About Me
Kelsey Zhao is a biomedical illustrator and designer who finds joy in making complex scientific and medical knowledge clear and easy to understand.
I have seen firsthand how gaps in scientific and medical understanding can affect people’s health in both my personal and professional life. By using storytelling and art to translate the language of science, I aim to connect diverse audiences to the knowledge they need to grow and thrive.
My current projects include a medical education website on IVF oocyte retrieval and a patient resource on nerve transfer surgery for people with spinal cord injuries. My favourite parts of being a medical illustrator are solving visual puzzles (especially in anatomy!) and seeing the impact of my work in the real world.
BSc in Health Sciences, University of Waterloo
MSc in Biomedical Communications, University of Toronto
Publications
Lu B, Zhao K, Pereira, Corrin M, Woolridge N, Pereira N. (2026). RetrievED: RetrievED: A novel, interactive, web-based training platform for oocyte retrieval (Video). ASRM 2026 Scientific Congress and Expo, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Zhao K, Lu B, Pereira, Corrin M, Woolridge N, Pereira N. (2026). RetrievED: An innovative web-based multimedia training platform for oocyte retrieval (Poster). CFAS 72nd Annual Meeting, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Zhao, K. (Mar 19, 2025). Working with Your Primary Care Provider. SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/SCIRE-C_Primary-Care-Provider_Download.pdf
Zhao, K. (February 26, 2025). Quality of Life with SCI. SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/SCIRE-C_Quality-of-Life_Download.pdf
Zhao, K. (January 30, 2025). A Guide to Breath Stacking (infographic). SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/LVRBreathStackingFinal.pdf
Zbogar, D., Zhao, K. (September 17, 2024). Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/SCIRE-C_NTSCI_Download.pdf
Zhao, K. (Jun 11, 2024). A Guide to Using Abdominal Binders for People With SCI (infographic). SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/AbdominalBindersGuide_3APR24.pdf
Zhao, K. (May 14, 2024). Community Stories: Experiences of Nerve Transfer Surgery. SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/CS_Nerve_Transfer_Surgery.pdf
Zhao, K. (January 23, 2024). Nerve Transfer Surgery. SCIRE Community. https://community.scireproject.com/wp-content/uploads/SCIRE-C_Nerve-Transfer_Download.pdf