New Allen Institute CEO on diversity and impact in life science

“There is this ambition of taking the Allen Institute even further nationally and internationally, not only in the discoveries but how we go about them.”

Rui Costa thinks a lot about how to do team science effectively. The neuroscientist (above) is the new CEO and president of Seattle’s Allen Institute, which focuses on research into areas including neuroscience, cell science, and immunology. He spoke with GeekWire reporter Charlotte Schubert about his approach and the future of the institute in this interview.

The Allen Institute is the life sciences counterpart to the separate Allen Institute for AI (AI2), a Seattle-based artificial intelligence research organization and startup incubator that was also founded by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. See our earlier story for more on AI2.

Yes, they inhaled: Receptor Life Sciences is developing a dry, powdered form of cannabidiol (CBD) paired with an inhaler to treat acute anxiety. The company just raised $9.7 million to move its therapeutic candidate through clinical testing. Read the story.

Today’s GeekWire Awards category is a little different … Rather than holding a community vote for the Geeks Give Back award this year, our judges named three winners who are using tech for good. They are: the Black Boardroom Initiative, Coding Dojo and CovidWA.com. Read about them here, and check out all of the finalists in advance of the May 12 GeekWire Awards.

“The apps are the boss.” New legislation introduced in Seattle would increase pay and require new transparency and flexibility for delivery drivers and other gig workers, who spoke out against what they described as draconian and arbitrary treatment at the hands of companies that rely on technology to the detriment of workers’ well-being. Read the story.

In other tech labor news … Union leaders are accusing Amazon of “doing everything it could to spread misinformation and deceit” in a formal complaint following a narrower defeat in a second union election at the company’s Bessemer, Ala., distribution facility.

Check out the latest tech moves: USAFacts picks a Microsoft and Amazon vet as CTO; Inventprise names a new CEO; RealNetworks appoints a new KONTXT president, and more.