About ISB

Dr. Lee Hood, ISB president and co-founder, describes the kind of people
who work at ISB.

Dr. Nitin Baliga, SVP of ISB, explains how ISB culture is different.

Our Vision: Wellness for humans and the planet.

Our Mission: Revolutionize science, transform human health, and ensure environmental sustainability.

Our Mantra: No one does science the way ISB does science.

The Institute for Systems Biology is a premier, nonprofit research organization based in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 2000 by Leroy Hood, a world-renowned systems biologist; Alan Aderem, a leading immunologist; and Ruedi Aebersold, a cutting-edge protein chemist. ISB was established as an untraditional institution, where scientific collaboration could take place across disciplines, where biologists and technologists could commingle, and where the future of research and medicine could take foot. ISB pioneered systems biology, which harnesses and integrates the respective insights of biologists, geneticists, computer scientists, chemists, engineers, mathematicians, immunologists and others to answer some of society's most challenging questions related to health and the environment. Since 2000, ISB has grown to more than 230 staffers, which includes 10 faculty members and laboratory groups.

What We Do

We study the smallest parts of cells to decipher how they function within their networks and in relation to other biological networks. ISB scientists are the deep-sea divers who make sense of the mysteries of how genes, proteins and other molecules control living organisms. This research aids or enables other scientists in their work toward developing cures, treatments and preventive measures for cancers, diseases and environmental ills. The complexity of our work makes it difficult to explain, but what we do, ultimately, is pave the way for major scientific and medical achievements, making progress toward our vision for wellness.

Our Philosophy

We believe there is a better way to do science.

We believe in wellness for people and the planet.

We believe in quality science education for all.

We invest in expert scientific staff from diverse disciplines.

We have an open work environment, with many gathering spaces to encourage collaboration.

We invest in cutting-edge equipment.

If a necessary technology doesn't exist, we invent it.

We aren't satisfied with the status quo.

We catalyze paradigm changes.

We believe in closing the gap between the future and now.