Team:Auburn Alabama/Safety
Safety
Safe Project Design
We designed our project to be as safe as possible by using non-pathogenic DH5α E. coli and mildly toxic nickel acetate. Nevertheless, we recognized the safety risk in introducing antibiotic resistant cells to the environment, and we recognized the risk of working with carcinogenic nickel acetate. Therefore, we strictly followed lab safety rules to reduce the risk as much as possible.
Safe Lab Work
As we did not have access to a university level laboratory space, we conducted all our experiments in our high school classroom. With the classroom being a space for countless students each day, lab safety was taken especially seriously.
Each team member was heavily trained about lab safety by our PI, and we were careful to wear personal protective equipment, such as goggles and gloves, at all times. When dealing with toxic nickel acetate, we ensured there was good ventilation. Furthermore, we took care to bleach all lab surfaces and tools for sterilization to prevent harm to other students using the classroom space.
When ordering E. coli and our DNA plasmid, we complied with all safety guidelines and requirements, and ensured they were being properly shipped to Auburn High school