Driven by the power of engineering biological systems to tackle societal problems with a focus on health focused applications. Master’s student at Washington University in St. Louis that sees synthetic biology as the way of the future. Always looking for ways to expand the reach of science and bring new and creative perspectives into the fold.
I am a PhD student in Biomedical Sciences at UCSD. I genetically engineer native bacteria to knock-in functions to the gut microbiome. My research focuses on understanding the implication of microbiome functions on human health and the development of native bacteria as live bacterial therapeutics.
Anthony is a NDSEG Fellow in the Blenner & Chen Labs at the University of Delaware. His present work focuses on the design of dynamic and logic-based control of cellular metabolism in non-model yeast. Prior to graduate school, he graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 2021, where he researched synergistic microbial communities for the conversion of industrial waste gases into useful biochemicals.
I am a rising second year PhD student in the bioengineering department at the University of Washington, coadvised by Eric Klavins and Georg Seelig. My research is mainly focused on integrating automation with synthetic biology workflows to increase throughput and robustness. Before starting my graduate degree, I worked as a research associate for two years at biotechnology startups in the San Francisco Bay area focusing on developing high throughput methods for strain engineering and screening.
I’m a Phd student in mechanical engineering working on creating synthetic cells using cell-free expression (CFE) systems and engineering E. coli. I work on encapsulated CFE systems to reconstitute membrane proteins and probing channel function for synthetic cell activity and communication.
Degree in Biology from the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. Master’s degree in Bioethics from the Anahuac University, Mexico. Doctorate in Sciences from the Scientific Research Center of Yucatán A.C., Mérida, Yucatán. Mexico. Postdoctoral fellow at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. St.Louis Missouri, United States.
Currently:
-Titular Type A Researcher at the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco A.C. (CIATEJ), Zapopan Headquarters. Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Distinction by the National System of Researchers (SNI I).
-General Coordinator of the “National Network of Synthetic Biology of Mexico”.
-Coordinator of the research sub-line “Synthetic Biology” within the Department of Industrial Biotechnology of the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco A.C. (CIATEJ). In the working group, state-of-the-art sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) is performed in yeast and bioinformatic analysis of omics data (genome, transcriptome, metagenome). Design of transformation systems through synthesis and Gibson assembly. We use CRISPR-Cas9, dCas9 and Cas13, in order to edit or regulate genes to check functionality in cell lines of animals, bacteria, yeast, marine organisms and plants.
Jinyoung is currently a PhD candidate in the Ingolia lab at UC Berkeley, where she uses high-throughput measurements of barcoded RNA reporters to study and engineer gene regulation. She is broadly interested in biotech, particularly in gene and cell therapy, microbial therapeutics, and genomics. In her free time, Jinyoung enjoys trying new restaurants, playing board games, and hiking.
Allison is a PhD candidate in the Arkin Lab at UC Berkeley, where she uses barcoded gain-of-function libraries to study gut microbial adaptation. She is broadly interested in the biotech startup space, and in applying synthetic biology towards innovative solutions. In her free time, Allison enjoys clever wordplay and excellent cuisine.
Charlie is graduate student in the Ellington Lab at the University of Texas at Austin. Charlie’s research focuses on engineering transcription factors to act as biological sensors for the rapid validation of engineered enzymes and as diagnostic tools. Before graduate school, they received their B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University with a focus in cellular engineering. Outside of the lab, Charlie likes to play Dungeons & Dragons with their fellow Ph.D. students.
I am currently an NSF Graduate Research Fellow in the Donia Lab at Princeton University. Here my research centers on ecologically and functionally relevant host-microbe interactions in marine symbioses. Before pursuing a graduate degree at Princeton, I completed my undergraduate work at Cornell University studying plant pathology in the Perry Lab, followed by research in the Badran Lab at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard where I developed tools for bacterial genetic code expansion.
Meagan is a PhD student in the Jewett Lab at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on improving cell-free protein synthesis systems in order to rapidly design and manufacture medical therapeutics. She completed her B.S. in chemical engineering at the University of Arkansas. Outside of the lab, Meagan enjoys cooking, reading, and hiking.
Dr. Woolston joined the NEU Chemical Engineering department as an Assistant Professor in January 2020. As an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Dr. Woolston received his PhD in Chemical Engineering in 2017 from MIT under the guidance of Prof. Greg Stephanopoulos, where his research focused on the development of genetic tools to enable metabolic engineering in anaerobic CO2-fixing microbes, and the establishment of a methanol utilization pathway in the model organism Escherichia coli. While at MIT, he was an inaugural Fellow of the Chemical Engineering Communication Lab, where he provided peer tutoring and department-wide workshops to assist students and post-docs with aspects of scientific communication. His Post-doctoral work was conducted in the laboratory of Prof. Emily Balskus in the Chemistry & Chemical Biology department at Harvard University, where he studied microbial metabolic pathways and enzymes that contribute to the stability of health-associated Lactobacilli in the human vaginal microbiota. At Northeastern, his research program combines approaches from his previous research training in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, biochemistry and microbiology to engineer microbes for biofuel & biochemical production, and as diagnostics and therapeutics in the Human gut microbiota. His lab team currently consists of five PhD students and five undergraduates. Since joining NEU, Dr. Woolston has taught the Biochemical Engineering senior elective (CHME 5630) and the graduate course in Kinetics & Reactor Design (CHME 7340). He was the winner of the 2020 IMES Jay Bailey Award young investigator award, as well as the 2021 Biotechnology & Bioengineering Daniel I.C. Wang award.
I am a first-year Chemical and Biological Engineering graduate student at Northwestern University. I received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry from Northeastern University where I conducted research in the lab of Dr. Abigail Koppes and completed 3 co-ops in the biotechnology industry. I am interested in bridging the gap between natural and synthetic vesicles to design more efficient therapeutics and vaccines.
Degree in Biology from the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. Master’s degree in Bioethics from the Anahuac University, Mexico. Doctorate in Sciences from the Scientific Research Center of Yucatán A.C., Mérida, Yucatán. Mexico. Postdoctoral fellow at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. St.Louis Missouri, United States.
Currently:
-Titular Type A Researcher at the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco A.C. (CIATEJ), Zapopan Headquarters. Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Distinction by the National System of Researchers (SNI I).
-General Coordinator of the “National Network of Synthetic Biology of Mexico”.
-Coordinator of the research sub-line “Synthetic Biology” within the Department of Industrial Biotechnology of the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco A.C. (CIATEJ). In the working group, state-of-the-art sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) is performed in yeast and bioinformatic analysis of omics data (genome, transcriptome, metagenome). Design of transformation systems through synthesis and Gibson assembly. We use CRISPR-Cas9, dCas9 and Cas13, in order to edit or regulate genes to check functionality in cell lines of animals, bacteria, yeast, marine organisms and plants.
My name is Ross Klauer and I am a graduate student at the University of Delaware. Under the co-advisement of Dr. Kevin Solomon and Dr. Mark Blenner, I work to discover the microorganisms and enzymes within the gut of the yellow mealworm which contribute to plastics degradation and engineer these organisms do develop a plastics upcycling process.
Chad Haynes is the Director of Government Strategy and Technology Partnerships at LanzaTech, Inc. In this role, he works across the company’s science, engineering, and government relations teams to help coordinate and design R&D projects with mutual interest and benefit to Federal agencies and offices. Additionally, his role involves engagement with policy and regulatory stakeholders to help accelerate the deployment of sustainable technologies. Prior to joining LanzaTech, Dr. Haynes was a Lead Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, serving as a technology and management consultant to U.S. Dept. of Energy ARPA-E and the U.S. Biomass R&D Board. He previously served as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the USDA ARS. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Kentucky, and completed postdoctoral training at Caltech.
Natalie Gogotsi is a Materials Engineer at Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) as part of the Revolutionary Technology Program. She received a joint B.S./M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University with a minor in Materials Science and Engineering. She then went on to receive her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania where her research focused on developing quantum dots for optical applications. Since joining Lockheed Martin in early 2020 she’s become heavily involved in the Engineered Biology Portfolio, helping grow the portfolio as both a technical contributor and project lead. In addition to the Engineered Biology work, she also works on topic areas including metamaterials and other advanced materials.
Dr. Adam Woomer is a materials scientist at the Advanced Technology Center in Lockheed Martin Space, which specializes in the incorporation of advanced materials into next-generation devices and applications. In collaboration with the Army Research Laboratory, Dr. Woomer is currently applying his materials expertise to the field of synthetic biology, with a particular focus on the self-assembly and design of novel materials for protective coatings and optical technologies. Before joining Lockheed Martin in 2019, he received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018 and his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Connecticut in 2013.