Safety

During the implementation of this year's project, our team members aimed to maintain safety measures both while working in the laboratory and during educational workshops aimed at disseminating knowledge to the public.

Individual Safety Measures:

Upon entering the lab, personal belongings were kept away from workbenches, ensuring they did not come into contact with cells, reagents, etc. Each member wore appropriate laboratory attire, consisting of:

Long hair was tied back to avoid contact with the bench and materials. After finishing the lab work, each member removed and disposed of their gloves in a separate waste bin from regular trash. Waste management is handled by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and associated services.

Group Preparation:

Before starting experiments for this year's project, the wet lab subteam cleaned the lab and took time to familiarize themselves with the equipment and space. A discussion was held with the responsible supervisor, Elena Pappa, regarding the safety measures to be followed in the lab. Additionally, several sessions focused on ensuring safety during experiments.

Equipment Use:

The equipment we handled was sterilized when necessary and cleaned after experiments for the next use.

Laboratory Space:

The space used by this year's iGEM team is shared with the previous year's team. It is provided by Professor A. Agathangelidis and has been utilized by iGEM teams in recent years. It consists of two workbenches where we carry out experiments. A specific area is dedicated to the use of ethidium bromide and gel preparation for electrophoresis.

Organisms:

In our project, we mainly work with BSL1 organisms such as E. coli DH5-alpha, E. coli BL-21, and E. coli SHuffle T7. These strains are internationally recognized as low-risk organisms, and we strictly adhere to safety protocols, avoiding any risks related to animal use, gene drive, or human experimentation. Our primary focus is on optimizing gene expression systems and protein production in the lab environment.

Engineering Cycle:

During the evaluation of ideas for this year's project, our team faced the issue of biosecurity. Specifically, the initial idea involved the production of a chemical, HCN, which is highly toxic (T+), highly flammable (F+), and environmentally hazardous (N). After consultations with professors and companies working in metal recycling from electronic devices using conventional methods, the danger of HCN became apparent. As a result, we chose a less toxic and more environmentally friendly approach, which did not endanger the lab members and was in line with iGEM's values.

Legislation:

Within the framework of biological laboratories, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens adheres to the following ISO standards:

• ISO 9001: Quality management – refers to the protocols applied in the lab and ensures compliance with quality standards.
• ISO 14001: Environmental management – refers to proper waste management.
• ISO 45001: Health and safety at work – ensures the protection of lab workers.

Human Practices:

During the workshops, which were conducted for a broad audience of various ages, safe reagents and equipment were used to ensure the safety of all participants. If the activity involved the use of laboratory equipment, our team members dedicated time at the beginning of the session to ensure the proper use of equipment by all attendees.