Description
One of our main goals is to have a drug with minimal side effects on human health. After undergoing intensive research, we settled on a protein drug instead of gene therapy to ensure that our drug potency of any side-effect is minimized as much as possible. Moreover, the delivery drug will be through a biocompatible and a biodegradable nanocarrier in which we will load our drug so that it will be able to pass the blood-brain barrier with as few losses as possible. So, we took into account the design and proof of concept of our fusion protein which we will be expressed into a bacterial expression system ensuring safety.
Safety design
To reach the design, we passed through many challenges that will be discussed in detail on the Engineering success page.
To eliminate AD and the aggregations of tau and amyloid beta, which cause such disease, with safety measures taken into consideration, we came up with two systems. The first system triggers the natural pathway of harmful protein degradation in the human body. The second system is based on a protease, but the protease is switchable so that it can minimize its side effects.
Safety Measures in our Delivery System
For the carrier, we had special criteria to choose between numerous nanocarrier types, classified according to toxicity, biodegradability, stability, size, specificity, solubility, and preparation. Upon the previous criteria, we limited our choices, which are illustrated in the proposed implementation page.
It was a long to reach our two systems, with their parts expected to have a zero-off-target effect delivered via the chosen carrier.
Lab Safety
Our instructors paid extra attention to our safety and lab. These instructions have been observed. Besides, we already had safety and biosafety training.
Regarding our lab, biosafety is considered a biosafety level 2 (BSL2) because of the hazardous chemicals.
As we mentioned, our parts or the types of organisms have minimal harmful effects on the researchers or the environment. Every time we use the bacteria, we use the autoclave to sterilize our tools using all the safety and biosafety measures we learned through our training.
And in the future, we will test the toxicity of our carrier on both Dry-Lab and Wet-Lab levels. We also took the required steps of safety consent before applying this to animals, then humans.
Organism Biosafety
In the lab, all experiments were conducted under the supervision of our instructor, and we all received intensive training before we started.
The strains we used in this project include Escherichia coli (Bl-21, DH5α, and Rosetta ), which are all commercially and commonly used with little harm to human beings.
Attention should be paid
Wearing disposable gloves should pay attention to all stages of sample collection, extraction, and amplification.
In case the reaction liquid is splashed accidentally, change the gloves immediately.
When using electrical equipment (such as an oven, constant temperature water bath, centrifuge, electric stove, etc.), strictly prevent electric shock.
Checking regularly to avoid overflow is necessary when using the water bath to heat the liquid.
With a strong carcinogenic ethidium bromide and corrosive solution, use special care, do not make it splash on the clothes or skin, and avoid direct contact.
The lit matches should be extinguished immediately after being used up and should not be thrown.
When using UV light instruments, we should wear opaque gloves and protective glasses to reduce the damage to human cells and skin and take care not to look at them for a long time.