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| <p style="display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400;"><b>QGEM takes safety seriously. Not just because we have too, but because we want our team to always return to work | | <p style="display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400;"><b>QGEM takes safety seriously. Not just because we have too, but because we want our team to always return to work |
| healthy the next day. Although human life is our biggest safety consideration we also care about environmental | | healthy the next day. Although human life is our biggest safety consideration we also care about environmental |
− | safety.</b> | + | safety.</b><br><br> |
| </p> | | </p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div class="section-paragraph"> | | <div class="section-paragraph"> |
− | <p style="display: block; text-align: left; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400;">Due to the <b>COVID-19 pandemic our lab access this year was restricted.</b> In conversation with our faculty advisors and Queen’s University Research Services it was ultimately decided that <b>working in a shared lab posed to much risk not just to our team but our community,</b> if spread where to occur. Since lab access did not occur all summer, our team did not undergo wet lab health and safety training – of course if lab access had actually occurred, we would have undergone this. <br><br>Working at home can be isolating or frustrating as time goes on. We’ve always encouraged both paid student employees and volunteers on our team to set a schedule that works for them and take breaks as needed. Our weekly meetings have given our team a chance to see each other’s faces at an uncertain time and reflect on making our working lives more comfortable. <br><br>Hypothetically, the <b>E.coli K12 strains used do not colonize in the human gut,</b> have very limited survival in the environment, and have no known negative effects on microorganisms or plants. For these reasons we think it is a good model organism to work with, had we gone in the lab. Much of this information was obtained after reviewing the <b>Canada Pathogen Data Sheet.</b> <br><br>It’s important to note, should the biosensor be made, we’ve taken steps to ensure in our hardware design that proteins are separated and never come into contact with a patients skin or enter their body for safety reasons such as accidental entry of parathyroid hormone into the body.<br><br> | + | <p style="display: block; text-align: left; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 400;">Due to the <b>COVID-19 pandemic our lab access this year was restricted.</b> In conversation with our faculty advisors and Queen’s University Research Services it was ultimately decided that <b>working in a shared lab posed to much risk not just to our team but our community,</b> if spread where to occur. Since lab access did not occur all summer, our team did not undergo wet lab health and safety training – of course if lab access had actually occurred, we would have undergone this. <br><br>Working at home can be isolating or frustrating as time goes on. We’ve always encouraged both paid student employees and volunteers on our team to set a schedule that works for them and take breaks as needed. Our weekly meetings have given our team a chance to see each other’s faces at an uncertain time and reflect on making our working lives more comfortable. <br><br>Hypothetically, the <b>E.coli K12 strains used do not colonize in the human gut,</b> have very limited survival in the environment, and have no known negative effects on microorganisms or plants. For these reasons we think it is a good model organism to work with, had we gone in the lab. Much of this information was obtained after reviewing the <b>Canada Pathogen Data Sheet.</b> <br><br>It’s important to note, should the biosensor be made, we’ve taken steps to ensure in our hardware design that proteins are separated and never come into contact with a patients skin or enter their body for safety reasons such as accidental entry of parathyroid hormone into the body.<br> |
| </p> | | </p> |
| </div> | | </div> |