Meet Our Team

Constantin

Hi! I’m Constantin, one of the student leaders and Co-founders of Pyricon. I first discovered iGEM and the possibilities of synthetic biology during the very first semester of my Master’s in Molecular Biotechnology - and I was instantly fascinated. My passion for spiders (fun fact: I have six pet tarantulas!) makes this project especially meaningful, as it allows me to work closely with spider silk, a material I’ve admired for years. I’m also deeply interested in nature and sustainability, and combining these two passions has been a rare and rewarding opportunity that I’m truly grateful for. Throughout the project, I was involved in many areas - from project development and wet lab work to fundraising and human practices. One highlight was designing a synthetic spider silk gene, which was both exciting and incredibly educational. Outside the lab, I love hiking, skiing, and exploring nature. And whether it’s a board game or a video game, I’m always up for a good match!

Lilli

Hey, I am Lilli. I’m studying Molecular Biotechnology and currently I’m in my final master semester. I am excited by the many new possibilities that synthetic biology offers for achieving your goals. For Pyricon, I’m one of the student leaders & co-founders. I worked on the whole concept of Pyricon, the science communication including presentations (science slam, day of the open door of the university), as well with sponsor acquisition, design, communication and overall organization. I conducted several interviews for human practices with industry partners and academic fellows. I also started the female scientist interview series, where we highlight the importance and role of incredible women in science. I’m also responsible for the outreach via our social media channels (LinkedIn & Instagram) and collabs between iGEM-teams. Last, but not least, I conducted wet lab research together with Constantin & Marcel. We were also allowed to present a part of our data at the VAAM congress and published an article about our research in the BIOSpektrum magazine. Besides science, I love gardening, running with friends, baking & cooking. Absolute coffee lover!

Marcel

Hi, I am Marcel! I am in my final semester of my Master’s in Molecular Biotechnology. Science is for me a responsibility to make meaningful impacts for society and I believe with synthetic biology we have a tool to make this impact.

Together with Constantin and Lilli, I have co-founded Pyricon and I am one of the student leaders within our iGEM team. My role in the team has been broad, ranging from project development to experiment planning to wet lab work and documenting our results on our Wiki. Some highlights from my iGEM journey include in early stage the brain storming for a project idea, name and overall narrative, followed by design of our logo and flyers for Pyricon and the lab work with Lilli and Constantin. I was involved in interviews with leaders from science and industry, which brought invaluable insights for our project and were actively implemented in our engineering cycle. Moreover, I have been active in fundraising and building connections with university offices, supporters and fellow iGEM Teams. Additionally, communicating our project’s idea has been a big part of my tasks. This included presentational materials for stakeholder engagement, but also events at a Science Slam, the university’s faculty day of biology, the VAAM annual conference and the BFH iGEM European Meetup. These experiences have not only shaped our project, but also helped us gather fresh perspectives and ideas to push our project forward.

Besides science, I love gymnastics, hiking, travelling and learning Spanish. If you would like to chat about synthetic biology, responsibility in science or creative ways in science communication, come find me.

Jess

Hi, I´m Jess. I´m in my last semester of my master´s in Molecular Biotechnology. To me, synthetic biology is all about creativity and endless possibilities. In our iGEM project, I´ve conducted interviews for human practices with female scientists. As a part of the Wiki team, I´ve helped design and code our Wiki pages (results, human practices, contributions subpages). I´ve joined the science communication team as well, where I have helped to create posters and presented them to audiences with different scientific backgrounds. I also like creative work, so I designed our team merch as well! Outside of the lab, I love cooking, hiking and I love my plants. I also enjoy distracting Alissa from lab work with lots of chatting and coffee breaks.

Alissa

Hi, my name is Alissa. I’m currently doing my Master’s degree in Molecular Biotechnology. I have always been fascinated by nature and science, which inspired me to become a scientist. To me synthetic biology means addressing challenges in sustainability and the environment, and developing innovative solutions for society. For our iGEM project, I contributed to the Wiki by coding the engineering and parts subpages, as well as creating content for the supporters subpage. I also represented our team at the BFH meet-up, where we received valuable feedback from the audience. In addition, I helped design scientific posters for project presentations and conducted interviews for the female scientist series. Outside of science, I enjoy hiking, baking, and playing Pokémon. I love spending time in the forest and especially enjoy mushroom picking.

Johannes

Hi, I´m Johannes. I am currently in the final stages of my bachelor's degree in molecular biotechnology. Ever since I first heard about IGEM in 2018, I have wanted to be a part of it at least once in my life. I am so grateful that it has now worked out. For me, synthetic biology is the opportunity to use a construction kit to build new solutions and products that advance the world. I helped with fundraising, because without the financial foundation, every project fails. It was very important to me that everyone on the Igem team had the chance to go to Paris to make contacts around the world that they could benefit from for the rest of their lives. It was great to coordinate the entrepreneurial team, with all the challenges that come with converting a good idea into a functioning business that could last. Outside of science and figuring out how to start a business, I enjoy sports such as roundnet. Travelling the world and being out in the mountains. Or my other passion, connecting new people at game nights or whatever events I organize.

Yara

Hey, I´m Yara. I’m studying Molecular Biotechnology and am currently entering the final stage of my bachelor’s degree. Just as endless life paths open up to you after school, the same is true in science, especially in synthetic biology. Suddenly, there are so many possibilities, so many starting points for making the world a little bit better. When I heard about Pyricon, I was immediately captivated and certain that this was a project that could be of great use. Not only on paper, but in the real world. Since I enjoy broadening my horizons, I decided to work in business and fundraising, as well as supporting our team through public relations work such as instagram posts and poster presentations. Aside from research, I love reading, crafting, and spending days by the sea.

Moritz

Hi, I’m Moritz. Currently i am in my second master semester in Biomedicine. Biology has always been for me a chance to find the truth and deeper meaning of things in my daily life. To me synthetic biology opens a whole new world with many opportunities in all biological fields. In the iGEM project i was part of the business team. This includes developing and writing a business plan, presenting the project to stakeholders for financial support and useful feedback. I also participated in the BFH Euromeet where we could connect with other iGEM teams and got great feedback. Outside of my studies, I enjoy road cycling, giving swimming lessons and swimming myself.

Latifa

Hello! My name is Latifa, but I'm also known as Aya Latifa. I’m an international student in Germany pursuing a Bachelor of Science in molecular biotechnology. I’ve always been fascinated by the human body, pharmacy, and, most of all, the “why” behind everything.

My passion for biotechnology was ignited in tenth grade during a biology class where we studied the production of insulin through bacteria. I was amazed. Before this, I only thought of bacteria as harmful germs. That one class completely altered my perspective on science.

Today, I am a member of the iGEM Mainz team. I work in the Science Communication and Strategy subgroup. You may have heard my voice by now, as I host the iGEM Mainz podcast. I also help bring our ideas to life by creating project videos.

Being part of iGEM has given me the chance to combine my love of science with my passion for storytelling and connect with brilliant students who share my passion. I enjoy translating complex concepts, such as the relationship between spiders and cement, into engaging stories that anyone can understand.

Henry

Hi, I am Henry. I study Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, and I am fascinated by how understanding small molecules can help solve big challenges. For our iGEM project, I contributed to the Wiki by working on both conceptual design and coding, including the development of the Supporters page, as well as helping to create content for several subpages. Outside of science, I enjoy being active: sailing, hiking, road cycling, jogging, and climbing are some of my favourite ways to spend my time.

Clara

Hi everyone, I'm Clara, a Master's student in molecular biology in Mainz. Whenever my 10-year-old cousin asks me why I'm so fascinated by my studies, I tell him: "Everything around us is biology. Some of it is visible, but the most exciting parts are invisible. We, as molecular biologists, make the invisible visible." That's what drives me: using clever tools like microscopes and smart technologies to not only see the unseen but also to make it work for us. This iGEM project, with its goal to use spider silk to improve infrastructure, is a perfect example of this. I contributed to the Pyricon project by supporting the science communication team. It's projects like these - that are forward-thinking and aim to create a better world - that give my studies in molecular biology real purpose. Because I want to contribute to a world where my little cousin can grow up happily.

Marius

More Information follows!