Difference between revisions of "Team:UIUC Illinois/Safety"

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Our chassis organism was E. Coli. We did not work with other organisms to test our construct, however we did use a variety of induction methods, most notably IPTG. The strains of E. coli that we used were: DH5alpha-Z, E.coli, NEB5alpha E. coli, and Top 10 E. coli.

The utmost care was used when handling cell cultures, we normally wore lab coats and we always used aseptic technique when handling cell cultures. We did not perform any experiments out of the norm, they included: colony PCR, normal PCR, inductions with IPTG, digestions and double digestions, ligations, sequencing, gel extractions and gel electrophoresis.

The gel extractions were done rather quick under UV light to prevent prolonged exposure! We wore gloves while operating all machinery, and sterilized our table daily using 10% bleach. Sharps were disposed of in a sharps container, and all other waste was deposited in a red biowaste bag and later autoclaved.

To reduce risk, we used midori green for preparing gels and refused to ingest any foreign materials. All organisms handled were BL1 by NIH standards.

All team members were required to attend safety training focused on (1) Understanding what bloodborne pathogens are and their potential impact on your health,(2) Learning how to best protect yourself from exposure to bloodborne pathogens, and (3) Knowing what to do if you are exposed to potentially infectious material.

Our team had two types of training. The first was an online training by the DRS or the Division of Research Safety. This safety training included multiple quizzes and tutorials for General Laboratory Safety and Understanding BioSafety. Additionally, our team took a synthetic biology bootcamp at the beginning of the year to cover general laboratory procedures and safety guidelines. Other safety training such as autoclaving came at another time.

For all techniques listed, our lab required usage of gloves, goggles, lab coats, closed-toe shoes and long pants to minimize the amount of contact between us and the materials that are being used. Also, general aseptic protocols were adhered to when handling any lab techniques to prevent contamination. Our lab required us to go through a live training with a lab representative to learn proper handling and care of the autoclave.

• Laboratory coveralls, appropriate gloves, safety googles are worn. After use, gloves should be removed aseptically and hands will then be washed.
• Personnel must wash their hands after handling infectious materials and animals, and before they leave the laboratory working areas.
• Safety glasses, face shields (visors) or other protective devices must be worn when it is necessary to protect the eyes and face from splashes, impacting objects and sources of artificial ultraviolet radiation.
• It is prohibited to wear protective laboratory clothing outside the laboratory, e.g. in canteens, coffee rooms, offices, libraries, staff rooms and toilets.
• Open-toed footwear must not be worn in laboratories.
• Eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics, and handling contact lenses is prohibited in the laboratory working areas.
• Storing human foods or drinks anywhere in the laboratory working areas is prohibited.
• Protective laboratory clothing that has been used in the laboratory must not be stored in the same lockers or cupboards as street clothing.