Safety is a priority element in our project. Our goal is to design DNA probes that recognize and bind to cancer biomarkers (microRNAs) and enable signal amplification, and ultimately enable early detection of cancer in vitro by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy using polymerase and CRISPR systems. During the experimental process, there are always certain risks and hazards. Therefore, we need to conduct a risk assessment of all existing and potential risks, and hope to reduce the project risk as much as possible in this way to ensure safety.

The provincial safety level of our team's workspace is Level 1-standard microbiology laboratory. The team works in biosafety cabinets, chemical fume hoods, and other work areas to handle biological materials.

In addition to completing safety tests, we received laboratory training on how to safely operate most of the techniques used in basic experiments. During our training, we learned about laboratory rules, differences in biosafety levels, biosafety equipment, good microbiological techniques, disinfection and sterilization, emergency procedures, rules for transporting samples between laboratories or between istitutions, physical biosafety, personnel biosafety, chemical firefighting, and electrical safety. For possible safety issues, we manage the risks by writing incident reports, attending safety seminars sponsored by iGEM, or by talking to other experts. In addition to this, we agreed on rules on how to work safely in the laboratory to minimize potential risks to laboratory personnel and the environment. We also learned how to discard different types of waste and how to minimize the risk of contamination. To avoid safety hazards with laboratory waste, we need to sort and dispose of it.

Risk assessment and safety inspection are performed before the project starts to design and before every experiment and testing. And safety measures such as experimental attire and eye protection are strictly followed during all operations.

Members are warned to wear gloves and lab coats when conducting experiments involving chemical reagents to avoid dangerous reagents such as acids, corrosive chemicals, and mutagenic agents from dripping on our members' bodies.

All our team's professors, supervisors, and advisors reviewed our protocol documents before we started experiments. All team members have undergone safety training and risk management training, such as specific experimental operation safety, biological safety, fire electrical safety, etc., and are guided by safety officers and teachers before the experiment. Our labs have long been involved in bacterial research, and our program mentors have specialized organizations and rules to manage any risks, and we're always on hand to ask them for help.

The goal of our project is to design DNA probes that bind to cancer biomarker (microRNA) recognition and enable signal amplification. We try to validate our designed system at the molecular level by synthesizing targets of known sequence by our company and at the cellular level using known ovarian and non-small cell lung cancer cells. In order to further validate the feasibility of the project, we need to conduct validation at the tissue level using clinically obtained tissue and blood samples from cancer patients. The human samples involved are well-characterized and determined to pose low risk. Our project only involves the use of non-infectious materials like microRNA that has been tested and confirmed free of pathogens.

All of us will be aware of all the potential risks and wear lab gloves and lab coats when performing experiments to protect against chemical damage. In addition to this, from a diagnostic point of view, we are committed to strictly controlling all aspects of the experimental process. If the project is approved, future ongoing development of our project will not require releases beyond the controlled range. At the same time, our team members evaluated the project concerning adverse consequences such as human health and safety hazards. It was confirmed that our components cannot be transmitted in the environment because nucleic acid molecules do not replicate themselves.

Our team has always been human-centered and committed to promoting the precise diagnosis of diseases. To understand the development prospect of precise diagnosis, we interview PIs and doctors and seek advice from all experts on possible safety risks and preventive measures. For instance, cancer screening methods in the clinical setting often require laboratory confirmation using a variety of techniques such as cell culture, microscopy, molecular testing, serology and antigen testing, which carries certain risks. Therefore, precise diagnosis of cancer using DNA molecular computing is more reliable and safer. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of cancer using DNA molecular computing is more reliable and safer.