Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat MOOC Syllabus

Week 1: Why do we need plant-based and cultivated meat?

In the first lecture, you’ll learn about the sustainability issues associated with current meat production, the history of plant-based meat, and the current state of the plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated meat industries.

Week 2: What is meat?

In week two, we’ll cover the composition of meat, the protein contents of commonly eaten foods, protein requirements and digestion in humans, as well as current consumer trends in plant-based and traditional meat consumption.

Week 3: What is plant-based meat?

This lecture starts with a review of global meat consumption trends and then dives into the science of plant-based meat production. You’ll learn about ingredient sourcing, protein isolation and functionalization, formulation, and manufacturing methods.

Week 4: What's the dirt on cultivated meat?

Week four starts off with a review of the benefits offered by cultivated meat and then goes deep into the science of cultivated meat production. The lecture covers cell line development, cell culture media, scaffolding, bioreactors, scale up, and key bottlenecks to the advancement of the industry.

Week 5: Investment and funding for plant-based and cultivated meat

In the final lecture, you’ll learn about investments in alternative proteins, the current competitive landscape, white space opportunities, and the pressing need for additional research funding.