Rohan Shirwaiker is leading the future of food. NC State’s new Bezos Center for Sustainable Proteins looks to tackle global protein demands with cutting-edge tech.
NC State is already a leader in engineering and agriculture. Now, the university is bringing these fields together to help grow North Carolina’s economy. Thanks to a $30 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, NC State will create the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein, led by ISE professor Rohan Shirwaiker and Bill Aimutis. This center will help make the university a leader in biomanufacturing and new food technologies.
The center’s challenge is the long-term issue of food security. As the global population grows, it will reach 10 billion people in the coming decades. With this increase, the demand for nutritious food will also rise, and proteins, essential for health, will become even more critical.
The growing population requires more protein, but resources like land and water remain limited. Traditional agriculture also has a significant environmental impact. To meet these needs, new technologies are required to complement existing animal and plant agriculture methods.
The new technologies will focus on plant-based meats like the Impossible Burger, but that’s only the start. Proteins are a growing industry with huge potential. The center will also develop fermentation-made proteins. “Using fermentation, we can create enzymes, proteins and other flavors that enhance food taste and texture, ” explained Shirwaiker. These processes will give food important qualities that consumers value.
Finally, the center will work on producing meat from animal cells without growing an entire animal. “By taking cells from chickens or cows, biotechnology can create meat that looks, tastes and has the same nutrition and safety as the meat we eat today,” said Shirwaiker.
Shirwaiker believes this grant will push the university to the top. “This $30 million is going to put us at the forefront nationally and internationally,” he said. The grant will help NC State develop better ways to produce alternative proteins, like plant-based products and lab-grown meat.
The new center in Fitts-Woolard Hall will bring together over 25 faculty members. These researchers will work with people in four different NC State colleges. Their goal is to improve how alternative proteins are made, train workers, and connect with farmers, consumers, and policymakers. “This is really about expanding and strengthening our food system,” Shirwaiker explained.
NC State’s strong background in agriculture and biotechnology gives it an advantage. By combining these fields, the university will help lead the future of food production and boost North Carolina’s economy.
About Rohan Shirwaiker
Rohan Shirwaiker, Ph.D., is the James T. Ryan Professor and University Faculty Scholar at NC State’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on design and manufacturing.
Shirwaiker’s research focuses on designing and scaling the manufacturing of biological products for medical and sustainable food uses. His team develops biomanufacturing processes and platform technologies to create functional products with biomimetic features.