Enhanced scalable bovine cell line

Project aims

This project aims to create improved bovine embryonic stem cells that can support affordable and scalable cultivated meat production. Today, most animal stem cells used in this field grow slowly, rely on expensive ingredients, and do not reliably turn into muscle. These limitations slow progress for researchers and companies working to produce high-quality cultivated beef. This project addresses this need through two connected goals.

Aim 1: Develop a naturally enhanced bovine stem cell line. The research team will derive stem cells from cows that carry a naturally occurring trait associated with increased muscle growth. This may help the cells form muscle more efficiently in culture. They will be grown in fully defined, serum-free conditions to make them more reliable and suitable for future food applications. To accelerate progress across the field, this cell line will be made openly available for unrestricted research use worldwide.

Aim 2: Add an engineered “smart switch” to improve growth and muscle formation. For regions that allow genetic engineering, they will create a controllable system that enables the cells to grow without costly growth factors and then shift into muscle formation when triggered. This approach is designed to reduce media costs, shorten production timelines, and improve performance in large-scale bioreactor environments.

Together, these aims will produce a flexible cell platform: one version relying only on natural traits, and another offering engineered performance upgrades. Both are designed to lower costs, increase consistency, and help the cultivated meat sector move closer to reliable, commercially viable production.