<p>Synthetic biology will need to be used safely and securely if local people are to solve local problems all around the world. The Safety and Security Committee is challenging teams to apply biological engineering approaches to manage risks associated with synthetic biology. Can you take the next step in incremental progress towards knowledge, understanding, and tools that will make the use of synthetic biology safer and more secure?</p>
<p>To compete for the Safety and Security award, please describe your work on this page and also fill out the description on the <ahref="https://competition.igem.org/deliverables/judging-form">judging form</a>.</p>
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<p>Please see the <ahref="https://competition.igem.org/judging/awards">2023 Awards Page</a> for more information.</p>
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Safety
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<h2>What should this page contain?</h2>
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<p>On this page of your wiki, you should write about how you are addressing any safety issues in your project. The wiki is a place where you can go beyond the questions on the safety forms, and write about whatever safety topics are most interesting in your project. (You do not need to copy your safety forms onto this wiki page.)</p>
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<p>Please visit the <ahref="https://responsibility.igem.org/safety-policies/introduction">Safety Policies page</a> to find this year's safety requirements & deadlines, and to learn about safe & responsible research in iGEM.</p>
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<h2>Safe Project Design</h2>
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<p>Does your project include any safety features? Have you made certain decisions about the design to reduce risks? Write about them here! For example:</p>
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<li>Choosing a non-pathogenic chassis</li>
<li>Choosing parts that will not harm humans / animals / plants</li>
<li>Substituting safer materials for dangerous materials in a proof-of-concept experiment</li>
<li>Including an "induced lethality" or "kill-switch" device</li>
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<h2>Safe Lab Work</h2>
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<p>What safety procedures do you use every day in the lab? Did you perform any unusual experiments, or face any unusual safety issues? Write about them here!</p>
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Safety has always been our team's foremost concern, and we have taken comprehensive measures to ensure a secure working environment. Our project revolves around Lactococcus lactis, a well-known microorganism, and the strain we utilized, MC1636, is non-pathogenic, falling within the biosafety level 1 classification and is a Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) organism. We underwent rigorous training, guided by experts from Dr. Guhan Jayaraman's lab, to handle Lactococcus lactis effectively.
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<u>Our safety measures included</u> :
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<b>Laboratory Infrastructure</b> : We conducted our research in a biosafety level 1 laboratory, which is well-equipped with essential facilities, including:
<b>Sterile Conditions</b> : We maintained a sterile work environment by performing all tasks within the confines of a biosafety cabinet. This ensured that accidental contamination did not occur, particularly important since our work could have repercussions on adjacent labs.
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<b>Safety Protocols</b> : To minimize risks, we diligently followed safety protocols, including:
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<liclass="list-element">Wearing gloves and masks during all experiments.</li>
<liclass="list-element">Practicing thorough handwashing before leaving the laboratory.</li>
<liclass="list-element">Enforcing a strict no-food policy within the lab.</li>
<liclass="list-element">Waste Disposal: Proper disposal of waste is critical. We adhered to the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules - 2016, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. Monitoring of waste disposal was overseen by the Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board.</li>
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In summary, our commitment to safety in handling Lactococcus lactis is unwavering, with strict adherence to established protocols and stringent measures to maintain a secure work environment.
