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Entomoculture: Reimagining the Future of Food with Insect Cells

In this presentation from the New Harvest 2019 Conference, Natalie Rubio introduces the concept of entomoculture, which combines the sustainability of edible insects with the technology of cellular agriculture. She argues that culturing insect cells offers significant advantages over traditional mammalian cell culture, as insect cells are more robust and can grow at room temperature in simpler, serum free media. By targeting specific muscle and fat body tissues, this research aims to create familiar, high protein food products that avoid the sensory barriers often associated with eating whole insects. Natalie shares her success in cultivating fruit fly and caterpillar muscle… Read More »Entomoculture: Reimagining the Future of Food with Insect Cells

Exploring the Future of Food with Insect-Based Proteins

In a featured segment from CBS Boston, Natalie Rubio discusses her groundbreaking research at the Kaplan Lab on the potential of insect based cellular agriculture. As a doctoral candidate, she explores using stem cells from tobacco hornworm caterpillars to create sustainable meat and seafood substitutes. This work is driven by a commitment to improving animal welfare and reducing the environmental footprint of our food system, particularly by decreasing the methane emissions and water usage associated with traditional livestock. The research highlights a growing movement toward using advanced biotechnology to solve global food challenges. By growing tissues in a controlled lab… Read More »Exploring the Future of Food with Insect-Based Proteins

Scaffolds 101: Building the Foundation for Cultured Meat

In this 2017 New Harvest presentation, Natalie Rubio discusses the critical role of scaffolding in transforming two dimensional cell cultures into structured meat products like steak or chicken breast. She explains that scaffolds provide the necessary surface area for muscle cells to adhere to and guide their development into organized tissues. While cellular agriculture has historically adapted techniques from the medical industry, Natalie emphasizes that food production introduces unique requirements, as scaffolds must be edible, sustainable, and capable of enhancing the final product’s texture and nutritional profile. Natalie details several potential scaffolding materials, including silk, collagen, and plant derived cellulose.… Read More »Scaffolds 101: Building the Foundation for Cultured Meat