Establishing a reliable and safe experimental environment is an integral part of scientific inquiry, and 2024 Jiangnan-China always prioritizes safety. Every teammember had undergone safety training. In addition, members of the wet lab have completed a lab safety exam and passed a hands-on skills test under the supervision of an institutor. Below are the measures we have implemented to achieve lab safety.

Throughout this project, we used the common model microorganism Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) as chassis cell, which is non-pathogenic and is classified as Risk Group (RG) 1, according to the ATCC (Fig. 1). All experiments were performed by the experimenters in the BSL 1 facility. We used commercial plasmids pET-21b and pET-20b as the vectors, and DNA were synthesized by Azenta Life Sciences, the number of IGSC. All of the DNA were tested for safety. At the end of the experiment, we will complete sterilization and degrade specific intracellular DNA on the same day to prevent the spread of engineered microorganisms in the environment.

Fig. 1   Strain information of E.coli BL21 from ATCC

The laboratory where 2024 Jiangnan-China's team works is the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, and the safety facilities in the laboratory include emergency exits, fire-fighting cabinets, and first-aid kits (Fig. 2), and the laboratory is equipped with emergency eyewash and shower equipment. We have systematic and detailed regulations on laboratory safety, and we have adopted a reservation system for PCR Amplifier and clean bench, as well as an assessment system for the use of the instruments, which minimizes the potential safety hazards caused by improper operation of the laboratory.

Fig. 2   Safety instruments

All members of the wet Lab completed a lab skills assessment chart and safety training on the use of hazardous chemicals before entering the lab (Fig. 3). During the operation, we ensured that lab coats, gloves and masks were worn, and appropriate disinfectants were used to clean bench surfaces and equipments.

We collected all used reagents in special waste liquid barrels and dispose of them at regular intervals by a waste liquid disposal company. Broken glass products were collected in special waste barrels and disposed of by specialized personnel.

Fig. 3   Certificate of authorization for use of special equipment

All operations in our laboratories were conducted in compliance with the Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China. iGEM's safety rules and policies provide us with guidelines for managing risk, and we strictly adhered to them when use organisms and components. We did not use any organisms other than those in Risk Group (RG) 1, we did not use any parts that are not on the whitelist, and we did not release or deploy any genetically modified organisms outside the laboratory. For all parts used, we ensured that registration forms are completed and submitted to the iGEM Safety Committee.