at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. My research focuses on harnessing the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica to produce various lipids, particularly food oils. I am passionate about advancing microbial biotechnology to create sustainable solutions for the future of food production.
Sabyasachi Banerjee
Sabyasachi Banerjee is a PhD scholar at BITS Pilani specializing in synthetic biology, enzyme engineering, and advanced bioprocessing. His research spans epigenetics at the Department of Atomic Energy (CEBS), defense applications at DRDO, and biomaterial testing at TÜV Rheinland, with recognition including a presentation before the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. For over four years, he has mentored iGEM teams globally, guiding students in turning scientific ideas into viable business models. An author of book chapters on cystic fibrosis, ovarian cancer, and agribiotechnology, he also dedicates time to nonprofit work in education, relief efforts, and environmental conservation.
Shan Jiang
I am Shan Jiang, co-founder of Ailurus Bio. Ailurus is a biological programming company creating tools that instruct living systems to automate complex biological workflows and unlock new research possibilities. I started my journey in iGEM in 2017 as a student leader, then as an advisor and judge — a role I continue to this day.