Applicants, SPA

  • Karly Liebendorfer

    Karly is a 2nd year PhD student and NSF Graduate Research Fellow in bioengineering at Georgia Tech working on developing cell free biosensors for point of care diagnostics. She holds an M.S. and B.S. in biomedical engineering with a concentration in tissue engineering and functional biomaterials. Karly is also fascinated by the physiological challenges of long-duration spaceflight and how emerging biotechnologies can protect human health in microgravity. Outside of the lab, she coaches and competitively plays lacrosse.

  • Vedika Sonje

    A research enthusiast, passionate about bridging biology and engineering to develop impactful solutions for healthcare and sustainability. I enjoy exploring the intersection of biology, technology, and innovation, and I’m eager to contribute to collaborative research in this space.

  • Luis Montalvo-González

    Born and raised in a small agricultural town in Puerto Rico, I began my journey in science through microbiology and a formative undergraduate experience in iGEM, which ignited my passion for synthetic biology. I later pursued a post-baccalaureate project on host-microbiota interactions, and I’m now a PhD student in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue, developing smart bioinoculants for plant microbiome management. I’m driven by questions at the intersection of synthetic biology, ethics, and policy, and I’m committed to science that is inclusive, community-centered, and globally engaged. I’ve led science outreach in underserved communities, mentored students from high school to undergrad, and co-coordinate Purdue’s SROP program. Outside the lab, I collect vinyl, write about science for public audiences, and stay grounded in my agricultural roots. Hablar ciencia en español es un acto de inclusión.

  • Dylan CapittiFenton

    I am currently an M.S. student studying biochemistry at California State University, Northridge, with a focus on computational biophysics. I also hold a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with honors in the major. Growing up, I was also a theatre kid, which has motivated my passion for presentation and science communication. In my free time, I teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to kids in my local (San Fernando Valley) community.

  • Heyuan Ni

    I am a PhD student at MIT co-advised by Bryan Bryson and Paul Blainey. Trained as a molecular biologist, microbiologist, immunologist, and artificial‑intelligence scientist, I focus on using AI and optical biology to study functional genomics and metagenomics at the host–microbe co‑evolutionary interface.

  • Hatem Abdelrahman

    Hatem Abdelrahman is a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering Program at CU Boulder. Hatem is an active member of the iGEM community served as an iGEM Ambassador to Africa, an iGEM mentor, an iGEM judge, and a member of the iGEM Engineering Committee since 2021. He is also a Global Community Bio Fellow and served as a member of the Global Community Bio Summit organizing committee. He presented a workshop on the principles of genetic circuit design for programming cellular functions in the International Workshop for Biodesign Automation (IWBDA 2021).

  • Aset Khakimzhan

    Physics PhD student. Working on recreating bacterial membranes and building artificial cells. Interested in new techniques for engineering and measuring life.

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