Difference between revisions of "Team:UMaryland/Safety"

Enforcing and emphasizing laboratory safety is a crucial component in the iGEM framework and in the greater scientific community. This year the University of Maryland iGEM team abided by safety measures appropriate for biosafety level 1 as our project involves the engineering of several common E.coli strains (DH5-Alpha, BL21, BL21 DE3) to inhibit the spore germination and mycelial cell growth of a non-pathogenic strain of Fusariuam oxysporum.

A main priority of the team was to not only degrate PET plastic, but to also do it in a way that prevents biocontaimnation in the environment. To accomplish this, we created a system that would be entirely cell free. Our PET NET design is completely cell-free, utilizing only excreted PETase to degrade plastic. This reduces the risk of unwanted biocontanimation in the environment.

To commit to the lab safety lifestyle, we enforce strict lab policies and practices ranging from waste disposal to lab techniques. Before the beginning of the summer term, each lab member completed Chemical Hygiene training and Biohazard safety training through UMD’s department of environmental safety and an additional, specific iGEM training session lead by our lab coordinators, Daniel Zheng and Keerthana Srinivasan. During this training several important lab protocols were taught such as, transformation, colony picking, bacterial culturing, plasmid DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and waste disposal (autoclave). Appropriate lab attire was emphasized, which requires long pants, closed toed shoes, and protective eyewear at all times in the lab.

Although our team is only working with BSL1 organisms, live cultures are frequently used. To reduce the risk of contamination, team members are required to wear nitrile gloves when handling samples, work near a flame when easily contaminated samples are open and autoclave all liquid and solid waste often.