Recipient Organization
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
750 AGRONOMY RD STE 2701
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843-0001
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Alternative proteins and emerging biomanufacturing technologies face many obstacles on an industrial scale, including: (a) consumer acceptance, misconceptions, regulatory perspective, and legislation; (b) sustainability and techno-economics; (c) scaling and bioreactor design; (d) flavor, tastes, and texture; (e) a systematic approach to address the gap among researchers with different perspectives; (f) workforce development; (g) lack of available, inexpensive conferences specifically focusing on alternative proteins and biomanufacturing; and (h) lack of available systematic extension and outreach initiatives. Therefore, addressing these knowledge gaps necessitates the establishment of dedicated academic conferences and meetings. Our central hypothesis is that a free-of-charge, specific, and focused conference in collaborating with industry, policymakers, and stakeholders on cellular agriculture and food biomanufacturing would address the gaps in cell line development, AI- and media optimizations, as well as scale-up and bioreactor applications. We plan to achieve our goals with the following objectives: 1. Develop a hybrid (in-person and online) summit/workshop on Cellular Agriculture and Food Biomanufacturing at Texas A&M University with an emphasis on Cell line Development, AI-assisted tools applications, and Scale-Up through both presentations (in-classroom) and experience (working with pilot-scale cell line development and scale-up platforms existing at Texas A&M University; 2. Identify and support faculty and students interested in this domain (Networking opportunity);
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
1. Develop a hybrid (in-person and online) summit/workshop on Cellular Agriculture and Food Biomanufacturing at Texas A&M University with an emphasis on Cell line Development, AI-assisted tools applications, and Scale-Up through both presentations (in-classroom) and experience (working with pilot-scale cell line development and scale-up platforms existing at Texas A&M University;2. Identify and support faculty and students interested in this domain (Networking opportunity).Justification: This conference will have significant impacts at Texas A&M and beyond, including:Multidisciplinary Collaboration: The conference will bring together experts from cellular agriculture, food science, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, cellular and molecular biology, and industry. By integrating diverse perspectives, we aim to generate holistic and effective strategies that can address the complex challenges facing cellular agriculture.Cutting-Edge Research: Attendees will have the opportunity to present and discuss the latest research findings, technological advancements, and innovative practices in sustainable food biomanufacturing. This exchange of knowledge will contribute to the development of evidence-based solutions that can be implemented on a global scale.Technological Advancements: The conference will serve as a hub for showcasing cutting-edge technologies in cellular agriculture and food biomanufacturing. Attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in cellular agriculture, food biomanufacturing, AI-assisted tools, and bioreactors for cell mass production and scale-up.Sustainability: Food biomanufacturing and cellular agriculture, with an emphasis on scale-up, will provide profound information about the sustainability of these approaches.Market Trends and Opportunities: Industry leaders and entrepreneurs attending the summit will have the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of market trends, scale-up challenges, and investment opportunities in cellular agriculture and food biomanufacturing. The conference will foster connections between researchers and industry players, facilitating collaborations that drive market growth.National and International Perspectives: With participants from diverse geographical regions, the conference will offer a national and international perspective on the challenges and opportunities in sustainable agriculture. Understanding regional variations and best practices will be crucial for developing adaptable and context-specific solutions.Educational Outreach: The summit will feature posters and panel sessions aimed at disseminating knowledge and promoting awareness about alternative proteins and food biomanufacturing. We aspire to inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders committed to building a more sustainable future by engaging with students, educators, and the general public.Networking Opportunities: Attendees will have ample opportunities to network with peers, experts, and potential collaborators. These interactions can lead to the formation of partnerships that transcend disciplinary boundaries, fostering continued collaboration beyond the summit.In summary, " Texas A&M Cellular Agriculture and Food Biomanufacturing Summit/Workshop" aims to develop the first comprehensive summit workshop with an experience program on scale-up to address three main challenging areas in Cellular Agriculture, including Cell line development, AI-assisted tools, and media formulations, as well as bioreactor scale-up.
Project Methods
A proposed program for the summit: We are planning to organize a two-day panel/presentation and hands-on training summit, in which we will set up a poster presentation session for students as well. The meeting will start with a registration and then welcoming remarks from the Director of AgriLife Research at Texas A&M. The tentative program for the two-day summit is presented in Table 3.Table 3. The tentative schedule for the two-day summit/workshopDAY 1: Start TimeEnd TimeActivityPresenter8:008:30Welcome and BreakfastNA8:309:30Lecture 1: Principles of Cell Culture, and Cell Line DevelopmentMultiple Speakers9:3010:00Panel Discussion 1: Cell line development challenges, opportunities, and future, Cell engineering Multiple Speakers10:0010:00MORNING BREAK-Networking 10:3011:30Lecture 2: Media Development, serum-free media, protein hydrolysates, AI-Assisted Tools, and OmicsMultiple Speakers11:3012:00Panel Discussion 2: Using AI for serum-free media, Role of Omics in Media DevelopmentMultiple Speakers12:001:00LUNCH BREAK-Networking and Poster Session12:0013:00Lab 1: Cell Banking and Cell SortingDr. Johanson, Dr. Syvyk2:002:15AFTERNOON Break2:153:00Lecture 3: Single-Use BioreactorsDr. Sun/Dr. Johanson3:003:45Panel Discussion 3: Food biomanufacturing scale upMultiple Speakers3:455:00Lab 2: Single-Use Rocking Bioreactor Set-upDr. Johanson, Dr. SyvykDAY 2:Start TimeEnd TimeActivityPresenter8:009:30Lab 3: Inoculation of a Rocking BioreactorDr. Johanson, Dr. Syvyk9:309:45MORNING BREAK9:4510:45Lecture 4: Offline Analysis of Mammalian Cells and Feeding Strategies and Growth Monitoring; Issues and Troubleshooting in Cell CultureMultiple Speakers10:4512:15Lecture 5: Calculations for Transfection and Infection of Cell Culture; Proper Passaging of Suspension and Adherent CellsDr. Johanson, Dr. Syvyk12:151:15LUNCH BREAK-Networking and Poster Session1:152:15Lab 4: Maintenance of Offline Analysis Equipment (ViCell & BioFlex2) or Lab 4: Single-Use Stirred Tank Bioreactor Set-up (cont.)Dr. Johanson, Dr. Syvyk2:553:45Lab 5: Passaging of Suspension and Adherent CellsDr. Johanson, Dr. Syvyk3:454:00AFTERNOON Break4:005:00Lab 6: Clarification of Mammalian cells by depth filtrationDr. Johanson, Dr. SyvykWe will have different panels covering different topics, including (a) Cell line development and media optimization, challenges, progress, and future; (b) Biomanufacturing and scale-up, current challenges, future directions, and troubleshooting; and (c) Workforce development and training. Each panel will be planned for 30 to 45 minutes, with a panel chair managing the discussion and Q&A session. We will organize the lectures first, in which individuals will provide their talks, followed by the panel discussions.The event will be held at the National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing at Texas A&M, featuring state-of-the-art biomanufacturing equipment, laboratories, training spaces, and conference rooms. All sessions, except for the lab training, will be recorded. Lectures, presentations, and panel discussions will be live-streamed via Texas A&M's Zoom platform, utilizing the lecture room's integrated live-streaming cameras and projectors. The live stream will be managed by PI Dr. Ovissipour and Co-PI Dr. Shiroodi. We will have an industry-side expo as well, where the industry can interact with participants.5. The Method of Announcement: We will disseminate information about the conference through the Food Science and Technology Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing, and Department Heads Listserv at Texas A&M University, as well as National Institute for Cellular Agriculture, Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture Listserv. Utilizing social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, along with leveraging the university's daily news channels, will be instrumental in promoting the event. Furthermore, we will announce our event through IAFP, IFT, and the Conference of Food Engineering, Invitro Biology Meeting, and Toxicology Meeting. We plan to extend invitations to the Texas A&M Public Relations team to attend and cover the news and discussions during the meeting. We will also use our established platforms to announce this conference.Leveraging the Existing Platforms: National Institute for Cellular Agriculture (NICA)-We are organizing an internal meeting for the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture (NICA), generously funded by USDA-SAS in 2021 (grant no. 2021-699012-35978), on September 19th, 2024, at Texas A&M. The event will bring together a distinguished group of PIs and Co-PIs, including notable individuals such as David Kaplan, Nicole Tichenor Blackstone, Sean Cash, Scott Frost, Meera Zassenhaus, along with numerous students and postdocs from Tufts University, Nitin Nitin and his team from UC Davis, Chyer Kim from Virginia State University, and various other collaborators. This gathering presents an excellent opportunity for engaging discussions, featuring the participation of these esteemed PIs and Co-PIs in panel discussions. Additionally, we plan to involve students and postdocs from various institutions in poster sessions, fostering a collaborative environment. By doing so, we aim to facilitate meaningful connections between active researchers in the Alternative Proteins and Food Biomanufacturing domain from diverse institutions and individuals associated with Texas A&M. We look forward to a productive and enriching exchange of ideas and insights during this event. On September 19th, 2024, we organized a summit with two distinguished panel discussions followed by networking and student' poster presentations. This summit was very successful in developing a multidisciplinary approach by engaging panelists from the Department of Physics, Entomology, Horticulture, Animal Science, and Food Science. National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing: This event will be hosted at Texas A&M University's state-of-the-art facility, which has a long history of successful trainings, conferences, expos, and hands-on workshops. Through our strong partnership, we are committed to developing a highly impactful summit.Post-Conference Impact: Following the conference, we will distribute survey links to all participants. The questionnaire will encompass inquiries regarding the overall conference experience, topic relevance, knowledge impact, logistics and organizations, the potential impact, the impact of the summit/training, the significance of the discussed topics, the opportunities presented for networking, and suggestions for potential improvements in organizing future conferences. The questions will be developed by our core team members, PI, and Co-PIs and will be disseminated through the Google form platform. Evaluation and Continuous Improvement: Based on the feedback we receive from participants, we will implement the required comments to improve our summit for the next round. We will also provide all the details in our final report to the USDA program director.