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Computing + Biology

When imagining the future of technology, sometimes all we need to do is look out the window — or into a microscope.

Our researchers take inspiration from nature to redefine what a computer can be, from data storage using synthetic DNA, to sensors modeled on insects and leaves. We also advance technologies to help solve biology’s biggest mysteries, such as computational approaches for understanding the mechanisms of disease and brain-computer interfaces that can restore or augment physical function and mobility.


Research Groups & Labs

Closeup of AI-augmented headphone on person's ear

Mobile Intelligence Lab

The interdisciplinary Mobile Intelligence Lab builds intelligent systems and tools for tackling hard technical and societal problems, including battery-free computing, medical diagnostics, augmented human perception and more.

Gloved hands piping liquid into a smalll rectangular nanopore device connected to a laptop

Molecular Information Systems Lab (MISL)

MISL explores the intersection of information technology and molecular biology using in-silico and wet lab experiments, drawing upon expertise from computer architecture, programming languages, synthetic biology and biochemistry.


Allen School Faculty

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Centers & Initiatives

The Center for Neurotechnology (CNT) got its start in 2011 as one of several Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) funded by the National Science Foundation. CNT is headquartered at the University of Washington, with core partners at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and San Diego State University. CNT researchers focus on developing and applying principles of engineered neuroplasticity to revolutionize the treatment of spinal cord injury, stroke and other debilitating neurological conditions.

The Institute for Medical Data Science (IMDS) is a joint effort among the Schools of Medicine and Public Health and the College of Engineering, including the Allen School to lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge AI and data science methods in medical data science. By harnessing the power of AI across diverse health determinants, IMDS aims to improve patient health, provider satisfaction, and healthcare operations, particularly in the Pacific Northwest region.

Highlights


Allen School News

Professors Andrea Coladangelo, Matthew Golub, Ranjay Krishna, Chinmay Nirkhe, and Stephanie Wang are shaping the future of computing through projects spanning AI, systems, computational neuroscience, cryptography and quantum computing.

Allen School News

Itani, who works with Allen School professor Shyam Gollakota in the Mobile Intelligence Lab, was recognized for exceptional early-career research advancing AI systems for “superhuman” hearing.

HearingTracker

A technology known as semantic hearing developed in Allen School professor Shyam Gollakota’s lab could let users create acoustic bubbles, isolate chosen voices, and control individual sounds in their environment.