GMP and Beautiful Design - Moving Beyond the "Big White Box" 🏢🌿
Before my time at Vow, if asked how to design a new lab space, my answer would have been, "just build a big white box and make sure it is compliant." It was only through Vow's cofounder Tim Noakesmith that I learned the value of beautiful spaces.
The B2B value chain for cultured meat
I’ve created an end-to-end value chain for B2B companies that not only focuses on cultured meat but shows how the value provided by these companies can be applied to virtually any bio-manufactured product. What’s even more exciting is that less than half of these companies existed five years ago 🔍.
"What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity"
… And similarly, how you treat your cells during isolation and expansion impacts your final yield (apologies to Russell Crowe, both for the quote and the image 😂).
Fogponics, molecular farming and my chat with the Lite & Fog crew
Recently, I had the pleasure of discussing this molecular farming with Uwe Peter and Martin Peter from Lite&Fog. They're pioneering the use of fogponics to enhance the efficiency and yield of molecularly farmed products.
Unlocking the Potential of Compound Libraries for Biomanufacturing Optimization
In biomanufacturing, developing and optimizing cell culture media formulations is crucial. This step is vital for maximizing yields—whether it's proteins, RNA, monoclonal antibodies, or total biomass—and minimizing costs. Despite its importance, media optimization remains a resource-intensive and time-consuming endeavor.
Microfluidics for large scale cell harvesting?
Traditionally, centrifugation, whether continuous or batch, has been the go-to solution. But, as we aim for higher volumes, striking a balance between efficiency, speed, and cell integrity becomes a significant challenge 🔄. This is where innovative approaches like microfluidics might come into play.
Class-specific growth factors for cultured seafood?
In an industry where cost reduction and yield maximization are critical for commercial viability 💰📈, the need for species- or class-specific growth factors will likely become evident. This need is particularly acute in the context of crustacean cell culture, which generally shows poor responsiveness to mammalian serum. 🦐
Unique applications of biomanufacturing
Micro-algae skis remain a standout innovation for me. What's the most extraordinary bio-based product you've encountered / are working-on?
My Learnings on the Importance of Cryopreservation in Biomanufacturing
When it comes to the freezing and thawing of cells, the challenges of viability, the toxicity of freezing agents, and scaling up cryopreservation can significantly influence the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) in biomanufacturing.
Unlocking Potential: Exosomes & Cultured Meat Synergy 🌱🔬
The commercial scale production of cultured meat will lead to an intriguing by-product: spent media. This medium, though (somewhat) nutrient-depleted and filled with waste, harbors a treasure trove of extracellular vesicles known as exosomes. Packed with proteins, lipids, and RNA, these tiny powerhouses have vast potential in a myriad of applications, including the therapeutic and broader biomanufacturing spaces.
✨Branding for Impact: Insights from the FoodHack Meetup ✨
Last evening, I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural FoodHack Melbourne meetup of 2024 🚀. For those unfamiliar, FoodHack is a global network of entrepreneurs and investors collaborating to revolutionize our food system for the better.
Early capital is expensive capital.
"There is no more expensive capital than the first time you raise." At this stage, your company faces the greatest challenges: immature technology, a small IP portfolio, and high risk. This often means parting with significant equity for relatively modest funding.
The Untapped Potential of Flavor Profiles in Cultured Meat
Imagine if these B2B companies began to articulate the flavor profiles of their cells and media formulations. Just as a coffee roaster highlights the unique tasting notes of their beans, these suppliers could offer insights into the potential taste nuances their products might bring to the final cultured meat product.
From One-at-a-Time to Automation and Data Modelling in Media Optimisation 🔄
With the cell and gene therapy industry shifting more towards Industry 4.0, focusing on automation, large-scale data analysis and modelling, and AI, I imagine we're going to see an increasing number of third-party solutions to the media design problem. This should have the flow-on effects of increasing yield and reducing costs - for therapies, for food and for any product developed using biomanufacturing 🌐.
🌟Navigating the "Holy Trinity" of Biomanufacturing 🌟
In my four-year journey through the biomanufacturing landscape, (primarily focussed on applications for cultured meat), a recurring theme has emerged: the success of any biomanufacturing process hinges on a harmonious blend of the right cell line 🧬, the perfect media formulation 🧪, and a finely tuned bioprocess 🔄.
"What's worth doing even if I fail?"
"What's worth doing even if I fail?" This question isn't about the fear of failure; it's about the courage to embrace our mission so passionately that we're compelled to act, regardless of the outcome 💪. It's a call to lean into vulnerability, to believe in ourselves and our purpose, so deeply that we dare to step into the arena, even when the risk of failure looms large.
Federal investment in Australian R&D is on fire (in the bad way)
Australia is home to some of the world's most exceptional research, medical and otherwise. Yet, we can’t afford to relegate R&D investment to an afterthought or a 'nice to have.' The lack of real investment will have far-reaching economic and societal impacts.
🔍 Cutting Through the Fog: The Real Story Behind Cultured Meat in 2024 🥩
As a staunch advocate for cultured meat and cellular agriculture, I'm excited about its potential in 2024. Yet, we must acknowledge and address the growing challenges it faces, particularly the well-funded anti-cultured meat campaigns.
🌱 Maximizing Bioprocessing Potential with Advanced Data Management Systems 🌱
With biotech evolving towards Industry 4.0, embracing principles like interoperability and modularity, several companies have stepped up. They offer innovative control, data management, and analysis software solutions, ranging from specialized data management tools to all-in-one integrated systems. 🌐🤖