Work Package 1:
Design of manufacturing bioreactor technologies for high yield at scale
The outputs will focus on achieving high process yield with the desired quality (nutritional profile). We will achieve this by increased cell densities, resource demand reduction (feedstocks and energy), and increased output per cell. We will do this through bioreactor design, including enhanced mass transfer of nutrients and waste, novel gas exchange, and continuous harvesting. This work package will firstly use the bioreactor technologies under development at Bath and UCL, for both tissue engineering (TE) and precision fermentation (PF) cellular agriculture.
Work Package 2:
Product purification and waste valorisation for the circular Cell Ag bioeconomy
This work package focuses on innovative high-purity, low-loss downstream processes coupled with water recycling and resource recovery. Firstly, we’ll assess if separation technologies developed for traditional biotech, e.g. low-shear tangential flow filtration (TFF) or hollow-fibre perfusion can be used for Cell Ag. This is a largely unexplored area and we will begin with equipment already in use at Bath to accelerate this step. WP 2 will then focus on unmet material and process needs, increasing recovery and reducing environmental burden, matching WP1 stream loads and composition with iterations guided by WP4.
Work Package 3:
Create sustainable feedstocks with a robust supply chain for tissue engineering (TE) Cell Ag
This work package focuses on development of low-cost, low-environmental impact, ethically sourced consumer-accepted cells and culture media ingredients for cultured meat production. This will be met by efficient proliferation of cells that sustain as much as possible the natural in vivo characteristics, either maintaining or enhancing nutritional profiles for human nutritional health. This WP will provide robust and fundamental science to underpin the supply chain.
Work Package 4:
Designing a sustainable, scalable and secure future for cellular agriculture supply chains
This work package focuses on the design choices involved in scaling up the supply chain of UK Cell Ag manufacturing. Given the significant opportunity to create net zero supply chains (WEF, 2021), we will analyse future scenarios that leverage life-cycle assessment and whole-life value analysis, to provide manufacturers with a road map to building cost effective, high quality, sustainable and secure supply chains.
Work Package 5:
Understanding and influencing the social issues of Cell Ag
This work package focuses on analysing the impact of Cell Ag on society. Key issues include Cell Ag and the public, the economics of Cell Ag and the links between Cell Ag and various aspects of UK and international policy. We will deliver a multifaceted analysis of the social aspects of cellular agriculture, collecting a diverse range of empirical data – stakeholder interviews, surveys, focus groups, consumer experiments – to horizon scan future scenarios and advocate their significance within the Cell Ag community.
Work Package 6:
Engaging publics and policy
By delivering informed dialogue and deep listening about Cell Ag, work package 6 will ensure society is both engaged with this emerging field and has scope to feedback and shape its development. We will focus on communicating with citizens, media, policymakers and the most affected sectors, including farmers, food producers and sellers and their representative bodies.