Christof Koch, PhD, is a neuroscientist best known for his studies and writings exploring the basis of consciousness, starting with the molecular biologist Francis Crick more than a quarter of a century ago (Crick & Koch 1990). Trained as a physicist, Christof was for 27 years a professor of biology and engineering at the California Institute of Technology. He is now Chief Scientist and President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, leading a large-scale effort to build brain observatories to map, analyze and understand the brain of mice and humans. His current book is "The Feeling of Life Itself". Christof is a frequent public speaker and writes a regular column for Scientific American and/or Scientific American Mind. Christof is married, a vegetarian who lives in Seattle and loves big dogs - his current canine companion is a Bernese Mountain Dog - rowing in Lake Washington, climbing and biking.