Team:DTU Denmark/safety

The Redoxilator construct applies only to S. cerevisiae which is generally regarded as safe (GRAS), and moreover one of the best characterized industrial organisms. This fact alone eliminates most safety issues. It is of course possible to produce mildly toxic compounds if one so desires, and applying the Redoxilator, this can be done at higher rates. However, it is more likely than not that the production strain will be damaged in the process, making it very hard to produce toxic compouds, and thus jeopardizing researcher safety. Therefore, if standard safety protocols for genetic engineering of production organisms are followed, the Redoxilator cannot be considered to elevate researcher safety issues.

Likewise, public safety will only be affected if standard safety protocols are not followed. Certain products of S. cerevisiae are deemed safe for human consumption and other applications. If the Redoxilator is utilized in production of such, screening for secretion of unwanted metabolites should be performed post genetic engineering of production strain. As with regard to researcher safety, if standard safety protocols for genetic engineering of production organisms are followed, the Redoxilator cannot be considered to elevate public safety issues.

Lastly, the Redoxilator does not pose an immediate threat to environmental safety. Genetically engineered production strains are to be kept isolated, and disposed of following the rules and regulations relating to GMOs. If these are followed, the Redoxilator construct will pose no threat to environmental safety.

Local biosafety group
There is a local biosafetygroup at our institution, and they have advised us to follow standard safety protocols for genetic engineering and molecular biology that is the standard practise at our institution. Non of the biobricks submitted in this study comprise any elevated elevated danger of researcher safety, public safety, or environmental safety, if the standard practise are followed.