Safety
Safety and Security Hub
Welcome to the Safety and Security Hub!
iGEM expects all teams to demonstrate to iGEM HQ, the wider community, and to anyone interested how you are working safely and securely. Teams do this by thinking carefully about and managing any risks to yourselves, your colleagues, community, or the environment. You need to continue to think about risks throughout your project and revisit these issue as your plans change. We also want you to think about any risks should your project ever become a product.
To help teams work safely and securely, we have clear rules and policies that need to be followed. We have developed tools to help you understand what we are asking you to do and why. We have created forms to make it easier to provide the information needed after your planning stage, whenever you want to use something not on our White List, and before the Jamboree. To help you, we also have a dedicated Safety and Security Committee made up from experts around the world.
iGEM teams have a long tradition of addressing local and global challenges. iGEM recognises that COVID-19 is both a global and local challenge for many in our community at this time. We are keen to help address this disease but do not want to add risk to our teams, their communities, or the world more broadly. We realize some teams will want to work on diagnostic, therapeutic or vaccine projects connected to this disease. The Safety and Security Committee will work closely with these teams.
- No 2020 team should plan to work with the live SARS-CoV-2 virus (which is the one causing COVID-19).
- Teams should not plan to work with isolated virus or environmental, animal, or human samples likely to contain it.
- Any activities connected to diagnostics, therapeutics or vaccines for COVID-19, as well as the planned use of any fragments of the SARs-CoV-2 virus, are NOT covered by iGEM's White List and you MUST submit a check in form to get permission for this work in advance.
- Teams will need to think carefully about any in-person interactions with people. Teams must follow ALL guidance from their governments and local health care experts about in-person interactions, whether between team members or with others in the community.
Failure to follow these directives can lead to your team's immediate disqualification from the competition and referral to the Responsible Conduct Committee.
The Safety and Security Committee and Human Practices Committee, along with iGEM Headquarters, have created a page with additional guidelines on your work in the context of COVID-19: https://2020.igem.org/Safety/Coronavirus
Safety and Security
We expect everyone involved with iGEM to act responsibly throughout the competition. Considering safety and security is an important component of responsible research and innovation.
Working safely and securely
Find our more about safety and security in project design, laboratory work, and transfer practices.
Safety and Security Rules
Find out the safety and security rules all teams must follow.
Safety and Security Policies
Find out about iGEM's policies on the use of humans, animals, anti-microbial resistance, gene drives, and more
Keep it in the lab
Find out more about keeping modified organisms in the lab and how you might take their products outside.
What I have to do
Everyone has a role to play. Find out more what is expected from team members, instructors and our Committee.
Safety and Security Committee
Find out more about the experts from around the world that helps keep iGEM safe and secure.
Tools
Guidance and support to help you work safely and securely inside and outside the lab. These resources can help you understand our policies and rules.
Risk Groups
iGEM's rules and policies talk about risk groups and biosafety levels. These are used to help understand what risks might be involved in a project and how they might be managed.
White List
The White List provides details of organisms, parts, and activities teams can use in iGEM, along with those which require prior approval.
Risk assessment tool
iGEM is working with experts from around the world on a tool to help identify and manage any risks associated with a project. This tool can help in complete the safety and security form.
Working with samples from outside the lab
Some teams work with samples from the environment, food industry or non-traditional suppliers. iGEM has guides and good practices to help.
Exemplary Projects
Over the years, we have seen many iGEM teams take safety and security seriously in their work. Explore how teams have won awards and prizes for safety and security.
Ask your Instructors!
Your first resource is always your instructors, advisors, and professors. They have experience working in your lab and know your local rules. If you are having issues email us at safety AT igem DOT org. We love hearing from teams!
Forms
These forms are how teams demonstrate they are doing their project safely and securely. Teams must fill out these forms as completely as possible - explaining any risks associated with the project and what steps have been taken to manage them.
- We encourage STUDENTS, instead of instructors, to complete these forms.
- An Instructor or PI will need to sign and submit (a) the Safety and Security Form by the second deadline before the Giant Jamboree, and (b) any animal use form.
- While you type, the forms will automatically save your answers.
Complying with the safety and security requirements is a condition of competing at iGEM - that includes providing all the information in this form by the relevant deadlines. Failure to do so can lead to immediate disqualification from the competition and referral to the Responsible Conduct Committee.
Safety Form
All teams are required to fill the Safety Form.
Due Date: June 26, 11:59PM EDT
An initial version of this form, with as much information as possible, is to be provided by the team.
Due Date: September 11, 11:59PM EDT
A final version of this form must be signed off by the PI.
Check-In Form
Any team that plans to acquire or use any organism/part that is NOT on the White List must submit a Check-In form first. Once the iGEM Safety Committee has approved your Check-In by email, you may begin your work.
Animal Use Check-In Form
If your team is using any vertebrates (e.g. rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters), or higher order invertebrates (e.g. cuttlefish, octopus, squid, lobster) you will need to complete a Check-In form to tell us about any risks associated with your work and how you will be managing them.
iGEM Foundation
The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of synthetic biology, education and competition, and the development of an open community and collaboration. Visit us at igem.org
Contact
hq AT igem DOT org
45 Prospect Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Due to COVID-19, iGEM staff are working remotely and cannot receive phone calls.
Please contact us by email.
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