Cellular agriculture (cell ag) is a rapidly growing field which seeks to address the growing environmental, animal welfare, labor, and public health concerns of industrial livestock production by creating agricultural products from cell culture. Most research currently focuses on the biological and engineering aspects of cultivated meat and other cell ag products. However, tremendous gaps in knowledge exist regarding questions like: What does a just transition to cell ag look like? How will consumer acceptance and understanding of these products evolve? What policy levers (and even safeguards) will be necessary to ensure this technology has its intended impact on the world? How does the environmental impact vary across processes and products?

We are therefore excited to be onboarding three new PhD students to the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy to explore questions like this, working under faculty with expertise in areas such as economics, sustainable food systems, food policy, life cycle assessment, nutritional epidemiology, and nutrition science. Via the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), Tufts has a robust ecosystem of 90+ individuals from the undergraduate to faculty level working on cellular agriculture in some capacity, with most in the School of Engineering but a growing contingent at the Friedman School and elsewhere at Tufts. This is a unique opportunity for students interested in thinking about the social and environmental implications of cellular agriculture to do so side-byside with bench scientists.

About the program:

Students will be funded via a USDA National Needs Graduate Fellowship (NNF) Award, the Tufts-USDA National Needs Doctoral Fellowship Program In Cellular Agriculture, Nutrition And Society (CANS). They will be expected to complete the graduate cellular agriculture certificate along with other required coursework, and will undertake their dissertation research on topics relevant to cellular agriculture under the guidance of one or more of the program faculty. Core faculty include Sean Cash (program director), Nicole Tichenor-Blackstone, Fang Fang Zhang, Joel Mason, Parke Wilde, Tim Griffin, and David Kaplan.

The Friedman School is one of the leading institutions in the world in food and nutrition scholarship and policy. We bring together diverse experts who are committed to work that equitably improves the nutritional well-being of people around the globe. The School’s interdisciplinary focus and integrative nature complement the intellectually rich environment across Tufts University, a “Research Class 1” university. Moreover, the Friedman School has a history of and a commitment to inter-disciplinary research on food system sustainability, including the interactions between productivity, resource use, governance, industry and consumer preferences, nutrition and health, population disparities, and broader societal outcomes.

Requirements:

This funding opportunity is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Successful applicants will have a demonstrable interest in cellular agriculture and a strong background of academic success to date and must otherwise meet all requirements for admission to one of the Friedman School doctoral programs. As such, you must have either completed, or be in the process of completing, a graduate degree -- we do not offer direct entry to the Ph.D. program for students coming from undergraduate programs. Although it is not required that your graduate degree be identical to the MS program at the Friedman School, those who have completed programs with some coursework similar to our MS requirements will likely be at an advantage in the admissions process. Applicants from underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Additional information on our admissions requirements is available on the Friedman School website.

How to apply:

Interested applicants are encouraged to first submit an informal pre-submission inquiry at their earliest convenience to Dr. Sean Cash, program director, at sean.cash@tufts.edu; please include a current resume or CV as well as a brief email that describes your specific interest in the program.

Students will then be invited to submit a formal application through the Friedman School admissions portal. Applications should be submitted by May 1st for full consideration for enrollment in either September 2024 or January 2025. Admission fee waivers may be available upon request. Questions about the formal application process should be addressed to Ms. Marny Mitchell, Director of Admissions, at marny.mitchell@tufts.edu. As part of the formal application, you should be prepared to include a detailed statement of purpose that describes how your interests and goals align with the topics of this funded opportunity

Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture

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