Safety
The safety precautions that our team has taken this year, and considerations for future directions.
Laboratory Safety
All laboratory work performed by the Club2 team is in full compliance with the 2023 iGEM safety policies and rules (1). The wet laboratory members of our team have been trained in laboratory safety and Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS), as required by the University of Lethbridge. Each team member also had a wet lab orientation before the commencement of lab work. Our lab space, SynBridge, is equipped with all the appropriate safety measures, including an eyewash station, emergency shower, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, fumehood, and emergency gas shut-off.
Biological Safety
Since the P. brassicae pathogen is a biosafety level (BSL) 2 pathogen and we are a BSL 1 laboratory, we do not have clearance to work with it. Because of this, we are working directly with proteins of interest produced by the pathogen, recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli. Our team is utilizing multiple strains of E. coli for use in long-term storage and expression of our engineered proteins. These include DH5α, BL21, and Shuffle T7. We ensure that the safe handling of bacteria cultures is performed. This includes wearing proper personal protective equipment (lab coats, gloves, safety glasses, etc.), and ensuring that cultures are disposed of appropriately (bleach waste, biohazard waste bin). Our team understands that there is a risk when working with bacteria, but for further safety, we have selected E. coli strains that are typically non-pathogenic.
Future Considerations
In the future, we plan on developing a detection kit utilizing strip test technology. This will involve more safety considerations as this is a real-world application. We will ensure that our test kit follows federal and provincial regulations and that all components are safe to use. The use of recombinant proteins requires strict adherence to biosafety guidelines to minimize potential risks. It is crucial to ensure that the proteins used are not harmful to humans, animals, or the environment. Additionally, clear and comprehensive user instructions must be provided with the kit to reduce any potential risks. By prioritizing safety, we can confidently and responsibly deploy this technology for use in the field.
References
iGEM, Rules and Policies. https://competition.igem.org/participation/rules-and-policies