bioMatters: Frank Melendez and Nancy Diniz

bioMATTERS is a research and design studio based in New York City and London founded by Nancy Diniz and Frank Melendez in 2018. Their mission is to develop biomaterials, and invent biofabrication methods, that counter the negative impacts of the environmental and ecological crises. Their process for the design and fabrication of their products includes; growing living organisms, creating living-based pigments, upcycling waste materials, integrating computational design techniques, and 3D printing and robotic fabrication. In addition to being partners at bioMATTERS, Nancy Diniz and Frank Melendez are educators. Nancy Diniz is the Course Leader of the Masters in Biodesign at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. She is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships namely the 2016 New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) award sponsored by Storefront for Art and Architecture NY, MacDowell, EYEBEAM, Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Korea and The Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal. Frank Melendez is an Associate Professor at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York, City University of New York. He is the recipient of various grants and residencies including the 2018 New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) award sponsored by the Van Allen Institute, MacDowell, and Nature Art & Habitat Residency (NAHR).