Team

Chang, Yan-Dun

Team: Experiment Team

Hello everyone my name is Kingston Chang. I am a senior in Taiwan. This will be my first time competing in an iGEM team. I am a part of the wet lab and human practice team. Some of my hobbies aside from working on this project are traveling, reading, cooking, and weightlifting. A fun fact about me is I am six feet tall. I can't wait to see everyone at the Grand Jamboree.

CHUN-YU CHEN

Team: Media Team

Greetings from Taiwan. I am Alex Chen, a teammate in the team Taipei-KCISLK-V1. It is my pleasure and great experience to discover the world of biology for the first time, with this community.

During the journey with our team, I gained the insight of solving problems with the tools of synthetic biology. With interviews and the seminar we hosted, I have received comments and advice leading me to extend the topic of solving industrial production of Lumbrokinase (our target product) to a much broader view including commercialization, clinical research, and many other possibilities.

With the passion and job of documenting the project since the day started, I have watched how the team was built, how the experiments were designed, how we overcame one and another challenges. I believe the team has the diversity and potential to present achievements and works to the iGEM community. I am also looking forward to having in-depth conversations with biology enthusiasts around the world and different levels. It is the first time our campus participates in the competition and the jamboree, I hope myself and my fellow teammates can build positive connections with this community.

Claire Lee

Team: Experiment Team

Hi, I’m Claire Lee. I’m a junior at Kang Chiao International School Linkou Campus, and this is my first year competing on the iGEM team, meaning that everything is new and challenging to me. iGEM has given me not only a precious opportunity to learn and improve myself, but also chances to cooperate with some awesome people. I’m really excited and can’t wait to meet all of the cool people in Paris in November! On the iGEM team, I’m a member of the experimental group and I also assisted the social practice team. I’m responsible for writing the experimental section of our team’s website, and I also provided inspiration for our project and participated in several interviews with professionals.

Grace Lu

Team: Social Practice Team

Hello, I am Grace Lu, and I am a junior from Taiwan. This is my first time participating in such a great kind of competition. Though I am not a professional nor a talented person in the field of synthetic biology, I will still take every opportunity that can make me learn seriously. iGem has also given me chances to learn and interact with all kinds of people, no matter from different fields, ages, or regions of the world. There are also many lessons and experiences learned along the whole process of the project, and I am sure that the final in Paris will bring me even more! I am looking forward to meeting everyone!

LAI, YI-AN

Team: Media Team

Hello, my name is Ian Lai, and I am a member of the Taipei KCISLK-A1 from Linkou Kang Chiao. Synthetic biology has long been a unfamiliar topic for me such that I believe it is an extremely deep and difficult subject for experienced scientists to arrange chemical reaction between different objects that synthesize into a new one with different characteristics, the knowledge behind each actions are beyond my knowledge and that is way I didn’t truly study synthetic biology. However, iGem competition ignites my passion originally towards animals and insects and motivative me into studying the mythology of DNA sequencing. In my school team I am a member focused on wiki pages and general project descriptions, I am building up new knowledge during the process and am looking forward to listening and learning from other participants from iGEM.

Lai, Yi-Fan

Team: Media Team

Hi, my name is Peter Lai, and I am a student at Kang Chiao International School. This is my first year participating in iGEM, and the professionality of this competition amazes me. I personally have learned little about biology, so iGEM gives me an opportunity to explore deep into another field of knowledge that’s brand new to me. Although the biological theories appear to be less enjoyable than those of physics and math, I love working in the lab as we witness the product of our effort. My main job in the team was to construct and arrange our team wiki, and I found myself amazed by what lines of code can create. I am glad I participated in iGEM, which enabled me to see and understand more of ourselves, and I am looking forward to trading ideas and sharing knowledge with all the great people participating in iGEM.

Lien, Shang-Chieh

Team: Experiment Team

Hi everyone, my name is Billy and I’m currently a junior attending high school. I joined iGEM with the hopes of learning skills, collaborating with others, and coming up with a solution to contemporary issues through synthetic biology. Being fascinated by the power and potential of biotechnology, I wanted to experience first-hand the process of developing products using knowledge of biology, engineering, and much much more. iGEM has taught me how to communicate, how to work as a team, and how to lead, which I’m really grateful for. During my free time, I enjoy playing basketball at the park and new pieces on guitar or cello.

Wang, YAO-TE

Team: Experiment Team

Hi everyone, my name is Adam and I am currently a junior at Kang Chiao International School Linkuo Campus (KCISLK). I joined with the ambition to learn biological knowledge, the hope to collaborate with brilliant teammates, and the desire to use synthetic biology to create plausible solutions in various areas. I have been fond of biotechnology since a very young age and involved in the biology or biotechnology part in various activities. iGEM is a competition that not only teaches me biology knowledge but also provides me with many opportunities to communicate and collaborate with teammates efficiently and productively.

YU JOU WEI

Team: Experiment Team

Hi! My name is Melody Wei, I am a junior at Linkou Kang Chiao International School. This is my very first time engaging in the iGEM competition, which is exciting and challenging for me. It is a precious opportunity for me to contribute to society, challenge myself, and work with many amazing people. And I can’t wait to meet you guys.

Fu-Hua YU

PI

I graduated in Management from the University of Surrey and in Design Practice from the University of Salford. I also hold a TQUK Diploma in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (TCSOL) and a Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) certificate.

I have held various positions at different schools, including serving as the International Department Director for Grades 7 to 12 at KangChiao International School, Linkou Campus, and as the International Department Director for Grades 1 to 9 at Korrnell Bilingual School. I have also worked as the International Department Dean at Wagor International School and as an Academic Coordinator at Mingdao High School. Additionally, I have experience as a College Board AP Coordinator. My responsibilities have included curriculum planning, management of foreign teachers, setting educational objectives, and curriculum evaluation. I possess extensive experience in international and bilingual school administration, with core expertise in recruiting and managing foreign teachers, developing international curricula, and guiding students toward overseas education opportunities. Beyond my educational roles, I am the author of "T. Robot" and have actively participated in the MOE international education SIEP program and Publisher Reading Projects. I have also organized international events for the Environmental Online (ENO) program and have mentored students for international competitions.

Jia-Yu Liao

Secondary PI

I am Nick Liao, and it is my privilege to serve as Secondary PI for the iGEM team here at our school. Working with aspiring young scientists and innovators has always been a source of inspiration for me, and I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this incredible journey with all our students. I firmly believe that iGEM provides a unique platform for our students to explore the fascinating world of synthetic biology, genetic engineering, and problem-solving. Let's make this iGEM journey unforgettable and impactful. I can't wait to watch our students grow into confident scientists and leaders.

Ju-Yi Chiang

Secondary PI

I am a geography scholar with a passion for traveling. During my time at university, I pursued dual majors in media communications and marketing. I possess a unique perspective on international current affairs and have been actively involved in the education industry for many years. Recently, I have taken on the challenge of managing my own media platforms, including recording podcasts and creating content for YouTube.

In the current IGEM competition, I am taking on the role of a mentor. My main responsibility is to guide students in critical thinking and assist them in integrating academic resources and project funding applications. My hope is to support the students in discovering their interests and unlocking their potential throughout their participation in the competition.

Edward Chern

Advisor

I currently hold the position of Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemical Science & Technology at National Taiwan University. I earned my Ph.D. from the Department of Biophysics & Biochemistry at the School of Science, The University of Tokyo, reflecting my deep academic background. I am particularly enthusiastic about collaborating with high school students, as their fresh perspectives often bring innovative ideas to the table. Guiding these young minds is a fulfilling endeavor, even in our virtual interactions. I find great pleasure in nurturing their potential and guiding them towards meaningful contributions in our academic pursuits. I look forward to engaging in collaborative efforts, fostering creativity, and collectively advancing our field.

Yen-fu Lai

Advisor

I am the founder of an international education consulting company. I enjoy taking students on trips to various corners of the world and look forward to guiding them in discovering their passions along the way.

On regular days, my interests include listening to music, watching movies, and reading. In reality, I am a humanities-oriented person who is rather indifferent and not proficient in the fields of science and technology.

For this IGEM competition, I am serving as a consultant, primarily assisting students in forming project teams and organizing academic conferences. It's my first time delving into the field of synthetic biology, and besides the excitement, I am more eager to witness the growth and breakthroughs of the students!

Tzu-Yun Wang

Instructor

I am a food-loving biotechnology researcher who graduated from the Master's program in Biochemical Science and Technology at National Taiwan University. My major focus during my studies was on the development of biosensors in the field of biotechnology. My research topic centered around creating a biomedical sensor for detecting liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

During my undergraduate years, I took courses in Biostatistics, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and conducted core experiments in Biotechnology. Additionally, I gained valuable experience in teaching high school students. In the current IGEM competition, I have taken on the role of a mentor, drawing from my knowledge and experience in biological courses and experimental design from both my undergraduate and graduate studies. My goal is to assist the students in thinking critically and understanding synthetic biology, empowering them to develop and expand their own research projects.

Wen Shiuan Lee

Instructor

I am a geographer who is more passionate about nature than humanities. During my undergraduate and master's studies, I mainly focused on research related to aquatic ecosystems in rivers. I enjoy using data analysis to dissect various phenomena and hope to use my academic experience to help fellow students overcome their fears of conducting research projects.

In this IGEM competition, I take on the role of a mentor, primarily assisting students in the initial stages of project ideation and establishing the fundamental structure of academic writing. My aim is to lay a solid foundation for the students' research endeavors.

SHIANG-SHIN GAU

Instructor

I am a passionate researcher in biology and science, driven by a curiosity to explore the unknown and captivated by meticulous experimental work. With dual majors in Biochemical Technology and Psychology during my university years, I honed my teaching skills alongside research. In graduate school, I specialized in studying the mechanisms of colon cancer stemness. Proficient in molecular biology, cell biology, and bioinformatics, I bring a wealth of practical experience to our team.

In the iGEM project, I play a role as an experimental design advisor and student experiment mentor. Leveraging my expertise, I guide students in observing phenomena, formulating research questions, and applying scientific reasoning to design and conduct experiments.