The controlled environment facility is for growth of experimental material ONLY. It is not to be used to grow Arabidopsis for transformation or to be used to grow transgenic plants for seed production. The Arabidopsis growth rooms on floor 4 and the greenhouses on floor 5 are available for these purposes.
GMOs
Handling of GMOs outside of the high security containment facility
We have been granted permission by Jordbruksverket to grow GMOs in the growth rooms and cabinets on floor 2, outside of the high security containment facility, but only if we abide by strict, and strictly enforced, rules. These rules are posted on the doors of all growth rooms and they are listed below:
1. Under no circumstances are GMOs allowed to flower in the growth cabinets and growth rooms outside of the high security containment facility. Any plants found to have initiated flowering will be destroyed immediately without consultation.
2. All GMO seedlings must be marked with a RED tag on which is written your name and the identity of the transgene. This information must also be recorded in the booking sheets retained by the secretary.
3. All GMO waste generated outside of the high security containment facility must be placed in the specially marked RED containers and this material should then to be taken to Floor 3 for disposal in the container inside the containment facility.
4. All bags thrown into the GMO waste container on Floor 3 must first be marked with yellow GMO tape.
5. No GMOs can be taken out of the high security containment facility if they have been in the same room as a flowering Arabidopsis or poplar.
6. Handling of GMO seeds is not allowed outside of the high security containment facility. Therefore all planting of transgenic seed MUST be done in the high security labs on Floors 3, 4 or 5.
7. Arabidopsis and hybrid poplar that have been modified with respect of flowering time regulation must not to be handled or grown outside the high security facility from April 1 to September 30
Disposal of GMO material from all facilities
ALL garbage containing transgenic material MUST be put in special double garbage bags and before being thrown into the special container for this waste (found in the annex to the high security facility on floor 3), the garbage bag must be marked with "GMO tape". The “GMO safety officers” at the two departments, currently Ove Nilsson and Stefan Jansson, control all GMO growth. If you have questions relating to handling of GMO materials, please ask the GMO officers.
Access
In order to use the controlled environment facility you must fill in a request form (available on UPSCs homepage, see below) where you state what type of chamber you require, the specific conditions and the duration of the planned experiment. The group leader must be informed before you submit your application. You have to submit this form at least two weeks in advance to: . However, with the current pressure on this facility it is advisable to plan well in advance of 2 weeks.
Once the request form has been completed and space allocated, all users must SIGN IN when they begin their experiments and SIGN OUT when the experiment is completed. Users will be charged for space until they have signed out and the chambers, pots, trays etc must be cleaned before they can sign out.
Identification
All material in the growth facility must be CLEARLY (to others, not just for the sake of the user) identified both with the name of the person running the experiment and the research group. Material not readily identifiable may be thrown out without warning and without consultation.
Costs
Growth chambers (Klimatkammare):
80:- per day
N.B. the full cost is charged regardless of whether you have 1 plant or . If there is more than one user the costs are shared.
Growth cabinets (Klimatskåp):
40:- per day
Cold room:
15:- per m2 per week
Chamber descriptions
