BBE Newsletter Winter 2024

Dr. Meselson Visits Caltech

On November 28-29, Matthew Meselson (PhD '57) visited Caltech to meet with faculty and students, to discuss his current research, and to reminisce of his time at the Institute and the formative role he played in the creation of molecular biology. Meselson, the Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences at Harvard University, is one of the world's eminent biologists who co-discovered the mode of DNA replication and the existence of mRNA. For the past sixty years he has served as a scientific authority on all aspects of chemical and biological warfare, and at age 93 he remains actively engaged in research and policy matters.

During his visit, Meselson delivered a lecture on the relationship between sex, death, and genetics to a standing room only audience in Chen 100, and he participated in an interview with David Zierler about his time at Caltech and what it was like to study with Linus Pauling. At a faculty dinner at the Athenaeum in his honor, President Emeritus David Baltimore toasted Meselson and the enormity of his discoveries, and Meselson related a story about how he was able to bring an end to the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, all because of a Caltech connection to Lee DuBridge, who had become Science Advisor in the Nixon White House.

In reflecting on his visit, Meselson remarked, "I am not a religious man, but God bless Caltech. It is today as great as it ever was!"

Written by David Zierler

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Dr. Matthew Meselson Meets with Grad Students

Dr. Meselson participated in an intimate Q&A session with Graduate students after his presentation "The Evolutionary Biology of Sex and Death" on November 29th. It was a great opportunity to get to know Dr. Meselson and ask important questions regarding his research.

Bioscience Industry Day Recap

Bioscience Industry Day is designed for your team to develop strong research, industry, and personal connections with the Caltech Bioscience Industrial Partners Program (CBIPP) community.

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This event held on November 16th was an incredible opportunity to hear about the latest and most exciting work being carried out in biodata, biopharma, biotech, life sciences, medical devices and synthetic biology. It was attended by undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, alums, and Caltech professors, as well as the Caltech community. The event kicked off with a keynote speaker at noon, followed by Industry booths.

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Keynote speaker Pedro Coelho, Ph.D.—co-founder and CEO—Pedro co-founded Provivi in 2013 together with Prof. Frances Arnold and Dr. Peter Meinhold, who was also a former grad student at the Arnold lab. Provivi creates scalable, pheromone-based insect control solutions that protect crops and biodiversity while reducing farmer dependency on insecticides. Provivi's patented production methods enable a step change in the cost of manufacturing pheromones, allowing use of this proven approach in large-acreage crops such as corn, rice, cotton and soy. The company is now commercial in Mexico, Europe, Indonesia, and Brazil.

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Mark your calendars for the next CBIPP event on Friday, May 17, 2024. Details coming soon!

CNS/NB Friendsgiving!

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CNS/NB students held a festive Friendsgiving in November in Morgan Library. They had a blast mingling, snacking, and eating "turkey" cake!

Construction and Building Updates

Alles

The two pergolas in the courtyard along with the overhead beams to the entrance of the building have been replaced. Power and Wi-Fi will be added by Spring time.

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Broad will be tied into the Alles house CO2 tank system with an upgrade that can handle the added load. Estimated completion is August or September.

Braun

The Courtyard amphitheater is being replaced by a newly designed open park featuring landscaping with shrubs, trees, benches and a walkway. It should be complete by Fall.

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Broad

The acrylic whiteboards in Broad 200 are being replaced with new porcelain enamel dry erase boards, eliminating marker ghosting and providing sharper images while allowing for easier cleaning. In addition, new sound panels will be installed to complement the upgraded A/V system.

A new fly-food kettle in Broad’s basement glass wash facility will serve as the main fly food production room with Church B2 level as a back-up kettle. Target completion period is Fall 2024.

Chen

A full-size refrigerator and ice machine will be added to the Breezeway kitchen for BBE events with an ETA of mid-February.

Kerckhoff

New ADA-accessible women’s and gender-neutral restrooms will come online in February on the first floor of Kerckhoff. A new ADA-drinking fountain and a separate water bottle filling station will also be incorporated outside the restrooms, in the first floor Kerckhoff hallway.

Facilities will be updating the lighting throughout the hallways and other public areas and adding fire sprinkler retrofitting. Tentative start date is late February.

Please contact Jesse Flores with any questions on construction or building updates. floresj@caltech.edu, Ext. 3641

Tips from the Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

How can unresolved conflict in the lab lead to unsafe practices?

by Leyma De Haro

Unresolved conflict in a laboratory setting, particularly those involving research in high-stakes areas, can significantly impact the safety practices and culture of the lab. Here are ways this can occur:

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1. Communication Breakdown: Effective communication is crucial for maintaining safety in a lab environment. Unresolved conflict often leads to poor communication or complete breakdowns in communication channels. This can result in critical information being withheld or miscommunicated, leading to errors in experimental procedures, incorrect handling of materials, or failure to follow safety protocols.

2. Distraction and Reduced Focus: Conflict can be mentally and emotionally taxing, leading to distraction and reduced focus among lab members. In high-stakes environments, where attention to detail is important, such distractions can lead to mistakes, including the improper handling of dangerous materials or neglect of safety procedures.

3. Decreased Morale and Motivation: Ongoing conflict can lead to a decline in morale and motivation among lab personnel. This can result in a lack of diligence in following established safety protocols and decreased overall engagement with the lab's safety culture.

4. Impaired Decision-Making: Conflict often involves heightened emotions, which can impair objective decision-making. Decisions made under such conditions may prioritize personal issues over safety considerations, potentially leading to unsafe lab practices.

5. Resource Diversion: Unresolved conflict can consume significant time and resources that could otherwise be devoted to ensuring lab safety. This can include the time spent by senior personnel in addressing the conflict, as well as resources diverted away from safety training and equipment maintenance.

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6. Erosion of Trust: Trust is fundamental in a lab environment, especially in collaborative projects. Persistent conflict erodes this trust, leading to a lack of confidence in the competence and intentions of colleagues. This mistrust can result in individuals working in isolation, bypassing collaborative checks and balances that are essential for safe and good lab practices.

7. Resistance to Authority and Protocols: In cases where conflict involves hierarchical relationships, such as between senior researchers and junior staff, there can be a resistance to authority, leading to intentional or unintentional non-compliance with safety protocols.

Unresolved conflict in lab settings poses a significant risk not only to the interpersonal dynamics and productivity of the research team but also to the overall safety and integrity of the laboratory environment. It is essential for lab managers and team leaders to address conflicts promptly and effectively to maintain a safe and productive working environment.

Please contact Leyma De Haro with questions or concerns regarding Lab Safety. ldeharo@caltech.edu, Ext. 2427

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Green Labs Update

Green Labs has several exciting new projects for 2024!

In addition to our monthly meetings (RSVP here to sign up), we are also launching a Spring Clean Event, running from January through April 2024. Participants will work to clean their labs from top to bottom by cleaning out freezers, organizing storage spaces, taking inventory of lab supplies, and much more! Each participating lab only needs to provide before and after pictures of their cleanup by midnight on April 30 to greenlabsinfo@caltech.edu. Prizes will be given for two categories: the biggest before and after difference, and for the "weirdest thing found". Green Labs is providing A TON of resources, so be sure to check out this event and RSVP your lab!

This year we are challenging labs to get Green Labs Certified! Any labs that are Certified by April 30 will be invited to a Green Labs social. Don’t miss out! Green Labs Certification takes less than 30 minutes and has huge benefits! Once Certified, your lab will be awarded a brag-worthy plaque to post outside your lab. Your lab will also gain access to special deals and events, along with free energy-wise stickers for lab equipment, recycling bins, and recycling signage for your lab spaces.

Green Labs has several ongoing pilot programs including a Lomi Composter Project (460+ gallons of food waste diverted), Pipette Tip Box Recycling Programs (for both TipOne and Genesee products we have diverted 750+ lbs of plastic), a -70˚C/-80˚C Freezer Comparison Project (for which we are currently calling for comparison samples and promoting the International Freezer Challenge). We also launched several resources for running sustainable events on our Events page, including a Sustainable Restaurant Guide, Sustainable Coffee/Snack Guide and a Vendor Agreement asking vendors to make sustainable choices. Hope you check them out! This year we have BIG plans, so be sure to check out our website for more updates! If you have a sustainable project you would like funding for, please feel free to fill out an application form.