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         <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">The Risk and Safety committee is aware of Lethbridge iGEM and of our project. They support our work as long as we follow the Laboratory Safety Guidelines outlined by Health Canada: Public Health Agency of Canada.(http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/index-eng.php)</p>
 
         <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">The Risk and Safety committee is aware of Lethbridge iGEM and of our project. They support our work as long as we follow the Laboratory Safety Guidelines outlined by Health Canada: Public Health Agency of Canada.(http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/index-eng.php)</p>
  
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           <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">While speaking to first responders, we learned about what products they currently use to clean the ambulances. They mainly use cleaning wipes, called Caviwipes, to wipe down the ambulance after each call. These wipes are also used during monthly deep cleanings of the ambulances. Deep cleanings involve removing some equipment from the ambulance to get at areas that cannot be cleaned easily during daily cleaning. We also found out that the deep cleans occur when the ambulances are still on call.</p>
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          <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">During the calls, we looked for potential spots that could be reservoirs for pathogens based on what we saw paramedics and patients touch. Our findings were taken into consideration when narrowing down what locations we would actually sample.</p>
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          <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">The first hand experiences were also beneficial in understanding what paramedics go through each day. The calls we went on were diverse in their nature. The calls were transferring a patient to another facility, a drug overdose, and a domestic dispute. </p>
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          <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">Overall, the ride alongs helped us understand what locations would be the best to sample for potential pathogens.</p>
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          <h3 class="thin white-text">Section Two</h3>
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          <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">The prevalence of virulent and multiple antibiotic resistant pathogens in healthcare facilities has resulted in ongoing reassessment of best practices to prevent their transmission. However, whether pathogen reservoirs exist in emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles, remains largely unknown. Our iGEM team developed a custom bacterial two hybrid system to select single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) that recognize human pathogens. Informed by our Nanopore next generation sequencing of DNA samples from ambulance vehicles, antibodies targeting important pathogens were then used to develop a rapid and low cost ELISA-based testing kit that may be employed on-site by EMS workers. Our project provides a framework for rapid detection of emergent pathogens and a practical and rapid solution for monitoring their presence in and outside of the healthcare system.</p>
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          <h3 class="thin white-text">Section 3</h3>
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          <p class="grey-text text-lighten-4">The prevalence of virulent and multiple antibiotic resistant pathogens in healthcare facilities has resulted in ongoing reassessment of best practices to prevent their transmission. However, whether pathogen reservoirs exist in emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles, remains largely unknown. Our iGEM team developed a custom bacterial two hybrid system to select single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) that recognize human pathogens. Informed by our Nanopore next generation sequencing of DNA samples from ambulance vehicles, antibodies targeting important pathogens were then used to develop a rapid and low cost ELISA-based testing kit that may be employed on-site by EMS workers. Our project provides a framework for rapid detection of emergent pathogens and a practical and rapid solution for monitoring their presence in and outside of the healthcare system.</p>
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Revision as of 02:24, 20 October 2016

Lethbridge iGEM 2016

Safety

From lab kits to soft kits.

Section One

All wet lab experiments are hosted at the University of Lethbridge Chemistry and Biochemistry department. The lab itself is a Containment Level One which “requires no special design features beyond those suitable for a well-designed and functional laboratory. Containment is achieved through the use of practices normally employed in a basic microbiology laboratory.” - Public Health Agency of Canada (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/permits/inspection/index-eng.php)

Other precautions are taken to further provide a safe work environment for team members. Prior to any lab work students are required to come in lab-appropriate attire meaning long pants and closed toed shoes and tied-back long hair. Further equipment is given to the student for extra protection such as lab coats, safety glasses, and gloves. All labs at the University of Lethbridge are equipped with fire extinguishers, emergency showers, eyewash stations, and first aid kits in case of dire situations. WHMIS training is provided to all students before any wet lab experiments, and advisor supervision is provided at all times to further ensure safety.

To address biosafety, the University of Lethbridge has a Risk and Safety Services committee tasked with ensuring a safe work environment is upheld by all labs within the institution. The goal of the committee is to “... educate, mentor, foster and grow an environment to all members of the University of Lethbridge community where each accepts an individual and shared responsibility in growing a culture that is rich in the assessment , management and control of risk and safety.” - U of L Risk and Safety Services. (http://www.uleth.ca/risk-and-safety-services/)

The Risk and Safety committee is aware of Lethbridge iGEM and of our project. They support our work as long as we follow the Laboratory Safety Guidelines outlined by Health Canada: Public Health Agency of Canada.(http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/index-eng.php)