Summary

In iGEM we take safety seriously. Our project touches sensible topics such as enzyme and human contact so we had a special consideration about safety issues. From strict lab rules to interviews with drycleaners, we tried to measure user's awareness and potential problems in the implementation and safety of our final engineered GMO (genetically modified microorganism).

Safety Training and Lab Rules

Figure 1: Our laboratory facilities at the Cochin institut in Paris.
At the beginning of the competition, all team members received a safety training for working in the Biosafety Level 1 laboratory. This training was conducted by the Biosafety officer for INSERM U1001 (Fig. 1) and it included best laboratory practices as described in the WHO laboratory biosafety manual.
It included rules about protocols in the lab, protective clothing and equipment, decontamination methods and practices, prevention of the transfer of genetic material and microorganisms, handling chemicals, use of machines and emergency procedures. The safety form was submitted to iGEM HQ as well.