The National Institute for Cellular Agriculture (NICA) was established in 2021 via a historic $10M USDA grant. The National Institute for Cellular Agriculture is housed within the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), which coordinates research along seven discrete aims alongside seven other universities.
By the numbers
- 32 researchers involved across seven universities
- 15 presentations or posters and 2 workshops/educational camps
- 4 publications
Accomplishments
- Established the first and only publicly available fish muscle cell line from the Atlantic
Mackerel - Conducted sensory analysis on cultivated fat
- Applied artificial intelligence to support the development of media, scaffolds, and other
biomaterials – this work resulted in significant reductions in growth media costs via the
discovery of substitutes for serum and growth factors - Developed food safety plan for cultivated seafood
- Mobilized students across member universities to create vibrant cellular agriculture
ecosystems at their respective institutions (via Instagram, TikTok, student clubs, etc.)