Laboratory Safety

Our laboratory has detailed laboratory safety rules (Figure 1).

Icons of various tools

Figure 1: Safety Rules

In summary, we will abide by the following rules and regulations.

1. Safety Responsibilities

  • Lab Directors: Primary safety officers; designate 1-2 full-time safety staff for weekly inspections, equipment records, and training implementation.
  • Project Leaders: Assess biological/chemical risks, develop safety protocols/emergency plans, and train participants.
  • Lab Users: Sign Laboratory Safety Commitment, follow rules, use protective gear, report hazards promptly, and avoid unauthorized changes to experiments.

2. Biological Safety

  • Materials: High-risk experiments (e.g., pathogenic microbes) need college approval and university filing; keep "procurement-storage-use-destruction" ledgers for strains/cell lines. Genetic waste requires autoclaving (121℃, ≥30min) before medical waste disposal.
  • Animals: Source from licensed units; experiments need Animal Ethics Committee approval. Animal waste (carcasses, bedding) is collected separately, no mixing with other waste.
  • Protection: Operate pathogenic microbes/volatile reagents in biological safety cabinets (BSCs); wear disposable gowns, gloves, goggles. Disinfect surfaces with 75% ethanol/chlorine agents post-experiment; annual BSC inspections.

3. Hazardous Chemicals

  • Procurement & Storage: Purchase via university's "Chemical Management Platform"; toxic/precursors/explosives follow the "double-person system" (receiving, bookkeeping, locks, transportation, usage). Store by category (acids-alkalis separated, flammables away from heat) with ≤3-day supply; bulk in college warehouse, clear labels.
  • Use & Disposal: Use corrosive reagents (sulfuric acid, NaOH) in fume hoods with protective gear; store flammables (ethanol, acetone) in explosion-proof fridges. Sort chemical waste (acidic, alkaline, organic) in sealed labeled containers; dispose via qualified units (no dumping into sewers).

4. Equipment Safety

  • Routine Equipment: Post protocols for devices (e.g., qPCR machines); check power/software before use, record post-use. Valuable equipment (e.g., ultracentrifuges) needs trained operators. Refrigerators (for reagents/samples/explosion-proof) ban food; quarterly cleaning.
  • Special Equipment: Register autoclaves, ultracentrifuges, liquid nitrogen tanks (per university rules); conduct regular inspections (e.g., annual autoclave pressure tests). Operators need certificates; balance ultracentrifuge samples (weight difference ≤0.1g); store liquid nitrogen tanks in ventilated areas, use cold-resistant gloves.

5. Electricity & Fire Safety

  • Electricity: No unauthorized wiring; high-power devices use 16A sockets. Turn off unnecessary power when leaving; supervise long-running equipment (e.g., incubators). Ban open-heat devices (e.g., "quick heaters"); keep heat-generating equipment away from flammables with anti-scald signs.
  • Fire Safety: Check fire equipment (extinguishers, emergency showers) monthly; no blocking of fire facilities/exits. Ban smoking and storing flammables (gasoline, ether). In case of fire: cut power, use appropriate extinguishers (CO₂ for electrical fires, dry powder for chemical fires), call university security and 119.

6. Emergency Response

  • Biological Leaks: Stop experiments, close BSCs, disinfect leaks, evacuate if needed. For needle sticks: squeeze blood, rinse with saline, disinfect with 75% ethanol, report to lab directors and university hospital.
  • Chemical Leaks: Neutralize acids with baking soda; absorb organics with sand (no water). Evacuate and report to the college for large leaks.
  • Malfunctions/Shocks: Cut power for equipment issues (no self-repair). For shocks: cut power, separate victims with insulators, perform CPR if needed, contact the hospital.

7. Training & Access

  • All users pass "Laboratory Safety Access Training" (staff: yearly; students: upon enrollment + yearly retraining).
  • External personnel need lab director approval, sign External Personnel Safety Agreement, and be accompanied (no unsupervised high-risk operations/hazard access).

Under the requirements of such rules and regulations, we guarantee that our experimental work complies with all the safety requirements of iGEM.

  1. The microorganisms we use are only E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, both of which are on the white list.
  2. We will not release or deploy genetically modified organisms outside the laboratory.
  3. We will not test our products on humans.
  4. We do not use animals or animal samples.
  5. We will not take products of genetically modified organisms out of the laboratory.
  6. We do not use human samples for laboratory experiments, such as blood, DNA, other body samples, and health or psychological results.
  7. We do not use parts or organisms from any sources other than trusted commercial or institutional suppliers.
  8. We do not have a biased inheritance frequency of genetic markers in the offspring of the organism, that is, we do not create gene drives.
  9. We do not conduct surveys, interviews, or other research on human subjects.