Northumbria University

Dr. Donna Leishman is an Associate Professor in Communication Design at Northumbria University, UK. Prior to this she was Head of Communication Design at The Glasgow School of Art and at Dundee University. She is a digital media practitioner and interdisciplinary researcher. Along with colleagues Professors Meng Zhang, Martyn Dade Robertson and Linda Lightley (and others) she has helped to instigate Bio Design practices as formal curricula across Design Northumbria University.

Jessica Virginia is a biotechnologist focusing on enzymology, molecular biology, and microbiology. She is currently working as postdoctoral researcher within Living Construction at Northumbria University in the project entitled “Sustainable style for clean growth: Innovating alternative leather production with engineered biology.”