Safety and Security

Overview

Safety is a core priority, and our integrated system is designed to ensure it.

1. Compliance with iGEM's Rules and Policies

The team has strictly adhered to all rules and policies of iGEM, refraining from any prohibited activities throughout the project implementation.

Although we have collected data about people, we have confirmed that relevant laws, regulations, and institutional rules do not require us to obtain formal approval.

2. Weblab Safety

All organisms we used are Risk Group 1 microorganisms.
Although we studied the gene from peach, we didn't extract DNA/RNA from it. All DNA fragments for the project were offered by GenScript.

Our project involved lab work, which we carried out in a standard microbiological lab (Level 1) using an open bench.

All items contaminated with E. coli will be autoclaved before disposal.

Some common molecular biology reagents with certain hazardous properties, such as ethanol (highly flammable), NaOH (corrosive), HCl (corrosive), SDS (irritating), and Tris (slightly hazardous) were used in our project. We dealed with them according to their safety data sheets:

We performed SDS-PAGE safely in a high school laboratory by using precast PAGE gels, inherently enhanced safety compared to preparing gels from scratch.

Here is key safety advantages of precast PAGE gels:

  • Eliminates exposure to hazardous chemicals
    • Precast gels are factory-manufactured, so you avoid direct contact with acrylamide (a neurotoxin and potential carcinogen) and its powder form, which can be inhaled.
    • No need to handle polymerization initiators like ammonium persulfate (APS, corrosive and irritant) or TEMED (volatile, irritant to skin/eyes/respiratory tract), reducing the risk of chemical burns or inhalation.
  • Minimizes risk of accidental spills or mixing errors
    • Premeasured and pre-polymerized gels eliminate the need for weighing, mixing, or pouring acrylamide solutions—steps where spills or incorrect ratios (e.g., excess APS) could occur, increasing chemical exposure or gel instability.
  • Reduces waste and chemical disposal hazards
    • No leftover acrylamide stock solutions, expired APS, or TEMED to dispose of as hazardous waste, simplifying lab waste management and lowering environmental risks.
  • Consistent quality lowers repeat experiments
    • Precast gels have standardized pore sizes and polymerization, reducing failed runs due to poor gel preparation. This minimizes repeated handling of chemicals and equipment, indirectly enhancing safety.

3. Others

Our team utilized artificial intelligence (AI) tools throughout the development of our project, covering multiple key stages. These tools include large language models, genetic prediction tools, genetic design tools, protein structure prediction tools, as well as AI-based experimental design and data analysis tools.

We recognize the value of AI tools in enhancing our research efficiency and have actively leveraged them; Meanwhile, we did not rely on AI excessively. Instead, we ensured the proper and rational application of these tools. Particularly for the scientific content involved in the project, we cross-verified and validated all outputs generated by AI, using original academic reference materials to guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and scientific rigor of our research results.

Summary

Due to iGEM's guidelines for high school teams and the limitations of our laboratory's infrastructure, we have been restricted to conducting fundamental gene engineering experiments that are both safe and suitable for high school students, prioritizing safety above all.

In addition, given the constraints of students' English proficiency and background knowledge in business, we have utilized AI tools to assist with tasks such as translation and preliminary market analysis. However, we remain cognizant that information generated through these means may vary in reliability and therefore subject it to critical evaluation before integration into our project framework.