CellTec Systems, a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute and the University of Lübeck, claims to be the first European system provider for industrial cell propagation.
The spin-off’s most important resource is its know-how and patents from two decades of cutting-edge research. The biotechnology company was also a co-organizer of the 11th symposium of the AG Industrial Cell Technology from the industry association BIO Deutschland.
Industrial cell propagation
Since the availability of the first cultivated meat products, awareness of the underlying technology behind them has been growing. But its potential is far greater. Industrial cell propagation can be successfully used in a wide range of biotechnological production processes.
CellTec, a biotechnology company founded in 2021, defines itself as a system provider for various industries and sectors. With a Europe-wide focus, CellTec will, in future, supply special processes and components such as cell lines, process technology, machines, and plant components. In this way, the company aims to pave the way for a cell-based future. As co-organizer and participant of the 11th symposium of the AG Industrial Cell Technology, the young company will present its achievements.
The technological foundations for CellTec were laid by founder Prof. Charli Kruse over the past 20 years through intensive research activities and corresponding patents. As a spin-off of renowned research institutes such as Fraunhofer and the University of Lübeck, CellTec continues to maintain close relationships and cooperation with these institutions. This allows direct access to current cutting-edge research – a technological advantage that benefits CellTec’s developments. In addition, with the move to the new central laboratory location directly next to the University of Lübeck, the company now has state-of-the-art equipment for research and development in all aspects of industrial cell technology.
Cultured cells as a source of raw materials for the future
Prof. Charli Kruse sees the great potential of industrial cell propagation in the field of food technology, among others: “We are at the beginning of a new era in which biotechnology will be used to solve the major problems of our humanity. In order to keep pace with the constantly growing world population and the changing living conditions and values, new resource-saving methods for food production must be found. We believe that part of future agricultural production will no longer come from livestock, but with optimized production reactors using a sustainably produced growth medium. This need is enormous. Therefore, we are putting the development of reactors that can be used for industrial production of cultivated meat at the center of our work.”
According to Kruse, high growth rates and globally enormous market volumes are expected for the lucrative market of cell culture products in the coming decades. He adds that the focus is not only on cultivated meat as a component of a healthy and sustainable diet, but also on alternatives to animal testing in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, as well as the production of animal feed, vaccines, or complex biomolecules.
For more information, visit www.celltec-systems.com.
