CZI | How We Support Science

Is it possible to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of this century? We think so. In the last 100 years, biomedical science has made tremendous strides in understanding biological systems, advancing human health, and treating disease, but much more can be achieved in the years to come.

We build open source software tools to accelerate science and generate more accurate and biologically important sources of data. We fund scientific research worldwide to advance the frontiers of knowledge. And we launched a family of institutes to do research that can’t be done in conventional environments. Each aspect is essential to our approach to building for the long term.

Liver intravital microscopy of mice used as a model to understand and treat metabolic diseases. | Photograph by Gustavo Menezes.
Liver intravital microscopy of mice used as a model to understand and treat metabolic diseases. | Photograph by Gustavo Menezes.

Building the Future of Science

Our vision is to build the future of science by advancing biomedical research and developing technologies to understand, observe, measure, and analyze any biological process within the human body — across spatial scales and in real time. We’ll use these tools to make new discoveries and spur the translation of basic science into groundbreaking treatments and therapies.

Over the next 10 years, our north star is to understand the mysteries of the cell and how cells interact within systems, which we believe will lead to discoveries that will change medicine in the decades that follow.
We believe that:
  • Transformative medicine is most often derived from discoveries in basic science.

  • Understanding disease reveals fundamental human biology.

  • Technological advances are revolutionizing our understanding of how cells function in health and disease.

  • Fundamental questions in human biology often have a line of sight to medical applications, and understanding cells are important in answering those questions.

Build

Our Tools for Scientists

We aim to help make every scientist a better scientist by improving the tools and technologies they rely on every day. We work closely with researchers to understand their challenges and build solutions for the scientific community. Learn more about our tools.

Fund

Our Science Programs

We work in areas where we think there are deeply inspiring problems that are amenable to software innovation. We strive to make a differentiated impact through supporting technology development, interdisciplinary research collaborations, and partnerships. Learn about our work in science.

Do

Our Scientific Institutes

We created new scientific institutes to take on grand scientific challenges in areas such as imaging, cell biology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence while building new technologies and tools to tackle them. Learn more about the science we do.

By funding great science, doing the research that can’t be done in conventional environments, and building hardware and software tools for everyone, we think we can help accelerate the pace of scientific discovery.

Steve Quake Headshot
STEVE QUAKE

CZI is composed of four funding entities: the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, LLC (the main operational funding vehicle); the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation (a 501(c)(3) private foundation); the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation; and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Advocacy, (a 501(c)(4) organization).

Meet Our Team

Two Science Policy team members discussing approaches to support basic science research at CZI.
September 17, 2018 | Kishore Hari and Anne Claiborne, Science Policy, discussing approaches to support basic science research at CZI. Photograph by An Rong Xu.
UCSF MD/PhD student Elizabeth McCarthy handles patient samples in the COVID-19 testing lab at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub.
Spring 2020 | Elizabeth McCarthy, an MD/PhD student at UCSF, handles patient samples. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, more than 100 students and fellows volunteered to work in the COVID-19 testing lab at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. Photograph by Noah Berger, UCSF.
Samantha Scovanner, CZI Science Technology, gives a talk about accelerating science at scale.
August 29, 2018 | Samantha Scovanner, Science Technology, gives a talk about accelerating science at scale. Photograph by Barbara Ries.
August 5, 2022 | Steve Quake, CZI's Head of Science, oversees a shared and comprehensive strategy across all of our science work. Photograph by CZI.

Leadership Team

Steve Quake Headshot
Steve Quake HEAD OF SCIENCE
Marc Malandro, Vice President of Operations, CZI.
Marc Malandro Vice President of Science Operations and Interim Head of Science Programs
Arne Bakker, Director of Meetings and Community, CZI.
Arne Bakker DIRECTOR OF MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY
Patricia Brennan, Vice President of Product Management for Science Technology, CZI.
Patricia Brennan VICE PRESIDENT OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
Katja Brose, Senior Science Program Officer, CZI.
Katja Brose SENIOR SCIENCE PROGRAM OFFICER
Robert Brown DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING
Nina Cardoza, Director of Grants and Operations, CZI.
Nina Cardoza DIRECTOR OF GRANTS AND OPERATIONS
Jonah Cool, Program Officer, Single-Cell Biology, CZI.
Jonah Cool PROGRAM OFFICER,
SINGLE-CELL BIOLOGY
Jeff MacGregor, Vice President of Communications, CZI.
Jeff MacGregor VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
Julia Klebanov DIRECTOR OF MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING
Bruce Martin, Distinguished Engineer, CZI.
Bruce Martin DISTINGUISHED ENGINEER
Stephani Otte, Program Officer, Imaging, CZI.
Stephani Otte Program Officer, Imaging
Tania Simoncelli, Vice President of Science in Society, CZI.
Tania Simoncelli Vice President of Science in Society
Dario Taraborelli, Program Officer, Open Science, CZI.
Dario Taraborelli PROGRAM OFFICER, OPEN SCIENCE

Advisory Board

We can’t accelerate science alone. Our Science Advisory Board informs our priorities and allows us to draw on a wide range of expertise as we shape our strategy, establish partnerships, and develop scientific projects.

Asifa Akhtar, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, CZI Science Advisory Board
Asifa Akhtar MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE OF IMMUNOBIOLOGY AND EPIGENETICS
Cori Bargmann, The Rockefeller University, CZI Science Advisory Board
Cori Bargmann THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
Helen H. Hobbs, UT Southwestern Medical Center, CZI Science Advisory Board
Helen H. Hobbs UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
Michael Fischbach, Stanford University, CZI Science Advisory Board
Michael Fischbach STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Jonathan Weissman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CZI Science Advisory Board
Jonathan Weissman MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Yuri Milner, DST Global and Breakthrough Prize Foundation, CZI Science Advisory Board
Yuri Milner DST GLOBAL AND BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE FOUNDATION
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