John J. Medina is a developmental molecular biologist with special research interests in the isolation and characterization of genes involved in human brain development and the genetics of psychiatric disorders. He has spent most of his professional life as an analytical research consultant, working primarily in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries on research issues related to mental health.

He was the founding director of the Talaris Research Institute, which supports researchers such as Patricia Kuhl and John Gottman. He directed Talaris until 2006 and is now the director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research at Seattle Pacific University, which has worked on creating learning environments at Woodland Park Zoo. He is also an affiliate professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Medina wrote the column "Molecules of the Mind" for Psychiatric Times. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School" — a provocative book that takes on the way our schools and work environments are designed. His latest book is a must-read for parents and early-childhood educators: "Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five."

Medina lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife and two boys.