Safety
The University of Lethbridge iGEM 2010 team is actively involved in developing a synthetic biology-based approach to bioremediation of the tailing ponds link. In line with this, the team has developed guidelines, which dictate what can and cannot be done in the laboratory. This is all done to ensure the safety of the experimenters (students), the environment and the public as a whole.
Safety Questions
How we address safety issues in terms of:
Researcher Safety
The U of L team project uses Escherichia coli bacteria, particularly the strains BL21 (DE3) and DH5α. These strains are the most widely used bacteria in biotechnology, biological and biochemistry research due to their lack of pathogenicity. These strains of bacteria are also very useful and possess many unique qualities that make them ideal for recombinant DNA experiments such as transformations and protein over expressions. These experiments are the foundation for the majority of the projects in the iGEM competition and are one of the main reasons why these particular E. coli strains are used preferentially by a large proportion of laboratories around the world. This means that at no point in time will any experimenters be exposed to pathogens.
Many other precautions are also taken in our laboratory. Aseptic technique is maintained at all times. Experimenters wear the appropriate protective laboratory clothing such as lab coats and lab goggles. As well, experimenters dispose of any harmful waste chemicals, such as chloroform, in the organic waste bucket located in the fume hood and any liquids or solvents that come into contact with bacteria are disposed off in a large vessel containing bleach. Therefore, there are no risks during the implementation of our project in the lab.Public and Environmental Safety
The safety measures employed in our laboratory are designed to cater not only to the needs of the experimenters but also are intended to consider the concerns of the general public. Introducing an engineered E. coli that will degrade harmful chemicals in tailing ponds naturally raises concerns for public and environmental safety. However, as was previously discussed, the specific strains of E. coli used in our project are not harmful to humans and other organisms in the environment. They form part of the Escherichia genus, which is ubiquitous in nature. Additionally, the team plans to incorporate the gene BamHI link into the bacterial genome, which will enable degradation of the bacteria’s genome once it has been released. As well, in the future, the team aspires to localize the catechol degrading enzyme catechol-2,3-dioxygenase link into microcompartments link, which can then be distributed in the form of a biodegradable powder link. This will eliminate the use of bacteria altogether and should greatly alleviate the concerns of public and environmental safety.
Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise any safety issues? If yes,
did you document these issues in the Registry? how did you manage to handle the safety issue? How could other teams learn from your experience? Is there a local biosafety group, committee, or review board at your institution?
If yes, what does your local biosafety group think about your project? If no, which specific biosafety rules or guidelines do you have to consider in your country? Do you have any other ideas how to deal with safety issues that could be useful for future iGEM competitions?
How could parts, devices and systems be made even safer through biosafety engineering?
"
