Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of:
Researcher Safety?
The WashU team is working primarily with very common, safe chemicals. However, several chemicals are known to be carcinogenic (Ethidium Bromide), corrosive (Acetone), or volatile (Hexane). For each of these types of chemicals, we have established safety protocols meant to protect the researcher above all else. For carcinogens and corrosive chemicals, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as nitrile gloves, lab coats, and safety goggles are used. Additionally, all work with volatile chemicals is carried out in a fume hood.
Public Safety?
Whenever working with transformants (bacterial or otherwise) one must be conscious of the ability of organisms to mutate and become resistant to antibiotics or other selection markers. In order to slow this process, all bacteria that is to be discarded is thoroughly bleached and then disposed of in marked "Biohazard" bins which will later be sterilized. In this way, we hope to prevent any lab-produced organisms from interacting and transforming wild organisms which could result in a stronger or more dangerous organism.
Environmental Safety?
Although we work with few harmful chemicals, those that we do work with are disposed of in compliance with local and federal Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) standards. All organic solvents as well as used gels are stored in separate vessels that are then handed off to our local EHS department. The EHS disposes of these harmful chemicals in a way that is least deleterious to the environment.
Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise any safety issues?
None of our new BioBrick parts raise any significant safety issues given that they are genes found commonly in the eukaryote Xanthophyllomyces dendrorohous. One safety concern regarding genetically modified (GMO) yeast that produces B-Carotene could be overproduction of the carotenoid. If the enzymatic pathway responsible for B-Carotene production is extremely efficient in yeast and this yeast is then used in baking bread or brewing beer, these products could potentially overdose the consumer with Vitamin A. Vitamin A overdose, also known as Hypervitaminosis A, can cause birth defects, liver problems, osteoporosis, coarse bone growths, skin discoloration, hair loss, and other adverse effects. Prevention of these effects is as simple as quantitatively determining the efficiency of the enzymatic pathway in yeast and making sure that only the correct amount of GMO yeast is used in consumer products. Additionally, intermediates in the pathway must be tested for toxicity in case increased B-Carotene production also leads to the production of harmful chemical byproducts.
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?
The local EHS division is very active on the Washington University campus. Before we began lab work, the entire team completed an EHS training course in order to proactively encourage safety in the lab. Our project was approved by the biology department which is held accountable directly to the EHS representative.
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?
When dealing with lab safety, one can never be too careful. Every lab should have well-established protocols for working with every chemical in the lab and every technique. If a researcher is ever unsure of the PPE required for a certain technique or chemical, always ask someone and do not perform the procedure until one is sure of the risks and precautions that must be taken. Safety is an aspect of laboratory research that must never be neglected.
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