The DERISC Food Fellowship

Due January 5, 2025

The DERISC (Defining, Enhancing, and Refining Agricultural Inputs and the Supply Chains of Cellular Agriculture and Biomanufacturing of Food) Fellowship is for PhD or post-doctoral candidates seeking to join a new manifestation of New Harvest’s Fellowship Program aimed at connecting cellular agriculture with primary agriculture.

We are seeking 10 bold researchers to join us in building this project. If we are successful, we will secure funding from the Canadian government to launch the project.

Researchers in this 10-fellow cohort will be focused on prototyping various cellular agriculture inputs using Canadian agricultural resources to create a sustainable and innovative food system. These prototypes will be supported by life cycle assessments, techno-economic analyses, and safety strategies to aid in the business development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This fellowship program is part of a larger Canada-wide, New Harvest-led initiative to build out food biomanufacturing, push value-added agriculture, and create a more food secure future while strengthening Canada’s agriculture sector.

Successful applicants will:

  • Be in a PhD or postdoctoral position, supervised by one of the 6 principal investigators (PIs) at one of the 4 participating universities we have co-designed this project with;
  • Join the New Harvest Fellowship program, collaborating closely across the 10-fellow cohort;
    Work with industry partners and New Harvest to establish the first cellular agriculture (including precision fermentation and cultured meat) value chain ecosystem.
  • Join a groundbreaking multidisciplinary project to build the agricultural foundations of cellular agriculture.

This initiative will offer all fellows a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between cellular agriculture SMEs and agricultural processors. The interdisciplinary nature of this work will help potential fellows develop leadership skills and foster collaboration to accelerate advancements in cellular agriculture.

Available Projects and Academic Partners

Listed below are the ten different PhD/post-doctoral research opportunities across six PIs and four universities.

Developing Inputs and Ingredients for Cellular Agriculture Processes

  • Dr. Jianping Wu, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
    • One PhD and one Postdoctoral Fellow will investigate using canola and pea sidestreams to produce affordable plant-based alternatives to fetal bovine serum.
  • Dr. Ning Xiang, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
    • One PhD will focus on plant-based scaffold development
  • Dr. Nandika Bandara, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
    • One PhD and one Postdoctoral Fellow will explore sustainable alternatives to protein extraction and processing from crop sidestreams. 
  • Dr. Chandra Singh, Lethbridge Polytechnic, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
    • One Postdoctoral Fellow will examine alternative uses of beet juice as a potential feedstock for cellular agriculture.

Creation of a Cell Bank for Cultured Meat Production

  • Dr. Ning Xiang, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
    • Two PhDs will focus on establishing a cell bank to assess, develop, and optimize methods for procuring and characterizing cell lines, including Prairies farm animal species.

Quality and Safety Assessment of Cellular Agriculture Inputs

  • Dr. Stanislav Sokolenko, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • One PhD or part-time Postdoctoral Fellow will analyze the composition, nutritional value, and potential contaminants in the inputs produced through this project to determine their suitability for mammalian cell culture and precision fermentation applications. 

Exploring Sustainable Supply Chains

  • Dr. Khaled Benis, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • One PhD will develop Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) of the inputs produced through this project and compare them to conventional products and current CA production methods. They will also develop TEA  to explore potential economic benefits for both the cell ag industry and the agricultural sector.

Program Information

  • Funding for PhD and Postdoctoral positions throughout the duration of the project, including research expenses (subject to university policies and funding approval)
  • A collaborative work environment with fellows, principal investigators, and industry partners that are part of this project
  • Opportunity to bridge the gap between cellular agriculture SMEs and agricultural processors
  • Access to New Harvest’s exclusive fellowship program, featuring:
    • New Harvest Virtual Fellow Community channels 
    • Mentorship from New Harvest staff
    • Professional development opportunities
    • Guest presentations
    • Annual in-person gatherings
    • Collaboration opportunities with other New Harvest Fellows
  • Hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology and research
  • Networking opportunities with leading academic and industry partners from New Harvest’s extensive network

Eligibility

Fellowship eligibility varies by project and host institution. Please review the specific details of the project you are interested in applying for below:

Developing Inputs and Ingredients for Cellular Agriculture Processes

  • Dr. Jianping Wu, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
    • PhD: The successful candidate should have a background in cell biology, food science, bioprocessing, or a related field
    • Postdoc: The successful candidate should hold a PhD degree in cell biology, food science, bioprocessing, or a related field with strong communication and interpersonal skills
    • PhD candidates should meet the entrance requirements at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences of the University of Alberta. 
  • Dr. Nandika Bandara, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
  • Dr. Chandra Singh, Lethbridge Polytechnic, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
    • Postdoc: The successful candidate should hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Food Process Engineering, Postharvest Engineering, Food Technology or similar.

Creation of a cell bank for Cultured Meat Production

  • Dr. Ning Xiang, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
    • PhD: successful candidates should have a background in cell biology, tissue engineering, bioengineering, bioprocessing, biomaterials, food technology or a related field. 
    • Previous experience with animal cell isolation and cultivation will be considered an advantage. 
    • PhD candidates should meet the entrance requirements at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences of the University of Alberta.  

Quality and safety assessment of cellular agriculture inputs

  • Dr. Stanislav Sokolenko, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • PhD or part-time Postdoc: The successful candidate will have extensive experience with metabolomics and proteomics. Previous experience with multi-omic experiments and data pipeline development. Project management experience with multiple collaborators and plant biology experience are a major plus. The candidate should meet the University’s Admission Requirements.

Exploring Sustainable Supply Chains

We welcome all qualified candidates to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. If suitable Canadian citizens or permanent residents cannot be found, other individuals will be considered. We encourage applicants from underrepresented groups to apply.

Applicants should be committed to working in highly interdisciplinary environments. Appreciation for different methodological approaches and ways of knowing and thinking are highly valued at New Harvest.

Expectations

All Fellows are expected to fully participate in the New Harvest and partners research communities. These communities will provide complementary experiences relevant to the project. Expectations include (but are not limited to) participation in one hour-long video call per month and weekly or bi-weekly virtual check-ins through Slack. 

Applicants should be committed to working in highly interdisciplinary environments. Appreciation for different methodological approaches and ways of knowing and thinking are highly valued at New Harvest.

Application Process

Application Materials

  • Cover letter or Personal Statement
    • Prompt: Describe the experiences that have shaped your desire to enter the field of cellular agriculture and how the New Harvest Fellowship and this specific initiative can help you achieve your future goals (1000 words max). 
  • CV
  • Project Rationale
    • Briefly describe your interest in the Project you’re applying to (1000 words max).

Please submit your application using this form. 

Note: If you are interested in applying for multiple positions, you must fill out the form for each one and tailor your project rationale to the corresponding position. 

If you have any specific questions about the projects available, contact the correspondent PI.

Timeline

Applications are due January 5, 2025.  Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview as soon as possible and may be asked for additional information through the review process.

Successful applicants will be notified by the end of January 2025 so they can apply to the respective university. 

Postdocs and Dalhousie PhDs are expected to start by May 2025 and run until March 31st 2028. Other PhDs will start by July 1st, 2025 and run until March 31, 2028.

Stay tuned!