OXIPRO is delighted to welcome and to introduce three new members to our dynamic project team:
Gizem Özbek Çam: Zorluteks
Gizem graduated from Ankara University, Department of Chemistry in 2012, and then embarked on her master’s degree at the same university. Her thesis topic was to develop a biosensor to detect Immunoglobulin G (IgG). After working in the R&D department in the cosmetics industry for 1.5 years, Gizem moved sectors and started working at Zorluteks in 2017. Her current focus is in research and development, and sustainability issues. At the same time, she is pursuing her doctoral studies in the Department of Chemistry at Namık Kemal University and is at the thesis stage at the moment. Her thesis topic is looking into the development of sensors and biosensors for the determination of Bisphenol A (BPA) in various samples through green chemistry strategies.
Gizem is working as a project coordinator in OXPIRO while advising and supporting her Zorluteks colleagues about the use of chemicals.
As mother of a young toddler daughter, Gizem’s interests outside of working and compiling her thesis involve lego – an excellent hobby by all accounts!
Inka-Mari Sarvola: VTT
Since December 2023, Inka has been working on WP6, Task 6.1 – Environmental sustainability including Carbon footprint and Carbon handprint. She is a research scientist at VTT and specialised in environmental life cycle assessments (LCA).
Inka holds an MSc in Agriculture and Forestry from the University of Helsinki. In 2022, she graduated in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics and minored in Multidisciplinary Environmental Sciences, but also studied courses on forestry and agricultural sciences.
Her passion to understand the impacts of industries on the environment, objectively measure the extent of those impacts, and then to find the optimal fair tools with which to guide the industries and individual businesses to the desired impact levels has spearheaded her studies and career.
During the last year of studies and after graduation she worked in a start-up which developed a carbon footprint calculator software application for food brands and for the primary agricultural production. Her interest in developing her excellence in LCA methodologies took her to VTT in Autumn 2023. At VTT she has already broadened her scope to pulp and paper industry, cellular agriculture, biochar, and biobased fuels. With OXIPRO, she is eager to see the positive impact that enzyme applications will have on the user experience, the production costs, and the environmental impacts of the products.
Outside of work, sourdough baking, dog sports with her curly-coated retriever, and serving as a board member in a breed association, and as a secretary in a breed club take up most of Inka’s time.
Ivana Marić: Gecco Biotech
Ivana completed her PhD in supramolecular chemistry at the University of Groningen. After finishing her PhD, she joined the group of Prof. Marco Fraaije for a post-doctoral stay, where she first stepped into the world of biocatalysis.
Ivana’s transition from academia to industry was almost seamless, as she simply moved only a few offices down the corridor to join the team at Gecco Biotech. In her role at Gecco, she is responsible for project management and communication with our past, current and potential customers. In the OXIPRO project, her tasks relate to financial reporting and communication efforts.
Outside of work, her hobbies are classic but satisfying: she enjoys reading, discovering nice food, and travelling.
OXIPRO partners all wish our new team members every success!