how to manage a biotech lab ellyn daugherty sm biotech career pathway
TRANSCRIPT
How to Manage a Biotech Lab
Ellyn DaughertySM Biotech Career Pathway
www.SMBiotech.com
www.BiotechEd.comwww.emcp.com/biotech
www.sargentwelch.com/biotech
650-400-9424
Things to Consider:
• Lay-out/Workflow/Storage• Lab Stations• Common Work Areas• Chemicals/Chemical Storage• Refrigerator/Freezer Storage• Student Sample Storage• Waste Disposal• Other Safety Issues• Inventory/Ordering• Other Issues
Setting up and Managing a Biotech Lab
• Student movement, bottle necks, & time constraints
• Set up at individual lab stations vs. common work areas
• Replicate work areas - avoid long waits and “long distance”
• Strategically placed tables, carts, deionized water, sinks
• Gas/Bunsen burner placement?
• Storage areas - immediate, store-term, and long-term
Facility Lay-out/Workflow/Storage
• Students work at lab station in pairs (lab partners)
• 2 pairs at a lab station (lab table)
• A minimum on the lab table
> 1 hot plate stirrer/lab station
> 1 spectrophotometer/lab station
> a trash bucket/lab station
> 1 (serological) pipet rack/table
> 1 micropipet stand/table
> a box of gloves/table
• Strategic use of drawers and cabinets
> Small instrument drawer (pipet pumps, micropipet tips, pen, tape, scissors,
goggles, etc.)
> Student storage drawer
> Small equipment & reagent cabinet(gel boxes, power supplies, large volumes of buffer, etc.)
Lab Stations
Common Work Areas• In strategic locations – common work stations
> electronic & analytical weighing stations
> pH meter/pH adjustment station
> centrifuge station, UV spec station
> refrigerators and freezers (mini-?)
> gel staining and visualization station
> incubation ovens, water baths,
heat blocks, microwaves
> deionized water (dH20)
> autoclaves and drying ovens
> supply tables/supply carts
• Hoods
> Laminar flow hoods vs. bio-safety cabinets(for sterile work, protect user and samples)
> Chemical fume hoods(for dispensing organics, caustics, flammables, noxious)
Chemicals & Chemical Storage
Refrigerator/Freezer Storage
• Most samples are labeled with storage temp• Virtually all protein, DNA, and cell samples must
be stored at 4°C (refrig) or at -20°C (lab freezer)
> Store lyophilized (powdered) protein or DNA samples at -20°C, unless otherwise labeled
> Store protein samples alphabetically
> Record the date on reagents upon arrival
> Certain cell lines must be stored at -70°C or below or lose competence or viability
• Do not use frost-free refrigerator/freezers• Repeated freezing/thawing compromises most
samples (aliquot samples on receipt into more usable volumes)
• If possible, have designated refrigerators and freezers for different courses
Student Sample Storage
• Room Temp Storage
> chemicals, many buffers
• Refrigerator/Cooler (4°C) Storage
> most protein or DNA student samples
• Freezer (-20°C) Storage
> some protein or DNA student samples
• The more you can separate student samples the more time is saved
> Consider separate lab refrigerators and freezers (4.0 cu ft models) or different shelves in large volume coolers or freezers
• Most districts have specific policies for waste disposal (find out about yours)
• Most hazardous waste must be collected and disposed of by professionals• Need biohazard bags for biological hazards = plates (no sharp items)• Autoclave bio-contaminated items 15-20 mins @15-20 psi before trash• Bio-contaminated loops and tubes can be soaked in 10% bleach for 30
min before regular trash
• Many chemicals may not go down drain (see district rules), ie. CuSO4, silver nitrate, EtBr?, etc
• Label waste with type/concentration/date
Waste Disposal
• Gloves and goggles at every lab station and workstation, for all chem work • No gloves for work with Bunsen burner or microwave (burn hazard)
• Use hot hand protectors for hot bottles/beakers• Disinfectants at each hood (1x Lysol® or Amphyl®), where bacteria is used• Use of 10% bleach or 70% EtOH, where plant tissues are used• Use of lid-locks for 1.7 mL tubes and hot heat blocks• Safety shower, eyewash• Broken glass cartons, fire extinguisher at several places
Other Safety Issues
• Keep a record (Excel® spreadsheet with vendor, manufacturer, description, package size, part
number, etc.) of all materials used and received.• Use inventory sheets to help
keep areas clean and organized
• Assign student groups the responsibility to maintain/inventory a particular area> Chem Stockroom A-G > Weigh Stations
> “Darwin” Refrigerator > “Watson”, “Crick” Freezers
• Have inventory sheets at each lab station and require inventory sign-off at the beginning and end of class (Biotech Live Ch 3)
• Have a place that students can record when a “last bottle” is ½ full (use to amend orders)
• Build time into the schedule for inventory and lab station/workplace maintenance
Inventory/Ordering
• Computers – keep them away from chemicals and water
• Not enough space – portable items?• Alphabetized small items drawers or
containers• Cable-lock down balances, computers• Designated hand-washing sinks?• Lots of paper towels used• Crushed ice needed/preferred• Post emergency numbers• Biotech teacher “in charge” of facility• Keep getting professional development• Network with other biotech educators
and ask them questions (especially about new methods, techniques, equipment)
Other Issues
Get even more help!
Ellyn DaughertySM Biotech Career Pathway
www.SMBiotech.com
www.BiotechEd.com
www.emcschool.com/biotechnology
www.sargentwelch.com/biotech
Amy NaumVWR Ed/Sargent Welch
www.sargentwelch.com/[email protected] 585-321-9422
Holly AhernVWR Ed/Sargent Welch
www.sargentwelch.com/[email protected] 512-789-3155