Team:SZ SHD/Safety
What we did to ensure our
Safety
For the community and for us
Part 1:
Overview
Our project is to use keratinase to safely and effectively remove body hair. Based on screening literature, we selected 4 keratinases which expressed naturally in Actinomadura viridilutea DZ50, Bacillus tequilensis Q7, Bacillus licheniformis MKU3 and Bacillus licheniformis ER-15. We will express them in E. Coli BL21(DE3) strain and test the activity of each of them. We will then express these keratin with Escherichia coli (BL21). After that, we plan to mix essential oil, collagen and other additives with the selected keratinase to make a preliminary product, and test its activity and degradation rate again to select the best product for the test. Finally, we will apply for using pig skin as the substrate for simulating skin.
No risks could these organisms pose us and our colleagues in the laboratory,The bacteria we use are harmless to both the environment and human beings. The use and management of bacteria in the laboratory are standardized, and there is no risk of leakage
The use and management of bacteria in the laboratory are standardized, and there is no risk of leakage. Before all of the experimenting, all of our participants working in the lab will be trained on safety and essential lab procedures to prevent leakages and malpractice. The laboratory we are working in is equipped to handle E.coli BL21 and also prevent leakages through protective measures. For example, we will sterilize all of the contaminated items (including waste and trash) using an autoclauve before we dispose them. All of the disposable wastes are put into biomedical trashbags. Waste liquids and bacteria solutions are also...
Throughout our experiment, we will be supervised by medical professionals to not only ensure safety but also enforce good practice.
We plan to use E.coil BL21 to express the four kinds of keratinases reported in previous papers. After that, we will determine the activity of keratinases, the degradation rate of keratin and choose the best one or two. The activity of the enzyme was determined by spectrophotometry. To purify the keratinases, we will use His-tag.
After the above experimental process is fully verified, we plan to add the additives in essential oil, collagen and other products, mix them with the selected keratinase to make a preliminary product, test its activity and degradation rate again, and select the best result.
Finally, we will test the role of other enzymes or compounds in supporting the work environment of hair removal. In order to test the final effect of the product, we will also apply to use pig skin as the substrate of simulated skin
Part 2: Risks
No risks could arise from these experiments. Molecular cloning, protein purification and enzyme biopsy all have standard protocols. We can control them.
We might be handling glassware and some needles (which come with syringes we purchase). However, all of us wear labcoats, long pants, and close-toed shoes to prevent accidents from arising. We also have specialised trash cans for needles, and before we dispose of them, we encase them in a plastic tube to prevent any dangers.
Due to our collaboration with another iGEM team, we are borrowing their methods of creating hydrogen gel to use as the base, which will be combined with our keratinases. The final product will be a gel that people can apply to their skin before using a razor or shaving blade. People can smear our gel-like product on parts of their limbs and leave for a while. Our product serves the purpose of soften body hairs, which will make hair removal with a blade much easier and more effective. The hair can thus be removed completely.
Our product may cause allergies or irritation due to the keratinases and the hydrogen gel we use. Thus, it can possibly cause itchy skin, redness and swelling. Our product may not be suitable for people who have very sensitive skin or people who are allergic to keratinase and hydrogen gel because of the reaction they may have after applying our gel to their skin.
Part 3. Related
Regulations
In our country, there are laws and regulations that govern biosafety or biosecurity in skin care and related research. Here are some links to get further information about hair removal safety.
中华人民共和国科学技术部 (most.gov.cn)
化妆品监督管理条例（国令第727号）_政府信息公开专栏 (www.gov.cn)
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/removing-hair-safely
Part 4:
Compliance
We have receivde lab safety training and lab skill training before we started our experiments. All members have been informed of ways to handle emergencies such as fire hydrants, emergency showers, treating chemical burns, and evacuation procedures etc. We have been given a lab safety and instructions manual which we have to firmly obide to. All of our experiment protocols were written and evaluated for risk before we went ahead with the experiment. Basic lab rules and etiquette applies:
- Wearing gloves, labocoat, safety goggles (when handling hazardous chemicals and organisms), long pants, and close-toed shoes
- Tieing up hair
- Disposing waste in biomedical trash bags (Anything sharp can be safely disposed of in specialized trash cans)
- Not having food, drinks or personal items inside lab space
- Washing hands when going in and out of the lab
Aside from that, we always record our lab procedures and actions for the day onto an online document for peer review and economic evaluation.
For any hazardous experiments, we will be personally supervised by a trained member within our faculty and we work in a supervised environment regardless of the level of risk.
We are not releasing any organism or product derived from the project. Since we planned to use porcine (pig) skin in the prof of concept sectoin instead of animal tests such as mice, the general risk of our project is relatively low. The entire project will be accomplished and tested in the lab. All experimenter will be educated about biosafty and be protected from these risks.
