How to Set Up a Biotechnology Training Lab
By Ellyn Daugherty, Biotechnology Educator and Author of
Biotechnology: Science for the New Millennium, 2E
Many new biotechnology teachers have never run a laboratory facility where time and and productivity are important. Even if an educator has spent time in a corporate, academic or governmental laboratory, setting up a biotech lab facility in a high school or college environment to train numbers of students can be a daunting task.
In this blog, I discuss some of the items to consider when setting up a biotechnology training laboratory, one that prepares your students to work in adult science environments where productivity is expected. The key areas that I focus on are:
• Lay-out/Workflow/Storage
• Lab Stations
• Common Work Areas
• Chemicals/Chemical Storage
• Refrigerator/Freezer Storage
• Student Sample Storage
• Waste Disposal
• Other Safety Issues
• Other Issues
Layout/Workflow/Storage
The layout and workflow of your training lab must be carefully planned to ensure efficiency when biotech students are present. Consider student movement and bottlenecks during the lab period and how these will affect time constraints.
Consider how and where to set up individual lab stations for students to work, individually or in pairs, and what instruments and supplies will be located there. Consider the location of common work or supply areas where shared equipment and reagents will be located. Remember, these common areas are likely to cause the bottlenecks. If possible, and if resources and space allow, replicate work areas to avoid long waits and "long distances".
For improved efficiency strategically place tables and carts around the lab space with commonly used reagents and consumables and have extra deionized water near the sinks.
For safety, consider placement of gas and Bunsen burners, if possible, in appropriate fume hoods and/or biosafety cabinets and have appropriate trash and disposal receptables located nearby.
Finally, ensure adequate immediate, short- and long-term storage areas for equipment and consumables such as plastics and reagents. Storage for 4°C and -20°C items are needed, so one or more refrigerators and freezers will be required.
Student Lab Stations
In a typical biotech teaching lab, students work individually, in pairs, or in groups of 4, depending on a given activity. Most typically students train and work in as a group of 2 lab partners, at a lab table, across from another set of lab partners. The lab table has 2 lab stations with replicate materials but also has materials shared by the 2 lab groups.
The lab table that should be equipped with the following, used by both groups:
• 1 mini-centrifuge
• 1 hot plate stirrer
• 1 vortex mixer
• 1 (serological) pipet rack (if micropipets are to be stored on the tabletop)
• 1 micropipette stand
• Box of disposable gloves
• Disinfectant spray bottle
• Box of lab wipes
Each lab group needs their own equipment supplies, maybe stored in a drawer or plastic tub, including:
• Micropipets (such as, P-1000, P-200, P20) if not stored on the tabletop
• Micropipet tip boxes for the different pipets
• Pipet pumps (red, blue, green) for serological pipets
• Safety goggles
• Scissors
• Permanent markers (such as Sharpies)
• Labeling tape
• Magnet stir bars
• pH paper
In addition, make use of the drawers and cabinets of the lab benches and store the following at each station:
• Student samples or reagents that require room temperature storage
• Small equipment & reagent cabinet containing gel boxes, power supplies, etc.
Common Work Areas
Common work areas are used for communal reagents and equipment. If possible, replicate common work areas to avoid delays and bottlenecks. In strategic locations, set up common work stations featuring the following, when applicable:
• Electronic & analytical weighing stations
• pH meter/pH adjustment buffers
• Centrifuges (clinical and high-speed microcentrifuges)
• VIS or UV/VIS spectrophotometers
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Gel staining and visualization station
• Incubation ovens, water baths, heat blocks, microwaves
• Deionized water (dH20)
• Autoclaves and drying ovens
Other common areas to have in a biotech teaching lab are hoods. Consider the type of hoods required. Either laminar flow hoods and/or biosafety cabinets for sterile work, protect user and samples and/or chemical fume hoods for dispensing organics, caustics, flammables, noxious reagents.
Chemicals and Chemical Storage
Chemicals must be stored probably to protect user and reagents and you must be familiar with your organization's specific policies on chemical storage, but as a general guideline the following must be considered.
• Chemical storeroom/chemical cabinet for general safe (green labels) chemicals
• Flammable cabinet for flammable liquids, such as alcohols (red labels)
• Oxidizers and corrosive cabinet for bases, acids and peroxides. Label corrosives with a
yellow and corrosives with a white label
• A locked cabinet for toxics, such as ethidium bromide. Use blue labels
In addition to these storage locations, ensure access to a built in or portable chemical fume hood and plenty of latex and nitrile gloves and safety goggles.
Refrigerator & Freezer Storage
Many reagents used in biotechnology labs require cold storage due to their sensitivity to temperature, these include proteins (enzymes), DNA, and cell and tissue samples. When ordered commercially these temperature sensitive reagents will be clearly labelled and must be stored promptly on arrival. Often, a kit or shipping box may have items that have different storage temperatures. Check each item carefully so they can be stored promptly at the correct temperature. Also, notify staff when shipments of reagents are expected so that proper storage is assured.
For easy and timely access to these stored items and that each remains viable:
• Store items alphabetically
• Record the date on reagents upon arrival and when the item is first opened
• Do not use defrosting (cycling) fridges and freezers
• Note that repeated freezing/thawing compromises most samples (aliquot samples on
receipt into more usable volumes, if necessary)
Waste Disposal
Another thing to consider is waste disposal and, similar to chemical storage, is region specific. Make sure staff is aware of the facility's, municipality's and state's disposal guidelines. Here are some general waste disposal guideleines.
• Most hazardous waste must be collected and disposed of by professionals
• Biohazard bags are used for biological hazards = such as contaminated bottles and plates
(no sharp items), fill only ? full
• Autoclave bio-contaminated items for 15-20 min @15-20 psi before disposal
• Bio-contaminated loops and tubes can be soaked in 10% bleach for 30 min before disposal
• Many chemicals may not go down drain (see district rules), i.e. CuSO4, silver nitrate, etc.
These must be collected and disposed of by professionals
• Label waste with type/concentration/date
Other Safety Issues
Some other simple safety guidelines to follow to protect staff and students, include:
• Gloves and goggles should be at every lab station and workstation, used for all chemical work
• Latex or nitrile gloves should not be used when using a Bunsen burner or microwave (burn hazard).
Explore silicon gloves.
• Use hot hand protectors or lab mitts for hot bottles/beakers
• Disinfectants (1x Lysol® or Amphyl®) should be at each hood or counter where bacteria
is used
• Use 10% bleach or 70% EtOH as disinfectant, where plant tissues are used
• Use lid-locks for 1.7 mL tubes when dry heat blocks are used
• A safety shower and eyewash must be associated with a working lab space
• Broken glass cartons, fire extinguisher should be located conveniently around the lab space
Other Issues
Some final suggestions for a biotechnology training lab facility:
• Computers - keep them away from chemicals and water
• Not enough space? Explore portable items?
• Set up alphabetized small items drawers or containers
• Cable-lock down balances, computers and expensive equipment
• Have a designated hand-washing sink, separate from glassware washing lab sinks
• Lots of paper towels are used
• Crushed ice is needed and preferred (vs. cube ice)
• Post emergency numbers and signs
Check out our Biotechnology Educator Support website at www BiotechEd.com for all kinds of teacher support including presentations, lesson plans, and tips on how to plan or implement a biotechnology education program. Ellyn Daugherty, Carnegie Learning and G-Biosciences give you the tools you need to prepare your students for academic and industry options in the science or business of biotechnology.
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