iGEM alumni spotlight
“We did fun things to make the experience feel like a team rather than an individual experience.”
iGEM is an annual, international competition where 350+ university teams present synthetic biology projects aimed at addressing 21st century challenges. Each year, UCSC assembles an interdisciplinary team of undergraduates with the common goal of creating a better world through science and engineering. Read more about iGEM.
Baskin Engineering alumna Melody Azimi (B.S., Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics, ‘21) was a co-captain of the 2020 UC Santa Cruz International Genetic Engineering Machine (iGEM) team, called Komaplastics.
iGEM experience: Azimi’s team won gold at the 2020 iGEM Jamboree for designing a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from bacterial cellulose. Their aim was to create an alternative to contemporary agricultural films — thin plastic materials used in farming — which break down into microplastics and damage the environment.
Despite the pandemic, Azimi helped the team stay united, guided by iGEM advisor and Associate Teaching Professor of Biomolecular Engineering David Bernick.
“It was a very tough time, and David Bernick worked really hard to get us in the lab. We tried to do as much together as we could—we went outside for picnics, we all stood five feet away from each other in a circle, and we did fun things to make the experience feel like a team rather than an individual experience. In pretty dark times, we were still able to find some happiness and do research and work together.”
Azimi was recognized by her teammates for her leadership, team-building skills and effective communication.
Where is she now? After graduating, Azimi moved to Boston, MA where she completed an internship with Asimov — an iGEM-affiliated company. Now, she is pursuing an M.S. in Health Informatics at Northeastern University.
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