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“Executive Director of New Harvest in January 2013. She co-founded Perfect Day (fka Muufri), making milk without cows, in April 2014 and Clara Foods, making eggs without chickens, in November 2014”
About Isha
“Isha has been pioneering the field of cellular agriculture since 2009, when she began a deep-dive investigation into the technical challenges and opportunities involved in producing cultured meat. In 2010 Isha published “Possibilities for an in-vitro meat production system” in the food science journal Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies.
She quickly discovered that cellular agriculture research was not held back by a lack of interest or expertise, but instead by a lack of designated funding channels directed at this intersectional work. Thus began her quest to establish the field of animal products made without animals, one recognized by researchers, funding agencies, and investors.
A stint in Policy and Public Affairs at GlaxoSmithKline illuminated the cooperative relationship between non-profits, academia, and companies in translating beneficial science out of the lab and into society. Isha has used a model established in the advancement of medical research to accelerate cellular agriculture, by funding early stage, foundational research in academia in order for ready-to-market technologies to be developed for commercial use.
Isha became Executive Director of New Harvest in January 2013. She co-founded Perfect Day (fka Muufri), making milk without cows, in April 2014 and Clara Foods, making eggs without chickens, in November 2014.
Isha has a BSc. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Alberta and a Masters in Biotechnology from the University of Toronto.” Source
About New Harvest
“We are spearheading the next agricultural revolution: Cellular Agriculture. Cellular agriculture allows us to make milk, eggs, meat, leather, fur, rhino horn, and any other animal products from cell cultures rather than from animals. Cellular agriculture is a groundbreaking field that is still not adequately supported by established funding channels. This is where New Harvest comes in: 1) We coordinate and catalyze funding into cellular agriculture research, engaging external funding and partnerships as much as possible to grow the pool of people and institutions truly invested. Every piece of research we fund strategically contributes to building the field, so that the whole of research we fund is greater than the sum of its parts. Like all pioneering scientific organizations, we fund neglected work. 2) We convene the community that is building this field (scientists, academia, funders, industry, policy-makers, regulatory authorities, etc.), fostering collaboration and a divide-and-conquer attitude. 3) We inform stakeholders and the public at large (from mass media to teaching cellular agriculture in universities) to draw more funds, talent, and acceptance to the field. We are planting the seeds of a new bioeconomy by supporting pioneers in the emerging field of cellular agriculture.” Source
About MIT Media Lab
“The Director’s Fellows program is a growing global network that connects the innovation and creativity of the MIT Media Lab with a broad array of leaders to catalyze thought partnership and concrete collaborations. Its goal is to expand the diversity, reach, and impact of the Media Lab and the Director’s Fellows themselves in deploying cutting edge technology, ideas, and innovation to tackle key global challenges. It also helps to shape the perspectives and experience of stakeholders throughout the network, strengthening their capacity to serve and to lead.
There is no application process for the program. Instead, we rely on a network of advisors to identify and nominate candidates that meet our criteria. Many factors go into our selection process, including diversity on all levels, balance with the rest of the “class” and impact. Even someone who is extraordinary and seems like a perfect fit may not be a good match in any particular year.” Source
Shuttleworth Foundation
“The Shuttleworth Foundation is a small social investor that provides funding to dynamic leaders who are at the forefront of social change. We look for social innovators who are helping to change the world for the better and could benefit from a social investment model with a difference. We identify amazing people, give them a fellowship grant, and multiply the money they put into their own projects by a factor of ten or more.” Source
Clara Foods™
“is a Silicon Valley venture-backed company working towards a disruptive advance in food technology by creating the world’s first animal-free egg white and a slew of other performance protein products for sports nutrition, baking, and industrial uses. We join a new generation of entrepreneurs, activists and scientists who recognize that the decades-old factory farm model cannot sustain the dietary needs of 7 billion people and counting – and that technology may hold a solution. As much as the growing market demands for egg production exert pressure on hatcheries to improve their efficiencies and outputs, there is also growing public distaste for the environmental, animal welfare, and health compromises of industrial-scale production. Clara aims to subvert this moral and economic deadlock by taking the chicken out of the equation. We’re bringing an egg white to the table that is produced completely animal-free, uses less land and water inputs, while matching the taste, nutritional value, and unique culinary properties of the food products people know and love.” Source
Perfect Day
“Dairy Reinvented: Sustainable, Kind, Delicious.
Perfect Day is on a mission to empower you to enjoy the dairy foods you love while making the world a kinder, greener place.” source
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About this podcast
The Learning with Lowell; Science, deep tech, biotech, startup, and news podcast has new episodes every Tuesday. It is hosted by Lowell Thompson who started the podcast after suffering through e genetic illness that almost almost saw him die on a number of occasions, but now is managed and doesn’t cause too many problems. Lowell’s goal is to educate people on the different paths you can take to get into a science, deep tech, biotech, or startup related venture as a founder or member of the team. Additionally, Lowell wants to show you who these founders and experts are like as they answer questions about their work, passions, and interest.
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