Team:Queens Canada/Team


Meet the
of QGEM



Our Team

sono-khan

Sono Khan
Director of QGEM

Sono Khan
Director of QGEM

Hey! My name is Sono and I’m the Director for the 2020 Queen’s iGEM team! I’m from Belleville, Ontario and will be entering my 4th year of Biochemistry in the fall. Our project this year is very important to me as I spent the last year working in a biomedical lab studying Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). So, having the opportunity to work with the incredible QGEM team this summer on a biosensor in that realm, and knowing that our work will further the landscape of CKD diagnostics is amazing. If I’m not running molecular dynamic simulations or modelling proteins, you can find me playing soccer or hurting myself while trying to skateboard!
kody-klupt

Kody Klupt
Wet Lab Lead

Kody Klupt
Wet Lab Lead

Hi my name is Kody and I'm the Wet-Lab lead for the QGEM 2020 team! I'm from Thornhill Ontario and I will be going into my fourth year of Biochemistry this fall. This years project is really exciting for me - apart from phosphate we are measuring other metabolites like glucose. Working as a Research Student in Endocrinology last summer I know how vital the detection of ions and metabolites can be for both patients and their physicians. Although you won't find me in the lab this summer I'll be spending my time writing protocols and modelling our proteins. A fun fact about me is I am a big Toronto Raptors fan!
genevieve-norris-roozmon

Genevieve Norris-Roozmon
Dry Lab Lead

Genevieve Norris-Roozmon
Dry Lab Lead

Hi! My name is Geneviève and I'm the Dry-Lab lead for QGEM this year! I'm from Toronto and will be going into my third year of Chemical Engineering (Bioengineering Option) this fall. Having worked in Quality Improvement at a Toronto hospital last summer, I learned about the importance of enhancing patient engagement with their care and the potential for point-of-care testing. As a result, I am really excited about this project for the great learning opportunity to address a gap in CKD care by applying my engineering knowledge and acquiring new skills to create a device prototype backed by engineering models. Fun fact: I started a baking instagram during quarantine and now sell the only bagels made in-house in Kingston! 
anthony-marsili

Anthony Marsili
Wiki Design Lead

Anthony Marsili
Wiki Design Lead

Hello! I'm Anthony, one of the Wiki Design Leads here at QGEM. I am from Vaughan, ON and am currently in my fourth year of Computer Science at Queen's University. I have really enjoyed working with this team over the summer. I truly believe that the project our team has been working on can have a large and positive difference for many people around the world. Being able to help bring the idea to life in a creative way has allowed for lots of fun and challenging moments. In my spare time, you'll find me playing soccer, watching soccer, coding, or hanging out with friends!
liana-evans

Liana Evans
Wiki Design Lead

Liana Evans
Wiki Design Lead

Hi there! My name is Liana and I am one of the Wiki Design Leads for this year's QGEM team! I live in Toronto, Ontario and I am going into my fourth year of Biomedical Computing in the fall! While I haven't spent as much time in the lab as some of my team members, my experience lies in web design! The opportunity to join a team in a position that combined my educational background with my love for design was one I couldn't pass on. I handle a lot of the design work for our wiki and help our other leads turn the designs into a reality! Something you may want to know about me is that I am a world- ranked competitive Irish Dancer!
mahdi-kabir

Mahdi Kabir
Wiki Design Advisor

Mahdi Kabir
Wiki Design Advisor

Hi, I'm Mahdi—I'm the Wiki Design Advisor for the 2020 QGEM team! I'm heading into the third year of my degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, with certificates in Law and Media Studies. QGEM is an exciting biotechnological addition to my extracurriculars, including artificial intelligence, genetics, and legal data science! Having worked in the health industry, Velcrion is important to me because I know that the world of medicine thrives and progresses on engineering innovation and technology. A fun fact about me is that I'm allergic to most fruits and vegetables—I know, weird, right!?
maya-dixon

Maya Dixon
Graphic Design Lead

Maya Dixon
Graphic Design Lead

Hello, my name is Maya and I am the Graphics Design Coordinator for QGEM this year. I am going into my fourth year of Biology and I'm from Victoria, BC. My role is to collaborate with other sub teams to design graphics. I am excited to work with everyone this year and to see how the final project will impact many peoples lives. A fun fact about me is I have a secret makeup and skincare blog that I won't show my friends.
hannah-beddow

Hannah Beddow
Human Practices Lead

Hannah Beddow
Human Practices Lead

Hi! My name is Hannah and I am one of the Outreach Leads for QGEM this year, specializing in Human Practices. I’m from Orillia, ON, and entering my third year of Life Sciences in the fall. I am super passionate about genetics and applying new biotechnology to create meaningful solutions in healthcare. In my role, I am responsible for assisting in reaching out to community members and healthcare professionals to gain feedback on how our product can best benefit CKD patients. In my spare time, you’ll find me writing, reading and playing the piano!
aasiya-remtulla

Aasiya Remtulla
Public Engagement Lead

Aasiya Remtulla
Public Engagement Lead

Hello! I’m Aasiya and I’m one of the Outreach leads for QGEM this year in public engagement. I’m from Markham and will be going into my third year of Life Sciences in the fall. Like many can relate to, this virus has pretty much destroyed any plans I had for working in a lab this summer but I’m super excited to be a part of such an innovative project! Most of what I’m doing involves designing learning programs for younger students to get them interested in synthetic biology. Since I’ll be working from home for the next few months, you can probably find me falling behind in online classes, or asking Siri the answers to my crossword clues... One fun fact about me is that I have a huge sweet tooth and absolutely love anything brownie related!
talia-dang

Talia Dang
Collaborations Lead

Talia Dang
Collaborations Lead

Hi everyone! My name is Talia and I am one of the Outreach Leads for collaborations. I’m from Mississauga, ON, and will be starting my fourth year of biochemical engineering in September. For my position I am responsible for reaching out to other iGEM teams to create joint projects ranging from fun videos to helping each other with technical problems. I am really excited to be on the team this year to help create a final product that can make a difference people’s lives. A fun fact about me is that I love to bake!
janis-cheng

Janis Cheng
Outreach Advisor

Janis Cheng
Outreach Advisor

Hi! I am Janis and I am an Outreach advisor for QGEM. I am in my fifth-year of Biotechnology along with completing a certificate of Biotechnology from St. Lawrence College. This is my third year with QGEM and I am excited to assist in Outreach and Wiki building. My academic focuses are microbiology and plant physiology, and I am currently working under the DiCenzo Lab studying rhizobia and legume nodulation. When I am not in school, I like baking and doing acrylic or watercolour paintings!
akshaj-darbar

Akshaj Darbar
Bioinformatics Software Developer

Akshaj Darbar
Bioinformatics Software Developer

Hi, my name is Akshaj, and I'm a Bioinformatics Software Developer for the QGEM 2020 team! I'm from Kingston, Ontario, and I will be entering my first year of Biomedical Computing this fall. With previous experience in protein design and various other bioinformatics projects, I am developing a program to identify the optimal residues to replace in proteins for a variety of different purposes. I am also currently working with a startup focused on human longevity space. In this startup, I am focusing on finding the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for neurological aging. A fun fact about me is that I love soccer and badminton!

Our Advisors

michael-adams
Dr. Michael Adams
Project Advisor
john-allingham
Dr. John Allingham
Principal Investigator
rachel-holden
Dr. Rachel Holden MD
Project Advisor
peter-davies
Dr. Peter Davies
Project Advisor
robert-campbell
Dr. Robert Campbell
Project Advisor
jenny-munroe
Jenny Munroe, RD
Consultant

Graduate Advisors

kody-klupt
Byron Hunter
Graduate Advisor
kody-klupt
Nolan Neville
Graduate Advisor
kody-klupt
Ruben Warkentin
Graduate Advisor