Greetings, my name is Maxen Hamelynck. I am a third-year Biochemical Engineering undergraduate at the University of California, Davis.
I chose this major in order to study the intersection between engineering and biochemistry. In the future, I hope to utilize chemical engineering principles to create and improve bioreactors and bioprocesses for modern medicine.
Here are two images from the lab I work in on campus:
The two steel tanks of the first image are pilot-scale bioreactors. Recombinant plant material grown and harvested from our lab is processed in these bioreactors in order to isolate purified proteins for drug development research.
The second image is a picture of a PCR that I performed in the same lab. PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, can be done for a multitude of reasons, including to amplify template DNA. In this case, we were amplifying template DNA in order to develop recombinant plasmids. In my lab, I am involved in the processes upstream (before) of the bioreactors.
Skills
My ability to think critically and solve interdisciplinary problems translates well to the process of repairs. Diagnosing and finding a method to solve an issue has been a relevant theme throughout my coursework and experience in campus labs.
- Chemical Engineering: Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Material Balances, Analysis & Design
- Teamwork, interdisciplinary learning, research and critical thinking
Hobbies
Outside of my academics, I enjoy skateboarding and playing guitar. I also enjoy working on my skateboard (replacing grip tape, doing maintenance on my bearings, and rethreading axles on my trucks).