Team:UChicago/Safety
Safety
Before performing any lab work, our team consulted with the University of Chicago's Institutional Biosafety Committee who determined that an IBC protocol submission was unnecessary for our project as it falls under the educational exemption. However, they required we hold a meeting with the Office of Research Safety. Accordingly, our team conducted a risk assessment meeting with the Office of Research Safety who deemed biosafety level 1 training adequate for our purposes. Further, we completed All members are required to complete University-issued biosafety training appropriate to the Biosafety 1 classification of our lab. This training covered requirements for laboratory practices and equipment, biohazard containment, recombinant DNA, bioethics, fire safety, and personal protective equipment. Our team works with a limited number of toxic or harmful chemicals such as ethidium bromide and bleach. Team members are required to wear rubber gloves at all times in the lab. In the case of a spill, liquids are soaked up and the lab bench and any affected areas wiped down and cleaned. We hold weekly meetings with faculty and graduate student advisors so that experienced wet lab scientists can provide advice and feedback on safe lab practices. Graduate student advisors are also available during lab hours to provide immediate assistance. All proteins expressed in this project are relatively harmless and nontoxic. We used well-known, safe lab protocols for our assays. Biohazardous waste materials are collected in special waste bins in the lab that will be disposed of by the University's hazardous waste disposal contractor. Cells cultures are killed with bleach before disposal, and general solid waste is collected into biohazard bags and disposed of.