Team:Tsinghua/Safety
Safety Form
Safety Form
Contact info
Team: Tsinghua
Name: Zikang Huang
Email: huangzk17@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
Part 1: Overview
1. Please upload a photo or two of your lab to the iGEM 2019 server
2. Describe the goal of your project: what is your engineered organism supposed to do?
We will use E.coli to construct an in vivo phase separating system to control biochemical reactions. This system will be induced to function by light, which will guarantee the high time resolution of reaction regulation. By co-working with phase separating system, the leakage of light controlling system can be reduced.
Part 2: Identifying possible risks
3. Which whole organisms, including viruses and cell lines, are you planning to use or using in your project?
We use E.coli in our experiment. The strains are DH5-alpha, BL21(DE3),JM109 delta MreB.
4. What risks could these organisms pose to you or your colleagues in the laboratory, or to your community or the environment if they escape the lab?
Normal E.coli will not pose threat to the environment or people. However, if the E.coli carrying antibiotic resistance gene escapes, the tolerance strain or this tolerance gene might spread.
5. What organisms are you using as chasses in your project?
Normal E.coli will not pose threat to the environment or people. However, if the E.coli carrying antibiotic resistance gene escapes, the tolerance strain or this tolerance gene might spread.
6. What risks could your chassis pose to you or your colleagues in the laboratory, or to your community or the environment if they escape the lab?
The unmodified E.coli will not pose threat to environment and people. However, if the E.coli with plasmids that carry the antibiotic resistance gene escape, the tolerance strain or this tolerance gene might spread.
7. As part of your project, are you are planning to make / have made new parts or substantively changed existing parts in the Registry.
Yes
8. Part information is submitted in a spreadsheet.
We've already uploaded the spreadsheet.
9. What experiments will you do with your organisms and parts?
We will use E.coli DH5alpha and BL21 as our chasis to develop a light induced phase separation system to control biochemical reactions inside the bacteria. SIM, SUMO and FUS will be use as phase separation elements. Cry2 and CIB1 will be fused to phase separation elements to induce phase separation under light stimulation. 3HSB is a hexamer used to verify the ability of phase separation element to aggregate under induction.
10. What risks could arise from these experiments?
We will use pointy objects to plant bacteria onto the medium, which may hurt hands without gloves. We will use autoclave to sterilize facilities and reagents, which may cause injury if opened under high temperature.
11. Imagine that your project was fully developed into a real product that real people could use. How would people use it?
Only in the lab.
12. What safety, security or ethical risks would be involved with such a use?
The main risk of this application is the escape of transgenic E. coli. It would introduce synthetic genetic material to the environment, causing unpredictable gene transition in nature, including resistance for certain antibiotics.
Part 3: Managing the risks you have identified
13. How will experts overseeing your project help to manage any of the risks you identified in this form?
The Tsinghua iGEM lab is part of the Center for Laboratory Training in Life Sciences in Tsinghua University. Lab instructor Li will oversee our experiments. Also we will work with instructors from Chen Lab, the laboratory of our Primary PI that specializes in microbiology research. Last but not least, we have a security commmittee evaluating the risks that might happen in our experiments.
14. What rules or guidance cover your work which could help to manage any of the risks you identified in Part 2 of this form (in particular Question 10)?
15. Have your team members received any safety training?
Yes, we have already received safety training and we have already received security training.
16. Please select the topics that you learned about (or will learn about) in your safety training.
- Lab access and rules (including appropriate clothing, eating and drinking, etc.
- Responsible individuals (such as lab or departmental specialist or institutional biosafety officer)
- Differences between biosafety levels
- Biosafety equipment (such as biosafety cabinets)
- Good microbial technique (such as lab practices)
- Disinfection and sterilization
- Emergency procedures
- Transport rules
- Physical biosecurity
- Personnel biosecurity
- Dual-use and experiments of concern
- Data biosecurity
- Chemicals, fire and electrical safety
17. Which work areas do you use / are you using to handle biological materials?
Open bench, Biosafety cabinet and nikon A1RMP multiphoton microscopy (A15000007)
18. What is the biosafety Level of your work space?
Level 1
19. What other risk management tools will cover you work?
- Accident reporting (measures to record any accidents)
- Personal Protective Equipment (including lab coats, gloves, eye protection, etc)
- An inventory control system (measures to track who has what materials and where they are)
- Access controls (measures to control who can access your work spaces, or where materials are kept)
- Medical surveillance (measures to find out if you get sick because of something you were using)
- Waste management system (measures to make sure waste is not hazardous before it leaves your institution)
- Special procedures or protocols that address safety or security
20. How will the rules, training, containment and other procedures and practices help to manage any of the risks you identified in Part 2 of this form (in particular Question 10)?
We will not use pathogenic strains of E. coli. Experiments will only be conducted when gloves and other protections are worn properly. Wastes containing living bacteria or harmful reagents will be sterilized before being disposed, or sent to qualified institution for disposal. Only iGEMers have can access our lab to carry out experiments. We also have security rules which all iGEMers will obey. The rules are confirmed by lab instructor and all iGEMers.
Part 4: Compliance with iGEM’s rules and policies
21. Are you planning to/ have released any organism or product derived from your project?
No.
22. Are you planning to use, or using any animals (including insects and invertebrates) not on the Whitelist?
No.
23. Are you planning to use / have used any vertebrates (e.g. rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters) or higher order invertebrates (e.g. cuttlefish, octopus, squid, lobster)?
No.
24. Are you planning to use, or using any parts not on the Whitelist?
No.
25. Are you planning to carry out any of the activities not on the Whitelist?
No.
26. Are you planning to use, or using any parts or organisms obtained from outside the lab or regular suppliers?
No.
27. What else can you tell us about any risks associated with your project, how you are managing them, or your compliance with iGEM’s safety and security rules and policies?
We think this safety form covers almost all risks we have thought about.
