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Student Members

Yan-Lin Li

hailing from Hong Kong, is a second-year undergraduate reading medicine and surgery. He joined the iGEM team primarily because he sees synthetic biology as a powerful tool for inventing novel therapeutic strategies.

He has thus far taken up three roles in the competition: firstly as fund-raising manager, then as group leader of the Che-Z knockout (2443ompT) team, and now as leader of the Human Practices Advance team. Moreover, as one of the only two clinicians around (alas!), he is also responsible for imagining – and developing – the potential clinical applications of the Bacto-Motor.

Outside medicine, his other academic interests include philosophy, politics and economics and he has represented both Hong Kong and HKU at international debating competitions, advancing to the Octo-Finals of the Worlds Schools Washington DC in 2008. He is also editor-in-chief of Caduceus, the official journal of the Undergraduate Medical Society. While not preoccupied by other tasks, he enjoys classical music, jogging, table tennis and banter – where everybody gets a good laugh :)

Brooks FU Zhong Zheng

Brooks Fu Zhongzheng is an undergraduate student at the University of Hong Kong majoring in Biochemistry and Physics. Aspired to be a successful biologist, he decides to choose these two majors to train himself in both analytical reasoning skills and the ability of filtering useful information. He thinks these are the most essential tool for a biologist to explore the profound mystery of life. It is quite challenging to deal with two subjects that are so different in thinking patterns and ways of preparing for the exam, but he manages to cope with ‘oscillating transition between physics and biology’ and attain satisfactory academic results. However, knowledge on the textbook is out-dated. Only will an opportunity of self-motivated scientific DIY suffice to provide him with a somehow more realistic perspective on state-of-the-art research.

When first introduced to the iGEM competition in a departmental seminar, he was totally fascinated by the idea of synthesizing ‘biological machines’ from standardized biological parts. This whole process of building up biological devices from basic functional building blocks will require mathematical modeling and a systematic and logical design that is familiar to engineering student. He thinks it is time to exploit the intricate principles discovered by so many talented scientists after centuries of dutiful research to engineer artificial organisms that can ‘change the world’ and help people. He was thus motivated to join the HKU-HKBU iGEM team. In this team, his responsibility is to generate ideas and design of the project and manufacture Biobricks, namely standardized biological parts. With enthusiasm and diligence, he collaborates with his talented teammates to create a powerful bacteria-powered motor. The argument that our future world will heavily rely on the motors we build may seem ridiculous to some. It may or may not happen, but who knows? Nothing is impossible. iGEM is for people with imagination.

iGEM is an invaluable learning experience for him. Thanks to the competition, he not only masters the necessary research skills in manipulating the genetic materials of bacteria, but more importantly, the spirit of teamwork and the importance of taking up responsibility.

Raymond Yip

2nd Year biochemistry and microbiology student. Was studying in UK for several years before coming back to the homeland and join the big HKU family. After spending a year doing nothing, skipping lectures (switched onto the “sleep” mood even do appear) and resting, I finally picked myself up to get some work done by registering to the iGEM team. Being the one who is responsible for the BIG fund-raising job, human practices activities and others wet lab experiments for our team. I must say that was the busiest summer I have ever had but also the one which I truly enjoyed.

It was an honor for me to work with many hilarious, “hard-working” fellow geniuses. Especially those weekly meetings that end at mid-night, meals time which we make fun out of each other and when the swine flu suddenly hit our lab. Many and many more memorable moments that we shared together throughout the past few months were totally awesome and enjoyable. Hope we shall get some good results this year and ROCK THEM!

Bosco Wong Ho Yin

Hi, my name is Bosco and i am a year 2 student at HKU reading biochemistry and chemistry. During these days working as a membrane in the HKU_HKBU team, i have learnt a lot about synthetic biology and yet made invaluable friendship from the other members.

I joined this competition not only for learning more about biochemistry, but also the essential lab skills that i need for my studies. Through these months conducting experiments in the lab and holding numerous meetings late, i am very surprised i have survived from all these.

Especially when some of the members went home and there were only few people here in hong kong, we have encountered a very great crisis in human resources. Yet, with all our keen devotion, we have resolved and learnt from problems to problems. I love the days being in the team and the days spent with my teammates, making fun of each other, hard working together without sleeping. Now i just wanna finish our current and can't wait to see us beating up the other teams at MIT (if we were able = =).

To be honest, actually i never emphasized i am the leader of the compeition. As i am a person who don;t want to make the other people shoulder a lot of pressure and i don't want think i am the person with good leading skills.

I just think of myself being a normal member and try to do my best. I know i am not a good leader at all but anyway i feel very grateful for those who gave me support and forgave my wrongdoings during the hard times. I know i have said a chunk of stuff and i know it is clumsy. The last thing i wanna say is that i am very proud that i have spent time with my friends pursuing a dream during my most busy summer, pursuing a goal that to undergraduate students seems so far away and demanding yet it is the sweetest ,remarkable and memorable dream i have ever had in my life time.

I just love you all!

JIANG Qin Qin

I’m a second year student studying Biochemistry and Chemistry at the University of HongKong. I have a strong interest in doing research and enjoy the process of trying new ideas. On the team I spent most of my time doing wet lab. Although I have been defeated for many trials, once I had positive results, a great sense of accomplishments made all the efforts worthy. Meanwhile, the variable possibilities in experiments display the fascination of synthetic biology. Another great thing is that I have met lots of like-minded friends in this IGEM competition. We exchanged our ideas, experienced failure and success together, which made us like a big family. Outside the lab, I’m an easy-going person with lots of interests. I usually do sports and go travelling in my spare time to relax myself.

WEI Ling

I am a year 2 student from the Department of Mathematics of the University of Hong Kong. I joined the iGEM team of HKU-BU at the beginning of this summer, and feel great honored to join in the jamboree representing HKU. As a mathematics students, I have never entered a Biochemistry lab before but the experience this time has enlighten me a lot. Actually, iGEM is the first time for me to touch the concept of synthetic biology.

Working together with the whole team, under the guidance of instructors, I am able to see my progress day after day. Those creative ideas in the brainstorm, rigorous spirit of setting controlling, and the ingenious designing of experiment have impressed me and changed my mind significantly.

During the summer, I mainly worked on controlling the speed of our bacteria-motor, and on measuring the expressing level related to a concentration gradient of the IPTG inducer, by the method of Western Blotting. Besides, I have tried on knocking out cheZ fragment of E.coli 2443 and spent some time in making bio-brick.

Generally, I have learned a lot in the iGEM and really enjoyed the project.

ALEXANDER SIN Sheung Man

When I first heard about iGEM and the idea of synthetic biology, it really caught my interest. This is a chance where I can combine other’s work and findings and make the best out of them. This is what I have learnt recently from object-orientated programming – breaking ideas down into objects, manipulating and assembling them into one working machine.

Being in the second year of the Bioinformatics Programme, I am in the middle of learning how the knowledge of computer science can be applied on biochemistry. By participating in the iGEM competition, one would be able to gain hands-on experience on what biochemistry research is like, how the knowledge learnt from lectures can be applied to practical laboratory work, and the wisdom to work as a team – sharing results, joys as well as deadlines and pressure. I am glad and honoured to be a part of the team HKU-HKBU, and it is a wonderful opportunity to be able to work with students from another university in Hong Kong.

Nova ZHONG Xing Xin

I am a year 2 student from the Department of Mathematics of the University of Hong Kong. I joined the iGEM team of HKU-BU at the beginning of this summer, and feel great honored to join in the jamboree representing HKU. As a mathematics students, I have never entered a Biochemistry lab before but the experience this time has enlighten me a lot. Actually, iGEM is the first time for me to touch the concept of synthetic biology.

Working together with the whole team, under the guidance of instructors, I am able to see my progress day after day. Those creative ideas in the brainstorm, rigorous spirit of setting controlling, and the ingenious designing of experiment have impressed me and changed my mind significantly.

During the summer, I mainly worked on controlling the speed of our bacteria-motor, and on measuring the expressing level related to a concentration gradient of the IPTG inducer, by the method of Western Blotting. Besides, I have tried on knocking out cheZ fragment of E.coli 2443 and spent some time in making bio-brick.

Generally, I have learned a lot in the iGEM and really enjoyed the project.

Amy SHENG Zi Wei

I am senior biology student of Hong Kong Baptist University. Mainly working on wet lab, I, together with teammates, take responsibility of measuring the swimming speed and categorizing the trait of polar expression after bacteria being modified. When James, one of our members, introduced me to this group, I had zero knowledge of what synthetic biology means or what we suppose to do. However, had gone through papers and handled wet lab work, I have started to understand the significance of this subject and its bright future and moreover exhibit great interest to it. I attained from this experience not only practical laboratory skills and knowledge of synthetic biology but also friendship and teamwork spirit. Other interests of mine include traveling, reading, growing vegetables and eating them.

Nelson

I am entering my second year of biochemistry at HKU and i have a special interest in bio-gerontology. I join the igem2009 because i want to understand more about synthetic biology and to get some practical research experience. In my spare time i enjoy table tennis, archery and chess games. I hope to pursue my PhD program in the US after i graduate.

I am entering my second year of biochemistry at HKU and i have a special interest in bio-gerontology. I join the igem2009 because i want to understand more about synthetic biology and to get some practical research experience. In my spare time i enjoy table tennis, archery and chess games. I hope to pursue my PhD program in the US after i graduate.

Student Helpers

Soso Xue Yuan

Yuan Xue is a senior high school student (graduating in 2010) currently pursuing study in La Salle Catholic College Preparatory located in Portland, Oregon. He developed an interest in the field of biology and chemistry after studying the corresponding courses at high school that soon attracted him to iGEM. After approximately two weeks of volunteering in a former iGEM project of iHKU team over the summer of 2008, he had an honor to pledge to working with university students as a HKU-HKBU team member this year in 2009. This precious opportunity gave him an insight into the application of principles of synthetic biology to contributing human welfare; furthermore, it inspired him to pursue further studies in the corresponding field of study as he found it to be intellectually provocative and intriguing.

He was assigned as a wet lab researcher tasked with activating the polar expression on Escherichia coli 2443 OMPT. His primary approach to tackling this task was transforming plasmids into 2443 OMPT. He learned a tremendous amounts of knowledge on regards to research techniques, data analysis, setting for experiments, and the mindset of research – to be both innovative and steadfast.