Biosafety Considerations

Because of the importance of maintaining a safe working environment for investigators, the Core facility is staffed with trained personnel who instruct and oversee the daily operations and use of the Core and its equipment. New investigators planning to utilize any of the Core's facilities are required to undergo training. In addition, investigators wishing to store or obtain reagents from the Core facility may do so.
 
We are happy to help advise you on lab safety and we implore you to communicate with your local biosafety officer. The McManus Lab BUA is attached below (it is only visible if you are logged in as a viracore user,  create a new account if needed). This may be a useful guide when drafting your own BUA. Again, consult with your local biosafety officer, since all labs using these materials must be approved by the biosafety office. To learn more, visit the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities and check out the Guidance attachment below.
 
We may also post additional protocols on this site.  Check out the Lentiviral Replication Safety Assay.   We also published a protocol for shRNA cloning intoo lentivirus, and its subsequent use in infection brain tissue: Lentiviral Strategies for RNAi Knockdown of Neuronal Genes.  If you have protocols or technical improvements that you would like us to share with the community, let us know!