Bachelor or Master Thesis on Optimization Processes for Cultured Meat

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (www.fraunhofer.com) is one of the world's leading organizations for application-oriented research. 75 institutes develop pioneering technologies for our economy and society – more precisely: 32 000 people from technology, science, administration and IT. They know: Anyone who comes to Fraunhofer wants to and can make a difference. For themselves, for us and for the markets of today and tomorrow.

Meat is a crucial source of protein for humans, but its growing demand, driven by population increase, poses significant ethical, environmental, and health challenges. Traditional meat production is linked to animal welfare issues, antibiotic resistance, zoonotic diseases and it significantly impacts the environment by contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water consumption. Consequently, there is an urgent need for sustainable and ethical meat alternatives.

Cultured meat presents a promising solution, offering substantial environmental benefits such as reduced energy use, land requirements, and greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, it presents several challenges, including the need to develop effective, scalable, and sustainable scaffolds to support cell adhesion and growth. It is imperative that cultured meat scaffolds be composed of non-animal-derived materials to guarantee ethical and regulatory compliance.

Previously, our research group at the Fraunhofer IME in Aachen has successfully developed a novel alginate-guar gum-konjac glucomannan (AGK) scaffold with a great property as a cultured meat analog (Chiu et. al., Future Foods (2025): 100795.). The aim of this project is to increase the cell adhesion rate in AGK scaffolds by 1) surface modification or 2) hydrogel encapsulation with plant-based materials to increase the cell maintenance ability. In addition, the mechanobiological response with bioreactor stimulation will also be investigated.

Be part of change

• Fabrication and modification of scaffolds
• Culturing and differentiation of mammalian cells
• Analysis of cell adhesion, morphology, viability, differentiation and behavior under bioreactor cultivation
• Contributing to data evaluation and publication preparation

What you contribute

• You are a registered student with a background in biomaterials, bioengineering, biotechnology or a related field
• Hands-on experience in cell culture and microscopy techniques
• Experience with immunofluorescence staining (desirable but not mandatory)
• Strong interest in tissue engineering and cellular agriculture
• Good command of the English language
• An independent working style combined with strong communication skills

What we offer

• A very good working atmosphere in an interdisciplinary, international and open-minded team
• A positive and appreciative institute culture that creates scope for creative thinking and innovative action
• The opportunity to work in an innovative research field
• State-of-the-art and extensively equipped laboratories and technology
• A large network within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The weekly working time is 39 hours. We value and promote the diversity of our employees' skills and therefore welcome all applications – regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, ideology, disability, sexual orientation and identity. Severely disabled persons are given preference in the event of equal suitability. Our tasks are diverse and adaptable – for applicants with disabilities, we work together to find solutions that best promote their abilities.

With its focus on developing key technologies that are vital for the future and enabling the commercial utilization of this work by business and industry, Fraunhofer plays a central role in the innovation process. As a pioneer and catalyst for groundbreaking developments and scientific excellence, Fraunhofer helps shape society now and in the future.