Marianella Chamorro-Koc

Marianella Chamorro-Koc is a Professor in the Department of Industrial Design at Queensland University of Technology's School of Design. With over 100 publications spanning more than two decades, she leads the QUT Design Lab's healthcare innovation initiatives, focusing on human-centered design approaches that bridge design theory and practical healthcare applications. Her work integrates academic research with real-world problem solving across multiple healthcare contexts.

Chamorro-Koc's research interests center on healthcare design innovation, with particular expertise in accessibility design, user experience for vulnerable populations, and product usability. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on designing for people with disabilities, pediatric healthcare experiences, and digital health technologies. She has developed innovative approaches to understanding how design can improve healthcare outcomes, particularly through empathetic and inclusive design methodologies that prioritize user needs and experiences.

Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on healthcare design innovation, with significant contributions in pediatric medical equipment design, accessibility technologies for people with disabilities, and digital health solutions. The research trends show an evolution from foundational work in product usability to more complex healthcare system design, with increasing focus on inclusive design methodologies and co-creation approaches that involve end users as active participants in the design process.

Chamorro-Koc has secured substantial research funding and leads multiple interdisciplinary projects connecting design with healthcare delivery. She has collaborated extensively with healthcare providers including Metro North Hospital and Health Services, Clinical Excellence Queensland Healthcare Accelerator Lab Program, and various international healthcare institutions. Her work bridges the gap between academic design research and practical healthcare implementation, resulting in tangible design solutions that improve patient experiences and healthcare outcomes.

She leads the QUT Design Lab's initiatives in healthcare design, with particular focus on pediatric care environments, accessibility technologies, and digital health innovation. Her team employs co-design methodologies that actively involve patients, healthcare providers, and designers in the innovation process, creating solutions that are both technically sound and deeply empathetic to user needs.