Team Bio

Our team is comprised of a diverse group of students with wide ranging skill sets. We have members from science majors such as biomedical engineering, molecular biology, and chemical engineering. Each year, we engineer a genetic construct for the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Our innovation is driven by the dedication of our team to see the project through. This year, we are working on genetically modified E. coli.

Aaron Renberg

Aaron Renberg is an enthusiastic masters student. He has previous research experience interning at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD and at Children’s National Medical Center’s genetic medicine department in Washington, D.C. He published an Honors Thesis based on his work in the Soleimanpour lab at the Brehm Center for Diabetes Research at U of M. When a micropipet isn’t in his hand, it's usually replaced by a hockey stick.

Paulina Czarnecki

Paulina Czarnecki is a sophomore planning on double majoring in Mathematics and Neuroscience. She helps with research in a Biophysics lab under Dr. Zochowski, studying neural networks computationally and experimentally. She hopes to pursue a PhD. On the rare occasion she's not busy with academics, she enjoys running or playing the piano.

Rachel Sun

An advanced fellow in the Barger Leadership Institute, and studying Cellular & Molecular biology and Biomedical Engineering, Rachel Sun hopes to continue to work on pharmaceutical development after graduation. She has worked on possible applications of nanoemulsions as a vaccine adjuvant, and has developed a reporter system to study antisense oligonucleotide-based medications effects on Cystic Fibrosis.

Nick Emery

Nick Emery is a student at the University of Michigan studying Cell and Molecular Biology and Biomedical Engineering. Working towards cheaper, easier detection of protein biomarkers to improve disease diagnostics in developing countries and resource scarce settings. Also working in the lab of Dr. Allen Liu in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at University of Michigan.

Mario Russo

Mario Russo is a rising senior studying biomedical engineering and hopes to pursue a career in surgical medicine. He currently performs aortic disease pathology research under Dr. Bo Yang. In his free time, Mario likes to go trail running and play tennis.

Matthew Fischer

Matthew Fischer is a senior majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. He is currently researching epigenetics in the Pathology Department of the Medical Campus under Dr. Dou. He hopes to pursue an MD. In his free time he enjoys runs in the park and reading about science.

Robin Pearce

Robin Pearce is a researcher for the El Naqa Group in the Radiation Oncology Department. He is currently developing novel imaging techniques to be used during radiation therapy. In the future, he plans to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering or a related field.

Sam Bower

I am an Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity major at the University of Michigan. I value the diversity of ideas that stem from this team and the ways it challenges me to think on a different scale then I do in my usual studies. I am passionate about the environment and the conservation of biological diversity. For these reasons I have goals of attending law school in the future with a focus on environmental law.

Zach Bernstein

Zach Bernstein is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and pursuing two minors in Business and Chinese Language and Culture. He spends a lot of his time conducting research in the Jenkins Lab of the Pharmacology Department, which investigates the genetic and cellular mechanisms that underlie complex neuropsychiatric diseases, namely Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. He hopes to go to Medical School and spend his career innovating science, treating patients, and impacting healthcare. Zach loves to play basketball and make music.

Akira Nishii

Akira Nishii is a sophomore studying chemical engineering and biochemistry at the University of Michigan. He strives to become a physician-scientist (MD/PhD) in the "near" future. Along with MSBT, he plans to conduct research on cancer immunotherapy of brain tumors (glioma) under Dr. Maria Castro and Dr. Pedro Lowenstein of the Department of Neurosurgery.

Maggie Braunreuther

Maggie Braunreuther is a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering. She works in the Eniola Lab researching cell adhesion and drug delivery. Specifically, she investigates binding of vascular targeted drug carriers and their efficacy as a drug delivery method. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, good food, and traveling.

Cristina Castillo

Cristina Castillo is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan in Cell and Molecular Biology. She has been part of MSBT for three years now and is currently an advisor for the team. She is also a research assistant in a physiology lab on campus. She studies the effects of hypoxia in cancer. She plan to continue my career as a scientist doing an MD/PhD program.

Erin M Kokoszka

Erin Kokoszka is a rising senior. She is studying Neuroscience and is planning on attending medical school. In the past she has worked in a biopsychology lab, investigating the mechanism and motivation for feeding in rats. She enjoys playing intramural sports and doing environmental service work in her free time.

Dany Lewin

Daniela Lewin is a junior in the Molecular Biology and Biomedical Engineering joint program at the University of Michigan. She is currently researching chemokines and receptors involved in breast cancer metastasis. Her other interests include dance, books and Latin American studies.

Vijay Vobbilisetty

Vijay Vobbilisetty is a third year Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Michigan. He is currently researching the genetic factors behind the development of aortic aneurysms and developing preventative therapies in the Department of Cardiac Surgery. Vijay has many varying interests, from discussing international policy on human rights as an ardent Model UN competitor to optimizing infrastructure at local nonprofit clinics.

Ashwin Kumar

Ashwin Kumar is a third-year student at the University of Michigan studying Biomedical Engineering with a biochemical concentration. He is involved with computational biology research, working under Dr. Sriram Chandrasekaran in the BME department.

Alex Girgis

Alex Girgis, a rising junior from Grand Rapids, is majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a biochemical concentration. Ultimately he will pursue a career in medicine. He currently conducts research in the Department of Surgery studying Pancreatic Cancer Immunotherapy under Timothy Frankel.

Charlotte Blumrosen

Charlotte Blumrosen is a senior from Paris, France studying Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Medical Anthropology at the University of Michigan. She is currently studying Pulmonary Hypertension with the Michigan Clinical Outcome Research and Reporting Program. She is also currently applying to medical school in the hopes of becoming a surgeon.

Caleb Kaczmarek

Caleb Kaczmarek is a junior in the University of Michigan's Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biomedical Engineering program. As a member of Dr. Qiong Yang's lab in the Biophysics Department, he helps in research focused on kinases and embryonic development.

Naveen Jasti

Naveen Jasti is a senior majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. He enjoys volunteering and conducting research on mobile elements in the human genome, and hopes to pursue an MD-PhD. On weekends and during evenings, he often gets lost in a book or plays pick up soccer.