Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic director focused on measurable results and operational excellence in maritime education. Integrates IMO/STCW regulations and ISO 21001/9001 f
Diploma · 800 h · 8 modules
Diploma in Lab-Grown Seafood (Cell Culture)
The Diploma in Lab-Grown Seafood (Cell Culture) Introduces you to the cell culture of fish and shellfish, an emerging technology that aims to produce seafood from cells without farming or catching animals. You will study the biolo
Duration800 h
FormatOnline
Starts21 December
Places20 / 20
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Programme overview
What is the Diploma in Lab-Grown Seafood (Cell Culture)?
The Diploma in Lab-Grown Seafood (Cell Culture)
Introduces you to the cell culture of fish and shellfish, an emerging technology that aims to produce seafood from cells without farming or catching animals. You will study the biology of fish, mollusc and crustacean cells, culture media and bioreactors, scaffolds and product formulation, and critically analyse the technical and economic challenges, the novel food regulation that is still taking shape and how consumers may respond.
Key advantages
- Frontier technology: A rigorous view of an emerging field still under active research.
- Critical approach: What is known, what remains unsolved and what has not yet been demonstrated.
- Biotech foundations: Cell biology, bioprocessing and food engineering.
- Regulatory insight: Safety assessment and authorisation of novel foods.
- Case study: A feasibility analysis of a cell-cultivated seafood product.
Programme type
Diploma
Study mode
Online
Duration
800 hours
Modules
8
Programme highlights
- Understand the technology: Learn the fundamentals of cell culture for marine species.
- Analyse the bioprocess: Study media, bioreactors and scale-up.
- Design the product: Tackle texture, flavour and formulation.
- Assess risks and rules: Understand food safety and regulation.
- Boost your career: Prepare for start-ups, research centres and the food industry.
- Build a rigorous understanding of one of the most closely watched emerging food technologies.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 8 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Foundations of Cellular Agriculture
- What cellular agriculture is
- Alternative proteins: plant-based, fermentation and cell culture
- Drivers: overfishing, sustainability and animal welfare
- Current state of research
- Target marine species
- Differences from cultivated land-animal meat
- Players in the sector
- Expectations versus reality
02
Cell Biology of Fish and Shellfish
- Cell types: myocytes, adipocytes and fibroblasts
- Stem and progenitor cells
- Taking biopsies
- Establishing cell lines
- Spontaneous immortalisation and its implications
- Temperature and osmolarity in marine cells
- Crustacean and mollusc cells
- Cell banking and characterisation
03
Culture Media
- Components of a culture medium
- Foetal bovine serum and its problems
- Serum-free media
- Growth factors
- Recombinant production of growth factors
- Hydrolysates and alternative sources
- The cost of media
- Media recycling
04
Bioreactors and Scale-Up
- Types of bioreactor
- Suspension and microcarrier culture
- Oxygen, mixing and shear stress
- Process control and sterility
- Cell differentiation at scale
- Scale-up: technical challenges
- Techno-economic analysis
- Continuous versus batch production
05
Scaffolds, Structure and Product
- Unstructured and structured products
- Edible scaffolds
- D food printing
- The texture of fish muscle
- Fat and omega-3 profile
- Flavour, colour and aroma
- Hybrid products with plant ingredients
- Sensory analysis
06
Food Safety and Quality
- Biological hazards and contamination
- Genetic stability of cell lines
- Residues of media components
- Allergenicity of cultivated shellfish
- Comparative nutritional value
- Good manufacturing practice
- Applied HACCP systems
- Process traceability
07
Regulation, Market and Society
- The EU Novel Food Regulation
- EFSA safety assessment
- Novel food authorisation in Great Britain
- Regulatory frameworks in other countries
- Labelling and product naming
- Consumer perception and acceptance
- Life cycle assessment: available evidence
- Intellectual property and business models
08
Case Study: Feasibility of a Cell-Cultivated Seafood Product
- Choosing the species and product
- Review of the state of the art
- Designing the bioprocess
- Cost estimation
- Food safety risk analysis
- Regulatory roadmap
- Market and consumer analysis
- Presenting conclusions
Workload
Study Time and Workload
800 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Graduates in biotechnology, biology, veterinary science or food science: who want to explore cellular agriculture Cell biology researchers: looking to apply their expertise to marine species Food and seafood industry professionals: following the development of alternative proteins Agri-food consultants and investors: who need to assess projects with technical judgement Public sector staff:
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Understand the cell biology of marine species
- 02Analyse culture media
- 03Understand the bioprocess
- 04Approach product design
- 05Assess safety and regulation
- 06Judge feasibility
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Cell culture technician: R&D laboratories in alternative proteins.
02Bioprocess technician: Developing and scaling up culture processes.
03Regulatory affairs specialist: Preparing novel food dossiers.
04Food R&D technician: Formulation and sensory analysis of new products.
05Sector analyst: Technology monitoring and project assessment.
06Researcher: Projects at public and private research centres.
Questions
Entry Requirements
It is an emerging technology: most projects are at the research or development stage, and sales depend on authorisations that in many markets, including the EU and the UK, have not yet been granted.
It is not essential, but some knowledge of biology helps. The programme reviews the fundamentals of cell culture.
The programme is online: you work with protocols, data and published cases rather than in-person lab practicals.
As a novel food: it requires a safety assessment and authorisation (by the FSA and FSS in Great Britain, and by EFSA and the European Commission in the EU) before it can be sold.
No. It rigorously analyses the challenges of cost, scale-up and acceptance, which remain open.
100% online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded, and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The programme involves 800 hours of study. You can work at your own pace within the timetable we give you when you enrol.
Each programme has its own start date, shown on this page and confirmed by our admissions team when you enquire.
On completing the programme you receive the Diploma in Lab-Grown Seafood (Cell Culture) qualification awarded by Navalis Magna Institute.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
Entry profile: A degree in biotechnology, biology, biochemistry, veterinary science, food science, chemical engineering or a related field; or professional experience in a laboratory or the food industry. Language: A good working level of English to follow classes and materials. Technical requirements: A computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a webcam for live sessions and project presentations. Admissions process: Online application, profile review and a short interview with the academic team. We confirm your start date when you enquire.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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