Paul Allen: Why We Chose 'Open Science' - WSJ.com

"The Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle grew out of a simple question I posed in 2002 to a constellation of top people in the field: What's the most useful thing we could do to propel neuroscience forward? The consensus became our inaugural project —a comprehensive, molecular-level, three-dimensional map of the mouse brain to show precisely where every gene is active, or "expressed." It was the first step on a long road to understand how genes function in the human brain, knowledge that will point to ways to better diagnose and treat brain ailments. A crucial aspect to this project —and others the Allen Institute has pursued over the last eight years— is an "open science" research model....Before funders write a check to a university, they should ask about the researcher's policies and track record on sharing...."