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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

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.

Closeup of a person's finger illuminated in red by smartphone camera

UbiComp Lab

The Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp) Lab develops innovative systems for health sensing, low-power sensing, energy sensing, activity recognition and novel user interface technology for real-world applications.


Allen School Faculty

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Centers & Initiatives

Computing for the Environment (CS4Env) at the University of Washington supports novel collaborations across the broad fields of environmental sciences and computer science & engineering. The initiative engages environmental scientists and engineers, computer scientists and engineers, and data scientists in using advanced technologies, methodologies and computing resources to accelerate research that addresses pressing societal challenges related to climate change, pollution, biodiversity and more.

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.

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.