Team:UESTC-China/Safety

team

SAFETY

Project Safety

CHASSIS:

The chassis we used are E.coli DH5a，E.coli BL21(DE3)，E.coli BW25113， E.coli CICIM B0016， E.coli TOP 10 and E.coli MC1061, which all belong to RISK LEVEL 1, means they are low risk for human being and environment.

PARTS:

Our parts are all taken from the RISK LEVEL 1 and RISK LEVEL 2 organisms. The RISK LEVEL 1 organisms are not safe to cause diseases in healthy adults. Although the RISK LEVEL 2 organisms may cause diseases in humans, the parts we extracted were all synthesized from the company, without any risk of pathogens.

EXPECTED PROTECTION MECHANISM:

The greater risk of our project is that genetically modified bacteria that carry antibiotic resistance can escape into the wild under incorrect operation. Although the transgenic bacteria we used don't cause disease themselves, they can still transfer plasmids that carry antibiotic resistance to those pathogens. However, it’s not uncontrollable. We plan to add a “suicide gene” leading the bacteria to express endolysin to kill themselves whenever they escape our cultivate medium.
Lab Safety

DISPOSAL:

To avoid the pollution of environment, we gather all cultivate medium with bacteria and sterilize them before discarding. For some reagents with health risk, such as EB, we use them carefully with the correct position and keep another separate container for hazardous waste. In order to keep our laboratory safe and clean, we carry out regular cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection every day. Besides, we also check out the electrical installment and instrument to ensure safe experiment and environment. Ultra-clean working table is treated with ultraviolet sterilization before use.
Researcher Safety

TRAINNING:

We had a lesson about lab safety provided by the university biosafety office in our freshman year. In this lesson, freshman can learn the correct experimental operation and much knowledge about chemical drugs and reagents. And the students who pass the final safety test will accept a diploma, with which one may enter the lab and start experiment.

OPERATION:

Our experimental operation strictly in accordance with the guidelines:
Laboratory coveralls, gowns or uniforms must be worn at all times for work in the laboratory;
When some volatile toxic reagents are necessary, we will operate in the fume hood;
All reagents have designated position and must returned after experiment;
A variety of drugs and reagents must be signed a clean label including the name, concentration, specification, etc;
Daily decontamination of all work surfaces when work is complete;
Prohibition of food, drink and smoking materials in lab setting;
Pipetting by mouth of any material is forbidden. You must always use the teats, syringes, and pipette-fillers provided;
Contaminated glassware, plastic ware, microscope slides and discarded Petri dishes etc., must be placed in the receptacles indicated by the lecturer in charge;

IGEM SAFETY FORM

Final safety form.