Safe Project Design
We are taking safety precautions both in our lab environment and in our project design. While our rhizobia have low risks, they could potentially pose danger to nearby crops and animals if the rhizobia were unintentionally released or overused. In the case that the rhizobia spread and attached to plants other than the host, the modified organism could harm those plants. Additionally, if the modified rhizobia were overused, they could reduce phosphate to a level detrimental to the soil and plants’ health. To prevent these scenarios, we are incorporating a kill switch into the modified rhizobia. We plan to use an inducible promoter activated by a chemical inducer that is not present in natural environments.
Safe Lab Work
The team members from both labs - BUGSS and Genspace - received a safety presentation covering lab practices and procedures. We learned about lab techniques, lab hygiene, personal protective equipment, chemical hazards, and the adverse impacts those hazards could have. We then made sure to implement our knowledge in future experiments and execute all lab work in agreement with the safety guidelines of our labs, which are both Biosafety Level 1. All experiments were overseen by mentors with experience in the lab and in different fields of science. Lisa Scheifele, an associate professor of biology at Loyola University Maryland, also supervised lab work as the executive director of BUGSS and primary PI of our team. BUGSS has a lab safety officer as well: Ed Wonilowicz, a certified safety professional who is part of the American Biological Safety Association and Clym Environmental Services.
Genspace Flammable Liquid Storage Cabinet
Genspace Goggles and Gloves
BUGSS Fume Hood
