About

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Solving mysteries of bioscience

The Allen Institute is an independent nonprofit bioscience research institute aimed at unlocking the mysteries of human biology through foundational science that fuels the discovery of new treatments and cures.

Open and foundational science lie at the core of our efforts to improve human health.

We have teams of scientists working together to solve the biggest mysteries in bioscience. We conduct expansive research that examines the cellular makeup of the brain, how a healthy immune system fights disease, how our cells are organized, and more. Our scientists collaborate across teams to research fundamental questions about how life and disease work, continuing to push the frontiers of bioscience forward.

The scientific possibilities within our research and discoveries are limitless. We share our data, insights, and tools openly with the world to accelerate progress and catalyze breakthroughs.

EXPLORE OUR DIVISIONS AND PROGRAMS

Westerly view of Allen Institute building in Seattle with Space Needle in background.

Learn about what we do

Our focus areas are the brain, cells, and immune system, and understanding how these systems work in health and disease

Our Principles

We are guided by three core principles that underpin everything we do.

Crowds of people watching a press conference of Immunology Institute launch.

Big science: We tackle large-scale, ambitious projects, many of which can’t be carried out under traditional research settings. We integrate this data with sophisticated technology so that it can be shared with the global scientific community for exploration and analysis.
Open science: Our goal is to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and nurture medical breakthroughs, so we open our research to the global scientific community.
Team science: Our multidisciplinary teams are collaborative and accessible, bringing unique perspectives and diverse experiences to the scientific challenges we face.

Our Impact

For nearly two decades, our tools and resources have served as the foundation for transformative research and discovery. Labs around the world use our open resources to power breakthroughs on Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, cancer, addiction, and more.

By the numbers:

petabytes of open access data, or about

159

billion photos on Facebook

Jaume Plensa's Mirall sculpture outside the Allen Institute building in Seattle

Portrait of Allen Institute founder Paul G. Allen in a research lab.

Our Founder

We are fulfilling the lifelong quest of our founder, the late Paul G. Allen, to push the limit of human exploration by unlocking the knowledge inside each of us.

Learn more about our history

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

We are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages, nurtures, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees, collaborators, partners, and communities. By bringing together teams with various relevant experiences and backgrounds and sharing our findings publicly with the scientific community, our work leads to groundbreaking discoveries that will benefit everyone.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT

Work with us.

Our teams are curious, innovative, diverse, and passionate about science. We believe in diversifying STEM fields and creating an inclusive work environment for all.

Laboratory team raising their hands and cheering from behind a window

#HereAtAllen

Catch a glimpse of what it’s like to work here

Meet our advisors and fellows below

Next Generation Leaders

The purpose of the Next Generation Leaders Council at the Allen Institute is to formally recognize the importance of fresh and innovative contributions from scientists at early stages of their careers.

Shanahan Fellows

The Shanahan Foundation Fellowship at the Interface of Data and Neuroscience was created to provide freedom and flexibility to promising young scientists from diverse fields, as they work alongside neuroscientists at the Allen Institute and University of Washington.