Team

Petra is a Lecturer in Biochemical Engineering – Cellular Agriculture – at UCL and is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Quest Meat. Petra is an active member of multiple committees including the Biochemical Engineering Special Interest Group (IChemE), ESACT-UK. In 2021 Petra won the Chris Hewitt Rising Star Award. Petra’s expertise is in design of scalable processes for cultured meat, stem cells culture in stirred tank bioreactors, microcarrier design, cell encapsulation.

Joana is working towards a PhD in Bioprocess Development for Scalable and Cost-Effective Production of Cultivated Fat. Joana has a MSc in Marine Resources Biotechnology from Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (IPL) and a BSc in Biology from University of Aveiro and has industry experience as a Senior Research Associate II at AviadoBio.

Kate is a Technical Specialist working to optimise efficiency in upstream bioprocessing of mammalian and yeast cell cultures, focussing on nutrient recovery to improve process circularity. Kate previously worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, collaborating with Pion Inc. and Novo Nordisk.

Katie is a Research Associate whose work is focused on fluidised bed bioreactor design, considering scale-up reactor capabilities, as well as research on novel hydrogel scaffold design. Previously Katie undertook her PhD researching organoid growth scale-up for cancer research. This included production of novel hydrogel encapsulations and fluidised bed bioreactors. Additionally she worked at Cellular Agriculture LTD as a senior tissue engineer using a range of bioreactors, and scaffolds.

Akin is a Lecturer in the department of Chemical Engineering. His research covers bioprocessing in cellular agriculture, digital engineering and fluid dynamics.

Akin is a Chartered Chemical Engineer, who’s expertise extends to biopharma, cell therapy and the novel food industry. He has over a decade of experience translating life science discoveries into commercially viable products.

Akin has an MEng in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nottingham, as well as an MSc and PhD in Biochemical Engineering from University College London.

Kelley is a PhD candidate at the University of Bath, specialising in yeast fermentation for sustainable food ingredients, with a focus on lipid release kinetics for plant-based alternatives. With a background in food science and an MSc from the University of Leeds, she has previously worked with startups such as Ripple Foods in Silicon Valley and Paleo Foods in Belgium. Her research centres on fermentation strategies, ingredient optimisation, and the development of scalable solutions to enhance the taste, quality, and cost-effectiveness of alternative protein products.

Krishna is a Research Associate at the CARMA Hub, where he focuses on the development of intensified and scalable bioreactor technologies for cultivated meat production. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University, as well as Master of Engineering degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University and in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Bristol. In his previous postdoctoral research associate role, Krishna designed and implemented novel Taylor–Couette and von Kármán bioreactor systems for integrated fermentation and product recovery. His current work supports the advancement of high-yield, resource-efficient biomanufacturing platforms for cellular agriculture.

Pedro is a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath and a member of the CARMA Hub. His research focuses on the development of scalable and robust biomanufacturing processes, with particular expertise in mammalian cell culture, stirred-tank bioreactors, and process intensification. Pedro has a background in biochemical engineering and has previously worked on the manufacture of advanced cell and gene therapy products, including CAR-T cells. Within CARMA, his interests lie in translating bioprocess engineering principles to support sustainable and economically viable cellular agriculture manufacturing.

Maria Laura is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow working on Intensified Cultivated Meat Bioreactor Design and Scale-up in our Work Package 1 team. Maria Laura has a PhD from the University of Glasgow, a MSc from the University of Pisa and gained industry experience at Quest Meat, where she contributed to optimising cell culture media and characterising bovine cell lines for cultivated meat production.

Lucy is a PhD student at the University of Bath working on utilising food waste as a feedstock for cultivated meat. Lucy is a recent MSc Biomedical Sciences graduate from the University of York and has experience working at a cultivated meat company as a Research Associate.

Maria Clara Manzoki is a Research Associate at the University of Bath within the CARMA Hub. She holds a PhD in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Brazil. Her research experience encompasses microbial and mammalian cell bioprocessing, including the cultivation of microalgae and bovine myoblasts for cellular agriculture applications. During her PhD, she developed a bioprocess for the production and recovery of microalgae-derived peptides and amino acids as sustainable ingredients for cultivated meat cell culture media. Her current research focuses on downstream processing and circular bioprocessing strategies within CARMA Work Package 2.

Davide is a professor of Chemical Engineering and a past RAEng Research Fellow. He is PI on the £9m EPSRC-funded project SynHiSel on highly selective membrane separations. Davide has published over 100 papers and is co-founder of Naturbeads manufacturing scaffolds cellulose beads for cultured meats.

Ehsan is a research fellow at University College London with a focus on the downstream process (DSP) development for the recovery and recycling of yeast-based hydrolysates for use in cultivated meat production. Ehsan has a PhD in Chemical Engineering and several years of work experience as a PDRA at different universities across the UK. Prior to this position, he worked on the development and implementation of Quality by Design (QbD) to biotherapeutic production processes, with a focus on continuous manufacturing of mRNA vaccine.

Robinson is a Technician and membrane specialist in the CARMA team at the Department of Chemical Engineering. Previously Robinson worked at Fraunhofer IKTS in Germany as a Research Assistant and has a Master’s degree in Process Engineering and Energy Technology from the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences.

Isa is a Doctoral Researcher working towards a PhD in Ultra Scale-Down Evaluation of Centrifugal Cell Recovery and Quality for Use in Cultivated Meat Products. Isa has a MRes in Biotechnology and Business Enterprise and a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, both from Newcastle University. Prior to joining CARMA Isa gained industry experience at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies as a Research Scientist in Mammalian Cell Culture and as a GMP Production Technologist in Downstream Processing.

Ming is a Lecturer in Chemical and Environmental Engineering interested in using membrane-based processes to address the water-energy-resource nexus in an interdisciplinary field that bridges chemical and environmental engineering. His research outputs highlight the fundamental aspects of membrane science, with tangible and long-lasting translational impacts towards industry and commercialisation.

Jing is a Research Assistant and PhD candidate at the University of Bath focused on downstream development in cultured meat. Jing’s education background is in food science and Biotechnology having completed her MSc at the University of Leeds, and her research interests are in membrane separation and the innovation of sustainable foods and alternative proteins.

Iulia is a Research Technician passionate about molecular biology research, especially the mechanisms behind cellular development and signalling. After graduating with a Genetics and Biochemistry degree from Aberystwyth University, Iulia pursued her interest in neurobiology by completing a masters in Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Bristol.

Anshuman completed his Masters in Biotechnology followed by a Doctorate in cultured meat production in 2024 from the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, India. His area of doctoral work lies in cell line development, biomaterial and decellularized tissue scaffold fabrication for cultured meat production.

Onyeka is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol Business School, working with Professor Brian Squire on the CARMA programme. He previously served as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at Aston University, contributing to research on scaling the UK insect protein sector. He holds a PhD in Transport Logistics. His research focuses on the design of supply chain architectures in emerging industries under conditions of profound uncertainty. Within CARMA, he focuses on designing circular, scalable, and secure supply networks to support the UK cellular agriculture sector.

Lewis is a Research Associate working on industrial decarbonisation and life cycle assessment at the University of Bath. Lewis has a PhD in Engineering from the University of Aberdeen.

Marcelle is a professor in Energy and Environmental Engineering with expertise in Life Cycle Assessment of bio-based systems and has particular interest in using Life Cycle Assessment to help minimise the impact of emerging and existing systems.

Mehdi is an Associate Scholar at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, specialising in the emergence and scaling of ecosystems, particularly in the space economy and cellular agriculture. His research uses innovative data sets and methodologies, focusing on phenomenon-driven studies that bridge theory and practice. He has taught digital innovation management and business models at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is affiliated with UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Imperial College Business School.

Brian is a Professor and Deputy Dean at the University of Bristol’s Business School since January 2024. Brian is also a visiting Professor at the University of Bath. Brian has a track record of collaborative research with industry, having recently completed commercially funded projects in the areas of supply chain risk, mega projects and sustainability.

Sandy is a full time PhD student in the School of Management at the University of Bath presently focusing on novel food (cultivated meat) supply chain research, working on the CARMA project as part of her PhD. With a professional background in procurement, supply chain optimisation and project management, she has worked for both public and private companies in China and Mongolia.

Jonathan is a Lecturer in Food Systems Transformation at the University of Bristol Business School. Jonathan is a sociologist whose work primarily draws from theoretical resources across political economy, science and technology studies and sustainable transitions scholarship. Much of his research to date has focused on the ways in which food consumption is shaped by patterns of governance and regulation, sociotechnical innovation, and markets in the enactment of healthier and more sustainable futures.

Lensa is a postdoctoral researcher whose work examines cultured meat as a social, political, and cultural project, shaping how future food systems are imagined and enacted across diverse contexts. Her research moves beyond technical performance to analyse how meanings, values, spaces, and histories influence the reception and governance of emerging food technologies.

Her PhD focused on discourse analysis of cultured meat based on qualitative research with Oromo communities in Ethiopia, particularly in Borana and Yabello. Using cultivated meat as an analytical lens, she explored how discussions of novel foods intersect with identity, food practices, and experiences of social change, offering insight into how novel foods can engage with Indigenous knowledge and local food cultures in globally relevant ways.

Originally trained as an engineer, Lensa combines technical expertise with social science methods to study food, water, energy, and technology systems.

Jasmina is a Lecturer in Consumer Psychology at the University of Bristol Business School. Jasmina will lead the work on identifying and quantifying the psychological and social factors that shape consumer perceptions of cellular agriculture, and on exploring interventions that may help narrow the gap between intentions and actual consumption of cultured meat.

Bohan Zhang is a PhD researcher in Sociology at the University of Birmingham. Her research focuses on the development of alternative proteins, especially plant-based meat and cultured meat in China, with interests in science and technology studies, political economy, and food system transformation.

James is a Research Fellow at the Royal Agricultural University and a social scientist specialising in the relationships between science, technology, and society. With a background in science communication and public engagement, he has led and contributed to research and engagement on topics including evolution, plastics, climate change, and public participation in the development of artificial intelligence. At the CARMA Hub, James facilitates dialogue between publics, experts, stakeholders, and decision-makers with the aim of co-creating fairer food futures.