Scalable production of bioengineered fur products

The project aims to develop a scalable bioprocess whereby cells that extrude hair-like structures can be cultivated within a synthetic skin support analogue (SSSA) for the production of animal-free fur products as an advanced biomaterial. For safety and traceability of future animal-free fur products, the project also aims to develop novel approaches to inserting encrypted barcode sequences within the genome of the genetically modified cells used to generate biosynthetic fur pelts. This project will address the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) research theme of synthetic biology by exploring sustainable dyeing/ colouration of the biosynthetic fur pelts will via porting metabolic pathways from other organisms.

Animal-free biosynthetic fur has the potential to introduce, or re-introduce, fur garments into markets that currently would not feature conventional fur due to concerns regarding ethical standards, environmental impacts and animal cruelty. This studentship aims to map the design space for combining 3D bioprinting, synthetic biology and biomanufacturing to establish high volume, low cost biofabrication platforms for animal-free fabrics. Knowledge gained from this project will underpin the production of animal-free fur pelt products as a revolutionary new material for the fashion industry.

The ultimate goal of this project is to establish major steps toward a biomanufacturing technology that will in future supplant conventional, animal-based fur production. It is anticipated that there will be some indirect overlap with EPSRC research themes of healthcare technologies in the field of tissue engineering. Conventional fur farming comes with a number of major undesirable features, all of which have been drivers behind it being outlawed on many countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom and the majority of countries in Europe.

Undesirable features of fur farming include i) the cruel treatment of animals grown for their fur in terms of their living conditions and the methods used to recover pelts, ii) the sustainability of the fur farming with respect to the carbon footprint for processes such as curing and dying pelts, iii) the ecological impacts of animals that escape from fur farms as invasive species iv) the impacts of intense animal farming as a potential driver of zoonotic disease such as the COVID-19 global pandemic and the ensuing global uncertainty.

The EPSRC research areas relevant to this research are:
- Manufacturing technologies
- Healthcare technologies
- Global uncertainties
- Synthetic Biology
- Healthcare technologies
- Manufacturing the future
- Biomaterials and tissue engineering

The CDT has a proven track record of delivering impact from its research and training activities and this will continue in the new Centre. The main types of impact relate to: (i) provision of highly skilled EngD and sPhD graduates; (ii) generation of intellectual property (IP) in support of collaborating companies or for spin-out company creation; (iii) knowledge exchange to the wider bioprocess-using industries; (iv) benefits to patients in terms of new and more cost effective medicines, and (v) benefits to the wider society via involvement in public engagement activities and impacts on policy.

With regard to training, provision of future bioindustry leaders is the primary output of the CDT and some 96% of previous EngD graduates have progressed to relevant bioindustry careers. These highly skilled individuals help catalyse private sector innovation and biomanufacturing activity. This is of enormous importance to capitalise on emerging markets, such as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), and to create new jobs and a skilled labour force to underpin economic growth. The CDT will deliver new, flexible on-line training modules on complex biological products manufacture that will be made available to the wider bioprocessing community. It will also provide researchers with opportunities for international company placements and cross-cohort training between UCL and SSPC via a new annual Summer School and Conference.

In terms of IP generation, each industry-collaborative EngD project will have direct impact on the industry sponsor in terms of new technology generation and improvements to existing processes or procedures. Where substantial IP is generated in EngD or sPhD programmes, this has the potential to lead to spin-out company creation and job creation with wider economic benefit. CDT research has already led to creation of a number of successful spin-out companies and licensing agreements. Once arising IP is protected the existing UCL and NIBRT post-experience training programmes provide opportunities for wider industrial dissemination and impact of CDT research and training materials.

CDT projects will address production of new ATMPs or improvements to the manufacture of the next generation of complex biological products that will directly benefit healthcare providers and patients. Examples arising from previous EngD projects have included engineered enzymes for greener pharmaceutical synthesis, novel bioprocess operations to reduce biopharmaceutical manufacturing costs and the translation of early stem cell therapies into clinical trials. In each case the individual researchers have been important champions of knowledge exchange to their collaborating companies.

Finally, in terms of wider public engagement and society, the CDT has achieved substantial impact via involvement of staff and researchers in activities with schools (e.g. STEMnet), presentations at science fairs (Big Bang, Cheltenham), delivery of high profile public lectures (Wellcome Trust, Royal Institution) as well as TV and radio presentations. The next generation of CDT researchers will receive new training on the principles of Responsible Innovation (RI) that will be embedded in their research and help inform their public engagement activities and impact on policy.