Photoreceptor Shot v002.jpg

Science & Health Communication

Translating complex science into accessible communication across healthcare, education, and public outreach.

I specialize at the intersection of science, design, and communication, helping organizations make information clear and engaging for diverse audiences. My work spans web, digital media, visual storytelling, educational design, and public-facing communication.

Case Studies

Full Case Study in Development

PocketHealth’s Report Reader

March, 2025 | Toronto, Ontario

PocketHealth logo with blue stylized figure and dark blue text
Stylized logo of the word 'BLAZAR' in white and gray lettering on a black background.

Following completion of my MSc in Biomedical Communications at the University of Toronto, I joined PocketHealth as the company’s first Biomedical Communicator.

Working closely with designers, engineers, and leadership, I developed over 300 patient-facing medical visuals and helped shape the visual language of PocketHealth’s report reader experience, focusing on improving patient understanding through accessible digital healthcare communication.

The work highlighted how visual communication can reduce ambiguity and improve patient understanding in radiology.

“What impressed me most was Brendan’s curiosity about how systems worked under the hood. He brought together anatomical expertise, illustration, and technical thinking to create meaningful patient-facing solutions.”

— Sai Siddulugari, Engineer at PocketHealth

Making Complex Reports Simple

View Full Case Study

Full case study and process documentation.

Diagram of the human liver with labeled parts, including inferior vena cava, aorta, liver, gallbladder, common bile duct, hepatic artery, and portal vein.

Radiology reports are often difficult for patients to interpret independently without visual context.

People gathered around a display booth at an indoor event, with a large screen showing medical images and the word 'Health' visible in the background.

“Interactive Body Atlas” - B.Lazar & PocketHealth Engineering Team | February, 2025

This project was created over a few days and was the first time all of PocketHealth’s application features could be used in the same place. It combined report reader, organ tagging on scans, and accurate medical visuals to help educate and inform patient’s through an engaging and interactive way. View the case study for the full demo.

PocketHealth team demonstrating the Report Reader platform at a radiology conference.

The project focused on simplifying complex imaging concepts into clear, accessible educational systems for a patient-audience that could integrate directly into PocketHealth’s digital platform.

The Canada Prize for Earth Science

Full Case Study in Development

November, 2025 | The Canada Prize Foundation, Calgary Alberta

Logo for the Prix du Canada Prize featuring a green and gold globe with a stylized maple leaf at the bottom, and the words 'PRIX DU CANADA PRIZE' in green text.

The Canada Prize for Earth Science is a developing international award intended to recognize transformative contributions in Earth Science.

This project reimagined the Prize’s visual identity and digital presence to communicate scientific prestige, institutional credibility, and contemporary accessibility.

This project explored how branding and digital communication can establish legitimacy and public trust for emerging scientific institutions.

Website page for the Prix Canada Prize, with navigation links at the top, a logo featuring a globe, a large heading that says 'Nominate,' and text about recognizing excellence in Earth Science, including an email contact and information about the nomination process.

Communication Challenge

Determining how a newly developing scientific prize could visually position itself alongside internationally recognized awards such as the Nobel Prize, Japan Prize, and Kavli Prize while maintaining a distinctly Canadian identity was the central challenge.

The work balanced institutional formality with modern accessibility while creating a visual system flexible enough for web, outreach, and future international growth.

The process involved extensive stakeholder coordination and iterative refinement around symbolism, accessibility, and Canadian identity.

Full case study and process documentation coming soon.

Neuroscience Self Portrait

October, 2023 | MSc Biomedical Communications, University of Toronto

A diagram showing the human head with part of the skull removed to reveal the brain inside.

This self-portrait combined portraiture, neuroanatomy, and 3D anatomical reference workflows to explore the intersection of identity and medical visualization.

“It was important to me to make it as accurate as possible; the angle, view, anatomy, and placement of all structures is exactly how you would see it if you could look into someone’s mind at this angle. I also decided to draw the skull cutaway along the suture lines, as opposed to straight cuts - every bone in the skull here is on its own layer.”

Developed through extensive anatomical referencing, including custom skeletal photography, 3D maquettes in Autodesk Maya, and iterative expert feedback to ensure structural accuracy.

This project explored how scientific illustration can communicate both technical anatomy and personal narrative.

View Project Dossier

Full case study and process documentation.

Research & Process Work

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“An Animation on Retinal Organoid Chimeras for Studying Inherited Retinal Diseases”

Toronto, Ontario | August, 2024

Inherited retinal diseases opening sequence - B.Lazar, 2024.

To visualize retinitis pigmentosa, I modelled and animated an eye. The outro transition mimics the tunnel vision patients gradually experience with this incurable disease, highlighting the real-world impact of inherited retinal diseases and the importance of ongoing retinal research.

From 2023 to 2024, I led the development of an animation exploring retinal organoid chimeras and their potential applications in inherited retinal disease research. This thesis project was created in collaboration with researchers at the Ballios Lab at Toronto Western Hospital and faculty at the Biomedical Communications program at the University of Toronto. The process combined stakeholder meetings and consults, scientific research, visual storytelling, script writing, storyboarding, and animation development to communicate a complex emerging and promising area of biomedical science to broader audiences.

The project also involved regular lab visits, visual reference gathering, and close collaboration with researchers to ensure client goals in addition to scientific and visual accuracy throughout development.

Colorful abstract art resembling glowing organic shapes in red, green, and yellow on a black background.

Concept render of scientifically accurate retinal chimeroid photoreceptors - B.Lazar, 2024

These visuals were developed from sketches provided by researchers in the Ballios Lab exploring potential chimeroid photoreceptor structures. To support the broader communication goals of the animation, the designs were adapted toward more recognizable classical photoreceptors so the visuals would remain accessible to patients, students, and conference audiences. Red cells are healthy, while green cells are diseased, based on real fluorescent tagging of cell nuclei used in lab. Rendered in Autodesk Maya.

Diagram showing a process where stem cells are cultured for about 3 days, then transformed into a specific cell type, with the stage labeled '2D Growth in Culture'.
Diagram showing 3D growth in culture using a petri dish with red and green cells, leading to a final 3D structure after approximately 2 weeks.

Early stage concept art of 2D and 3D growth of chimeroids in cell plates - B.Lazar, October 2023

These early concept pieces helped test how the two main growth stages could be visualized before being developed into the final animation.

A laboratory technician's gloved hand handling a slide under a microscope in a laboratory setting.

Photo of retinal organoid dissection being done in the lab - taken by B.Lazar with permission from the Ballios Lab, used for research and documentation purposes

Storyboard illustrating healthy and diseased cells, showing close-up views of cells with color coding to indicate health status, accompanied by handwritten notes discussing cell structure and health.
A diagram of a biological cell membrane showing various proteins and lipid bilayer structure, with some proteins labeled in red and green.

Early Storyboarding (left) and Animatic Frame (right) of Hypothetical Photoreceptor Interactions - B.Lazar, October & December 2023

The central theory behind their work was that healthy cells were “talking” to diseased cells, transferring material to effectively rescue them from the fate of cell death imbued in their genetic code. This is not observable, but measured based on rates of cells surviving. And it was a very fun challenge to understand how to represent this in an animation.

Hypothetical photoreceptor interactions within an organoid - B.Lazar, July 2024
Final animated sequence, including transition between sectioned organoid and microscopic view of photoreceptor talk. Rendered with Maya, edited with After Effects, compiled into larger animation with Premiere Pro.

Full animation. Now shown for patients, students, and at conferences.

Close-up of a human ovary with numerous developing follicles.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) Informational Spread

View section on desktop for full process work.

April, 2024 | MSc Biomedical Communications, University of Toronto

(Revisions & additional process work on this project coming soon)

A detailed illustration of the internal structure of lung tissue
A detailed illustration of lung tissue with developing cysts. LAM.
Medical illustration showing the lung tissue damage due to LAM nodules disrupting lung structure.

Process work

A detailed medical diagram illustrating lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), showing lung anatomy including healthy and diseased lung tissue, with sections on signs, symptoms, diagnosis, and pathology, along with miniature CT scan images.
Infographic about Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) showing affected lungs, symptoms, diagnosis, etiology, and treatment. Includes illustrations of normal and affected lung tissue, LAM clusters, cyst growth, and myom cells.
Infographic about Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, showing lungs with LAM cysts, symptoms, diagnosis, etiology, pathology, and treatment options.
Histological slide showing sections of cystic lung tissue. Arrows indicate specific regions of interest.

Displayed at the 2024 Association of Medical Illustrators Conference in Rochester, New York.

View section on desktop for full process work.

Draft work - Final Sketch (left) & Coloured Thumbnail (right) of more Developed Sketch - B. Lazar, 2024.

LAM is often not diagnosed until lung collapse - termed pneumothorax - occurs. This is due to it’s rarity and similarity to other diseases, so it is often misdiagnosed first. A major goal of this project was to raise awareness with stunning and engaging visuals, showing the devastating impact of the disease on the lungs. To tell that story, I had the healthy lung on the left and diseased on the right to serve as a direct comparison. Originally I was going to have the right lung collapsed, but decided to instead visualize it in the bottom schematic to complete the story from hypothesized disease mechanism to what usually triggers a diagnosis - pneumothorax.

Tissue cubes (left) based on analysis of real histology slides (right) - B. Lazar, 2024.

LAM cell buildup (LAM nodules) is marked by the arrows in the right histology slide. It is theorized that LAM cells travel in the lymph vessels up to the lungs, becoming stuck and embedded at the alveoli. From there, cysts grow until eventually the entire lung is replaced by LAM tissue and cysts.

Medical illustration showing the progression of lung tissue damage: the first image depicts healthy alveoli and blood vessels; the second shows cysts forming in the lung tissue; the third illustrates LAM nodules disrupting lung structure.

Other Projects & Gallery

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Laying the Foundations for IGC 2028

In 2023, I was contacted to help design the public-facing communications for the bid to host the world’s largest geoscience conference in Calgary for 2028. Through these designs and collaboration with 40+ geoscientists, we won the bid in 2024. Click below to view some of the process work.

How IGC 2028 was developed

Proposed logo design - B.Lazar & IGC Committee, October 2023

Initial website design - B.Lazar & Bid Committee, August 2023

Finalized design for the bid - B.Lazar & Bid Committee, January 2024

Current design - B.Lazar & IGC Committee, May 2026

Gallery

A realistic drawing of three pomegranates on a white surface, with the middle pomegranate cut open revealing bright red seeds inside, some seeds are spilling out.
Illustration demonstrating steps for suturing a wound, including measuring, marking, tying knots, and cutting sutures, with specific measurements and techniques for each step.
Cover of Scientific American magazine from April 2023 featuring a brain, electronic circuitry, and scientific icons, with headlines about research on sleep disorders, attention deficit disorder, bubbles in soap bubbles, biosensors, and plant growth.
Close-up of electronic components on a circuit board, including a gray brain-shaped silicon chip, a large gray and black capacitor labeled "50mF 50V," and other small electronic parts.
A grayscale, low-poly digital model of a hand holding an object with a textured surface.
A test tube filled with a red liquid, labeled "B. LAZAR" with a pink cap, standing on a dark background.
Diagram of the chemical structure of lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), a medication for ADHD. The image includes molecular structures labeled as Dextroampehtamine and Lysine, and shows pills with the label 'S489 30 mg'. There is also a description explaini
A 3D molecular model depicting the structure of methlyphenidate, with black, white, yellow, and teal spheres representing different atoms, set against a brown gradient background.
Diagram showing the structure of the alpha-amylase enzyme, including active sites with labeled components: substrate (brown), stabilizer (pink), proton donor (blue), and nucleophile (red). A 3D visualization of the enzyme is on the left and a schemat
Diagram of the chemical structure of aspartyltyrosine, highlighting key parts such as tyrosine, aspartate, N-terminus, C-terminus, and peptide bond, with labeled black text and red, blue, gray, and white molecular representations.
Diagram showing serine molecules with labels and an explanation of hydrogen bonding locations, illustrating hydrogen bonds between highly electronegative atoms and hydrogen atoms in neighboring molecules.
Diagram of a guanine monophosphate molecule with color-coded components: orange for nitrogenous base, purple for sugar, blue for phosphate, and small white circles representing hydrogen atoms. The diagram includes a legend explaining the color codes
A pencil sketch of a single bubble gum bubble rising from a stick of chewing gum, with the artist's signature 'B. BAAL' nearby.
Diagram of the human brain and cervical vertebrae showing the origins of cerebral arteries and path of the vertebral artery, with labels for arteries such as the right anterior cerebral artery, right posterior communicating artery, basilar artery, an
Diagram of the brain's blood supply, showing arteries in a schematic overview and their vascular territories in a coronal section, including anterior cerebral, internal carotid, middle cerebral, posterior communicating, circle of Willis, superior cer
Diagram of the cochlea's structure, showing cross-section views at rest and under a traveling wave, highlighting hair cells, membranes, and key features.
Diagram of the brain and ears showing the afferent pathways of the vestibular and cochlear nerves with labels indicating different regions and nuclei.
Diagram of a human knee joint showing bones, ligaments, and cartilage with labels indicating femur, tibia, fibula, medullary epicondyle, lateral epicondyle, medial epicondyle, lateral meniscus, medial meniscus, anterior cruciate ligament, posterior c
A black and white diagram of a human skull with labeled parts including nasal bone, supra-orbital foramen, orbital cavity, zygomaticofacial foramen, mental foramen, nasal cavity, ramus of mandible, mandible, maxilla, zygomatic bone, inferior concha,
Diagram comparing draft and final designs of the Building Vaccine Confidence Program logo, showing smiley face sticks for draft designs and a stylized floral logo for the final design.
Logo of the International Union of Geological Sciences with a dark blue map of North and South America on a white background.
Diagram depicting the medical condition CRPS-1, showing a foot with swelling, pain, stress response related to brain signaling, and vasodilation, with arrows indicating the pathological process.
Instructional sequence illustration done for application to the BMC program in Fall 2021. Procreate. An instructional graphic on how to shift into third position on a violin. The image features labeled diagrams of a violin's scroll, pegs, fingerboard
Frame from the Red Thread comic done during the BMC program in 2024 Winter. Full story available on storytelling page. A comic strip depicting a woman in a hospital bed struggling to breathe, with a healthcare worker and a visitor nearby. The woman
Concept sketch of cellular and molecular piece on the mechanism of the cholera toxin done for molecular visualization course during the BMC program. Summer 2023.
Concept render of cellular and molecular piece on the mechanism of the cholera toxin done for molecular visualization course during the BMC program. Summer 2023.
Line drawing of a hand with fingers extended, demonstrating a knot-tying technique with red and blue strings, and green arrows indicating the movement directions. Frame from knot tying exercise done during the BMC program. Procreate. Fall 2022.
A still life scene with potted plants on a windowsill, a candle burning in a holder, a small decorative bottle, and a cloth draped over a table. The window reveals a cityscape with buildings and snow-covered streets. Observational life drawing for my
Hand-drawn sketch of a puppy with a towel wrapped around its fingers, appearing to display a tension point. The puppy's head is visible, showing signs of a towel in the puppy's mouth. Notes on the sketch mention fabric texture, tension points, and li
A detailed drawing of a wolf howling while a human hand holds its snout, created with pencil shading. The image shows multiple steps of the drawing process, ending with a fully rendered version on a white background. Tension illustration for my appli
A black and white sketch of a woman lying on a bed, facing upward, with one arm resting on her forehead. She has long hair and appears to be in a relaxed, sleeping pose. Observational life drawing for my application to the BMC program. Fall 2021.
A series of sketches depicting a woman in various seated and reclining poses, illustrating different time durations for holding each pose (3-minute, 6-minute, 10-minute, 15-minute, and 20-minute poses). Observational life drawing for my application t
A collage of pencil sketches of human hands and feet in various positions, some detailed and shaded, others simple outlines. Observational life drawing for my application to the BMC program. Fall 2021.
A detailed graphite pencil portrait of a middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a collared shirt, gazing slightly to the left. Observational life drawing for my application to the BMC program. Fall 2021.
Sharpie, marker, and coloured pencil illustration of burning Godzilla (from 1990s movie Godzilla vs. Destroyah) done from a reference of an S.H. Monster Arts figurine. B. Lazar, 2015 summer. Featured in G-Fan Magazine in 2016 summer as one of the inn
Sharpie illustration of a Xenomorph alien from the 'Alien' movie franchise, focusing on its skull and elongated head done in Fall 2014. These illustrations were among many I did in my free time. I would pose figurines and light the figures to create
Sharpie drawing of Gigan from Godzilla Final Wars done by B. Lazar in 2014. Featured in G-Fan Magazine in 2016 summer as one of the inner covers.
Sharpie drawing of Monster X from Godzilla Final Wars done by B. Lazar in 2014.
Sharpie drawing of Mechagodzilla (2000s version) done in Sharpie by B. Lazar in 2015 January. My favourite sketch method has remained sharpie - I use a variety of drynesses of sharpies, from newer full saturated sharpies to create dark and deep marks
An infographic created for the IMS Magazine Fall 2023 issue explaining infectious diseases, their causes, how the body fights infections, the role of research and medicine in combating infections, and the rise in infectious diseases.
IMG Magazine spread designed and illustrated by Brendan Lazar, Winter 2024 issue.
Institute of Medical Science (IMS) Magazine cover for the Winter 2024 Issue on complementary therapies and alternative medicine.

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Learn my Story

Learn about my story, background, and career-forming projects

Storytelling

Communicating science with narrative through video, writing, and graphic platforms