Team:UC Davis/Safety

Before anyone stepped into the lab, the team took a day long safety course run by the UC Davis Environmental Health and Safety Department. The course covered laboratory safety such as how to dispose of waste, proper laboratory wear, and chemical hygiene plans. In addition, our advisors took time out of their busy schedules to show us where all the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) were located as well as what proper protocols were used in the lab. We also learned how to safely operate all equipment we would need for the project. By the end each team member was certified to work safely in a lab at the UC Davis Genome and Biomedical Sciences facility.

Most of the chemicals used in the project posed no health risks. Our substrates however (the 16 Aldehydes) had some potential of being harmful. The small concentration of aldehyde found in rancid oil poses no health risk, however when working in the lab they were in a highly concentrated form. Due to their high volatility, leaving a bottle open for just a few minutes could fill a lab with the stench of certain aldehydes. To be extra careful, we decided that all work being done with aldehydes would be done under the fume hood.

None of the biological components worked with this summer were rated higher than biosafety level 1. However, proper exposure precautions were still taken. The E.Coli used to grow our protein was constrained to only one laboratory, and all items in contact with the cells were bleached and sterilized shortly afterwards.

1. Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of: Researcher Safety? Public Safety? Environmental Safety

   The only aspect of the project that we believe poses a research safety issue is that of working with concentrated aldehydes. Testing the enzymatic portion of our sensor required us to work with a range of volatile aldehydes at high concentrations. Some of these compounds are known to cause respiratory problems if inhaled. It was thus decided that all work involving aldehydes of high concentrations would be done under the fume hood.Our project does not pose a significant risk to Public Safety or Environmental Safety. The only biological aspect of our project were the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes. Not only are these enzymes already found in almost every living organism, and not only is the chemical reaction they catalyze almost completely harmless, but in order for the enzyme to catalyze its reaction a rare coenzyme NAD+ must also be readily available. In addition the enzyme only works in a narrow range of pH, temperature, and salt concentration.

2. Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise safety issues? If yes, Did you document these issues in the Registry? How did you manage to handle the safety issue? How could other teams learn from your experience?

   None of the four biobricks submitted to the registry this year raise any significant safety issues. As stated, the only biological component of the project is the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase enzyme. These enzymes are found in almost every living organism. The enzyme only catalyzes reactions at extremely specific parameters that would be very difficult to replicate simply by chance or careless error. It is also important to note that the actual parts are not present in the device but only used in its production.

3. Is there a local biosafety group, committee, or review board at your institution? If yes, what does your local biosafety group think about your project? If no, which specific biosafety rules or guidelines do you have to consider in your country?

   Yes, the UC Davis Environmental Health and Safety office reviews the activities of all laboratories on campus as well as organizes inspections and ensures adherence to all safety protocols of the university. The department found no reason to say our project would be too dangerous for undergraduates or the university to partake in.

4. Do you have any other ideas how to deal with safety issues that could be useful for future iGEM competitions? How could parts, devices and systems be made even safer through biosafety engineering?

   At UC Davis we believe that education is the key to safety. By ensuring that all members working in the lab had a proper understanding of hazards as well as the proper safety protocols we not only avoided any accidents, but also instilled a culture of safety in our team members.

Check out our Official Safety form