Sticta and Meatable team up to optimize cultivated pork production with GFI grant

Chilean biotech company Sticta Biologicals, Dutch cultivated meat innovator Meatable, Merken Biotech, and the Center for Mathematical Modeling at the University of Chile have received a research grant from The Good Food Institute (GFI) to support a collaborative project focused on optimizing the growth of porcine cells. This project will develop a comprehensive, genome-scale metabolic model of porcine cells, which will help pinpoint optimal nutrients and feeding strategies to increase production efficiency.

The GFI, supported by donor funding, invests in open-access research aimed at fostering sustainable, equitable, and efficient food systems that benefit the environment and support global food security. Such initiatives are crucial for driving innovation, lowering production costs, and scaling alternative protein sources to meet future food demands. Through this grant, Meatable and Sticta's partnership contributes to a growing body of work focused on advancing food technology in ways that minimize harm to people, animals, and ecosystems.

On the technical side, this project will create a detailed proteome-constrained, genome-scale metabolic model tailored specifically to porcine cells. Using experimental data from Meatable’s cell lines, researchers will track cellular changes during various growth stages, including the expansion and proliferation phases, to refine and validate the model. This model will provide insights into the biological shifts that occur during cell proliferation, enabling the team to develop nutrient formulations and cell line modifications that extend growth phases and accelerate cell population growth. The ultimate goal is to enhance yield while reducing variability in production, helping to make cultivated pork products more viable on a larger scale.