In a collaboration between industry and academia to accelerate progress in cell-based foods, the German cell ag technologies specialist The Cultivated B (TCB) and The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (DTU Biosustain) will work to drive innovation and advance the field of bioreactor design.
The agreement, signed into a Memorandum of Understanding, will test and improve TCB’s AUXO V bioreactor technology and set new industry standards for bioprocessing.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with The Cultivated B on taking their bioreactor technology to the next level”
The Cultivated B develops cell ag technology, bioreactor engineering, and cultivated meat products. Its development team is located in Germany, with two subsidiaries in Canada, PreFer Industries and n!Biomachines.
Bo Skjold Larsen, CEO at DTU Biosustain, emphasized that collaboration between academic researchers and industry professionals helps speed progress, encourages innovation, and positively affects society.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with The Cultivated B on taking their bioreactor technology to the next level for the benefit of the Center’s research and for the whole biotechnology research and development community in general,” he said.
Next-gen bioreactors
The two parties will work at DTU -Technical University of Denmark to gather feedback from operational staff, PhD students, academic researchers, and startups and incorporate their input into the development process. The goal is to prioritize user feedback to ensure high-quality design and performance.
With decades of collective interdisciplinary research experience in sustainability, researchers from DTU Biosustain will act as independent reviewers. They will test TCB’s bioreactors across different bioprocesses and provide feedback on the technology, validating the results against established market standards.
“Its time to bring a new generation of bioreactors to the labs and pilot plants”
TCB’s announcement states that the collaboration is expected to substantially impact the advancement of bioreactor technology by making it more scalable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable in bioproduction processes.
Dr. Hamid Noori, CEO of The Cultivated B. shared, “Similar to software beta testing, by engaging with such an experienced team in this detailed evaluation and feedback loop, we can ensure that our bioreactors not only meet but anticipate and exceed the evolving needs of the user.”
Commenting on the collaboration, Dr. Andreas Worberg, CCO at DTU Biosustain, shared on social media, “Generations of fermentation engineers grew up with the standard glass reactors, their control towers and software suites – its time to bring a new generation of bioreactors to the labs and pilot plants.”