From Bucharest to Warwick: Tudor Onose’s Synthetic Biology Journey
Interview by Andreea Cernei (iGEM Ambassador for Europe)
Written by Hassnain Q Bokhari
Tudor Onose was part of team iGEM Warwick in 2020 and 2021, and became a mentor for the same team in 2024.
At the University of Warwick, Tudor Onose tunes the electrical language of bacteria, investigating how Bacillus subtilis responds to shifts in membrane potential. But before he was tracing bioelectric signals, Tudor was following a signal of his own, a question that first took shape during the start of his iGEM Competition journey in 2020: What could he build and who could he build it with? “I was a silly little first-year student,” he said. “I didn’t know much, just some buzzwords about engineering biology. But I jumped in, and honestly, I’m glad I did.”
Tudor’s first iGEM experience was nothing short of a crash course in science. With limited experience, minimal help in the lab, and a steep learning curve, he spent most of his time running experiments on his own, managing setbacks and pushing through.
“It was rough. Some of my experiments didn’t work. I didn’t know what I was doing half the time. But we made it happen. That experience gave me a real appreciation for what lab work is actually like.”
Despite the struggle, something clicked. The problem-solving loop, the constant iteration of design, build, test, learn and repeat, resonated deeply with him. “That’s the core of iGEM, right? And that mindset has stuck with me. It’s basically what I do in my Ph.D. now.”
Beyond cloning and primer design, iGEM improved Tudor’s time management and communication skills, two things that are indispensable in a Ph.D. program.
“Science doesn’t happen in a couple of months,” he explains. “But in iGEM, you’re forced to make the most of your time. That pressure taught me how to plan, prioritize and adapt.”
Just as critical was learning how to communicate with teammates from different backgrounds.
“I had to constantly explain what I was doing to the non-biologists on my iGEM team. That really pushed me to think about how to make my work understandable. It’s something I carry with me to this day.”
From Student to Mentor
In 2024, Tudor participated again in the iGEM Competition, this time as a mentor for the 2024 Warwick iGEM Competition team. For him, it was more than just supervising.
“I love the teaching side of science; not lectures, but the hands-on stuff. Watching students grow, helping them think through real lab problems, that’s incredibly rewarding.”
Tudor also learned that mentoring requires precision. “You have to be really specific with instructions. Miscommunication in the lab can set someone back weeks. I’ve learned to be careful with my words and realistic with timelines.”
Advice for iGEM Mentors and Future Teams
When asked what advice he’d give to other iGEM mentors:
“Expect chaos. Try to sort it out and involve the team. Let them make decisions and learn from your own working style about what needs to be changed. If they’re driven enough to join iGEM, they’ll figure it out.”
For future teams in Romania and beyond, his advice is clear: “Find a good Principal Investigator (PI) who’s as dedicated as you are. Without institutional support, you’ll struggle, no matter how good your ideas are.”
Though Tudor has been living and studying in the UK for years, he still sees value in expanding iGEM back home.
“The sense of collaboration within and between teams is something Romania could really benefit from. A local iGEM scene built on cooperation can only be a good thing.”
And with a high school team from Bucharest joining iGEM recently, things may be shifting.
So what would Tudor say to a Romanian student thinking about starting an iGEM Team?
“Do it for the exposure. iGEM opens your eyes to how science really works and what it takes to manage stress, pressure and setbacks. Call it character development. It’s hard, but you come out stronger!.”
For Romanians who’ve competed in iGEM and are now abroad, Tudor sees an opportunity, and a responsibility.
“Maintain your networks. Reach out to your old schools. Visit when you can. Online presence is fine, but face-to-face outreach might be what really gets students interested.”
