OUR TEAM
LENNART SCHADA VON BORZYSKOWSKI
Assistant Professor
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Dr. Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski is an Assistant Professor in the Microbial Sciences Cluster at the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL). He obtained his PhD in the lab of Julia Vorholt at ETH Zürich (Switzerland) and subsequently worked as a postdoc with Tobias Erb at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg (Germany). His research combines the investigation of natural bacterial metabolism and the biological engineering of synthetic metabolism in order to understand the diversity of microbial biochemistry and apply it towards sustainable biotechnological approaches.
For more information, see his CV.
CAMILLO IACOMETTI
PhD student
Camillo Iacometti is a PhD student in the SvB lab since September 2021. His concern towards the environmental implications of human activity goes back to his BSc studies on the effect of organophosphate pollutants on coastal marine ecosystems. After learning the principles of metabolic engineering in the Bar-Even lab at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam (Germany), he decided to deepen his understanding of microbial metabolism and adaptation. In the SvB lab, Camillo is studying how to domesticate the metabolism of marine Alphaproteobacteria to harness their potential for future bio-geoengineering applications. For further information, see his CV.
MINRUI REN
PhD student
Minrui Ren is a PhD student in the SvB lab since September 2022. She has always been fascinated by the natural world. She is interested in enzyme engineering and in the combination of engineered enzymes with natural metabolism. Her BSc research topic was the production of 3-hydroxypropionate by engineering Klebsiella pneumoniae. After obtaining an MSc degree in Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology from Leiden University, her PhD research focuses on the modification of enzymes and metabolic pathways in Alphaproteobacteria. For details, please see her CV.
BAS VAN WOUDENBERG
PhD student
Bas van Woudenberg joined the lab in March 2022 as a research technician after graduating from the MSc course Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology at Leiden University. In May 2023, he started his PhD project, focusing on the development of methylotrophic cell factories for the production of value-added chemicals from the C1 carbon source methanol.
He is mainly interested in how synthetic biology and metabolic engineering could contribute to tackling sustainability issues that society is facing today. Outside of the lab, Bas is supervising the Leiden iGEM team. In his free time he likes to travel, cook, and play board games with friends.
SEBASTIAAN PRINS
Research technician
Sebastiaan Prins was born in Leiden and graduated from the BSc Biology and MSc Biology with specialization in Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology at Leiden University. Here he developed a keen interest in molecular and synthetic biology, enzyme biochemistry, and biotechnology. During his MSc internship he researched the 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate degradation pathway in Aspergillus niger. He joined the SvB lab in October 2023 and focuses on engineering electron-shuttling complexes into the CO2-fixing bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans to create biohybrid systems for artificial photosynthesis. Outside the lab, he likes to cook, ride and wrench on motorcycles, go to the cinema, and play videogames.
AMBER FIJN
MSc student
Amber Fijn is a biologist currently doing her MSc in Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology at Leiden University. She is working on the development of a modular cloning toolbox for Alphaproteobacteria. Amber is driven by an interest to find sustainable alternatives for current industrial production systems. Apart from working in the lab, she likes reading, walking, and visiting museums.
DANNI LI
MSc student
Danni Li is a MSc student majoring in Biology and Business at Leiden University, and she is currently working on improving the properties of ethylene glycol dehydrogenase since November 2023. Before she came to the Netherlands, she obtained her BSc degree in China and worked in the medical industry for a couple of years. Danni's past experience gave her a keen interest in using biotechnology to solve problems and develop useful products. Outside the lab, she likes cooking, dancing, photography, and traveling.
BILYANA PETROVA
MSc student
Bilyana Petrova is a MSc student in Biology at Leiden University. She is currently working on the investigation of the β-hydroxyaspartate cycle from different environmental bacteria. She has always been interested in genetics and microbiology and the potential to improve the environmental conditions nowadays with the help of these disciplines. Apart from working in the lab, Bilyana loves traveling, reading books, working out, and enjoying long walks in nature.
