Paths Through the Living Field

In a world unsettled: by climate, by crisis, by the quiet question of what comes next, some turn to nature’s code, others to its cycles. This week’s newsletter walks both paths.

We unveil our newest Foundational Briefing: Biodesign vs. Regenerative Design, a companion for students, mentors, and makers choosing where to root their practice.

You’ll find comparisons of method and mindset, maps of global degree programs, and a decision framework built not on trends but temperaments.

Alongside it, we mark the growing shadow of the NSF funding freeze, and the resilience of labs standing in its wake. Finally, we lend a new voice to the Biodesign Academy podcast, now narrated in a tone eerily familiar.

🌿 This Week’s Highlight: Biodesign vs. Regenerative Design — Choosing Your Path

Our latest Foundational Tier briefing is live; and it’s already sparking conversation.

Whether you’re planning a Master’s application, exploring internship options, or advising students on where to focus their energy, this guide breaks down two of the most promising design futures.

Inside, we unpack the core differences between Biodesign and Regenerative Design, not just in philosophy, but in tools, scales, environments, and career pathways.

You’ll find real-world case studies (from mycelium lamps to net-positive buildings), a side-by-side comparison table, a global index of degree programs and fellowships, and a four-question framework to help you clarify your direction.

This piece is especially useful for:

• 🧑‍🎓 Students refining portfolios or drafting SOPs

• 🛠️ Early-career designers weighing biotech vs. systems roles

• 🧑‍🏫 Educators helping the next generation make informed decisions

🔑 Foundational members can read it now in the Members Area.
👉 Not upgraded yet? [Join the Foundational Tier] to unlock this full guide and resource databases.

Design with biology. Restore with systems. Or do both. The choice starts here.

See you inside!

🤝 This Week’s Featured Labs Open for Collaboration

In the wake of the recent NSF funding freeze, the following labs are affected, and they are looking to connect.

On April 30, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) froze all new funding decisions. That means no new grants, no extensions, and no clear timeline for resolution. While this primarily impacts U.S.-based labs, the effects are global, stalling co-authored work, halting infrastructure sharing, and putting critical biodesign research into limbo.

At Biodesign Academy, we're not just tracking the damage, we’re building bridges.

We launched the Labs in Limbo Map to surface affected labs and connect them with collaborators, partners, and supporters worldwide. This week, we feature new labs that are affected and open for connection; in biodesign, synthetic biology, education, and beyond.

If you or your organization can collaborate, host, or co-fund paused work, please reach out directly to the labs below, to initiate conversation. Just cite Biodesign Academy to let them know of the context, and to help us grow this network of care and visibility.

If your lab has been impacted by the NSF (or NIH) freeze, or if you're open to offering research support or collaboration, you can submit your details here to be included in the next edition: → [Submit or Express Interest]

🔁 Know someone affected?

Please forward this email to any colleagues, labs, or research leads who might benefit from visibility or connection. Let’s not let good research disappear quietly.

🎙️ New Voice, Familiar Mind: The Biodesign Academy Podcast Evolves

The Biodesign Academy Podcast just got an upgrade… or should I say, a personal clone.

Starting this week, you can listen to the newsletter on your favourite podcast platform, now narrated by… well, me. Or rather, a cloned version of my voice, trained to speak like Raphael (minus my usual awkward pauses and ums and ahs).

It’s still packed with the same insights, updates, and curiosities from the world of biodesign, and delivered in a way that works while walking the dog or cleaning the lab bench.

Expect frequent guest appearances from EJ and Charlotte too, bringing their voices and minds to conversational segments and design dialogues.

→ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen.

Though the winds of uncertainty press against many doors; in research, in education, in design… there are still ways to move with intention. You need not walk alone, nor guess in the dark.

This week’s guide, the Labs in Limbo map, and our evolving voice through podcast form, all exist to steady your hand and sharpen your aim.

Design with biology. Restore with systems. Or do both. The work ahead is not just technical; it is tender. And it begins with choosing how, and why, you begin.

Until next time,
Raphael

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