“What New Harvest Means to Me” — A Word From Our Scientific Community
Making cellular agriculture a reality is no small feat! It is a team effort, carried out by New Harvest’s network of scientific pioneers from various backgrounds working together on the challenges of culturing meat piece by piece. For many of the scientists in our community, dedicating their careers to the advancement of cellular agriculture was a dream that could only have been made possible via a grant from New Harvest. Since New Harvest is funded completely by donors, we are essentially crowdfunding a new field of science on a global scale.
Our small but growing team of Research Fellows are on the front lines of this work, paving the way for even more future cellular agriculturists to produce meat, milk, eggs, leather, and other animal products without animals. Read on to find out in their own words what being a part of the New Harvest community has meant to them.
“I have been cultivating turkey satellite cells since 1993. I arguably have more first hand experience than anyone else in the world cultivating avian muscle cells. I routinely teach an animal cell culture class (where I teach avian muscle cell culture), and there is always someone in my lab cultivating muscle cells.
I have been thinking about the problem [of cultured meat] for a very long time, and I have engaged engineering professors at NCSU to discuss scaffolds; the issue is that USDA competitive grants are not going to fund in vitro meat production since they only fund mechanistic hypothesis driven research, and the poultry industry at this point is not interested in funding research on biomanufactured meat. The only place that would even consider funding the work is New Harvest.
I have wanted to do this project for almost 20 years. I am very excited about the possibilities.”
Paul Mozdziak, Professor, Prestage Department of Poultry Science at North Carolina State University
“As a volunteer, employee and researcher of this organization over the past three years, I can attest to the impact New Harvest has made on the cellular agriculture movement. Never have I been involved with a group of people so dedicated and passionate about making this technology a tangible reality.
After I graduated college I desperately wanted to work on cultured meat research, but there were no places to do so. The handful of existing companies were hiring senior level scientists and academic tissue engineering programs only supported medical research. Then came the New Harvest Cultured Tissue Fellowship! Thanks to this support, I have the scientific network and resources to begin my career in cultured meat development while obtaining a Ph.D. from Tufts University. Donating to New Harvest means putting money directly into foundational research for safe, sustainable and humane food. If you care about our environment, food security, public health, and/or animal welfare — You have every reason to donate today!”
Natalie Rubio, PhD candidate, Tufts University
“If it wasn’t for New Harvest, I would probably be in vet school right now. I know, I know — that sounds like a bad thing, right? For many, giving up the opportunity of a lifetime to spend their days in a lab sounds crazy. Until you consider why I was going to be a veterinarian in the first place…
Ever since I can remember, I have loved animals. ALL animals. And early on, I decided I wanted to devote my life to make this world better for them, humans included! So veterinary medicine was an obvious route. I hoped to help thousands of animals by working as a farm animal veterinarian, promoting pain management, enrichment, and more humane care. But I soon realized that the type of impact cellular agriculture could have on this world would be absolutely colossal! If I was ever lucky enough to get involved, my efforts could prevent the suffering of countless animals by sparing them their own existence. So! With this new revelation, I decided to shift gears and contacted New Harvest.
New Harvest is the reason I am here today. They are the reason why my research is even possible. New Harvest has provided me with funding, connected me with expert scientists, flown me around the world to spread the word, and most importantly, provided undying moral support and guidance throughout the entire process. So here I am. 7 months in, and I’m growing the first ever chicken and turkey meat in the lab — all because of New Harvest! They gave me a chance to pursue my dreams of making this world a better place, and I know that as this field grows, New Harvest will make those dreams come true!”
Marie Gibbons, MSc Candidate, North Carolina State University
“After learning about the devastating effects that the animal agriculture industry has on climate change environmental destruction, in vitro meat became my dream in 2010. For the past six years I’ve tried navigating through the research funding world with this hope in mind. Unfortunately, because there is no obvious funding agency tailored to the study of in vitro meat, it’s been very tough to advance this field. That was the case until I met New Harvest! Their team has done an incredible job providing guidance and opportunities to advance my research.
One of New Harvest’s greatest strengths is that it’s run on donations from people who fund the change they want to see in world. With support from donors, we can protect all life on earth by making cellular agriculture a reality. I’m so proud to be part of this team and I couldn’t be doing what I love without New Harvest! Together we’re making the world a better place.”
Jess Krieger, Kent State University
“New Harvest have given me the most amazing opportunity to really disrupt the industrial farming system. The last year of my project has been such an epic journey, presenting opportunities and challenges I could never before have dreamed.
I am so thankful for the support I have received from New Harvest, and the unwavering enthusiasm and drive they proceed with to create the fundamental research building blocks of the field of cellular agriculture is inspiring.However, as New-Harvest is a non-profit, this work can only happen through donations. Any support they can receive will be greatly appreciated and put to good use!”
Abi Glencross, PhD candidate, King’s College London
“When I was offered the opportunity to pursue a research project as part of my undergraduate degree, I decided to do it in cellular agriculture. However, the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at UBC didn’t have labs dedicated to the development of 3D tissues.
My [current] supervisor took a shot on me, allowing me to use his lab as long as I was able to find a collaborator with knowledge in tissue engineering and cellular agriculture. I had the privilege of connecting with Daan Luining and New Harvest, who offered to assist me. I can’t thank them enough for providing advice, proofreading my work and overall, for inspiring me. I believe that New Harvest will be able to revolutionize agriculture by providing a more ethical and sustainable way of meat production. The planet depends on new alternatives, especially as climate change brings us closer and closer to the point of no return. Thanks to generous donors, New Harvest can continue to do this revolutionary work, and nonetheless assist those who share a similar vision.”
Santiago Campuzano, University of British Columbia
Many thanks to our incredible donors, who have helped these scientists pursue their lifes’ work while advancing cellular agriculture.
