Explore the Future of Biomanufacturing
Welcome to my blog! I'm James, a strategic advisor and coach with over 20 years of experience in biotech and executive leadership. I've built high-performing teams and led groundbreaking research in stem cell metabolism, regenerative medicine, and cultured meat. As a passionate advocate for biomanufacturing's world-changing potential, I'm excited to share my knowledge and ideas with you.
What You’ll Discover Here
🔬 Latest Innovations: Explore cutting-edge advancements in biomanufacturing, cultivated meat, and cellular agriculture.
🚀 Founder's Corner: Access valuable tools and insights developed for my coaching program, tailored specifically for technical founders.
🎙️ Industry Voices: Every two weeks, enjoy an in-depth interview with a founder, investor, or operator in the biomanufacturing space.
The Changing Landscape of Non-Clinical Biomanufacturing (update for 2025) 🚀
I’ve mapped out an end-to-end value chain highlighting the B2B companies shaping the non-clinical biomanufacturing space. I shared a version of this map almost 12 months ago, and since then the number of companies has exploded (with a few that have pivoted and a few that haven't been successful).
🍖 Waste Valorisation and "everything but the oink"
Beyond biotech innovations and hybrid product development, there’s another compelling path to profitability for cultured meat: waste stream valorization. ♻️ In traditional animal agriculture, every part of the animal finds a use—hence the saying, “everything but the oink.”
🍖The B2B value chain for cultured meat
I’ve created an end-to-end value chain for B2B companies that not only focuses on cultured meat but shows how the value provided by these companies can be applied to virtually any bio-manufactured product. What’s even more exciting is that less than half of these companies existed five years ago 🔍.
🚀"What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity"
… And similarly, how you treat your cells during isolation and expansion impacts your final yield (apologies to Russell Crowe, both for the quote and the image 😂).
🎙️ Microfluidics for large scale cell harvesting?
Traditionally, centrifugation, whether continuous or batch, has been the go-to solution. But, as we aim for higher volumes, striking a balance between efficiency, speed, and cell integrity becomes a significant challenge 🔄. This is where innovative approaches like microfluidics might come into play.
🍖Class-specific growth factors for cultured seafood?
In an industry where cost reduction and yield maximization are critical for commercial viability 💰📈, the need for species- or class-specific growth factors will likely become evident. This need is particularly acute in the context of crustacean cell culture, which generally shows poor responsiveness to mammalian serum. 🦐
🚀Unlocking Potential: Exosomes & Cultured Meat Synergy 🌱🔬
The commercial scale production of cultured meat will lead to an intriguing by-product: spent media. This medium, though (somewhat) nutrient-depleted and filled with waste, harbors a treasure trove of extracellular vesicles known as exosomes. Packed with proteins, lipids, and RNA, these tiny powerhouses have vast potential in a myriad of applications, including the therapeutic and broader biomanufacturing spaces.
🍖The Untapped Potential of Flavor Profiles in Cultured Meat
Imagine if these B2B companies began to articulate the flavor profiles of their cells and media formulations. Just as a coffee roaster highlights the unique tasting notes of their beans, these suppliers could offer insights into the potential taste nuances their products might bring to the final cultured meat product.
🍖From One-at-a-Time to Automation and Data Modelling in Media Optimisation 🔄
With the cell and gene therapy industry shifting more towards Industry 4.0, focusing on automation, large-scale data analysis and modelling, and AI, I imagine we're going to see an increasing number of third-party solutions to the media design problem. This should have the flow-on effects of increasing yield and reducing costs - for therapies, for food and for any product developed using biomanufacturing 🌐.
🚀Navigating the "Holy Trinity" of Biomanufacturing
In my four-year journey through the biomanufacturing landscape, (primarily focussed on applications for cultured meat), a recurring theme has emerged: the success of any biomanufacturing process hinges on a harmonious blend of the right cell line 🧬, the perfect media formulation 🧪, and a finely tuned bioprocess 🔄.
🍖 Cutting Through the Fog: The Real Story Behind Cultured Meat in 2024
As a staunch advocate for cultured meat and cellular agriculture, I'm excited about its potential in 2024. Yet, we must acknowledge and address the growing challenges it faces, particularly the well-funded anti-cultured meat campaigns.
🍖The many successes of the cultured meat industry
With products released in Singapore and now the US cultured meat stirred up quite the conversation in 2023. As we gear up for more products hitting the market in 2024 (hopefully also in Australia), it's worth looking at some of the hidden benefits of cultured meat.