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Archive DNA lab guidelines
GUIDELINES FOR WORKING IN THE
ARCHIVE DNA LAB
The archive DNA lab is situated in the 13th floor. It is easily accessible from the other
labs (4th floor) with the blue elevator. In this room, there is space for max. two people
working at the same time. Only if you are working with old DNA, difficult museum
samples etc., it is allowed to use this facility. Working with routine samples is NOT
allowed here! Furthermore, is it not allowed to work in any other labs BEFORE
working in the archive DNA lab on the same day!

The normal working hours of the institute also apply to this lab (7:30 – 18:30). It is
NOT possible to work in this lab on weekends or outside the normal working hours.

You have to book this room in advance (the day before at latest). There is a list for
booking. If you are going to use the lab, check the timer of the UV lamps and turn
the electricity on the day before. Be sure that the lab is properly cleaned before
using that.

Ask Zoltan, Gontran, Karin or Erik for the code to be able to enter the lab.

Before entering the room, please be sure that
- the same day you did not enter any other labs yet;
- UV lights are already turned off;
- ventillation (for higher pressure) is switched on;
- you have everything with you which will be needed for your work to avoid
unnecessary traffic from and to the lab.
- bring the minimum amount of museum/biological material. Museum
specimens are often covered with dust. If possible, make a first sampling
or wash your sample before getting into the archive DNA lab. The bag or
the vial containing your sample has also to be clean.

In the archive DNA lab, you have to wear special protection for your own and to
avoid contamination. Therefore, you have to wear lab coat and gloves, and
additionally, you have to protect head, face and shoes all the time. As you enter the
anteroom of the lab, you will find these clothes/protection materials to your right. If
you are already wearing sufficient protection, enter the main lab by opening the
sliding door.

Before starting with your work, you have to clean/decontaminate lab benches.
When finishing with the work, you have to make the same cleaning steps again.

Foods, drinks, bags and backpacks, books and materials not belonging to the lab
work are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

Please use lab equipments (i.e. pipettes, centrifuge, vortex, thermoshaker) only
which are placed in the archive DNA lab, do not take any equipments from and to
other labs! These equipments are labelled accordingly. Disposable products (like
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Archive DNA lab guidelines
tubes, plates, pipette tips, boxes for storing, but also pens and pencils!) should be
treated separately from those ones used in other labs! These kinds of products
should be autoclaved and/or UV sterilized.

Kits and specific products should be separately ordered and kept for the archive
DNA lab. There is a fridge in the archive DNA lab where you can store
thermosensitive materials for short term.
It is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to transport PCR products or any massive source of
DNA (e.g. bacterial cultures) into this lab.

Please label everything as precise as possible and do not forget to include
information about the usage in the archive DNA lab. For solutions, the label also has
to contain the name of the product and the manufacturing date. Additionally, there is
a log book in the lab, please fill in precisely!

When finished your work in the archive DNA lab, please be sure that:
- everything is closed/turned off etc.;
- Clean the pipets, the thermoshaker, the vortex and the centrifuge and put
them in the drawers/cupboards to protect them from UV exposition.
- the disposable products are ready to be discarded (take them with you!);
- you filled in the log book;
- lab benches are cleaned;
- the sliding door is closed;
- remove the head/face/shoes protection, lab coat and gloves in the
anteroom only. Bring your lab coat downstairs to wash it.
- lock the lab door and turn off the ventilation.

Advice for processing the samples
o Tissue sampling: it is better to sample each tissue independently and to
wash the hood and the bench after each sampling. Note that the more
tissue you take the more chance you have to amplify the right DNA (that
will be in competition with contaminant DNA).
o Use a DNA extraction from the beginning of the tissue sampling.
o To avoid cross contamination, open the tubes one by one during the DNA
extraction process.
o You can set up your PCR in the archive DNA lab. The PCR set up has to
be done the day after the DNA extraction (after an overnight
decontamination by UV).
In the case of accidents: If a personal accident happens and someone is hurt, seek
help immediately. You find the most relevant phone numbers below. Individuals having
minor accidents (small cuts and bruises, etc.) should seek first aid at the supervisors or
closest available persons.
If equipment is damaged, please report the situation to the supervisor and Karin
Breugelmans promptly. Only this way it is possible to search for a proper and speedy
repair or replacement.
In the event of major fire, please evacuate the building immediately and seek
professional help (see phone number below). In the event of a small fire, use the
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Archive DNA lab guidelines
nearest fire extinguisher to put out the flame and/or seek the assistance of your
supervisor or any colleague next to you.
Please contact Zoltan T. Nagy or Gontran Sonet if you have any questions (424)!
Some useful phone numbers:
Erik Verheyen ……….................................................................... 286
Zoltan T. Nagy, Gontran Sonet………………………………………. 424
Invertebrates: Karin Breugelmans / Thierry Backeljau …............. 420 / 339
Safety (W. Swalus) ….……………………………….......................
Chemical waste (M. Denis) ………………………………...............
561
160
Poison Centre ………………………………………….....................
Ambulance of Fire department……………………………..............
Doctor on duty …………………………………………....................
0-070 245 245
0-100
0-02 479 18 18
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Archive DNA lab guidelines
I hereby acknowledge that I have read the document “GUIDELINES FOR WORKING
IN THE ARCHIVE DNA LAB”.
As user of the archive DNA laboratory of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural
Sciences, I fully understand these guidelines and agree to abide by them.
Name:
Position:
……………………………………….
Date
……………………………………………
Signature
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