Isha Datar
{{Short description|Canadian biotechnologist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Isha Datar
| image = Isha Datar (29669893021) (cropped).jpg
| occupation = Executive Director of New Harvest
| organization = [https://new-harvest.org/ New Harvest]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|1|6}}
| birth_place = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada{{Cite news |last=Hui |first=Ann |date=February 14, 2020 |title=Milk’s next frontier: Lab-made food could change the way we eat – and it’s quickly becoming a reality |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-milks-next-frontier-lab-made-food-could-change-the-way-we-eat-and/ |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=The Globe and Mail}}
| education = {{plainlist|
}}
| website = [https://new-harvest.org/people/?direct-link=60a20f461a300 New Harvest Profile]
}}
Isha Datar (born January 6, 1988) is the executive director of New Harvest, known for her work in cellular agriculture, the production of agricultural products from cell cultures.
Early life and education
Datar was raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.{{cite web |last1=Wong |first1=Kristine |title=Isha Datar is Creating a Path Forward for Alternative Animal Protein |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/news/science-technology/isha-datar-creating-path-forward-alternative-animal-protein |website=Food & Wine |publisher=Meredith Corporation |access-date=25 February 2021 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108142218/https://www.foodandwine.com/news/science-technology/isha-datar-creating-path-forward-alternative-animal-protein |url-status=dead }} Her mother worked at a dairy farm, where Datar spent much of her childhood growing vegetables alongside her. Datar's mother was also a sculptor, and her father a doctor. After an elementary school field trip to a landfill, she became invested in reducing global waste and the impact of climate change. She received a B.S. from the University of Alberta in 2009.{{cite news |last1=Hui |first1=Ann |title=Milk's next frontier: Lab-made food could change the way we eat – and it's quickly becoming a reality |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-milks-next-frontier-lab-made-food-could-change-the-way-we-eat-and/ |website=The Globe and Mail|date=14 February 2020 }} During her time as an undergraduate, Datar took a meat science class that challenged her idealistic vision of the sustainability of the animal agriculture industry and introduced her to cellular agriculture.{{cite magazine |last=Treleaven |first=Sarah |date=July 2016 |title=Ms. Chatelaine: Isha Datar |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1791379946/A65D60BA372A4BAFPQ |magazine=Chatelaine |publisher=St. Joseph Communications |volume=89 |issue=7 |page=16 |access-date=August 2, 2021}} Datar received her M.Biotech from the University of Toronto Mississauga in 2013.{{cite web |last1=McGivern |first1=Chris |title=Isha Datar: New Harvest and the Post-Animal Bioeconomy |url=https://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/thinking/2019/10/01/thinking-isha-datar-new-harvest/ |website=Shuttleworth Foundation |date=October 2019 |access-date=25 February 2021}}
Career
In 2009, Datar published "Possibilities for an in-vitro meat production system" in Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, which detailed the progress of cellular agriculture.{{cite web |last1=Palet |first1=Laura Secorun |title=Isha Datar Can Grow Your Steak in a Lab |url=https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/isha-datar-can-grow-your-steak-in-a-lab/31981/ |website=ozy.com |publisher=OZY |access-date=5 December 2021 |archive-date=5 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205103723/https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/isha-datar-can-grow-your-steak-in-a-lab/31981/ |url-status=dead }} The paper was sent to Jason Matheny – founder and then-director of New Harvest – who forwarded the paper to those who were mentioned in it.{{cite book |last1=Shapiro |first1=Paul |title=Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World |date=2018 |publisher=Gallery Books}} In 2013, Datar became the chief executive officer at New Harvest. Datar also co-founded Muufri (now Perfect Day){{Cite news |last=Hui |first=Ann |date=February 15, 2020 |title=Milk's next frontier: Lab-made food could change the way we eat - and it's quickly becoming a reality: Dairy farmers are pushing back and current regulations are a roadblock, but proponents say the future is already here |work=The Globe and Mail (Online), Toronto}} and Clara Foods (now The EVERY Company).{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Allison |title=Conversation with Isha Datar, Executive Director of New Harvest |url=https://animalcharityevaluators.org/charity-reviews/charity-conversations/isha-datar/ |website=Animal Charity Evaluators |access-date=24 March 2021}} In 2021, Robert Downey Jr. funded Datar's work through his 'fast grants' project.{{Cite web |first1=Robert |last1=Downey, Jr. |first2=David |last2=Lang |date=2021-12-15 |title=Robert Downey Jr.: Here's how to accelerate discoveries to help the planet |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90706338/robert-downey-jr-why-were-launching-science-fast-grants |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=Fast Company |language=en-US}} Datar has been profiled in media venues including USA Today,{{Cite web |last=Palet |first=Laura Securon |date=June 10, 2014 |title=Growing meat … in the lab |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/10/ozy-growing-meat-lab/10275955/ |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} the magazine Toronto Life,{{Cite web |last=Fraser |first=Ashley |date=2019-11-07 |title=This woman wants to make chickenless eggs and cowless milk |url=https://torontolife.com/food/this-woman-wants-to-make-chickenless-eggs-and-cowless-milk/ |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=Toronto Life |language=en-US}} the Calgary Herald.{{Cite web |last=Stephenson |first=Amanda |date=October 19, 2020 |title=As industry begins to take off, Alberta researchers working on lab-grown meat |url=https://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/as-industry-begins-to-take-off-alberta-researchers-working-on-lab-grown-meat |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=calgaryherald |language=en-CA}} She has spoken with NPR's Science Friday,{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2020 |title=What Is The Future Of Meat? |url=https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/fake-meat-science/ |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=Science Friday |language=en-US}} The New Republic,{{Cite magazine |last1=Aronoff |first1=Kate |last2=Dutkiewicz |first2=Jan |last3=Rosenberg |first3=Gabriel N. |last4=Dutkiewicz |first4=Jan |last5=Rosenberg |first5=Gabriel N. |last6=Martin |first6=Nick |last7=Martin |first7=Nick |last8=Republic |first8=The New |last9=Republic |first9=The New |date=2021-09-29 |title=Lab to Table |magazine=The New Republic |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/163554/lab-meat-save-planet |access-date=2022-01-02 |issn=0028-6583}} Food & Wine magazine,{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Kristine |date=May 24, 2017 |title=Isha Datar is Creating a Path Forward for Alternative Animal Protein |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/news/science-technology/isha-datar-creating-path-forward-alternative-animal-protein |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=Food & Wine |language=en |archive-date=2020-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108142218/https://www.foodandwine.com/news/science-technology/isha-datar-creating-path-forward-alternative-animal-protein |url-status=dead }} and the National Observer.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-12 |title=How We Eat |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/podcast/race-against-climate-change/how-we-eat |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=Canada's National Observer |language=en}}
Awards and honors
Canadian Business spotlighted her work as a 2016 Change Agent.{{Cite news|last=Castaldo|first=Joe|date=October 13, 2016|title=Change Agents 2016: Isha Datar, New Harvest|work=Canadian Business|url=https://archive.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/change-agent/isha-datar-new-harvest/|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=March 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312143818/https://archive.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/change-agent/isha-datar-new-harvest/|url-status=dead}} In 2019, Datar was named one of 25 Food and Agriculture Leaders to Watch by FoodTank.com.{{cite web |last1=Dion, Barth |title=25 Food and Agriculture Leaders to Watch in 2019 |url=https://foodtank.com/news/2019/03/25-food-and-agriculture-leaders-to-watch-in-2019/ |website=FoodTank |date=21 March 2019 |access-date=6 December 2021}}
Maclean's listed Isha Datar in its "The Power List: Top 10 Food Titans", where she is credited with coining the term cellular agriculture.{{Cite news |last=Maclean's |first= |date=October 13, 2016 |title=The Power List: Top 10 Food Titans |url=https://macleans.ca/culture/food/the-power-list-top-10-food-titans/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802013827/https://macleans.ca/culture/food/the-power-list-top-10-food-titans/ |archive-date=August 2, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|id=TFL3P89T1Hk|title=Re-Thinking Meat: Isha Datar at TEDxToronto}}, April 27, 2013
- [https://www.ted.com/talks/isha_datar_how_we_could_eat_real_meat_without_harming_animals Isha Datar: How we could eat real meat without harming animals] at TEDMonterey, July 2021
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Datar, Isha}}
Category:Canadian women in business
Category:University of Toronto alumni
Category:Canadian Biotechnologists
Category:University of Alberta alumni