Announcing Two New Researchers: The New Harvest - Culley Carlson Awardees

I am excited to introduce two new members of the New Harvest research community: André Valkenburg and Omowunmi Odeyomi!André and Omowunmi are the recipients of the New Harvest - Culley Carlson Award, a partnership between New Harvest and the Culley Carlson Foundation to support doctoral students from other disciplines who want to apply their deep expertise to cellular agriculture.

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Let’s get to know André and Omowunmi!

André is completing his PhD in bioprocess engineering at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.This PhD work has focused on producing surfactants using yeast fermentation, replacing these traditionally petroleum-based products with more sustainable, bio-based chemicals.Through the NH-CC award, André aims to apply his experience in the development and scale-up of innovative biological and chemical processes to advance cultured meat.André will learn mammalian cell culture techniques and explore the development of a living microbial-based scaffold, designed to enhance the differentiation of cells into texturized products.André’s efforts also aim to establish the first academic laboratory using mammalian cell culture for food in South Africa!

Omowunmi is a PhD student in agribusiness and applied economics at North Carolina A&T State University with a specialization in risk management in agricultural production.Her PhD research addresses improvements in agricultural production and sustainability in light of the effects of climate change, with a focus on boosting agricultural insurance adoption among underserved Southeastern United States producers.She is passionate about increasing sustainable agricultural production and solving food insecurity, which led her to an interest in cellular agriculture’s potential.With the NH-CC award, Omowunmi is looking to utilize her background in data analysis to study the environmental and economic impacts of cultured meat.

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Congratulations to André and Omowunmi’s. We are excited to see what you accomplish over the next year!André and Omowunmi’s awards are funded by the Culley Carlson Foundation. The Culley Carlson Foundation (CCF) is committed to empowering pioneers in innovation aimed at protecting our planet and its flora, fauna and fungi.If you would like to support emerging leaders in cellular agriculture too, you can make a gift of any size here.If you would like to send words of welcome, congratulations, and/or encouragement to André and Omowunmi, they can be reached at valkenburg@sun.ac.za and oaodeyomi@aggies.ncat.edu!Until next time, Dr. Bre DuffyDirector of Responsible Research & Innovation, USAbreanna@new-harvest.org | New HarvestP.S. If you want to explore funding research grantees like André and Omowunmi, send an email to our Director of Development Brittany Chambers at brittany@new-harvest.org and she can walk you through ways to give.

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