Overview

Wisconsin Lutheran College makes sure the safety of its students is a priority while working in the lab. Because lab work can be very dangerous, students are taught proper lab safety procedures and etiquette before they enter the lab. Furthermore, chemical and hazard awareness was reviewed to ensure that all members used the necessary PPE and remained safe during the lab. Wisconsin Lutheran College also acknowledges that its labs are used by many individuals at a time. For this reason, it is crucial that the lab working space is cleaned before the lab begins and that all materials and space used is properly cleaned afterwards. This ensures that the labs continue to be a high functioning learning space for everyone.

During the time of this lab, a non-pathogenic strain of E. coli (DH5-alpha) was used in experiments. Because of this and other precautions taken, team members working in the lab were at minimal risk when designing the plasmids. Our project did not in any way involve modifications to E. coli that allowed pathogenic factors or properties to be expressed.

Our project involved placing a nutrient induced promoter into a plasmid. This promoter looks for amounts of nitrates, copper, and phosphates present in the soil and changes a certain color when it detects each type of nutrient. This plasmid was then transferred into our E. coli cell. The promoter function within the plasmid does not increase threat to any lab member.

For more information about our team’s safety, please visit our safety form.