Biologists Debate the Safety Of Proposed Experimental Lab

Two hundred Harvard biologists yesterday debated the safety of building a special laboratory in the biological laboratories building for experiments involving potentially hazardous biological organisms.

The proposed $500,000 laboratory would be equipped with airlocks, negative pressure, air filters and special waste disposal systems to help prevent the escape of viruses or organisms that have been injected the DNA of other organisms.

Mark S. Ptashne, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, said that the laboratory should be built to provide a safe place at Harvard to conduct experiments that are already being conducted elsewhere in less protected laboratories.

But Dr. Richard N. Goldstein, assistant professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the Medical School, said the risks of the experiments are unknown and that he has "serious reservations" about the laboratory's ability to contain the organisms.

Cavalier

the laboratory's success would be dependent on conscientious personnel, but current procedures in radioactive and carcenogenic research are "cavalier," Michael Brenner '65, assistant professor of Biology, said.

Carroll M. Williams, Bussey Professor of Biology, said that he laboratory should not be located in the old, overcrowded and anti-infested biolab building, despite the inconvenience of another site.