We are the Allen Institute

Innovation is in our DNA. We were founded to tackle enormous challenges in bold ways and open new doors for scientific discovery everywhere.

We practice Open Science: We make all of our data, tools and models available to fellow scientists and research institutions around the world. All scientific achievements build on the work of those who came before, and we carry on that tradition proudly.

Creating the future with and for open science

First-ever Open Science Quest supports next generation of scientists.

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A large electrical machine with arms affixed with thin hair-like metal probes converging into a point

A crowd-sourced neuroscience study on how brains predict the future

Using the Allen Institute’s OpenScope platform, experiments will probe brain functions related to “predictive processing”.

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human neuron reconstruction from Allen Institute

Learn how the basic science we do advances disease research

Accelerating discovery, advancing technology and expanding our knowledge – basic science lays the foundation for future breakthroughs.

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We focus on Big Science: we operate at a large scale to answer big questions faster, utilizing our extensive resources and unique position at the intersection of academia and industry to tackle the massive fundamental problems still confronting the field.​

A sample the size of a grain of sand has unveiled a universe of insights

The MICrONS Project is considered the most complicated neuroscience experiment ever attempted.

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Developing our understanding of how our immune system evolves with age

Comprehensive dataset maps the landscape of healthy immune cells across the human lifespan.

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UMAP of mouse brain cell types

A new window into the brain

In landmark achievement, scientists unveil first complete cellular map of adult mouse brain​

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We are a factory of moonshots

Our large-scale research projects combine groundbreaking science and cutting-edge technology. With each moonshot, we push beyond conventional limits to unlock world changing transformations.​

We are where the unknown becomes known

We seek answers to the fundamental questions of human biology: how our cells behave, how our brains work, how our health evolves. Our purpose is to further the collective knowledge of our bodies and our understanding of life itself.​

We believe in Team Science: we’ve torn down the traditional silos of scientific research to facilitate collaboration and innovation between our scientists, engineers, researchers and other team members who contribute to discovery, and we partner with organizations that share in this commitment.​

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The Armamentarium: newest tools in the battle against brain disease

The findings contained in eight studies could lead to targeted gene therapies for brain disorders.

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A new partnership to expand research into Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s and Allen Institute are teaming up to help researchers unlock insights into Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

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CellScapes is changing how scientists observe cell behavior

This ground-breaking tool makes a new era of cellular biology promising to drive advancements in cancer therapies and regenerative medicine.​

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Our work to answer fundamental questions about our brains and cells, how they are organized and how they communicate, has advanced research into many devastating diseases. These achievements are opening doors to new therapies, bringing hope to millions around the world.

Image of mouse primary visual cortex showing GABAergic interneurons (blue) expressing two halves (red and green) of a healthy SCN1A protein,

Breakthrough Dravet Syndrome gene therapy

Scientists successfully replace defective gene to alleviate symptoms without side effects.

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Targeting the cells involved in ALS

The major scientific discovery opens the door to new treatments for the devastating disease.

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This piece of large intestine, biopsied from a pediatric IBD patient, has been processed to reveal cellular and molecular features we can use to understand disease activity. These include epithelial cells (green), muscle (dark blue), T cells (lavender and purple), B cells (yellow), monocytes and macrophages (cyan), and cells that are actively dividing (red).

Pediatric IBD​

Allen Institute for Immunology and Seattle Children’s Research Institute launch study to unravel the molecular mysteries of pediatric IBD.

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Data heat map from long covid research by the Allen Institute for Immunology

Molecular footprint of long COVID

Many long COVID patients suffer from persistent inflammation, study finds.

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What can we achieve when the unknown becomes known?