Principal Investigators
Dr. Luca Vangelista - Our Secondary PI, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, and main supervisor of all wet-lab activities. The project idea was mainly proposed and outlined by him as a part of his and Dr. Tosi’s shared NATO Science for Peace and Security Multi Year Program research project. He has devoted his time and resources to ensure that we successfully implement our ideas, while keenly following scientific integrity and safety practices.
Dr. Daniele Tosi - Our Primary PI, Associate Professor, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and main point of contact with iGEM Headquarters. Dr. Tosi is a renowned expert in the field of optic fibers that has guided us throughout the year, actively supported and participated in our initiatives, and provided us with much needed feedback to find the right vector of development for us and our project.
Advisors
Sultan Mussakhan - Ph.D. candidate at Brock University and our team adviser in human practices and public engagement. Sultan’s experience as iGEM Competition Alumni and Ambassador, social activist, and artist truly help us shape in which direction we want to move as part of our human practices work. He helped us improve our inclusion & diversity practices, identify our target audience for public engagement, and supported our bold ideas for the organization of events, taking up the role of Art Curator in our BioArt exhibition.
Daulet Aitymbayev - Master’s student at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and our team advisor. Daulet’s experience as iGEM Competition Alumni, ex-Ambassador, and Judge helped our team a lot since he gave us insightful information throughout the project development on how to meet medal criteria, comply with iGEM rules and policies, and make a distinguished iGEM project. He organized several workshops with our team on safety, engineering success, human integrated practices, and judging criteria; as well as was a welcome guest in our weekly team meetings.
Mentors
Yerkezhan Kalikanova and Kuanysh Seitkamal have been supervising us in the lab since we were not permitted to work without their presence. They navigated us throughout the processes of molecular cloning and expression of vaccinia virus proteins, by reviewing our experiment planning and implementation steps, managed our access to necessary biological parts, and provided us with timely feedback regarding our progress. Similarly, Baizak Kudaibergenov and Aida Rakhimbekova have helped us in our work with optic fiber biosensors. Given that it was a completely new area for all members only their guidance and training allowed us to achieve the goals that we have set in hardware and software directions.
We also appreciate the help that we received from Aigerim Mazhitkhan who was a second art curator for our BioArt exhibition. She helped us reach out to local and international artists, conceptualize exhibit positioning, and set up the venue for the event.
Our Team
Overall management and coordination of all project activities concerning both implementation and public engagement, as well as internal structure regulation and external communications, were curated by Team Lead - Malika Vassilova.
Project Implementation
Leaders: Lazzar Serik (designing experiments, research plan), Arsen Orazbek (data analysis, documentation), and Sakengali Kazhiev (drylab)
Members of WetLab team, in particular, Lazzat Serik*, Arsen Orazbek*, Saya Maratova, Akbota Mazhit, Aiman Abilova, and Asset Kusherbayev for performing the experiments and collecting key data for our proof of concept. All while independently maintaining the lab space diligently and safely, following all the necessary procedures, and ensuring research integrity in the process. They managed to form an efficient chain of communication, timely incorporating feedback from Human Practices, conveying data for analysis to drylab team, and approaching project implementation in an agile way. All while studying full-time and helping other team subunits in the organization of events, editing Wiki, fundraising, and collaboration initiatives.
Members of DryLab team, in particular Sakengali Kazhiyev*, Askarali Talkybek, Inabat Akanova, Polina Len, and Asset Malik for analyzing data generated by our wetlab team, modeling probable outcomes for future experiments in advance, and adaptation and optimization of preexisting software and algorithms for data processing. We appreciate their dedication and effort in designing and testing the hardware necessary for our project, and writing and documenting software for it, all while pouring their effort into developing our Wiki website and engaging in other team activities.
Both teams united their efforts in brainstorming ideas for project implementation by reviewing tons of relevant literature, code libraries, and previous iGEM projects, to conceive something unique, and something that can contribute more to the iGEM community. Such brilliant implementation would not have been possible without strong support and promotion from our Public Engagement and Human Practices team.
Human Practices and Public Engagement:
Leaders: Zere Mamadil (inclusivity initiatives and public engagement) and Anel Umirbaeva (fundraising, event organization).
Zere Mamadil*, Nurly Kapashova, and Danissa Mussakhan in developing such a
complex and multifaceted approach to inclusivity and diversity in science. Guldana Sabizhanova and Ayana
Batyrbayeva for their marvelous work in the visualization of work that is being done by all teams and its
masterful promotion across different platforms. Torekeldi Kuandyk and Anel Umirbaeva* for reaching out to companies, stakeholders, and NGOs to raise more than 10’000
USD for the organization of all our public engagement initiatives, while also studying and developing
prospective business models for our project development in the future: both as a science start-up and as a
social enterprise. We will not be mistaken to call their efforts revolutionary for our understanding of what it
means to make science inclusive and accessible: they visited schools for students with special needs to learn
from those who are being affected by it directly, which of their needs remain unmet; they conducted workshops,
recorded short docuseries, and worked with experts in this field to develop first fully tactile and accessible
science board game; they made tactile 3D toys; they organized an inclusive Science Summer camp for
high-schoolers from socially-vulnerable groups, and they made our BioArt exhibition fully accessible.We also appreciate the help that we received from Aigerim Mazhitkhan who
was a
second art curator for our BioArt exhibition. She helped us reach out to local and international artists,
conceptualize exhibit positioning, and set up the venue for the event.
A complete table of activities that each individual member participated in:
Administrative Units of our University
School of Sciences and Humanities of Nazarbayev University, Department of Biology: We thank our school for providing us with necessary working spaces, laboratory facilities, equipment, consumables, and support from faculty. Moreover, we appreciate the gratuitous funding of our Registration and Giant Jamboree Participation Fees. Special thanks are attributed to the Dean of the School of Sciences and Humanities Dr. Gonzalo Hortelano for assisting us in getting access to laboratories and helping with student accommodation matters. We also thank our Department Chair Dr. Christian Schoenbach for ensuring the necessary supervision of the team’s activities, and the safety of our working conditions. Under his guidance, we received generous lab support from our Teaching Assistants Kamilya Sydykova, Nurzhanna Bakuova, and Yerkebulan Yesbolatov who conducted safety sessions with us, prepared all the necessary materials, reagents, and equipment available from the Department, even on weekends and holidays.
Department of Student Services, Assem Kazzhanova in particular, for their help in organizing large-scale events such as Summer Camp for High-School students and BioArt exhibition and small-scale events such as workshops, guest lectures, and supporting our participation in the Annual Club fair.
NGOs
Dara foundation as one of the country’s leading experts in inclusivity has held an irreplaceable advisory role in the matter of inclusion profoundly contributing to each of our endeavors in inclusivity. Their professional technical support allowed adapting the bioart exhibition to the visually impaired audience. Making it possible to read (in Braille) and listen (through audiodescriptions) to the exhibits, creating an inclusive environment.
Social Development Fund for sponsoring the implementation of our inclusivity project - RemiSee, as well as providing advisory help in managing team finances, reaching out to sponsors, promoting our events, connecting with experts in the field of inclusive education, and many more.
SPONSORS
Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities for fully covering our participation fees and attending the Jamboree in person.
Ministry of Education “Тәуелсіздік Ұрпақтары” Grant program for fully covering our expenses on reagents.
Hope Foundation and First Heartland Jusan Bank for fully covering all expenses associated with organizing our BioArt exhibition.
Nazarbayev University Student Fund for covering all the minor expenses associated with event organization.
American Chemical Society was a general sponsor of the summer Camp 2022 allowing us to host the camp in person for 42 high school students 12 of the being from rural areas. Iqanat high school Burabay has assisted with the participation of students from rural areas, later letting them share their synbio experience with peers.
Snapgene providing a subscription gratis allowed us to run gel electrophoresis simulation.
OTHER
The public School №10 in Astana which has classes with visually impaired students has collaborated with us in conducting a summer camp. Saule Lyabivovna, school’s tutor, has conducted masterclasses to our team in interacting with visually impaired children. Students Aituarov Dias, Izteleuov Insar, Bokenov Aidos, Turmakhanbetov Yernur, Zhumash Shyngys, Mustafin Ablai, Mamilin Sultan, Zhantore Moldir, Khizhnyak Elizaveta, Tsoi Victoria, Tautenov Mansur have contributed their work ‘Cell models, to the bioart exhibition as an exhibit.
Meruyert Mukhitkyzy has made an invaluable assistance to the organization of number of events on voluntary basis.
Kazakh translation academy - has conducted training on verbal descriptions and touch tours for bioart exhibition.
NU Image and Art Revolution clubs for their help in helping us with photos and videos.
BIOART
Leyla Mahat doctor of philosophy in fine arts, director of art space ‘Kulanshi’; Aigerim Mazhitkhan - director of the exhibition center ‘Platforma’; Sultan Mussakhan - team adviser; Zubaira Ysmail - master in art management - have made an immense contribution supervising the organization of our bioart exhibition.
Also thanks to Monika Seyfried for advising on the bioart exhibition organization and sending us her works.
Full list of attributions related to the exhibition could be found on BioArt page.