a. Reseacher safety: Actually few hazardous chemicals and solutions such as EtBr are used in some lab procedures such as gel preparation and electrophoresis. However these chemicals and solutions are used according to the safety rules of the laboratory with care and caution. All the members were trained for safety regulations of the laboratory as well as toxicity of the chemicals and solutions before starting the current project.
b. Public Safety: When released by accident, our parts and materials actually cause no damage to the general public. Due to the unability of E.coli strains, TOP10 and BL21 to survive out of the lab, they cannot pose any risk to the safety and health of the general public.
c. Environment: E. coli strains TOP10 and BL1 have very limited ability to survive outside the laboratory; so that, it would be unable to survive or disseminate. Therefore, there is no specific environmental risk associated with the E. coli strains. All bacterial wastes are kept in 10% bleaching solution for one day, and then, are autoclaved to be sterilized. Yet, undesired GMOs may achieve ecologically harmful features.
2. Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise any safety issues? Urease is a comletely safe and common enzyme. Being in many organisms and commonly used in many applications, urease is still considered one of the safest enzymes. The RNA Thermometers are nothing but an mRNA sequence which works as a simple thermosensor in organisms. The RNA Thermometer won't even have the slightest effect on any external being.
3. Is there a local biosafety group, committee, or review board at your institution? Our institution has its own biosafety rules. Rules for laboratory use, general principles, prevention from hazardous materials and application of emergency intervention in case of accident are included. The web link is given as (http://www.fatihmed.edu.tr/icerik/guvenlikkilavuzu.php). In Turgut Ozal University Medical School, Laboratory and Patient-Employee Safety Committee is responsible for control as well as biosafety of laboratories and safety of patients and employees. This committee works under one of the vice medical director of Turgut Ozal University Hospital, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gunduz. Safety and security issues are found sufficient enough that no change is considered as necessary. (Further questions can be directed to Prof. Gunduz, tel: +90-312-203 5103, mgunduz@fatih.edu.tr) Our advisor provided us with biosafety and lab training before starting our project. In the training, general safety rules of laboratory use, prevention from hazardous chemicals and solutions as well as emergency intervention in case of accident were included such as: - Eating, drinking, storing food and smoking are absolutely not allowed. - Mouth pipetting is not allowed; modern pipettes are used in lab. - Hazardous wastes and ordinary wastes are separated and cautiously disposed. - Lab coats are obligatory to wear in the lab and during on-going experiments. - In electrophoresis room, lab coat, protective eyewear, lab masks and gloves have to be worn. In the case of use of EtBr; extra caution is required. - Washing hands after any experiment and after touching anything related with viable material is obliged. - Air conditioning is kept closed during on-going experiments in order to avoid possible infections of spores and bacteria. Turkey has national biosafety regulations and the link is given as (http://www.tbbdm.gov.tr/Home/BioSafetyCouncilHome/BioSafetyCouncilHomeChoose.aspx).
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