Laboratory safety
Our team focused on lab safety as the project demanded a high level of safety. We have created a safety manual for the reference of our lab staff, and our members have filmed safety videos to help visualise safety practices. At the same time, we have taken the initiative to conduct safety training and obtain safety certificates to guide us to achieve a higher standard of safety from a professional perspective.
1.safety certificate
In accordance with the laboratory safety access requirements of Hainan University, almost all of our team members have passed the laboratory safety access exam and hold an electronic version of the study certificate and safety certificate. It ensures that all our team members have a certain degree of laboratory safety awareness and basic laboratory safety knowledge to better contribute to project improvement.
2.Safety Manual
We have independently produced a safety manual with seven sections, including laboratory safety system, safety of hazardous chemicals in the laboratory, safe operation procedures in microbiology laboratory, biological safety, hazard prevention, and accident handling. It covers the basic knowledge and biological principles necessary for biochemistry experiments, and the language is rigorous yet concise and easy to understand. We have produced a safety manual that is not only applicable to laboratory personnel, but can also be widely used for public reference.
Click here to access the Laboratory Safety Manual
3.Security Video
Our team independently shot a security video and posted it on the team's official B-site account. The 3-minute safety video is set in the laboratory and the Inception space, with the students of the experimental team performing the demonstration and the students of the art team filming and producing the video. In the video, the lab students demonstrated the use of centrifuge, pipette gun, disinfection measures for contaminated area, precautions for using ultra-clean table and other common lab safety contents. The visual treatment combined with the dramatic expression led the viewers to be immersed in the scene, which made our video content rich and diversified, and intuitively expressed the importance of laboratory safety.
Project security
Our project has a double design in terms of human safety and environmental safety. Consumers can use the products in a healthy and safe way without worrying about the cleanliness of the environment.
1.User health protection
Our project uses tannic acid with antibacterial effect to block the bacteria from infecting the skin and act on the site of skin disease. We also use nitrocellulose membrane to achieve the transmission of antimicrobial peptide and nitric oxide, to achieve the protection of human health basis, but strong inhibition of E. coli exudation, forming a second layer of skin care barrier.
2.Environmentally friendly products
In the product development, we repeatedly compared a variety of bactericidal substances, and finally chose - titanium dioxide doped with silver, if it is sold in combination with the product, the consumer can be used after the use of simple artificial sterilisation, to complete the basic closed loop for the environmental cleanliness. The engineered bacteria we use are nutrient-deficient bacteria, which are unable to synthesise methionine on their own. We adjust the ratio of various amino acids so that the bacteria can only survive for a certain period of time, and if the consumer can not complete the process of sterilisation after use, the bacteria will automatically die, thus establishing a second guarantee for environmental protection.
Research security
We require personnel entering the laboratory to comply with laboratory rules and regulations and conform to the laboratory dress code; not to activate laboratory equipment and facilities without the consent of the laboratory or equipment management instructor; to obey instructions during experimental operations, comply with relevant experimental and equipment operating procedures, and not to leave their duties without permission. Safe use and management of hazardous chemicals, in line with the microbiology laboratory safety procedures.
We held a biology-themed debate tournament at the 10th CCiC conference, the second of which was between the Twin Cities Warriors and the Seven Years on Another Planet Equals One Hour on Earth and We're Here to Do It iGEM team. The pro side, Twin Cities Warriors, consisted of UM-Macau's Wenyu Liao, Yixian Qian, Ying Wang and BNUZH-China's Chao Pan. The opposing side, Seven Years on Another Planet Equals One Hour on Earth, Let's Do It Here iGEM team, consisted of Luo Yuhe, Zhang Yichi, Li Tianxing from HainanU-China and Zhang Xinyi from SDU-China. The two teams debated on the question "Do we need only the 3R principle or not only the 3R principle for the ethical foundation of experimental animals in China? The two sides had a heated and exciting debate on the question "Do we need only the 3R principle/not only the 3R principle in China? The opposing side tried to argue that the new experimental principles such as the 4R principles are more suitable for the ethical experimental situation of experimental animals in China, while the opposing side tried to prove that the new principles are only new interpretations and additions of the 3R principles.
The opposing side's argument has multiple perspectives: for example, the new experimental principles should include the front, middle and back end of the experiment; the current situation and the future of animal experiments in China are flawed (e.g., animals escaping, future destinations of the animals) and require new principles; and the experimental principles need to be updated with the advancement of the society and experiments. The positive side, on the other hand, argued that adding new principles in China would affect future development due to cost, and that new principles are just other branches on the tree of the 3Rs.
Both sides reviewed the past and looked forward to the future in terms of biosafety, which caused the audience to think deeply and won them applause.
Q & A
| # | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Did the team make a contribution to biosafety and/or biosecurity? | We adjust the ratio of various amino acids so that the bacteria can only survive for a certain period of time, and if the consumer can not complete the extermination process after use, the bacteria strain will automatically die, thus establishing a guarantee for environmental protection. |
| 2 | Is their contribution well-characterised and/or well-validated? | We have independently produced a safety manual. We have produced a safety manual that is not only applicable to laboratory personnel, but is also widely available to the public. Our team independently filmed a safety video and posted it on the team's official B-site account. The visual treatment combined with the dramatic expression takes the viewer to an immersive experience, making our video rich and varied, and visually conveying the importance of lab safety. |
| 3 | Did the team build upon existing knowledge, understanding, tools or approaches? | We have produced a safety manual that includes seven sections: laboratory safety system, laboratory hazardous chemical safety, microbiology laboratory safe operation procedures, biological safety, hazard prevention, and accident handling. It covers the basic knowledge and biological principles necessary for biochemistry experiments, and the language is rigorous yet concise and easy to understand. Laboratory personnel operate in strict accordance with the manual norms. We require that personnel entering the laboratory must comply with laboratory rules and regulations and conform to the laboratory dress code; they must obey instructions during experimental operations, comply with the relevant experimental and equipment operating procedures, and not leave their duties without permission. Safe use and management of hazardous chemicals, in line with the microbiological laboratory safety operating procedures. |
| 4 | In addition to broader safety work, has the team managed any risks from their project appropriately? | Our project uses tannic acid with antibacterial effect to block the bacteria from infecting the skin and act on the site of skin disease. And the use of nitrocellulose membrane to achieve antibacterial peptide and nitric oxide permeation, to achieve the basic protection of human health, but a strong inhibition of E. coli exudate, the formation of the skin care of the second layer of the barrier. We have repeatedly compared a variety of bactericidal substances, and finally chose - titanium dioxide doped with silver, if it is sold in combination with the product, the consumer can be used after the simple artificial sterilisation, to complete the basic closed loop for environmental cleanliness. The engineered bacteria we use is a nutritional defective bacteria, it can not synthesise methionine by itself. If the consumer can not complete the disinfection process after use, the strain will automatically die, thus creating a second layer of protection for the environment. |
| 5 | Has the team addressed the use of synthetic biology in the real world? | Our projects are used in the treatment of acne and provide a double layer of protection for human and environmental safety. Our products have proven efficacy in the treatment of acne and are widely accepted by the general public. Consumers can benefit from the healthy and safe use of our products without any concerns. |