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Safety
General Lab Safety
The laboratory we use is classified as Biosafety Level 1, which means that all the organisms we use for the experiment are not pathogens, and they should present a minimal potential hazard to the lab and environment. All biological wastes will be disinfected before disposal to ensure that no genetically modified organisms are disposed of in the environment.
In our laboratory, the safety of researchers is ensured. Eye washers/baths and personnel showers are placed in an easily accessible position, the fire alarm is installed, the fire extinguisher and blanket are equipped near the door, the vinyl floor and ceiling are inert, and the paint on the wall is easy to clean. There is also an observation board on the door to ensure that the risk of accidents or injuries when researchers enter and leave the laboratory is reduced.
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Training and Precaution in Our team
We will ask our participants to read the safety and security rules and policies on iGEM website. Also, Safety and Security training has been given to all students before any experiments. Instructions of experiments will be given to students beforehand. Advice and guidelines from the Faculty of Health Science of the University of Macau are provided.
This allows the PI, Ms. Wai Man Cheong, who has been managing a laboratory in our school for decades, to oversee the iGEM team risk management procedures and receive suggestions from experts should it be outside their range of experience. Risk Assessment forms for individual procedures and guidelines for using chemicals were introduced to all students before the project lab experiment started. All experiments will be performed under instructions or supervision of instructors, technicians, professors, or teachers (all with appropriate higher education degrees).
Rules of our lab
1.In order to ensure that students do not accidentally eat any genetically modified organisms, eating and drinking is not allowed in the lab.
2.Toe shoes and contact lenses are prohibited from entering the laboratory.
3.Liquid biological waste (e.g. bacterial culture supernatant) will also be thermally inactivated by autoclaving. The product can then be treated through normal drains.
4.Sharp waste (such as needles and scalpels) in sharp containers will be heat treated through the clinical waste stream. Biological waste spills will be cleaned with disposable paper towels and the workbench will be disinfected with 70% ethanol.
5.Goggles and strainers are provided to protect the user's eyes from strong blue light.
6.Test for silica requires using 5% HF, handler must wear proper personal protection equipment and trained for lab safety (knowing the location of eyewash, body shower, and first aid kit). HF should always be stored in plastic containers and never in glasswares. No individual is allowed to deal with HF alone, and experiments involving HF must be performed in a fume hood.
7.In addition, the safe use of laboratory equipment (such as centrifuges) was demonstrated prior to allowing the use in the lab.
8.All experiments are conducted under biosafety level (BSL) 2 or less.
Labs in Macau
In Macau, there are guidelines from the government regarding biosafety in research labs, which will help us to manage the risks.
Safety in future applications
Our team fully recognises that technologies involving microorganisms—particularly genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs)—must be founded upon the highest safety standards and strictly adhere to the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China.
International Precedents
Numerous renowned cultural heritage conservation and cleaning projects have employed similar biological remedies in Europe, such as the restoration of Camposanto Monumentale cemetery in Pisa, Italy; the restoration of the Santos Juanes Church in Valencia, Spain; and the restoration project for the Duomo di Firenze Cathedral in Florence, Italy [1]. Such real-world applications demonstrate their safety and practicability beyond the laboratory.
The bacterial strains adopted in these international cases—such as Pseudomonas stutzeri for nitrate removal and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans for sulphate removal—constitute safe options [1]. These strains exhibit generally low pathogenicity, and their biological characteristics are well understood and documented. Moving forward, we shall explore employing diverse strains to balance safety and efficacy.
China's Regulatory Framework and Our Commitment
We fully recognise that commercialising projects involving genetically modified organisms in China necessitates adherence to a rigorous and meticulous regulatory approval process.
The Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China constitutes the foundational legislation governing all our activities. We commit that all project research and development, testing, and future application activities shall strictly implement the principles of risk prevention, tiered management, and collaborative cooperation established by this law.
The activities of this project clearly fall within the scope of ‘biotechnology research, development, and application’ as defined by this law. We shall strictly comply with all relevant provisions, particularly the following articles:
- Articles 34 and 55: Activities endangering public health, damaging biological resources, or disrupting ecosystems and biodiversity are prohibited.
- Articles 36 and 38: Research and development activities involving genetically modified bacteria shall undergo approval applications or filing registrations according to risk levels. We shall implement comprehensive risk assessments and formulate detailed risk prevention and control plans alongside contingency protocols.
Another regulation, the Measures for the Administration of the Safety Evaluation of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, primarily concerns the agricultural sector, but its safety assessment standards, tiered management system, and application approval process for genetically modified microorganisms provide an extremely important and directly relevant reference framework for our non-agricultural genetically modified products.
Principal Regulatory Authorities
Depending on the final product attributes and application scenarios, we shall primarily liaise with the following bodies.
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: As the core department for GMO biosafety management, its subordinate Office for Agricultural GMO Biosafety Management shall serve as the most critical approval bodies for our GM biosafety assessments.
- National Health Commission: Should the product involve public health implications or potential use in indoor environments for human activities, we shall proactively seek guidance to ensure compliance with health standards.
- Ministry of Ecology and Environment: Given the product's release of microorganisms into the environment, we shall conduct environmental risk assessments and undergo its oversight to ensure no adverse impacts on the ecological environment.
Conclusion
We declare that our project will not be commercialized until all required national safety assessment procedures have been completed and the relevant permits have been obtained. In the future, we aim to test the safety of our engineered E coli., along with the exploration of other competent and harmless strains.
Our project is based on internationally recognized technical concepts and is committed to operating within China's strictest biosafety and legal frameworks. We are fully aware of the significant responsibility that comes with innovative technology. Going forward, we will actively communicate with relevant regulatory agencies and gradually advance our safety assessment work in strict accordance with regulations.