Team:Marburg/Safety
S A F E T Y
Research poses different risks and therefore safety is an essential part in every scientific project. To prevent any harmful incidents from happening, for example concerning the health of researchers or contaminating the environment, experiments have to be planned prospectively and work has to be conducted under conscientious circumstances.
Ahead of any laboratory work, instructions covering general lab safety, building safety, behavior during emergency situations and handling precarious and potential dangerous tools and substances were recieved. Resulting from that, every member was equipped with the crucial protective clothing like a lab coat and safety goggles for personal safety. Every working area was fitted with disposable gloves. Members working with special technical devices were given a guidance for proper operation of that device. Additionally, we were made familiar with the regulations applicable to our work. Based on these instructions appropriate actions were taken when working with harmful chemicals and utensils.
Our project included the work with S1 (German Biosafety Level 1) approved organisms such as three different E. coli strains (DH5alpha, TOP10 and HB101) and the two cyanobacterial strains of Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 and PCC 7942. Although the strain UTEX 2973 has been isolated as a mutant in the lab and was not derived from enviroment samples, it was assumed that all utilized organisms are viable outside the laboratory setting an therefore extra attentiveness was given to eliminate any chance of releasing them by accident. Tasks involving S1 organisms were entirely carried out in permitted S1 laboratories strictly following the S1 regulations. This ensured that no genetically modified bacteria came in contact with human beings nor was released into the environment. The project did not involve any harm being inflicted to animals or humans.
All parts involved in our project are on the iGEMs whitelist or applications were submitted for these parts. We are aware of the fact that we used antibiotics listed on the World Health Organisation´s list of "Critically Important Antimicrobials". To prevent the spreading of resistances againt these antibiotics we can assure that a responsible acquaintance was the base of our daily laboratory work. Furthermore, we are certain that all of our parts and constructs do not pose any risk to humanity nor environment and our project is in line with all safety requirements for the iGEM competition.