Introduction
While working on our project we put Biosafety at paramount importance. Be it following the safety protocols or incorporating biosafety design in our project.
Biosafety in our experiments:-
- Our team undertook Biosafety and Biosecurity training before starting the experiments. We started with Good Laboratory Practices and covered all topics listed by iGEM in the safety form.
- Safe experimentation can also be achieved by designing the experiments in a clever way. So we thought about how we can make our experimentation safe. We first identified the risk level of organisms and parts we are working with (all were Biosafety level 1) and tried using safer alternatives for our experimentation. Example: Including target genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in BAC plasmid instead of using the entire genome.
We carried out specific experiments at proper places (open bench, laminar hood, etc) as we learned from biosafety training.
- After getting Biosafety training and sharing our experimentation design, we got approval from our Institute’s Biosafety committee to proceed with our experiments. We maintained a proper record of lab activities in a notebook, received authorization for equipment, and followed lab protocol during experimentation.
Biosafety in our project:
While planning the project we considered biosafety and added some safety features to it.
- Dual-use and experiments of concern -
CRISPR-Cas technology has been in limelight regarding ethical concerns due to its ability to alter genes. But in our project, we decided to harness its power as an SNP detector and endonuclease. Since we will be using the protein in vitro, it cannot be misused for experiments of concern like in vivo gene editing. Also, we have designed it to recognize and cleave the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and not as a mutagenic agent.
- Autoclave -
In the context of hardware, after all, reactions are carried out the products must be autoclaved before disposing of. In the case of non-automated hardware, we recommend autoclaving the disposable materials along with products like pellets, LAMP products, Cas products and disposing of them according to the biosafety guidelines.
For Automated hardware, we make this process a bit easy and safe for the users. Considering the area where this equipment will be used, we have included the autoclave feature in the hardware itself. This will make the device more secure to use in rural areas where it is difficult to autoclave.
- Ethics -
According to regulations placed by Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), the device needs to be handled by trained personnel. Such personnel are required to follow the patient privacy protocols set up by their recruiter. Consent is required for using the data obtained from test results for research purposes. There must be transparency in data collection and storage and only authorized persons should have the access to data.
