Advanced decisional tools for large-scale cultured meat facilities

随着对肉类养殖的道德和环境问题的关注，迫切需要找到传统动物蛋白质来源的新的可持续替代品。培养肉是通过干细胞工程肌肉和脂肪组织在体外培养的肉。它是传统肉类生产方法的一种无残忍和环境友好的替代品。然而，养殖肉类目前面临着制造商业上可行的产品的紧迫挑战，因为所涉及的单元操作（生物反应器）是新颖的，没有很好的表征。数学模型与决策工具相结合，可以为新型生物制品生产设施所面临的挑战提供有价值的见解。然而，到目前为止，这些方法主要集中在生物制药以及基因和细胞疗法的制造过程中，这些方法包含了良好表征的单元操作。为了帮助新的肉类产品的商业化，有必要发展的数学模型的生物系统参与生产的培养肉。该项目的目的是开发养殖肉类生产过程中使用的单元操作的数学模型。这将包括在干细胞生物反应器内发生的生物化学反应和物理过程（流体动力学、热和质量传输）的混合（机械和非机械）模型。该模型将用于描述养分转化为生物量的特征。还将考虑工艺参数对产品质量和细胞表型的影响。然后，这些模型将与计算决策工具相结合，这将能够预测不同的经济参数，如商品成本，设施占地面积和固定资本投资。研究方法将涉及开发干细胞生物反应器的新模型，以及成熟方法的新应用。综合单元操作模型将有助于在工艺开发过程中就关键工艺参数做出决策，提高经济可行性和生产率。该项目是高度跨学科的，福尔斯属于EPSRC生物材料和组织工程，数学生物学，数学分析，制造技术，工程设计，运筹学和合成生物学研究领域。它还与“制造未来”更广泛的研究领域保持一致。该项目将与Ivy Farm Technologies Limited（联合王国牛津）的科学家和工程师合作开展。

With a rise in ethical and environmental concerns regarding meat farming, there is an urgent need to find novel and sustainable alternatives to traditional animal protein sources. Cultured meat is meat that has been grown in vitro by engineering muscle and fat tissues from stem cells. It is a cruelty-free and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional meat production methods. However, cultivated meat currently faces pressing challenges regarding the manufacture of commercially viable products, as the unit operations (bioreactors) involved are novel and not well characterized. Mathematical models, coupled with decisional tools, can provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by production facilities of novel biological products. However, until now, these methods have mainly focussed on manufacturing processes of biopharmaceuticals, as well as of gene and cell therapies, which incorporate well characterized unit operations. To help with commercialization of novel meat products, there is a need for development of mathematical models of biological systems involved in the production of cultured meat. The aim of this project is to develop mathematical models of unit operations used during the production of cultivated meat. This will include a hybrid (mechanistic and non-mechanistic) model of biochemical reactions and physical processes (fluid dynamics, heat and mass transport) occurring within a stem cell bioreactor. The model will be used to characterize nutrient conversion into biomass. The impact of process parameters on product quality and cell phenotype will also be considered. These models will be then coupled with a computational decisional tool, which will enable prediction of different economical parameters such as cost of goods, facility footprint, and fixed capital investment. The research methodology will involve development of novel models of stem cell bioreactors, as well as novel applications of well-established methods. The integrated unit operation model will facilitate decision-making regarding key process parameters during process development, enhancing economic feasibility and productivity. This project is highly interdisciplinary and falls within the EPSRC biomaterials and tissue engineering, mathematical biology, mathematical analysis, manufacturing technologies, engineering design, operational research, and synthetic biology research areas. It also aligns with the "Manufacturing the Future" broader research area. The project will be carried out in collaboration with scientists and engineers at Ivy Farm Technologies Limited (Oxford, United Kingdom).