Melissa Sterry

Melissa Sterry is a design scientist, complex systems theorist, biofuturist, and transdisciplinary designer. She is the founder/director of London-based biofuturism consultancy Bioratorium® [Est. 2019], its lab Labioratorium®, and Bionic City® [Est. 2010], which explores the potential of biodesign, biomimetics, and biotechnology in the built environments of the now, near, and far future. A chartered scientist with multiple prestigious fellowships and awards, she has over 30 years of experience researching and developing seminal concepts in fields including biomaterials, bioinformatics, and bioinspired design. A renowned global futurist and serial founder of first-in-kind innovation-led design, arts, and STEM projects, she serves as an executive-level consultant for both public and private sector clients.

Melissa’s research is principally concerned with redesigning material, information, and production systems to sync with those of the natural world. Her earliest interrogations in the field date to the early 90s when she conceived the idea of creating apparel that could be safely reabsorbed by the environment and serve as nutrients to plants at the end of use. She has a PhD in building architectural and urban resilience to wildfires through mimicry of the biochemistry, behaviours, relationships, systems, and forms of plants that have evolved to live with fire. Her wider expertise extends to tackling diverse sustainability issues across multiple design disciplines.