2.2 Agent/cell-based models
A different kind of modeling is that of agent-based models. This kind of modeling is typically used for systems where it is easy to discern and divide a system into sub-parts or subsystems (called agents) that follow explicit behavioral rules. Since there are numerous discrete subsystems and a potentially vast number of interactions among such subsystems, it becomes challenging or unfeasible to write down a mathematical set of equations governing the entire system. The agents in such a system can typically be represented as relatively simple entities. Examples of this are individual people in a crowd, birds in a flock, or cells in a Petri dish. In each case, every agent interacts with other agents following some specified set of rules, although such interactions typically involve only a small number of “neighbors” of an agent, such as birds interacting only with nearby birds.
3. Cultivated meat modeling consortium
We have articulated (1) an urgent need for alternatives to animal agriculture, (2) the potential of cultivated meat to satisfy that need, (3) the steps common to most cultivated meat processes and (4) the capacity of computational modeling to accelerate the optimization of process steps and product outcomes, thus mitigating efficiency challenges.
To connect the dots, Biocellion SPC hosted a meeting on June 5-7, 2019, in Seattle, Washington, where attendees included the Biocellion team, cultivated meat company representatives, academic researchers from related fields, students from multiple disciplines, investors, and industry experts. The meeting intention was to begin the process of developing a computer model platform for use by cultivated meat companies and researchers. The platform would enable companies to bring cultivated meat to market more quickly and at a lower cost by reducing the need for laboratory experiments. The on site meeting was preceded by a series of virtual meetings (starting in May, 2019) with individual participants and the Biocellion team. The goal of the June meeting was to initiate a conversation between stakeholders in various fields, and to begin to establish an early stage consortium. The purpose of the nascent group is to i) develop a multiscale modeling framework for cultivated meat manufacturing, and ii) outline the first steps of developing the model framework that require immediate action.