The Allen Institute is proud to announce the winners of its first-ever Innovation Awards, an internal grant mechanism designed to fund ambitious, high-impact projects that push the boundaries of science.

The Awards reflect our commitment to fostering creativity and accelerating discoveries that can help cure disease and advance human health. This includes developing novel therapies for unmet medical needs or introducing groundbreaking technologies that change paradigms in science and forge new paths of discovery.

The response was extraordinary: 40 proposals submitted across teams, reviewed by external experts, and evaluated by an internal panel. This process showcased the remarkable talent and ingenuity within the Allen Institute.

2025 Innovation Award Winners

Establishing Optogenetic Tools
Developing light-based tools to control cells, enabling researchers to uncover previously unknown links between the nervous and immune systems.

• • Team: Braxton Jamison, Shanel Tsuda, Maureen Cowan, Anna-Maria Globig

PEARLS: Pooled Examination of Activity Regulators Linked to Stimuli
A cutting-edge platform using CRISPR gene-editing to decode how psychoactive drugs influence brain activity, paving the way for safer, more effective treatments for addiction, PTSD, and depression.

• • Team: Bowen Tan, Tim Wang, Dong-Wook Kim, Adrien Stanley, Lara Scaria

Building a Whole Brain miRNA Atlas
Creating a detailed map of miRNA activity in brain cells to enable precise, safer gene therapies

• • Team: Avery Hunker, Rong Guo

Synthetic Enhancer AAVs
Harnessing AI to design synthetic enhancers for unprecedented precision in targeting brain cells, advancing next-generation treatments.

• • Team: Trygve Bakken, Nelson Johansen, Morgan Wirthlin, Kasia Kedzierska, Grace Huynh

Congratulations to all winners for their bold vision and dedication to advancing science!