Raphael Kim, Ph.D.
Founder & Creative Director
Raphael is a researcher, writer, designer, and educator with a Ph.D. in Biodesign and a foundation in Biotechnology.
As the founder of Biodesign Academy, he bridges the worlds of academia and industry, distilling complex science into accessible insights and inspiring a new generation to explore biodesign’s transformative impact.
Raphael began his scientific journey with a BSc in Biotechnology from University College London (2000-2004), including a one-year protein chemistry internship at Roche Pharmaceuticals. He has since held research roles in life sciences at institutions like the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, London’s Biohackspace, and the Baum Lab at Imperial College London.
Expanding his focus, Raphael completed an MA in Design Interactions at the Royal College of Art (2010-2012) under Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, where he developed a critical view on emerging technologies. As a research associate, he contributed to the EU-funded Blueprints for the Unknown project and was honored with the Future of Money Award in 2015.
He earned his Ph.D. in Biodesign from Queen Mary University of London in 2020, with a thesis on microbial integration in hybrid bio-digital games, featured at the Now Play This Festival in London. His research spans biodigital convergence, including DNA-based digital data storage, with presentations at ACM CHI.
Most recently, as a postdoctoral researcher at TU Delft, Raphael explored sustainable design for displays using microorganisms. With over a decade of teaching experience across BA, MA, and Ph.D. levels and first-author publications in international venues, he is also a skilled educator and communicator of complex ideas.
If you’re interested in working with Raphael and the Biodesign Academy, please reach out at [email protected]. To stay updated on our work, you can also subscribe to our newsletter here.
