Overview

HZAU-China attaches great importance to the safety of experimental operation and project design every year, and this year is no exception. This year, while strictly complying with iGEM safety rules and policies, our team also took into account every possible safety problem in the design and implementation of our project, so as to avoid potential safety hazards if our final product can be put into practical work. At the same time, in the context of the new coronavirus pandemic in China, our laboratory is still in the condition of normal epidemic prevention. Therefore, the team pays great attention to maintaining laboratory hygiene in addition to training the safety awareness of laboratory personnel.

Lab Safety

Our laboratory is located in the first comprehensive building of the School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China. There are access control systems in the main hall of the building and at the entrance of the laboratory. Only authorized teachers and students are allowed to enter and exit; in addition, each laboratory in the building has a special safety principal teacher. Our laboratory principal is Xia Chunjiao. The teacher will come to the laboratory regularly for experimental safety inspection (Figure 1: our access control system).

education

Professor Qi Yingchun is responsible for the safety and security of the experimental building. She worked as a security guard at Huazhong Agricultural University for decades, and taught biological experiments in the university. Every year, before the iGEM project officially starts the experiment, each team member must attend the safety education meeting held by Professor Qi and Professor Xia and pass the corresponding online laboratory safety examination (Figure 2: Online laboratory safety examination page to ensure that all team members strictly comply with the safety standards of the laboratory.）

experiment

The instruments in the laboratory are placed at proper intervals, and the special experimental pollution area has clear warning line marks. The biological pollutants generated during the experiment are also managed by well-trained personnel. In addition, our laboratory is equipped with fume hood, medicine cabinet and other facilities (Figure 2: A. Overview of our laboratory B.Fume hood C.Medicine cabinet D. Our special dustbin is used for biological hazardous wastes)

All experimenters wear experimental clothes, gloves and masks strictly when doing experiments. In addition, when dealing with volatile or irritating substances, the experimenter must wear goggles and operate in the fume hood to maximize safety. During the use of the instrument, all operations shall be carried out in strict accordance with the instructions of the instrument.

In our project this year, we need to configure butyric acid solution to detect the enzyme activity of tes4, trimethylamine solution and dimethylamine solution to detect the activity of trimethylamine dehydrogenase and dimethylamine dehydrogenase respectively, and use formalin solution to detect the activity of formaldehyde dehydrogenase. Among them, trimethylamine solution is volatile and has the odor of fish oil. Dimethylamine solution and butyric acid solution can stimulate people's eyes, mouth, nose and respiratory tract to varying degrees. Formalin solution is a carcinogen. Therefore, when operating, configuring and taking these liquids, researchers are required to arm the whole people: wear masks and goggles, wear lab clothes, and go to the fume hood strictly, the hand should be disinfected with 75% alcohol before and after the operation. All these will not violate China's biosafety policy.

Safety of COVID-19

Our project this year has nothing to do with COVID-19, and there are no direct safety issues related to it. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict control over the prevention and control of NCP in the region, our team took a more cautious attitude towards offline interpersonal contact. All offline activities held by us are on the premise of confirming the health of both parties and obtaining the consent of the school and participants. We follow the epidemic prevention policy of Hongshan District Government, and all activities are approved. In addition, the laboratory is equipped with disinfectants, and the laboratory is cleaned and disinfected every day.

Safety of project

design

Security is always the top priority of our team from beginning to end. We have completed and submitted a safety form that includes details of our project. At the project design level, in order to prevent horizontal gene transfer of engineering bacteria from human body to the environment with feces in actual implementation, we believe that the design of suicide switch is very necessary in the project.

implementation

In specific experiments, we used E. coli DH5α, BL21 (DE3) is used for gene cloning and expression, but these strains are usually not used for daily products. Considering the practical application of the project, our chassis chooses to use a widely recognized probiotics, Escherichia coli Nissile 1917, which will not cause harm to humans or the environment. According to the work of hp, we also found that the current drugs used for cardiovascular treatment will have high drug costs. Finally, the dry powder of probiotic powder, whether it is taken dry or brewed at ordinary times, will be more convenient for patients to daily use, and easy to obtain and accept.

In compliance with igem's safety policies and rules

in compliance with igem's safety policies

Our project does not involve animal use, human experience, gene drive, coronavirus or the use of modified organisms, as well as any part of the WHO list containing sequences related to antimicrobial resistance. The research of organized human subjects on human practice is divided into investigation, interview, teaching and teaching activities. All projects are pre approved by the review committee of our school and conducted under the good guidance of our PI and lecturers. As for the "Do not Release Policy", we strictly abide by the relevant rules of the laboratory to prevent engineering bacteria from escaping from the laboratory.

in compliance with igem competition safety rules

On the basis of following the security policy, we also strictly abide by the security rules of iGEM. We have filled in the safety form before the deadline. In addition, as mentioned earlier, our project does not involve animal use. All experiments carried out in our team's laboratories are always carried out in strict accordance with the principle of safety.