GFI Brazil partners with Federal University of Paraná to create first cultivated meat course

GFI Brazil partnered with Federal University of Paraná to offer a postgraduate course focusing on cultivated meat—a key step to building a pipeline of skilled professionals for the alternative protein sector both in Brazil and abroad.
Cow, chicken, chick, and sheep

Cultivated meat is now one step closer to becoming a reality in Brazil. GFI Brazil has partnered with the first university in the country, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), to offer a postgraduate course focusing on cultivated meat. Under the name “Introduction to Cellular Animal Science,” this introductory course is designed for both postgraduate students and seasoned professionals who want to further develop their skills within the university’s postgraduate veterinary science program.

Cultivated meat could transform the global food system.

Cultivated meat could fundamentally transform how meat is produced and consumed, helping to build a healthier, more sustainable food system. But to achieve this, the industry needs skilled professionals. This course will provide students with the knowledge they need to get started. Katherine de Matos, a scientific advisor for GFI Brazil and course co-creator said, “We need to feed a population of nearly 10 billion people by 2050 and learn how to reduce food production’s negative impacts on the environment, human health and animal welfare. Considering that, we will provide students a wide array of topics related to innovation in food production with a special focus on cultivated meat.”

The course content offers a comprehensive introduction to cultivating meat, starting with theoretical foundations such as why novel production systems are required, and the concept of disruptive innovation. It also covers topics ranging from biotechnological fundamentals, to cultivated meat’s environmental and animal welfare benefits, to reorganizing the global meat chain.

The industry is growing, and it needs skilled professionals.

According to A.T. Kearney, cultivated meat will represent 35 percent of the global meat market by 2040. This new way to produce meat is expanding quickly and as the industry grows, it will need more qualified professionals. “We are giving professionals involved in traditional meat production the possibility to join the new food system. What was once perceived as a threat to their jobs is now seen as an advantage,” said Dr. Carla Molento, the professor responsible for creating the course at UFPR.

Dr. Germano Glufke Reis, who is also a course professor said, “The future of food is already here, and it brings many opportunities to transform the production system for the better. Brazil is about to see the launch of an organized group of professionals interested in pioneering this process and revolutionizing the way meat is produced in the country.”

This postgraduate cultivated meat course is one of many steps needed to build a pipeline of skilled professionals for the alternative protein sector both in Brazil and abroad. From innovative startups to major industry partnerships, Brazil is prioritizing alternative proteins and forging a path for other countries to follow. GFI Brazil is proud to support these efforts to transform Brazil’s—and the global—food system.

Want to learn more about the science behind plant-based and cultivated meat? Check out GFI’s free Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat Massive Online Open Course.

Authors

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Bruna Corsato

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Vinícius Gallon