Team:TzuChiU Formosa/Safety

Safety

Q1.Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of: 1.researcher safety, 2.public safety, or 3.environmental safety?

Ans: The bacteria involved in our experiment is Gluconacetobacter hansenii and E.coli DH5α. Gluconacetobacter hansenii is commonly used in food industry and laboratory. E. coli DH5α is also a bacterium commonly used in academic research. The culture skills are highly developed, so it would be harmless to the researchers and the environment. This project shouldn't raise any safety issues.

Q2.Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise any safety issues? If yes, 1.did you document these issues in the Registry? 2.how did you manage to handle the safety issue? 3.How could other teams learn from your experience?

Ans: No. The parts are all constructed for cellulose synthesis, and the cellulose is biodegradable. We won’t supply any BioBrick parts which may raise any safety issues.

Q3.Is there a local biosafety group, committee, or review board at your institution? 1.If yes, what does your local biosafety group think about your project? 2.If no, which specific biosafety rules or guidelines do you have to consider in your country?

Ans: Yes. All bacteria or plasmid used have to obtain an approval from Tzu Chi University Environmental and Biosafety Committees. Environmental and Biosafety officers made regular random visit to each laboratory to ensure all laboratories are comply with environmental and biosafety regulations. So far our project has received positive responds from the committees.

Q4. 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?

Ans: Parts, devices or systems can be divided into two categories such as prokaryotes and eukaryotes and regulate by the same Environmental and Biosafety Committees.