Shape the future of food: Nutritional Quality and Safety of Cultivated Meat Hybrids
Title
Shape the future of food: Nutritional Quality and Safety of Cultivated Meat Hybrids
Research area and project description
Cultivated meat is emerging as a promising future method for meat production, relying on the stemness of muscle stem cells and advanced biotechnological techniques. However, to gain consumer acceptance, cultivated meat must also meet expectations regarding nutritional quality and food safety.
This PhD project will investigate the nutritional value and food safety aspects of hybrid products that incorporate muscle cells.
First challenge is to produce the biomass and specifically handle the requirement of satellite cells need to adhere to a scaffold or extracellular matrix, to be able to proliferate. In this project edible microcarriers will be developed and tested as a solution to upscale the production of the biomass.
Conventional meat is widely recognized for its high-quality protein and as an excellent source of dietary iron. To match these expectations, future hybrid products containing cultivated meat must achieve comparable levels of essential amino acids, highly bioavailable protein and ensure sufficient amounts of bioavailable iron.
Although allergic reactions to meat are rare, certain compounds can trigger immune responses in a small subset of the population. Therefore, it is crucial to explore and evaluate the presence of potential allergenic molecules in cultivated meat.
To address these challenges, the Department of Food Science at Aarhus University has established a strong re-search portfolio with synergistic projects. This PhD position is part of a broader strategic investment in cellular food, led by our group at the Department of Food Science.
Project description
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Qualifications and specific competences
Applicants must have a relevant master’s degree (120 ECTS) or at least one year of a master’s degree in food science, molecular biology or similar. Documented experience in culturing of mammalian cells is regarded as an advantage. The ideal candidate is also experienced with the INFOGEST model.
Good English communications skills are also highly recommended.
Place of employment and place of work
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Agro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus N., Denmark.
Contacts
Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact:
- Martin Krøyer Rasmussen, martink.rasmussen@food.au.dk (main supervisor)
- Jette Feveile Young, jettef.young@food.au.dk (co-supervisor)
For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide. If answers cannot be found there, please contact:
How to apply
Please follow this link to submit your application.
Application deadline is 06 February 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Preferred starting date is 01 April 2026.
Please note:
- Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be considered.
- The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
- Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.
Please note in your application that you found the job at Jobindex
