Science

Solutions Database

Building interdisciplinary university research centers of excellence

Interdisciplinary research is essential for tackling many of the complex problems facing today’s world. Though the number of research projects advancing alternative protein science has increased in recent years, this research has been conducted in a largely disjointed fashion with few centralized hubs for coordination. The field would benefit from dedicated interdisciplinary research centers to drive the science and technology needed to address our unsustainable food and agriculture system. University centers of excellence are essential to rallying researchers and industry partners to tackle complex questions facing the alternative protein field today.

1. 2 - Early adoption
2. Academics
3. Cultivated
4. Donors
5. Ecosystem
6. Fermentation
7. Industry
8. Industry
9. NGO's
10. Plant-Based
11. Policy
12. Policymakers
13. R&D
14. Science
15. Species-agnostic
16. Startups
17. Workforce

Solutions Database

Building alternative protein programs and majors at universities

To ensure a strong talent pipeline, there is a need to launch robust university programming, ranging from certificate programs to short multi-course modules, centered around alternative protein. Full majors would include food science and other enabling sciences that help propel alternative protein food technology forward, as well as interdisciplinary coursework providing historical, economic, and philosophical context for food technology. Shorter multi-course modules and non-major certificate programs (like minors) could focus on enabling sciences, interdisciplinary background subjects, and/or business strategies for transforming our food system.

1. Academics
2. Cultivated
3. Ecosystem
4. Fermentation
5. GFI
6. Industry
7. Plant-Based
8. R&D
9. Science
10. Species-agnostic
11. Workforce

Solutions Database

Increasing the number, quality, and diversity of alternative protein-relevant university courses

There is a significant and urgent need to launch and support university and online courses in order to build and extend the talent pipeline of students going into the alternative protein industry. Coursework can range from introductory to highly specialized, and will ideally be focused specifically on alternative proteins, but support for degree programs in enabling sciences will also be useful to the industry. A platform for sharing curriculum across institutions will empower new entrants to more easily build their own alternative protein courses.

1. Academics
2. Cultivated
3. Ecosystem
4. Fermentation
5. GFI
6. Industry
7. Plant-Based
8. R&D
9. Science
10. Species-agnostic
11. Workforce

Solutions Database

Improving efficiency and assessment of adaptation to suspension growth

Improving methods for adapting cells to suspension culture can facilitate cell line development and bioprocess design for cultivated meat.

1. 1 - Inception
2. Academics
3. Bioprocess design
4. Cell line development
5. Cultivated
6. Industry
7. Industry
8. R&D
9. Research
10. Science
11. Seafood-relevant
12. Startups

Solutions Database

Species-specific genomic studies enabling assay development for regulatory standards and cell line optimization

A suite of assays and genomic knowledge exists for humans and commonly used laboratory species such as mice or fruit flies. However, the same species-specific infrastructure does not exist equally across the species used in cultivated meat, with an especially large gap in seafood species. Commercialized, standardized assays for species identification such as Short Tandem Repeat (STR) or Cytochrome C Oxidase I (COI) assays are needed. Additionally, richer genetic datasets, including thorough genome annotations that facilitate identification of safe harbor loci, can broadly accelerate cell line optimization studies.

1. Academics
2. Cell line development
3. Cultivated
4. Industry
5. R&D
6. Research
7. Science
8. Seafood-relevant

Solutions Database

Guidelines for cultivated meat starter cell selection

Improving our understanding of the relative advantages and disadvantages of different cell types for cultivated meat would enable companies to make these decisions more effectively with less duplicative effort.

1. 1 - Inception
2. Academics
3. Cell line development
4. Cultivated
5. R&D
6. Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs
7. Research
8. Science
9. Seafood-relevant

Solutions Database

Mapping the secretome of animal myoblasts, adipocytes, and other cells used in cultivated meat

Stem cells secrete a variety of signaling factors that can influence the behavior of surrounding cells, known as paracrine signals. In high-density bioprocesses, these secreted factors can accumulate to concentrations that can dramatically influence productivity and behavior of neighboring cells. By mapping the secretome of animal myoblasts, adipocytes, and other stem cells used for cultivated meat, a better understanding of which factors influence proliferation, differentiation, and other cellular traits can be obtained. Mapping efforts will inform how to best leverage this knowledge to improve cultivated meat production.

1. Academics
2. Cell line development
3. Cultivated
4. Production
5. R&D
6. Research
7. Science
8. Seafood-relevant

Solutions Database

Microbial strain-development contract research organizations for alternative protein applications

While emerging fermentation-derived ingredient companies often optimize their strain’s productivity in-house, it may be more efficacious for startups to engage contract research organizations with both deep microbial strain development expertise and also intimate familiarity with the unique considerations of the alternative protein sector.

1. Commercial
2. Ecosystem
3. Fermentation
4. Host strain development
5. Industry
6. Industry
7. R&D
8. Research
9. Science
10. Species-agnostic
11. Startups

Solutions Database

Plants as a recombinant protein expression platform

Plants can serve as expression platforms similar to microorganisms used as recombinant protein hosts. This may require minimal processing into value-added ingredients, such as egg and dairy functional proteins. Plants offer scalability with less need for expensive downstream purification to isolate proteins of interest from inedible or undesirable hosts.

1. 2 - Early adoption
2. Academics
3. Commercial
4. Crop development
5. Industry
6. Industry
7. Ingredient optimization
8. Plant-Based
9. Production
10. R&D
11. Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs
12. Research
13. Science
14. Species-agnostic
15. Startups

Solutions Database

Forging product development partnerships among ingredient suppliers and manufacturers

Opportunities exist to coordinate product development partnerships between ingredient suppliers, strategic partners, and product manufacturers to directly engage more holistically on product formulation.

1. 1 - Inception
2. Cell culture media
3. Commercial
4. Crop development
5. Cultivated
6. Ecosystem
7. End Products
8. Feedstocks
9. Fermentation
10. GFI
11. Industry
12. Industry
13. Ingredient optimization
14. Plant-Based
15. Production
16. Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs
17. Scaffolding
18. Science
19. Species-agnostic