Allen Institute for Brain Science: Institute People

Institute People: Leadership

Allan Jones, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer
Allan Jones joined the Allen Institute team in early 2003. He was instrumental in setting up scientific operations and hiring core teams responsible for the Atlas project. . More >>

Elaine Jones, Chief Operating Officer
Elaine Jones joined the Allen Institute in 2005 as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Jones' accomplishments include experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors
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Institute People: Science and Technology

Kurt Ahrens, Ph.D., Associate Director, Systems Neuroscience
Kurt Ahrens joined the Allen Institute in August 2006 to establish a research program aimed at characterizing the function of genetically defined cell types ... More >>

Chinh Dang, M.S., Director, Technology
Prior to joining the Allen Institute, Chinh Dang worked in the field of drug discovery and bioinformatics software to develop and implement data management systems. More >>

Michael Hawrylycz, Ph.D., Director, Informatics
Mike Hawrylycz received his Ph.D. in applied mathematics at MIT. He subsequently was a post-doctoral researcher in the Computer Research and Applications Group at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. More >>

John Hohmann, Ph.D., Associate Director, Data Annotation
John Hohmann joined the Allen Institute in April 2006 to lead the data annotation team and manage projects related to the Allen Brain Atlas. More >>

Ed Lein, Ph.D., Director, Neuroscience
Ed Lein received his B.S. in biochemistry from Purdue University in 1993 and his Ph.D. in neurobiology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1999. More >>

Paul Wohnoutka, M.S, Director , Atlas Operations
Paul Wohnoutka joined the Allen Institute in November 2003 with 15 years of engineering, manufacturing and operations management experience from the pharmaceutical, medical device and aerospace industries. More >>

Hongkui Zeng, Ph.D., Associate Director, Mouse Genetics
Hongkui Zeng joined the Allen Institute in December 2006 to lead the mouse genetics program to generate genetic tools for the study of neural circuitry and function... More >>

Institute People: External Relations

Kelly Overly, Ph.D., Research Alliance Manager
Kelly Overly joined the Allen Institute in July 2006 to manage research collaborations and other external relations activities. Overly earned her undergraduate degree in biology and Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University,... More >>

Ralph Puchalski, Ph.D., Research Alliance Manager
Ralph Puchalski received his Ph.D. in oncology and biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991. As a postdoctoral fellow in Stephen Heinemann’s laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies... More >>

Elaine Shen, Ph.D., M.B.A., Research Alliance Manager
Elaine Shen joined the Allen Institute in July 2006 and is responsible for managing and facilitating research collaborations. Prior to joining the Allen Institute, Shen held scientific and marketing positions in biotechnology... More >>

Susan Sunkin, Ph.D., Research Alliance Manager
Prior to joining the Allen Institute in January 2004, Susan Sunkin spent nearly three years in the production environments at Celltech R & D, Inc. and Genelex Corporation. More >>

Institute People: Administration

Elizabeth Birlet, M.S., Director, Investor Philanthropy
Elizabeth Birlet joined the Allen Institute in October 2006 to lead the investor philanthropy division and oversee the Institute’s goal of becoming a self-sustaining non-profit organization. More >>

Maja Chaffe, J.D., General Counsel
Maja Chaffe joined the Allen Institute in June 2007 with broad legal experience across several industries. She is responsible for the Institute's legal affairs. More >>

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