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Team:Lyon-INSA/modelling
From 2012.igem.org
Safety
We present here our reflexion about safety issues of the “Biofilm Killer” project based on a modified Bacillus subtilis strain able to swarm into biofilms, to produce a biocide agent and a dispersive agent. To obtain genetic constructions, we worked also with an Escherichia coli strain and as a biofilm model with Staphylococcus epidermidis.
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Researcher/Public/Environmental Safety
Laboratory experiments always imply handling hazardous substances. And their use can present a risk for the health of the manipulator or for the environment if not stored, used and eliminated in waste properly, according to their toxicity for example. For these reasons: the access of the laboratory was limited to those involved in the project and all work benches were cleaned every day and the whole lab cleaned every week.
BioBrick parts safety issues
A GMO may contain harmful parts and be dangerous for the environment. The potential danger of a GMO is also due to its potential interactions with the environment. When an IGEM project is conceived, the team has to think about the possible interactions of their parts with the environment and design tests to document the effects of their parts on the environment. Synthetic biology is a science which worries people, so we have to provide them the insurance of the complete safety of our experiments.
Our molecules : Lysostaphin, Dispersin, Surfactin
Our molecules : Lysostaphin, Dispersin, Surfactin
Biosafety group
Our institution (INSA Lyon) has a biosafety group. However, we have a general safety and health committee that deals, among others, with issues related to GMOs and that allowed their handling. All students follow a 4 hour general health and safety course on how to handle chemical, biological and fire risks among others, completed by additional biosafety and lab training all along the year by the professors, in relation to their course. Our institution does not have any specific biosafety rule but complies to all the french biosafety regulations.
New ideas for safety in iGEM
After standard parts, with not standard chassis ?
The INSA de Lyon team propose that a “safety kit” should be provided to each team at the beginning of their experimental work. We think that if applied, this option would strongly diminish the contamination risks or gene dissemination into the nature.
This kit should contain:
We are aware that engineering these DNA sequences is not easy. This is why we suggest that a new section or a new reward should be proposed : “ Best Safety Device”. For teams it would be a real challenge and their investment for creating new safety devices would be rewarded.
In synthetic biology the safety and security measures are of primary importance. Every team should have a proper formation in safety and security issues. INSA de Lyon team suggests that one of the competition requirements should be a diploma validating a proper safety formation.
The INSA de Lyon team propose that a “safety kit” should be provided to each team at the beginning of their experimental work. We think that if applied, this option would strongly diminish the contamination risks or gene dissemination into the nature.
This kit should contain:
We are aware that engineering these DNA sequences is not easy. This is why we suggest that a new section or a new reward should be proposed : “ Best Safety Device”. For teams it would be a real challenge and their investment for creating new safety devices would be rewarded.
In synthetic biology the safety and security measures are of primary importance. Every team should have a proper formation in safety and security issues. INSA de Lyon team suggests that one of the competition requirements should be a diploma validating a proper safety formation.
References
1 Contreras A., Molin S, Ramos JL. 1991. Conditional-Suicide Containment System for Bacteria Which Mineralize Aromatics. Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
1 Contreras A., Molin S, Ramos JL. 1991. Conditional-Suicide Containment System for Bacteria Which Mineralize Aromatics. Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
