<p>The glorious history of the iGEM team Bielefeld began in 2010 and marked its debut on the global stage
of synthetic biology. Since then, the teams were composed of over 160 enthusiastic students from various disciplines, including biology, chemistry, and engineering.</p>
<p>Their initial project focused on the development of a biosensor for the measurement of spiciness in food, which resulted in the team being awarded a gold medal at the competition. Following this successful debut, the teams continued to evolve, both in size and expertise.
As part of our project to develop a prime-editing complex to correct the F508del mutation in cystic fibrosis, we place great emphasis on safety at all stages of research. Our final construct will be tested in primary cultures of epithelial cells obtained from nasal swabs, isolated from both patients and healthy individuals. from nasal swabs [link primär Kulturen]. To guarantee safety and ensure the highest level of precision and reliability of our results, we have introduced a series of carefully planned checkpoints during the experiments. These milestones allow for continuous monitoring, timely adjustments and validation at each critical stage. This ensures that potential issues are identified and addressed immediately, minimizing risk and improving the overall quality of the experimental results. [link zu den Experimenten]
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<Sectiontitle="Check-Ins"id="Check-Ins">
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iGEM places great emphasis on biosafety, ensuring that all projects adhere to strict safety standards. One of these measures is the iGEM White List, which includes organisms and parts that are pre-approved for use based on their safety profile. Any components or organisms not covered by this White List must be submitted as 'Check-ins' to the iGEM Safety Committee for approval. Check-ins are formal safety evaluations that allow the committee to assess the potential risks and ensure proper containment and handling procedures are in place. Although we used some parts and organisms that were not included on the White List, these were assessed as critical for our project and submitted as Check-ins to the iGEM Safety Committee. Furthermore, we were in active exchange with the committee throughout the process. The Check-ins provide a clear picture of the biosafety aspects of our project, reflecting our commitment to safety and compliance with iGEM standards.
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We adhere to good laboratory practices by ensuring proper handling of materials, effective emergency procedures, and correct waste disposal methods. This commitment guarantees a safe and compliant research environment. Our project, which involved a wide range of techniques was conducted in strict compliance with safety regulations. All experiments were carried out in Prof. Dr. Kristian Müller’s laboratory at Bielefeld University, following BSL-1 standard operating procedures. Properly equipped facilities are crucial to prevent contamination, exposure, or accidental release of modified organisms, ensuring the highest level of safety in our laboratories.
Before commencing laboratory work, all participants were required to attend a mandatory safety briefing. In compliance with German regulations, each team member's participation had to be confirmed with a personal signature. The briefing, conducted by Prof. Dr. Kristian Müller must be renewed annually in accordance with §12 ArbSchG. It covered the following areas:
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General laboratory safety
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Regulations regarding hazardous and toxic substances
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Regulations concerning biological materials
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Regulations on genetic engineering. In addition to the general safety briefing, specific instructions for the safe operation of each device were provided. The Safety and Security Officer within the laboratory highlighted the potential hazards and necessary precautionary measures. We have focused on planning our laboratory activities to minimize risk for safer practices. This ensures not only the safe and proper use of equipment but also the generation of reliable data. To meet all safety requirements, additional safety protocols have been put in place for all targeted areas of the laboratory equipment.
