COFOUNDER & CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER · SCIENCE CORPORATION
I’m Alan Mardinly, a biotechnology executive and neuroscientist. I am the cofounder and Chief Scientific Officer of Science Corporation. I enjoy building technologies and teams at the intersection of biology and engineering.
SCIENCE, FROM THE GROUND UP
My career spans molecular neuroscience, holographic optogenetics, and brain–computer interfaces, connecting fundamental discovery with translational technology development.
As cofounder and Chief Scientific Officer of Science Corporation, I built our research and development organization from inception and have contributed across the company’s technology portfolio. I directly lead our biohybrid and optogenetics programs.
My work combines scientific strategy, multidisciplinary R&D leadership, and hands-on technology development. I bring biologists and engineers together to identify the technical barriers that matter most and turn ambitious research into focused programs.
At Science CorporationRESEARCH & INNOVATION
TRANSLATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
At Science, I contribute to scientific innovation across the company and directly lead programs combining living biology, optical tools, and engineered devices. Our public work includes biohybrid neural interfaces and optogenetic approaches to vision restoration.
Explore Science’s technologies ↗
OPTICAL CONTROL OF NEURAL CIRCUITS
At UC Berkeley, I co-developed 3D-SHOT and engineered optogenetic tools, including ChroME, to control selected neural ensembles with high spatial and temporal precision.
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MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
My graduate work investigated how neuronal activity changes gene expression and synaptic connectivity, including how NPAS4 and cell-specific transcriptional programs regulate the balance of excitation and inhibition.
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LEADERSHIP & MENTORSHIP
Developing people is a central part of how I lead.
I build multidisciplinary research teams, retain staff over many years, and mentor scientists into leadership positions. Developing scientists into leaders is central to how I build a lasting R&D organization that can scale
Mentoring team members into leadership positions.
Retaining staff over many years while supporting their growth.
Helping mentees secure places in leading academic programs and laboratories.
BACKGROUND
Cofounder · Chief Scientific Officer
Joined as a member of the technical staff and was rapidly promoted to the leadership team as Director of Biology
Postdoctoral research · Hillel Adesnik laboratory
PhD, Neurobiology · Michael Greenberg laboratory
BA, Biological Sciences Specialization in Neuroscience and Cell / Molecular Biology
ADVISING & SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
Cofounder & board member
Bringing together neuroscience, optics, and computation to advance technologies for studying the brain.
Science advisor
Technical diligence on biotechnology and neurotechnology startups.
Advisor · YC Winter 2025
Advising a company developing new approaches to neurotherapeutics.
IN CONVERSATION & IN THE LAB
Alan Mardinly and Murat Günel will present Science Corporation’s biohybrid approach combining optogenetics, immune-evasive cell therapy, and neuromodulatory devices at an MIT McGovern Institute special seminar.
Alan Mardinly will present at Yale School of Medicine’s Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds.
Science Corporation reported that the first patient with Stargardt disease in its Australian PRIMAlia trial saw a letter during his first rehabilitation session and read a word during his second.
Science Corporation reported sustained vision improvements at 36 months in patients evaluated in the PRIMAvera trial of its retinal implant.