Virginia Tech researchers among team awarded $10M from USDA
A team from Virginia Tech in the US is part of a multi-institutional team of researchers recently awarded a $10 million grant, marking the first investment in cellular agriculture research and development by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the most robust contribution from the U.S. government in the field to date.
The five-year grant, awarded through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems program area, aims to address food supply challenges in American agriculture production by advancing education, extension, and technologies for cultivated meat, also known as cell-based or lab-grown meat.
Using fish stem cells, which can be ethically collected from live animals, the research team will differentiate cells to selectively grow muscle and fat cells — the same cells and tissues that make up the fish fillets you can buy at the store. The cells, grown in specialized media in the lab, will then be assembled into a fish fillet.
The project brings together six academic institutions —Virginia Tech, Tufts University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Davis, Virginia State University, and the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Their collaboration will provide a clearer picture of what this novel technology could make possible for consumers, the environment, and the future of food.
Funding will support stem cell line development for priority seafood species, research into alternative media for growing cells, and machine learning and artificial intelligence applications to optimize production and reduce cost.