Current Advances in Cellular Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Cellular agriculture is a new field of biotechnology focused on the development of animal products from cells rather than animals. This includes (but is not limited to) food produce such as meat, milk, and eggs, as well as non-food products like leather, horn, and fur. The science underpinning cellular agriculture derives from numerous research areas, with tissue & bioprocess engineering, synthetic biology, and materials science being the most relevant. Indeed, its feasibility is supported by relatively recent scientific and technological advances in these areas, particularly aiming the development of new biotherapeutics, biopharmaceutics, and bioartificial transplants. The rapid growth of cellular agriculture has also been driven by the increased perception of mounting impacts from intensive animal farming, namely on human health, animal welfare, and the environment. However, and despite considerable investment in industries of the field, there is at present a recognised gap in fundamental and methodological knowledge that risks halting or delaying its further expansion. This is in part a legacy issue – as previous studies focused on understanding mechanisms of disease and develop appropriate therapeutic solutions, fewer limitations in terms of product price and consumer acceptance were considered.

This special issue therefore aims at addressing this gap. We welcome articles with a strong focus on cell and stem cell biology, microbiology, molecular and synthetic biology, and biochemical/metabolic engineering, as well as other intersecting topics related with promoting the advancement of cellular agriculture.

Dr. Ricardo M. Gouveia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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