HUST-UEVE-UPSaclay
Ensuring safety is a fundamental aspect of our iGEM project, which involves working with C. elegans and E.coli as our model organisms. Our team prioritizes rigorous laboratory safety and personal protection measures to address these risks effectively. Our approach to safety involves a comprehensive risk assessment and the implementation of robust protocols to safeguard our team members, the university community, and the broader environment. We maintain strict laboratory practices to prevent any accidental release or contamination, and we continuously evaluate and manage potential hazards throughout the experimental process. By focusing on these safety measures, we aim to conduct our research responsibly while minimizing any possible risks associated with our work. This page provides detailed insights into the specific safety procedures and precautions we have established to ensure a safe and secure research environment for our iGEM project.
iGEM’s safety rules offer essential guidance to ensure our project adheres to high safety standards. Our research involves organisms classified under the white list, specifically Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and E. coli OP50 and BL21, which is used to feed the C. elegans. Additionally, our project does not involve any of human experimentation, animal use, antimicrobial resistance, gene drive, or coronavirus. We also limit our research to restricted environment samples, ensuring that our work is conducted within a controlled and safe framework.
We adhere to strict laboratory safety guidelines for waste disposal to protect the environment and ensure safe handling of potentially hazardous materials. All waste is carefully sorted and placed into designated containers for specific types of waste. Waste generated from our experiments is centralized in a specific area of the lab and managed by trained professionals. The culture medium, containing bacteria and C. elegans, is directly transferred to high-temperature sterilization equipment to eliminate any biological hazards. Additionally, it is strictly prohibited to remove any waste from the laboratory to prevent contamination and maintain a controlled environment.
All personnel entering the laboratory for experiments undergo thorough training in laboratory safety guidelines. This training ensures that each team member is well-versed in safe laboratory practices, emergency procedures, and the proper use of personal protective equipment. By completing this training, our team members are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to maintain a safe working environment and adhere to established safety protocols throughout their research activities.
All project personnel adhere strictly to the Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China, implemented in 2021, ensuring compliance with national safety standards. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is classified as a non-hazardous, non-infectious, non-pathogenic, and non-parasitic organism. The primary biosafety concern for our project is the potential leakage of modified C. elegans into an open environment. To avoid bioleakage, in lab environment, we employ methods such as injecting a small amount of alcohol or using UV light to inactivate C. elegans, further enhancing safety and preventing accidental release. Besides, when we face the real situation, we apply a new filter to avoid the leakage, the details are shown in our hardware parts.