Advanced decisional tools for large-scale cultured meat facilities

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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).