Meet the team: Dr Karl Hassan
Introducing Dr Karl, one of the scientific supervisors & mentors of the DeNovocastrians iGEM team.
Dr Karl Hassan, otherwise known as ‘the other Dr Karl’, studies the field of molecular microbiology. These microbes impact our lives in countless ways and have huge potential to help us build a sustainable future, but we are still just scratching the surface of what we have to learn about them. Over the past 15 years, there have been major developments in genomics, recombinant DNA technology and DNA synthesis that have pushed forward the field of Synthetic Biology. The combination of Synthetic Biology and the vast genetic diversity in microbes provides massive scope to do novel and interesting things. It is an exciting time to be in the field.
“The vast majority of life on earth is microbial” — Dr Karl Hassan
When asked why he joined the Newcastle iGEM team he stated; “There are so many reasons. iGEM is a global, truly transdisciplinary event that harnesses the creative power and enthusiasm of skilled young people keen to make a positive change to the world. I was involved in iGEM as an advisor in 2010 and attended the Jamboree in Boston with our team. There was a lot of energy and passion among the teams, unlike any other scientific meeting I’ve been involved with. I wanted to be a part of iGEM again.”
A fun fact about Dr Karl is that he likes travelling to cities overseas and to tropical islands where he can sit by a pool with a cocktail. When sharing his interests with us he said, “I also enjoy hanging out with friends and family. Things have not been so easy this year, but I did recently move into a new house with my wife and daughter. I now have a dog and a yard for the first time since I left home after high school. There are lots of projects on the cards.”
