Team:NPU-China/Safety

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Synthetic biology is accounted as a sensitive and controversial subject, which needs to be paid more attention in the potential safety threats. This year, NPU-China focus on designing and synthetizing the minimal S. cerevisiae mitochondrial genome. We thought carefully about and managing any risks to ourselves, our colleagues, community and the environment.

Safe project design
1. In our project, non-pathogenic strains of E. coli and S. cerevisiae are used as chassis to construct and simplify the minimal S. cerevisiae mitochondrial genome.
2. Harmful parts are not allowed in our project. All the parts in out project are from original S. cerevisiae mitochondrial genome, which will not pose any threat.
3. we consulted our instructor to ensure the safety of our project design.

Operating wet-lab in a safe standard molecular biology laboratory

This year we mainly carried out our project experiments in two laboratories:

1. Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Synthetic Biology, Ecology and Environmental Protection Research Center, Northwestern Polytechnical University.
2. Gene Synthesis Laboratory, TACG (Tianjin) Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

The laboratory has a clean bench for routine molecular biology experiments, fume hoods, UV-protective glasses, sterilizers, and other laboratory equipment to ensure the safety of the personnel. In addition, the laboratory provides ample laboratory clothing for personal protection, such as gloves, masks, goggles and other experimental supplies.

Safe laboratory work
Before we started our wet-lab work, all the members had taken the Lab Safety courses in our school that instructed us how to work safely and securely in a lab. Until we passed the corresponding exams, we were not allowed to enter the lab.

In addition, there are experimental security administrators for both of our labs, of which the administrator of NPU Lab is Zhu Wenbo and that of Taige Biotech Lab is Peng Kai.

Before we officially entered the lab, the security administrator would personally give us security training, including explanations of instrument usage, experiment operation and safety precautions and emergency measures.

During the experiment operation, the security administrator also conducted periodic security checks to ensure the safety of the entire process.

According to the requirements raised by iGEM policy, in our daily bench work we have never performed any dangerous experiment or caused any unusual safety issue. The basic regulations our bench work have always abided by are as follows:

1. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering the laboratory.
2. Hands must be washed after working with potentially hazardous materials and before leaving the laboratory.
3. Participants need to understand the experiment they intend to do completely.
4. Protective lab coats, gowns or uniforms must be dressed to prevent contamination of personal clothing.
5. Gloves must be worn throughout the experiments.
6. Protective eyewear must be worn when conducting procedures that have the potential to create splashes of microorganisms or other hazardous materials.
7. Policies for the safe handling of acute items, such as needles, scalpels, pipettes, and broken glassware must be implemented stringently.
8. Steps with any probability of contamination should be performed in a biosafety cabinet.
9. All liquid and solid waste containing living organisms must be autoclaved.
10. Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact lenses, applying cosmetics, and storing food for human consumption are not permitted in the laboratory.
11. Water, electricity, gas, and air conditioners must be ensured to be turned off, doors and windows to be locked before the last person's leave.

Safe for Community

We investigated relevant Chinese laws and regulations, finding out no violation, which is detailed as follows:

Regulations on the Safety Management of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms

Article 6 The one engaged in the research and testing of agricultural genetically modified organisms is the first responsible person for the safety management. The agricultural genetically modified organism safety team in the charge of the legal representative shall be established to be responsible for the safety management and evaluation of the agricultural genetically modified organisms.

Companies, organizations, institutions or governments, etc. engaged in agricultural genetically modified organism research and testing shall formulate operational procedures for agricultural genetically modified organisms and strengthen the traceable management.

Article 18 The following cnditions shall be met for the experimental research and experiment of agricultral genetically modified organisms in the People's Republic of China:
(1) Specialized institutions are required within the territory of the People's Republic of China;
(2) Full-time technical personnel are required to be engaged in experimental research and experimentation of agricultural genetically modified organisms;
(3) The equipment and facilities conditions are appropriate to the experimental research and testing;
(4) A safety management group should be established for agricultural genetically modified organisms.

Article 35 Companies, organizations, institutions or governments, etc. engaged in thetesting and production of agricultural genetically modified organisms shall, in accordance with the provisions of these Measures, determine safety control measures and emergency measures to prevent accidents, and make safety supervision records for verification.
Safety controls include physical controls, chemical controls, biological controls, environmental controls and scale controls (see Appendix IV).

Article 36 Genetically modified organisms of safety class II, III and IV shall be taken reliable measures to destroy and inactivate before waste disposal and discharge to prevent proliferation and environmental pollution. If the transgenic organism is found to have spread, remained or caused harm, effective measures must be taken immediately to control, eliminate further detriments, and the local agricultural administrative department shall be subsequently reported to.

Article 37 When storing, transferring, transporting, destroying or inactivating agricultural genetically modified organisms, corresponding safety management and preventive measures shall be adopted, treated with specific equipment or in designated places, and the special personnel needs to manage and record them.

Article 38 When agricultural genetically modified organisms are found to be dangerous to humans, animals, plants and the ecological environment, the Ministry of Agriculture has the right to declare a ban on production, processing, operation and import, to recover the safety certificate, and to destroy the dangerous agricultural genetically modified organisms.

Safe for Environment

1. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae and E. coli used in our project are in Risk group 1, which are not pathogenic and would not be able to compete outside the lab.
2. All liquid and solid waste containing living organisms are autoclaved in the laboratory.
3. All tools and glass wares are thoroughly cleaned after each use.
4. BioBricks are sent out through the standard shipping process required by iGEM headquarter.