Juan Camacho is the new lab manager at the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein at NC State University.

Camacho joined the Bezos Center team at the end of April 2026, being no stranger to building up and managing science labs in the alternative protein space. He developed a science lab at a previous employer and is “excited to do that again here at the Bezos Center.”

In this new role, Camacho is helping oversee the Center’s sustainable protein research laboratory for researchers working on plant-based, cell-cultivated and fermentation-derived alternative proteins.

Bringing the Lab to the Finish Line

Before Camacho arrived at the Bezos Center, Bill Aimutis, former co-director and current senior research and innovation advisor, was instrumental in laying the foundation for the Center’s new laboratory through strategic lab layout, equipment selection and procurement. Camacho joined as the lab was transitioning from build-out to implementation, taking on responsibility for bringing the space, equipment and research capabilities together into a fully operational facility.

Camacho jumped in head first to bring the lab to the finish line. “When I arrived, the lab was approximately 20% to 30% complete. Now, we are ready to launch operations,” he says. More impressively, he has accomplished all of this in his first 90 days. 

He sees the lab’s scale as an important strength, providing broader essential capabilities while remaining accessible and manageable for researchers. “It’s large enough to hold what you need but not daunting,” Camacho says. 

Experience in Alternative Proteins and Lab Development

One of the key experiences that makes Camacho an ideal fit to manage the Bezos lab is his work at Jellatech, a cellular agriculture start-up in Durham, North Carolina, focused on the production of biomedical-grade human collagen.

Jellatech started at Biolabs North Carolina with two benches and a few team members. With additional funding, it grew to occupy a large facility, and Camacho was a part of it all. Joining the company in its earliest stages, he helped establish its core technology platform through hands-on contributions to cell line development, media formulation, bioreactor optimization and protein purification.

But his journey started way before Jellatech. A North Carolina native, Camacho holds an undergraduate degree in biology and a master’s degree in environmental sciences and engineering. Combined with his experience in food safety during his ORISE STEM fellowship with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Chicago, following graduate school, he has all the tools and knowledge to thrive in alternative proteins and lab development.

Supporting Sustainable Protein Research at NC State

At NC State’s Bezos Center lab, Camacho’s role is centered around lab operations, equipment and safety.

Bezos Center-affiliated research projects are currently distributed across campus. The center has already started the process of consolidating the first wave of affiliated research in the lab Camacho has made functional. He sees the shared core lab as an opportunity to bring many of these activities together, strengthening collaboration and access to common capabilities. 

“I am excited and ready to welcome them into our lab space, so they can utilize the great pieces of equipment we have diligently sourced for them,” he says. “I want the equipment to work the best it can for all researchers, empowering them to push their research forward.”

Camacho will also offer support for scientific projects, both training new students and researchers and providing scientific guidance as needed. Initially, only internal teams will use the Bezos Center lab. But he looks forward to welcoming industry partners to leverage the state-of-the-art resources for future collaborative projects.

Creating a functioning lab is a complex process with many moving parts. As Camacho admits, no two days are the same. Each day brings a different mix of research activities and unexpected technical challenges, which makes for engaging work.

“I wear many hats in this scientific role,” he says. “You do a lot of science things, and then you do a lot of non-science things.”

Inspired by the Future of Food

Camacho finds these research projects interesting because he considers alternative proteins a positive supplement to the existing food space.

“I especially like research that feels more futuristic,” he says. “It is fascinating to consider the advances in science and technology that allow a piece of chicken or beef to be made using food-safe bioprocesses that did not require growing a whole animal just to consume the cut.”

Camacho seeks to establish the lab as a premier space for sustainable protein research and innovation. He foresees that researchers interested in alternative proteins will gain skills and experience at the lab to advance their careers and businesses.

“We want to be a beacon,” he says. “It will be rewarding to see the research and innovation that will be created within a lab we developed and will sustain.”