New Brunswick, New Jersey – Atelier Meats Corp. (“Atelier” or the “Company“), a biotechnology company focused on development and commercialization of lab-grown meats, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a multi-disciplinary collaborative research and development agreement (the “Agreement“) with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (“Rutgers“) to help it develop Atelier’s proprietary technology for the manufacture of lab-grown or cultivated meats. The principal investigators at Rutgers who will lead the research will be Joseph Freeman, Ph.D., Professor in the department of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers-New Brunswick’s School of Engineering, and Yong Mao, Ph.D., Associate Research Professor in the department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in Rutgers-New Brunswick’s School of Arts and Sciences.
The research and development collaboration will be a multi-year effort and will be supported by several key opinion leaders and experts to help accelerate the work. In general, the research and development activities will focus on: 1) isolation of a unique extracellular matrix that would serve as the scaffold for cultivated meat; 2) development of novel and proprietary lines of bovine stem cells that are easily culture expanded and differentiated; and 3) development of technology to populate the scaffold with cells to create the cultivated meats. Atelier will support the effort using its own expertise in process engineering, scale-up, manufacturing and regulatory experience to bring the cultivated meat products to market.
Dr. Joseph W. Freeman earned his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University. He then trained as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia focusing on bone and ligament tissue engineering and subsequently became an Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences at Virginia Tech. There he developed technologies for the repair and tissue engineered replacement of bone and ligaments. In 2010, Dr. Freeman joined the faculty of Rutgers where he has continued his work and added research projects in muscle health and muscle tissue engineering. He brings this wealth of experience to Atelier to create quality, textured meats from unique engineered constructs.
Dr. Yong Mao received her Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry from Rutgers University, and then started her research career as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University focusing on the cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction and the assembly and application of ECMs. Dr. Mao expanded her expertise in ECMs as a senior scientist at LifeCell Corporation before joining New Jersey Center for Biomaterials at Rutgers University as a research faculty in 2013. She has made noteworthy contributions to the understanding of the tissue ECM, stem cells and their applications in tissue regeneration. With over 20 years of research in ECM and stem cell technology, Dr. Mao brings her expertise in developing and optimizing the sustainable cell sources to this project.
Dr. Freeman states, “Cultivated meat production has gained tremendous attention in recent years because of the environmental burdens resulting from conventional meat production. Developing sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost-effective technology for cultivated meats is a key goal in our partnership with Atelier.”
Dr. Mao states, “Working with Atelier, we will find innovative ways and bring our expertise in biomaterials and cell technology for the creation of unique cell-scaffold constructs to produce cultivated meats suitable for human consumption.”
Dr. Mohit Bhatia, Ph.D., CSO and Co-Founder of Atelier states, “We are excited to partner with Rutgers, an institution with an impressive level of expertise on this collaborative research project. Both Dr. Freeman and Dr. Mao are leading researchers in their fields and we look forward to working with them to further our technology and be at the fore-front of cultivated meat manufacturing.”
About Atelier Meats Corp.
Atelier is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing quality, lab-grown meats. Led by a world-class team, with proprietary patent-pending technology, Atelier’s mission is to produce healthier and environmentally conscious proteins for the world – without harming a single animal in the process.
For further information please contact:
Atelier Meats Corp.
info@ateliermeats.com
www.ateliermeats.com
Forward Looking Disclaimer
This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “intends”, “is expected”, “potential”, “suggests” or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond the Company’s control. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.
