Safety
1. Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of:
- researcher safety,
- public safety, or
- environmental safety?
None of our project ideas raised any safety issues – whether for the researcher, nor for the publicity and environment.
In order to protect ourselves, we mostly worked with non-hazardous chemicals and organisms as E. coli, besides, we wore a lab coat and single-use gloves. When working with e.g. liquid N2, we wore goggles as well.
When operating with dangerous substances (as e. g. ethidiumbromide), we additionally wore nitrile gloves and we handled these things in extra rooms.
For the protection of the public and the environment against hazardous substances, our garbage has been autoclaved as well as the liquid waste. Before going home, we cleaned and disinfected our hands. Moreover, we let the windows closed and did not throw jeopardy stuff into the sink.
2. 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?
None of our biobricks did raise any safety issues. Therefore we didn't need to document anything.
3. 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?
Germany has signed and ratified the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol. This protocol ensures safe handling, use and transfer of genetically modidied organisms. Furthermore, we have our own laws and guidelines for biosafety here. For example, all laboratories which are handling GMOs have a designated biosafety level, which is stated in a genetic engineering decree (Gentechnik Sicherheitsverordnung).
4. 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?
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