Dario Alessi is a biochemist, director of the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit and professor of signal transduction at the School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. Dr. Alessi is exploring how the chemical modification of proteins by phosphorylation or ubiquitinylation is linked to human disease and unraveling the roles that poorly characterized components play in regulating these pathways. His current work focuses on understanding how mutations in the LRRK2 protein kinase are linked to Parkinson’s disease. He is a strong advocate of advancing the understanding of biology by undertaking open and collaborative science. Dr. Alessi obtained a BSc (1988) and PhD (1991) from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He carried out postdoctoral studies at the University of Dundee from 1991 to 1997. In 1997, Dr. Alessi became a program leader in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit, where he was appointed director in 2012.