PhD Position Metabolic Engineering for Cultivated Meat

Are you ready to engineer metabolic pathways to develop the next generation of animal cell lines for cost-effective, scalable, delicious cruelty-free meat?!

Job description

Cultivated meat, the production of genuine meat products from in vitro culture of animal cells, is an emerging biotechnology within the field of cellular agriculture with the potential to revolutionise food production from both an environmental and ethical perspective. Unfortunately, mammalian cells in their unmodified state have severe limitations with respect to in vitro culture, presenting major challenges for the scalability and cost-effectiveness of cultivated meat bioprocesses. These include slow proliferation, expensive medium requirements and suboptimal metabolic efficiency.

Metabolic engineering, the controlled reprogramming of metabolism through the modification of existing pathways, and the addition of new ones, offers a potential solution. We are hiring for a PhD student to join the group for a fully-funded project of 4 years. Within the Flack group, you will develop tools and methods for metabolic engineering of bovine satellite cell lines, and use these to introduce new and improved metabolic phenotypes relating to, for example, efficiency of carbon-substrate utilization and de novo synthesis of currently essential, expensive medium components.

Within the broad scope of metabolic engineering for cultivated meat, there will be freedom to direct your own research projects, and to become acquainted with new techniques and approaches. There will be opportunities to supervise MSc and BSc students in the group. Advice and discussion will be available for candidates interested in both academic and industry careers. We are a friendly, collaborative group and are looking for a highly motivated student with strong scientific communication skills. You will be joining a dynamic department with broad interests in biotechnology and synthetic biology across all domains of life.

The research is funded as part of the Cellular Agriculture Netherlands Open Calls Programme, and will involve collaboration and coordination with various industrial parties and external experts.

Job requirements

The ideal candidate will be an ambitious, proactive, reflective, and results-driven researcher. We are looking for the following:

• MSc degree in a relevant field, such as cell biology, biotechnology or a related field of biological sciences.
• Prior lab experience in molecular biology, cloning and genetic manipulation.
• Prior experience with gene editing and/or cell engineering (e.g. CRISPR/Cas or related techniques) is highly desirable.
• Prior experience with animal cell culture is desirable but not required.
• A strong interest in both metabolism and cellular agriculture/cultivated meat is essential, although specific prior experience in these areas is not expected or required.
• Strong collaboration, communication and writing skills.

TU Delft as an employer

At TU Delft, you will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional within an international community of professionals and students.

Faculty Applied Sciences

You will be joining a scientific environment focused on key enabling technologies such as biotechnology, synthetic biology, photonics, quantum- and nanotechnology, and materials for energy storage and conversion. Its scientists conduct fundamental and applied research across Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1.5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months, followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2.5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Additional information

PhD position is envisaged to start at the end of 2026 or January 2027.