Mentors of the Alt Protein Project

My name is Olivia and I am a 2024 alumni from Tufts where I studied Chemical Engineering with minors in food systems & cellular agriculture!

During my time at Tufts, I worked in the Kaplan Lab for three years focusing on cell line development, scale-up, and metabolic optimization of insect cell culture for cultivated meat applications.

Since graduation, I have spent the past year working in the Cell Ag Commercialization Lab at Tufts where I have spearheaded the creation of the world’s first open-access cell bank for cultivated meat.

Now, I am heading to Imperial College London to begin my PhD under Dr. Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, where I will be developing an automated CRISPR-based pipeline for precision fermentation.

I am thrilled to be a mentor for the APP, as starting & leading a chapter at Tufts was one of the most rewarding experiences of my undergraduate career! I will always be available to bounce ideas off of, leverage my network, help with tough conversations, and general emotional support as you become an APP leader! 🙂

My name is Kartik Chauhan, and I am the founder of Citecat.com and an Economics grad from Hindu College, DU. I co-founded the Delhi Smart Protein Project, which taught me the value of learning by doing and collaboration. My mentorship style is super chill and supportive—I am here to help you experiment, learn, and find your own leadership style. I am always happy to be a sounding board for or just chat with any students who are eager to pursue a similar path.

My name is Grace Dai, and I recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. and M.S. in Biology. At Penn, my research focused on developing computational methods to investigate the resistance of dairy cow microbiomes to methane inhibitors. Post-grad, I’ll be working at Bessemer Venture Partners, where I’ll be evaluating and making investments in early-stage startups across a variety of sectors, including biotech. 

As a mentor, I hope to provide you with the resources to allow others to leverage their own ideas and leadership style to implement their goals. I’ll be there to answer any questions you have or just be a sounding board and support system when you’re feeling down. Building the UPenn APP chapter has been both an extremely challenging and rewarding process for me, and I can’t wait to be a small part of that process at other campuses, too.

My name is Kalep Filli, and I’m an academic from Nigeria. I’m a professor and expert in food engineering and process optimization with a Post–Doc in Biopolymer Extrusion.  Being a mentor for APP student leaders, to me, is more than just sharing knowledge—it’s about empowering them to grow by showing an authentic interest in my mentee’s goals. My goal is to give mentees my full attention, ask thoughtful questions, and validate their experiences. I hope to help them navigate challenges rather than telling them exactly what to do, allowing them to develop their own insights and solutions.

Hi, I’m Lisa—a molecular biologist from Germany, now based in London researching microbial foods. As a former APP lead, I know the ups and downs of student organisations. I mentor to remind students that their efforts—both big and small—matter, and that they’re part of a vibrant global movement. I’m especially passionate about fostering cross-disciplinary and cross-career-stage connections to strengthen the future of alternative proteins.

My name’s Iza, and I am a soon-to-be master’s graduate in life sciences engineering. I am new to mentoring, but I enjoy seeing people develop and become more confident. Additionally, I am very motivated to convince as many young minds as possible to join the alternative proteins revolution! I am easygoing and like to establish friendly and horizontal relationships with my mentees.

Hello! I’m Varsha. I served as President of the Boulder Alt Protein Project from 2020 to 2021, and I’m thrilled to stay involved in the Alt Protein Project as a regional mentor.

My research background is in tissue engineering and biomaterials, and I currently work as a Scientist at Wildtype, a cultivated seafood company based in San Francisco.

My mentorship style is grounded in active listening and boundless enthusiasm! I truly enjoy being a sounding board and supporting leaders as they bring their ideas to life.

I’m motivated to mentor within the APP community because I believe in the power of student leadership to drive meaningful change in our food system, and I want to help empower the next generation of innovators.

Hi, I’m Paul — a Food Systems graduate, former Business Development Manager at Neggst, and FoodHack Ambassador in Berlin. I bring experience from startups, corporations, and research institutes across Europe. As a mentor, I’m collaborative, network-driven, and always looking to connect ideas with real-world impact. I’m excited to support the APP community in building strategic partnerships and navigating the alt protein ecosystem with confidence and creativity.

Hi, my name is Ashutosh. I am a doctoral candidate in Food Engineering and Technology at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, specializing in waste utilization, fermentation, process optimization, kinetic modeling, and process equipment design. I helped in establishing the Mumbai Smart Protein Project with the Good Food Institute while nurturing my passion for co-curriculars. I am deeply committed to teaching and mentoring, and I actively engage in science communication, leveraging my writing, speaking, and analytical skills to simplify complex concepts. I aim to support farmers and entrepreneurs across various domains, contributing to nation-building by fostering the growth of India’s primary and secondary sectors.

My name is Sophia. Fueled by a passion for animals and the environment, I’m dedicated to advancing alternative proteins. At Redefine Meat, I lead the U.S. launch—supporting our sales team and growth strategy—and serve as ESG Lead, guiding sustainability initiatives and communications. As a regional mentor for GFI’s Alt Protein Project, I support student leaders, drawing on my experience co-founding the Chapel Hill chapter and co-developing a university course.