Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA)

Tufts / Tender Food

Tufts / Tender Food

Health

FAIRR & Tufts University Publish Protein Research Paper for Investors, While Tufts Announces “Unprecedented” Cell Ag Hires

The FAIRR initiative — a global network of investors addressing ESG issues in the food system — has partnered with Tufts University to publish a paper called the ‘Protein and Nutrition Research Overview’ for investors. According to the authors, ESG frameworks tend to focus on environmental issues such as carbon emissions without taking nutrition into account, resulting in a tradeoff between health and environmental priorities. However, there is considerable potential for investors to be aligned with both, especially with the rise of “sustainable nutrition” funds. Setting the record straight & debunking misconceptions The new overview outlines major protein sources in food, setting the record straight about their health effects with supporting scientific evidence. It also outlines notable trends, risks, and opportunities in the protein supply …

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John Hopkins College Studnents Alt Protein

©Jacob Lund - stock.adobe.com
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

USDA’s First Cultivated Meat Center “NICA” Opens Applications for Research Grants

The first US government-funded center for cultivated meat, the USDA’s National Institute of Cellular Agriculture (NICA) at Tufts University, has announced the opening of applications for its Seed Grant Program 2024.  Seed-level funding grants of $25,000 or $50,000 will be awarded to support fundamental or applied research in cellular agriculture, precision fermentation, and alternative proteins. Only primary investigators not associated with NICA are eligible to submit proposals. The new projects must align with NICA’s objectives and demonstrate a self-sufficient approach that can be completed within one year. In addition, the research aims described in the proposal must be new and not currently under investigation by the submitting person or entity. The initial review of proposals will be conducted by NICA industry advisory board members, and the …

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Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) has launched what it claims is the world's first undergraduate degree in cellular agriculture.

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Researchers at Tufts University Want to Reduce the Production Costs of Cultivated Meat

Researchers at Tufts University have made bovine muscle cells produce their own growth signals, eliminating costly ingredients from the production process. Cellular agriculture, the production of meat from cells grown in bioreactors, is making technological leaps that make it a viable option for the food industry. One such leap has now been made at the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), led by David Kaplan, Stern Family Professor of Engineering, where researchers have engineered bovine (beef) muscle cells that produce their own growth factors, a step which can significantly reduce production costs. Growth factors, whether used in laboratory experiments or in cultivated meat, bind to receptors on the cell surface and signal cells to grow and differentiate into mature cells of various types. In …

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A plant-based tender pork sandwich on a plate

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Company News

Tender Food and Tufts University to Explore Hybrid Meat Products Made with Cultivated Cells and Plant-Based Meat

Boston-based Tender Food, a food tech startup that creates steaks from plant proteins, announces that it has been awarded a grant of $999,986 by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to explore over two years the potential of new hybrid meat products combining cultivated animal cells with plant-based meat. With the R&D funding, Tender Food will collaborate with the Kaplan Lab at Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) to determine if cultivated cells enhance the flavor, aroma, and nutrition of the company’s plant-based meat. The goal is to develop nutritious, tasty meat alternatives that appeal to consumers. Tender Food will also explore the viability of bringing these novel hybrid products to the market. Dr. Luke MacQueen, co-founder and CSO of Tender Food commented, “We’re excited for this …

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Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) has launched what it claims is the world's first undergraduate degree in cellular agriculture.

© Tufts University

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Tufts University Launches World’s First Undergraduate Degree in Cellular Agriculture

Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), based in Massachusetts USA, has launched what it claims to be the world’s first undergraduate degree in cellular agriculture to allow students to secure the unique skills they need to work in the emerging industry of cellular agriculture. TUCCA, considered among the leading academic institutions for cellular agriculture research, leverages world-renowned expertise in tissue engineering, synthetic biology, and food science to reinvent the production of animal products.  This undergraduate degree aims to empower undergraduates in tissue engineering research to translate cellular agriculture research into food industry innovation. It is designed as an interdisciplinary minor and combines various disciplines to understand this complex, cutting-edge field. Available to students in the Tufts School of Engineering and the School of Arts and Sciences, …

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