Cultivated meat grows animal cells in bioreactors to produce real meat without slaughter. Although approved in several countries, high production costs limit widespread availability. This research targets the genetic pathways controlling cell growth to improve efficiency and lower costs, aiming to make affordable cultivated meat widely accessible and environmentally sustainable.
Balanced cell growth is essential: too much can cause cancer, too little can cause skeletal disorders. This PhD project investigates a mysterious protein linked to dwarfism. By tagging it with GFP, the researcher discovered it drives fat-droplet formation, revealing a previously unknown function that may explain its powerful effects on body growth.