On July 20-21, the cellular agriculture research institute New Harvest had their annual conference at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 3DHEALS Community Manager for Boston, Jess Charlap, attended the conference to investigate the overlap between 3D printing for healthcare, especially bio-printing, and cellular agriculture, also known as lab-grown meat.
What is New Harvest?
Established in 2004, New Harvest supports research that reinvents the way we make animal products. By applying advances in tissue engineering and synthetic biology to growing food, New Harvest plans to revolutionize the supply chain of animal products to continue to provide affordable and sustainable food to a growing population. They call this “cellular agriculture.”
Cellular agriculture can produce eggs, milk, meat, and more without intensive crop and animal farming. Unfortunately, this nascent field is not well supported by existing research funding mechanisms. New Harvest encourages innovation inn cellular agriculture by funding research, bringing together the community, and educating the public in a transparent and science-based manner.
Who Spoke at the Conference?

Presenters at the New Harvest Conference ranged from academic researchers, regulators, entrepreneurs, lawyers, biohackers, engineers, industry analysts, and philosophers. New Harvest Communications Directors Erin Kim served as Master of Ceremonies and introduced the speakers. A full list of speakers and topics can be found here.
The exhibit hall featured networking opportunities, samples, and information from startups, researchers, and cellular agriculture adjacent organizations. New cellular agriculture companies like Because Animals, Higher Steaks, Kiran Meats, New Age Meats, and Sea future Sustainable Biotech joined relative old-timers Geltor, Finless Foods, Ecovative, nonfood, and Ginkgo Bioworks. New Harvest Research Director Kate Krueger was on hand to discuss recent grants and projects, supported by informational posters on the far wall of the exhibit hall

Who Attended the Conference?
Most of the audience members I spoke with were researchers and entrepreneurs looking to build partnerships and learn about where the cellular agriculture industry is headed. Many identified as vegan and were passionate about a future without animal agriculture. Others were fascinated by tissue engineering or the profit potential of disrupting animal agriculture.
Big Themes/Takeaways
A big takeaway from the New Harvest Conference was how far away this technology is from being commercially viable and widely available. The industry frontrunners are very aware of the challenges they will need to overcome in terms of government regulation, scalability, market forces, and public acceptance. Several themes developed over the course of the conference:
Learn from others. The traditional agriculture industry, other ground-breaking technology, manufacturing engineers, and academia can all contribute to a successful commercial launch. Competition among organizations at this stage of cellular agriculture could stifle innovation and hold everyone back. In general, openness has more to offer than secrecy.
Keep an eye on the regulatory pathway. These products are very new. Safety is going to be a key consumer concern. Engaging with government officials early will prevent later roadblocks. A rush to market or dismissal of ethical concerns could prevent effective engagement with the stakeholders needed for widespread acceptance.
Build conversations through stories. Food is an emotional topic. Finding the right language to convince politicians and investors that this technology is safe, viable, and necessary will be key to the future of bio fabrication. A unified voice will benefit the entire industry as it grows. The word “meat” is a particular point of tension between the traditional and cellular agriculture industries. (see this article in the Atlantic for more)
What’s the Connection to the 3DHEALS Community?
I attended the conference anticipating that the main overlap with the 3DHEALS community would be the use of 3D printing for cellular scaffolds and the supply chain issues around cell culture media. While those topics were covered, I was struck by the potential health benefits of food designed at the molecular level as well as the more philosophical issues will probably confront lab-grown organs as well as lab-grown meat.
Again and again, the answer to anticipated challenges was to build coalitions and community. The more supporters and partners cellular agriculture has, the stronger it will be as a market force and the more likely it will be to affect change. 3DHEALS could be a key partner in that coalition. I invite everyone with an interest in 3D printing for healthcare to take a look at New Harvest and similar organizations such as the Good Food Institute. There is a lot we can learn from each other.

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Q: What is the biggest business risk you have taken?

A: Ha. We risked everything to take on the task of starting Tangible Solutions. I had 4 jobs at one point just to make ends meet while we were getting started. We took out a credit account to put the down payment on our first two machines. 80+ hour workweeks 7 days a week for next to nothing. It’s a huge risk.

Mr. Chris Collins, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Tangible Solutions, is an industry leading Mechanical Engineer. Listed on 2 Patents, He has intimate knowledge of Engineering Design for overall manufacturability of products, especially for 3D Printing; and applies kinematic design and analysis techniques through engineering design software. He has significant experience applying and manufacturing trabecular structures for medical implant applications. Mr. Chris Collins will be a speaker at #3DHEALS2017.

Q: What is your vision on the intersection of 3D Printing and healthcare?

A: Right now, I see AM & Healthcare intersecting most heavily in the emergency custom implant arena. There are many articles surrounding the topic. As we move forward with the technology, we will see titanium orthopedic implants taking over.

Q: What do you specialize in? What is your passion?

A: I specialize in mechanical design for Additive Manufacturing. Particularly implementing trabecular (randomized porous) structures in medical devices. This has become a passion of mine through experience. There is nothing like knowing that I contributed toward a design that will soon help improve the quality of life for an individual.

Q: What is the biggest potential impact you see 3D printing having on the healthcare industry?

A: In regard to the manufacturing world: I see the biggest impact being on the orthopedic implant industry. There are a multitude of devices, custom plates, etc, that could benefit greatly from design freedoms offered by AM. Something I’m not as familiar with is bio-printing. I think this is truly a game-changer when it comes to growing an organ or other functional body parts is something that isn’t far off — if it doesn’t already exist in some capacity.

Q: What challenges do you see arising in implementing 3D printing in healthcare sector in the next 5 years?

A: Some of the biggest challenges are quality & regulatory. These are seen as hurdles by some, but the safeguards are in place for a reason, and we’ve all just got to work together to reach reasonable solutions through gaining a better understanding of the processes on both sides of the proverbial fence.

Q: What is the best business lesson you have learned?

A: There have been so many lessons learned throughout the entrepreneurial process… Some of the most important in relation to Additive is that you’ve absolutely got to design for the process. Printing the same part that can be easily injection molded, milled, turned, cut, etc is often the opposite of the correct use of the technology. Engineers must have an understanding of the factors that drive cost in an additively manufactured part, and the benefits associated (often improved performance).

Q: What is the biggest business risk you have taken?

A: Ha. We risked everything to take on the task of starting Tangible Solutions. I had 4 jobs at one point just to make ends meet while we were getting started. We took out a credit account to put the down payment on our first two machines. 80+ hour workweeks 7 days a week for next to nothing. It’s a huge risk.

Q: What crucial skill should people aiming to work in this industry acquire?

A: There is a huge gap in technical operators of equipment. Training programs are few & far between, and experienced techs are already gainfully employed inside a business that has a demand for that position. This is a big reason that TS is largely involved with local Community Colleges as well as Universities in the development of technical skill-sets.

Q: What is your vision on the next step for metal 3DP in healthcare?

A: I think the next step is production-level capacities for Titanium orthopedic devices. Although I am admittedly ignorant to the state of bioprinting.

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