Meet the Team

This year's University of Rochester iGEM team consists of 10 undergraduate students. Our cohort includes sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a range of majors including molecular genetics, microbiology, statistics, and biomedical engineering. Our skills, interests, and backgrounds are incredibly varied, and our collaboration has allowed us to achieve great things. Meet us all below!

Students

Elizabeth Martin

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2025

Major: Microbiology

Hometown: Windham, NH

About: Elizabeth loves exploring the outdoors, going to the coast, and making sculptures.

What's something on your bucket list that you haven't checked off?

"I want to see a coral reef and a glacier!"

Elizabeth

Team and Brainstorming Leader

Katelyn Freebern

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2024

Major: Microbiology

Hometown: North Brunswick, NJ

About: Katelyn loves traveling and experiencing new things. After school, she loves to hit the gym, put on a show (usually Criminal Minds or New Girl) and cook.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"My two dogs and my car!"

Katelyn

Science Manager

Ines Drissi Qeytoni

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2026

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Hometown: Fes, Morocco

About: Ines likes cooking, baking, winning at old-school Wii games, climing/hiking on sunny days, and watching 2000s French sitcoms.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"My phone (obviously), my headphones, and the biggest knife I can find."

Ines

Lab and Safety Manager

Allie Tay

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2025

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Hometown: Metuchen, NJ

About: Allie says that, "spicy food is life." She listens to music in different languages depending on her mood. In her free time, she edits videos, writes, plays violin, and pretends she knows how to cook.

What's something on your bucket list that you haven't checked off?

"I want to run a 10k, and learn how to play the cello!"

Allie

Hardware and Video Manager

Prince Ou

Pronouns: he/him

Class year: 2024

Major: Molecular Genetics

Hometown: Shenzen, China

About: Prince likes to read, especially fiction and short stories. He also likes to play badminton!

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I would grab a rooster, a hen with eggs inside, and a book called Station Eleven."

Prince

Modeling Manager

Medha Pan

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2024

Major: Molecular Genetics

Hometown: Aurora, CO

About: In Medha's free time, she loves making jewelry, cooking, playing tennis or Mario Kart Wii, and she especially loves going on hikes and exploring the outdoors.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I would grab my red stress ball (it's been with me since 4th grade and I cherish it; I wouldn't be where I am without its unconditional support) and a water filter (even though the world is ending, hydration is key)."

Medha

Software and Co-Wiki Manager

Arianna Slupik

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2024

Major: Molecular Genetics

Hometown: Pottersville, NY

About: Arianna loves baking, birdwatching, making digital art, and Irish dancing as part of a campus performing group. She gets way too competitive at weekly trivia, and delights in seasonally decorating her room.

What's something on your bucket list that you haven't checked off?

"I want to go far north to see the northern lights, and eventually publish a sci-fi or fantasy novel!"

Arianna

Graphic Designer and Co-Wiki Manager

Wenqi Di

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2025

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Hometown: Changzhou, China

About: Wenqi loves painting, and does many sports including fencing, badminton, and cycling.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I hope I could grab the materials to make a spacecraft so that I could take all of my family members and friends and ESCAPE AWAY!"

Wenqi

Policy and Practice Manager

Catherine Xie

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2025

Major: Statistics and Molecular Genetics

Hometown: Pittsford, NY

About: Catherine loves reading, traveling, and all forms of art. She has been learning to crochet, and hopes to create a piece soon!

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I would grab a blanket to stay warm, and my water bottle, which can be used for both hydration and defense!"

Catherine

Education and Outreach Manager

Minhui Liu

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2025

Major: Microbiology

Hometown: Inner Mongolia, China

About: Mindy has 12 dogs back home, and she reports that they are very lovely and she misses them all a lot.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I would grab my favorite dog, an oxygen tank, and my Nintendo Switch!"

Mindy

Finances and Fundraising Manager

Advisors

Dr. Meyer provided lots of advice in navigating the iGEM process!

Dr. Meyer

Main Advisor

Dr. Chen provided lots of guidance for Modeling.

Dr. Chen

Modeling Advisor

Dr. Stein provided knowledge on yeast protocols!

Dr. Stein

Wet Lab Advisor

Teaching Assistants

Cheyenne Rechsteiner

Pronouns: she/her

Class year: 2018 (undergraduate), 2021 (master's)

Area of study Ph.D. in Cellular, Developmental, and Molecular Biology

Hometown: Basel, Switzerland

About: Cheyenne likes researching the biological mechanisms of aging and longevity, and she also does competitive wheel gymnastics!

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"A Swiss army knife, canned food, a sleeping bag, and my boyfriend."

Cheyenne

Wet Lab TA

Jack Cutting

Pronouns: he/him

Class year: 2028 (Ph.D. student)

Area of study Ph.D. in Cellular, Developmental, and Molecular Biology

Hometown: Bangor, ME

About: Jack likes hiking, swimming, and traveling to new places.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I would grab a cooking stove, a good knife, and my dog."

Jack

Wet Lab TA

Francesco Morandini

Pronouns: he/him

Class year: 2028 (Ph.D. student)

Area of study Ph.D. in Cellular, Developmental, and Molecular Biology

Hometown: Vincenza, Italy

About: Francesco wants to live forever so that he has time to pursue his many hobbies, which change constantly--except for bouldering, which has stuck.

What would you grab if the apocalypse started now?

"I would bring my girlfriend because I'm sure she would bring a bunch of useful equipment, and also a tent."

Francesco

Hardware TA