The Allen Institute today announced the appointment of Susan Kaech, Ph.D., as Executive Vice President for its Immunology moonshot: a major research initiative focused on decoding the immune system as the foundation for human health and disease.

“It is a pleasure and privilege to welcome Susan to the Allen Institute,” said Rui Costa, D.V.M./Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Allen Institute. “She is a renowned immunologist and her research on immune memory, immune metabolism and cancer, and more recently, on the relationship between the nervous system and the immune system uniquely positions her to lead our next immunology moonshot and build upon the work that the Allen Institute has done in both systems.”

Kaech is a decorated and experienced leader in the field of immunology who currently leads the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The appointment comes at a critical time in bioscience when the immune system is regarded as the cornerstone of all diseases and understanding its foundational principles is vital to unlocking new treatments and therapies.

Kaech’s research focuses on how our immune systems “remember” infections and develop long-term immunity; how T cells communicate with neurotransmitters and fight cancer, especially in the brain; and the role metabolism plays in the immune system’s cancer fighting ability.

“The Allen Institute has pushed the boundaries of bioscience by tackling some of the most challenging and urgent scientific questions of our day. They have led the way in the open science movement and set the gold standard for collaboration, elevating science for all,” said Kaech. “These values and this approach are extremely important to me. I’m grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to joining the Allen Institute team and supporting this vision.”

Kaech graduated from the University of Washington and obtained a Ph.D. from Stanford University. She has served as the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Immunobiology at Yale University and sits on the advisory boards of leading cancer research organizations and biotech companies. Kaech plays leadership roles at the American Association of Immunologists and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In addition to these honors, Kaech has won the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the Edward Mallinckrodt Jr. Award, and the Burroughs-Wellcome Foundation Award.

Kaech officially joins the Institute in January 2026.