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Methods and Procedures

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1. Self-experimentation, or experiments on human subjects

2. Gene drives

3. Experiments that can increase the antimicrobial resistance of any pathogen

4. Experiments that can render a vaccine ineffective

5. Experiments using human samples

6. Experiments that introduces a new antimicrobial resistance to an organism that have not previously been demonstrated to have that resistance in the past

7. Experiments likely to increase the hazard level of biological agents even more. For example by performing gain-of-function experiments to enhance the virulence or transmissibility of a human pathogen

8. Experiments likely to result in the creation of a new hazardous biological agent. For example by introducing virulence factors to a non-pathogenic organism, or introducing genes that confers the ability to damage important materials (such as electronics, plastics, etc.) by an organism.

9. Experiments likely to enable a hazardous agent to evade commonly used diagnostic or detection tools.
    

Genes/Biological parts

 

1. Any parts from risk group 3 or 4 organisms

2. Part containing genes that encodes toxins, or are from known human or animal viral pathogens [Note: Link to Australia Group list: https://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/minisite/theaustraliagroupnet/site/en/human_animal_pathogens.html]

3. Parts that can confer or enhance pathogenicity for a pathogen targeting humans, animals or plants. 

4. Prions of any kind

5. Parts that are likely to increase the potential of horizontal gene transfer events (Origin of transfer sequences)

6. Human gene-targeting CRISPR guide RNAs, microRNAs, small interfering RNAs ot short hairpin RNAs

7. CDSs that help pathogens evade or shut down the immune system

8. CDSs that help pathogens halt the host's DNA/RNA replication, transcription, or translation

9. Factors that regulate the human immune system, such as cytokines and interferons

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Organisms

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• Any organism outside of the following categories:

  1. Risk group 1 microorganisms

  2. These commonly used bacteriophages: T2, T4, T7, λ

  3. Disarmed strains of plant pathogens for plant transfection (such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens)

  4. Cell lines from plants and fungi, or non-primate animals (for example CHO cells)

     1. Cell lines from primates and/or humans can be used though if they are certified to be free of known pathogens, as is seen with HEK293 cells for example

 

Inspired by: 

iGem White List. Safety/White list. (n.d.). https://2021.igem.org/Safety/White_List. 

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