Safety
The IITChicago team is following iGEM's rules and policies, ensuring we do not engage in prohibited activities, using organisms and parts on the White List, and obtaining advance permission for specific activities if necessary. We have also received safety and security training and have implemented various risk management measures in their project, including safety protocols, laboratory biosafety and biosecurity measures, and expert support. These actions help us identify, assess, mitigate, and manage the risks associated with our project, promoting safety and responsible conduct throughout our work.
Training
The team managing risks in their project has identified key experts and support structures beyond their supervisors, such as the Department Safety Officer, who acts as a safety officer in connection with other safety-related programs and policies. If hazards or risks are discovered in the project, they would first contact their PIs, and if unavailable, they have a direct line of communication with Department Safety Officer.
They follow safety and security guidelines outlined in the NIH Guidelines, which govern biosafety and biosecurity in research laboratories in their region. The provided link gives access to these guidelines.
The project does require extra support or review, both at the iGEM project stage (from the iGEM safety and safety committee, bioethics advisors, institutional biosafety officers) and if it were to be developed further for real-world use (e.g., regulatory review and assistance in designing field trials).
The team members have received safety and security training. They cover various topics in their training, including lab access and rules, biosafety levels, biosafety equipment, microbial techniques, disinfection, emergency procedures, and more.
To manage the risks in their project, the team implements several laboratory biosafety and biosecurity measures, including accident reporting, personal protective equipment, inventory controls, data access controls, and more.
They have also taken additional actions to manage risks, such as specific safety training for handling certain organisms, participating in safety workshops, consulting with experts, stakeholders, and evaluating countermeasures.
Overall, these actions, combined with expert support, rules, training, and procedures, help the team effectively manage risks. They facilitate risk identification, assessment, mitigation, communication, and documentation, creating a comprehensive framework for successful project management while minimizing potential disruptions and maximizing positive outcomes.
Lab Safety
All experiments preformed are done at Biosafety Level 1 with standard microbiological lab safety protocols. Work was preform at an open bench or in a biosafety cabinets to prevent contamination of samples.
Microorganisms
There are two organisms the IIT Chicago team has been working with: E. coli K-12 to grow our vectors in and HepG2 as our model system. Both of these organisms are covered under iGEM’s White List.
The E. coli K-12 is used as an incubator for our vector. We use standard DNA isolation protocols to extract DNA from E. coli that contains our vector.
The team is using HepG2 liver cells because they are the primary site of cholesterol synthesis in the body. We then transfect HEPG2 liver cells, cultured under different cholesterol levels, with the DNA, followed by carrying out the measurement of the two luciferases, one constitutive and the other related to the promoter, assay to characterize the response of the inserted vector. Parallel experiments using an empty vector containing GFP were used as a control.
