Mentors of the Alt Protein Project

My name is Danielle, and I’m a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering and co-founder of the University of Toronto APP. I love sharing “university-life” hacks I’ve learned throughout the years including finding research positions, networking, and building a community. 

As a regional mentor, I treat our meetings as friendly chats and want to remind you that you aren’t building the Alt Protein community alone! My passion for APP has grown into mentorship, and I’m excited to help fuel your creative ideas, just like others did for me when I started my chapter.

My name is Gabi, and I am a recent Biomedical Engineering Masters graduate from the University of Toronto, where I focused on researching how to use synthetic biology to optimize cell line scalability for cellular agriculture at the Garton Lab. I also co-founded thee UofT APP chapter in 2023, and have been so lucky to watch it grow so much! Excited to connect with new Canadian chapters and see the impact each chapter will have.

My name is Manuel, and I’m a first-year PhD student at Columbia University studying RNA biology. I try to create an environment that is approachable, collaborative, and encouraging. I’m mentoring within the Alt Protein Project because I find the work undergraduates can accomplish within this space to be incredibly impactful. I hope to use my experience to support you all in any way I can, fostering curiosity in this industry that is still rapidly evolving.

My name is Karan, and I’m an Ashoka University alumnus interested in food systems, consumer businesses, and entrepreneurship. My journey in the alternative protein ecosystem began through winning GFI India’s Smart Protein Innovation Challenge and expanded through experiences such as leading the Ashoka SPP and engaging in Singapore’s Agri-Food Week. Beyond alt proteins, I’ve worked across startups and FMCG conglomerates, exploring how ideas become products that reach millions of consumers. I’m excited to support the APP community because some of my most formative learning came from this ecosystem, and I’d love to help others navigate their own journeys within it.

My name is Pericle, and I am a European PhD researcher in sensory and consumer science, focusing on consumer acceptance of cultivated meat across cultures. I also serve as Secretary-General of the Protein Diversification Academy, a youth-led initiative originating from the APP chapter at EIT Food. I bring experience across academia and youth-led nonprofits. As a mentor, I’m collaborative and pragmatic, focused on listening, sharing experience, and enabling real-world impact for the amazing APP community.

My name is Boluwatife, and I’m a food technologist dedicated to ensuring safe, sustainable, and equitable food access for everyone. I co-founded and served as President of the University of Ibadan Alt Protein Project from 2025 to 2026, and currently involved in the Alt Protein Project as a regional mentor. 

I have a great interest in research, food system and production optimization and enlightenment of the general public. Alternative proteins happen to present a great opportunity to work on a very impactful sector of food technology.

I am new to mentoring, but I enjoy seeing people develop and become more confident. 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.

My name is Svarnim, and I am a recent life sciences graduate with a keen interest in fermentation derived alternative proteins. Having led the Amity Smart Protein Project through its first year, I am now excited to support the alt protein community as a mentor.

I’m Julia, from Brazil and graduated from Brown University where I studied Chemical Engineering and was President of Brown APP. I’ve found a lot of purpose and meaning in working with alternative proteins and want to pay it forward by helping others find ways to contribute to a better food system. If you want to build a career in altproteins and grow your club, I’d love to talk to you!

My name is Fede, and I’m one of the first alt protein ecosystem builders in Argentina. Yes, I’ve been in the trenches, but I loved every chaotic minute of it! I mentor the way I work: with relentless passion and no off switch. My goal is to help the next generation of builders move faster, think bigger, and never feel like they’re doing it alone!

Hi! My name is Olivia and I am a PhD student at Imperial College London / the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein. While my current work involves precision fermentation, I spent four years at Tufts researching cultivated meat. It’s safe to say I am a very strong alt protein enthusiast! I love watching others find their niches within this vibrant community and want to do everything possible to support, whether that is connecting you to relevant people in my network, using my experience as an APP President for advice, or helping support you start new initiatives (as a non-profit founder, I know how hard it can be to build something from scratch!)

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.

My name is Lisa, and I am a Research Associate at Imperial College London working on microbial foods and sustainable proteins. Throughout my own journey, I have benefited a lot from supportive mentors and communities, and I want to give the same support back to others. As a mentor, I aim to be approachable, practical, and empowering. I find it very inspiring to help build the alternative protein ecosystem and connect students who want to contribute to more sustainable food systems.

My name’s Iza, and I am a PhD student at the Laboratory of Synthetic Applied Microbiology. I became a mentor in 2025, and I really enjoy helping others and 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 like to establish friendly and horizontal relationships with my mentees.

My name is Ashutosh Tripathy, and I have an expertise in the field of “Food Engineering and Technology.” I’m currently into public service where I currently work in the public sector in the industries department. 

I am a process-driven mentor who acts as a steady anchor for teams facing high-pressure environments. I focus on breaking down overwhelming expectations into manageable, actionable steps. 

My motivation for the Alt Protein Project is to empower student innovators, master their daily execution, and fearlessly build a sustainable future.