Isha Datar

Isha Datar

Canada
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About

Isha has been pioneering the field of cellular agriculture for the past decade, since publishing the formative review "Possibilities for an in-vitro meat production system" in the food science journal Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies in 2010.

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.

Articles by Isha

Activity

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Experience

  • New Harvest Graphic

    New Harvest

    New York City

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    Cambridge, Massachusetts

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    Johannesburg Area, South Africa

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    South San Francisco

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    Cork, Ireland

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    Mississauga, ON

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Education

  • Graphic

    -

  • -

    with Distinction

Licenses & Certifications

Volunteer Experience

  • Quarters Arts Society Graphic

    President of the Board of Directors

    Quarters Arts Society

    - Present 10 months

    Arts and Culture

    Quarters Arts Society's mandate is to facilitate arts-centered, citizen-led, community-building in the rich downtown tapestry of the historic Boyle Street neighbourhood. Quarters Arts is committed to creating opportunities and providing safe(r) spaces in the Boyle Street area for all Albertans to share in the joy of artistic expression.

    In early 2020, Quarters Arts Society moved into into it's new home, CO*LAB.

    CO*LAB, Community {Arts} Laboratory, is an affordable, accessible and…

    Quarters Arts Society's mandate is to facilitate arts-centered, citizen-led, community-building in the rich downtown tapestry of the historic Boyle Street neighbourhood. Quarters Arts is committed to creating opportunities and providing safe(r) spaces in the Boyle Street area for all Albertans to share in the joy of artistic expression.

    In early 2020, Quarters Arts Society moved into into it's new home, CO*LAB.

    CO*LAB, Community {Arts} Laboratory, is an affordable, accessible and inclusive space that provides resources and exposure to the arts within the Boyle Street neighbourhood. This citizen-led, community-run facility, connects communities, shares knowledge and ideas, and makes space to collaborate, create, and celebrate in the Boyle Street area.

  • STRATUS Graphic

    Board Director

    STRATUS

    - Present 1 year

    Arts and Culture

    STRATUS is a collective from Edmonton, Canada focused on the process of film and experiential art. We have been giving artists a platform through collaborative publications and events that build community since 2020.

    We focus on highlighting emerging artists, ensuring equitable community representation, and connecting community members at all our events.

    We believe in the process behind art, whether it be the meticulous and slow process of film photography, or illustration and…

    STRATUS is a collective from Edmonton, Canada focused on the process of film and experiential art. We have been giving artists a platform through collaborative publications and events that build community since 2020.

    We focus on highlighting emerging artists, ensuring equitable community representation, and connecting community members at all our events.

    We believe in the process behind art, whether it be the meticulous and slow process of film photography, or illustration and animation done by hand.

    We aim to push the boundaries of creativity by collaborating with and inspiring others across different mediums, from film photography to design, to produce curated and original content.

  • Homeworld Collective Graphic

    Advisory Board Member

    Homeworld Collective

    - Present 1 year 2 months

    Science and Technology

    Together we are building the field of climate biotech.

    Climate biotech is a rapidly-developing field devoted to realizing the full potential of biology toward a healthy climate, from enzymes that convert raw CO2 into commodities to microbes that extract metals for the energy transition. The infrastructure of this growing field must grow with the drive of the practitioners and the scale of the applications.

    Homeworld Collective is dedicated to nurturing the growth of climate…

    Together we are building the field of climate biotech.

    Climate biotech is a rapidly-developing field devoted to realizing the full potential of biology toward a healthy climate, from enzymes that convert raw CO2 into commodities to microbes that extract metals for the energy transition. The infrastructure of this growing field must grow with the drive of the practitioners and the scale of the applications.

    Homeworld Collective is dedicated to nurturing the growth of climate biotech by fostering community, building knowledge, and directly supporting early stage research. Together we can work toward a healthy biosphere and thriving human society.

  • XPRIZE Graphic

    Feed the Next Billion XPRIZE Advisory Board Member

    XPRIZE

    - Present 3 years 8 months

    Science and Technology

    The $15 Million XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion advisory board is a collection of nine of the most influential voices participating in the conversation around the future of food.

    Launched in December 2020, amid a surge in global food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion seeks to meet the growing demand for protein products through the development of nutritious alternatives to traditional chicken and fish products that are cost-competitive and more…

    The $15 Million XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion advisory board is a collection of nine of the most influential voices participating in the conversation around the future of food.

    Launched in December 2020, amid a surge in global food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion seeks to meet the growing demand for protein products through the development of nutritious alternatives to traditional chicken and fish products that are cost-competitive and more sustainable to human health, the environment and animal welfare. Over the next three years, with guidance of the competition’s advisory board, teams of global innovators will be asked to develop environmentally conscious alternatives that replicate the look, taste, smell, feel, and cooking behavior of a fillet of fish or chicken.

    https://www.xprize.org/prizes/feedthenextbillion

  • Ontario Genomics Graphic

    National Engineering Biology Steering Committee Member

    Ontario Genomics

    - Present 3 years 7 months

    Science and Technology

    Canadian DNA Engineering Systems Network (Can-DESyNe) is the gateway to Canada’s industry-led engineering biology-enabled bio-manufacturing and biotechnology ecosystem.

    The ecosystem will focus on three sectors, namely industrial biotechnology, agriculture and agri-food, and health and biosciences, selected for, 1) industry/market pull; 2) existing pan-Canadian initiatives spanning research to commercialization TRL levels, 3) urgent requirement and imminent opportunities for sustainable…

    Canadian DNA Engineering Systems Network (Can-DESyNe) is the gateway to Canada’s industry-led engineering biology-enabled bio-manufacturing and biotechnology ecosystem.

    The ecosystem will focus on three sectors, namely industrial biotechnology, agriculture and agri-food, and health and biosciences, selected for, 1) industry/market pull; 2) existing pan-Canadian initiatives spanning research to commercialization TRL levels, 3) urgent requirement and imminent opportunities for sustainable alternatives to traditional manufacturing technologies, 4) economic and societal importance to Canada and Canadians.

    The National Engineering Biology Steering Committee will work with key partners to define the governance necessary for transparent and fair decision-making for project selection and IP ownership in Can-DESyNe.

  • Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Graphic

    Future Insight Prize Jury Member

    Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

    - Present 7 years

    Science and Technology

    At the occasion of their 350th anniversary, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany launched the Future Insight prize to stimulate innovative solutions to solve some of humanities greatest problems and to realize the dreams for a better tomorrow in the areas of health, nutrition and energy.

    The Future Insight prize will put the vision for ambitious dream products of global importance for humankind into the world and will trigger curiosity and creativity worldwide on how to make this vision a…

    At the occasion of their 350th anniversary, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany launched the Future Insight prize to stimulate innovative solutions to solve some of humanities greatest problems and to realize the dreams for a better tomorrow in the areas of health, nutrition and energy.

    The Future Insight prize will put the vision for ambitious dream products of global importance for humankind into the world and will trigger curiosity and creativity worldwide on how to make this vision a reality.

    Merck intends to give out up to EUR 1,000,000 annually for 35 years to incentivize people whose work has enabled significant progress towards making this vision a reality via discovering new ground-breaking science or via development of enabling technologies.

Publications

  • Cultured meat needs a race to mission not a race to market

    Nature Food

    The burgeoning field of cultured meat is racing to achieve the minimal standards required for market access. We argue that the focus must shift to a higher, mission-based standard based on transparency and collective processes.

    Other authors
    See publication

  • Food safety considerations and research priorities for the cultured meat and seafood industry

    Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety

    This was a collaborative effort, bringing together 87 individuals from 50 different cultured meat companies around the world.

    Safety is a non-negotiable when it comes to cultured meat, and we need to ensure that policymakers and regulators can get a sense of the whole industry. This paper charts a path forward for safety worldwide.

    Other authors
    See publication

  • The Carnery: A Cultured Future with In Vitro Meat

    The In Vitro Meat Cookbook / Next Nature Lab (Eindhoven University of Technology)

    An essay and design fiction speculating on how lab-grown meat could transform food industries and cultures.

    Other authors
    See publication

  • Possibilities for an in-vitro meat production system

    Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies

    Meat produced in vitro has been proposed as a humane, safe and environmentally beneficial alternative to slaughtered animal flesh as a source of nutritional muscle tissue. The basic methodology of an in vitro meat production system (IMPS) involves culturing muscle tissue in a liquid medium on a large scale. Each component of the system offers an array of options which are described taking into account recent advances in relevant research. A major advantage of an IMPS is that the conditions are…

    Meat produced in vitro has been proposed as a humane, safe and environmentally beneficial alternative to slaughtered animal flesh as a source of nutritional muscle tissue. The basic methodology of an in vitro meat production system (IMPS) involves culturing muscle tissue in a liquid medium on a large scale. Each component of the system offers an array of options which are described taking into account recent advances in relevant research. A major advantage of an IMPS is that the conditions are controlled and manipulatable. Limitations discussed include meeting nutritional requirements and large scale operation. The direction of further research and prospects regarding the future of in vitro meat production will be speculated.

    Other authors
    See publication

  • Cell-Based Fish: A Novel Approach to Seafood Production and an Opportunity for Cellular Agriculture

    Preprints

    Cellular agriculture is defined as the production of agricultural products from cell cultures rather than from whole plants or animals. With growing interest in cellular agriculture as a means to address the public health, environmental, and animal welfare challenges of animal agriculture, the concept of producing seafood from fish cell- and tissue-cultures is emerging as a means to address similar challenges with industrial aquaculture systems and marine capture.

    Cell-based seafood -…

    Cellular agriculture is defined as the production of agricultural products from cell cultures rather than from whole plants or animals. With growing interest in cellular agriculture as a means to address the public health, environmental, and animal welfare challenges of animal agriculture, the concept of producing seafood from fish cell- and tissue-cultures is emerging as a means to address similar challenges with industrial aquaculture systems and marine capture.

    Cell-based seafood - as opposed to animal-based seafood - can combine developments in biomedical engineering with modern aquaculture techniques. Biomedical engineering developments such as closed-system bioreactor production of land animal cells create a basis for large scale production of marine animal cells. Aquaculture techniques such as genetic modification and closed system aquaculture have achieved marked gains in production that can pave the way for innovations in cell-based seafood production.

    Here, we present the current state of innovation relevant to the development of cell-based seafood across multiple species as well as specific opportunities and challenges that exist for advancing this science.

    Other authors
    See publication

Projects

  • Meat Culture - Simple Process, Simple Product

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    An animation/motion graphics piece commissioned by New Harvest as a sequel to my graduate piece.

    Created to raise awareness about the role of chicken in industrial agriculture and the reduction of a complex organism to a set of parts.

    Created with direction from Isha Datar and advice from Natalie Rubio

    Other creators
    See project

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