Announcement: Dr. Alison Allan, re-appointed as Chair, Anatomy & Cell Biology
I am pleased to announce Dr. Alison Allan has been re-appointed as Chair, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University effective July 1, 2023, until June 30, 2028.
Dr. Allan earned an Honours BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Guelph. She is a Professor in the Departments of Anatomy & Cell Biology and Oncology and currently serves as the Chair of the Basic Medical Sciences Chairs Group at Schulich.
Dr. Allan is also a Senior Oncology Scientist and the Director of the Breast Cancer Canada Translational Unit within the London Regional Cancer Program at London Health Sciences Centre.
Dr. Allan’s translational research program is focused on cellular and molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis; in particular the study of circulating tumour cells (CTCs), cancer stem cells, and the metastatic microenvironment; and how the knowledge gained from experimental studies in these areas can be translated to the clinic to benefit patients.
She is a Canadian leader in the area of CTC analysis and technology development, and her research group is actively involved in several multi-centre international cancer clinical trials. Dr. Allan has published more than 73 peer-reviewed publications and her work has been cited more than 6,000 times.
Dr. Allan’s research, mentorship and leadership excellence have been recognized through several awards in the past five years, including:
- Western Faculty Scholar Award (2019-2021),
- Schulich Dean’s Award of Excellence for Faculty (2021),
- Western Postdoctoral Supervisor of the Year Award (2021),
- and a Schulich Dean’s Award of Excellence for Research & Innovation – Preclinical and Translational Research (2023).
During the course of Dr. Allan’s first 5-year term as Chair of Anatomy & Cell Biology, the Department has evolved significantly and demonstrated a consistent record of high-quality teaching, research, and service. The outstanding faculty and staff in Anatomy & Cell Biology have been drivers of this success, something that has been recognized by numerous internal and external faculty and staff awards.
Anatomy & Cell Biology has also played a key leadership role in driving forward several new Schulich-wide initiatives over the past five years, including the development and implementation of safe research restart protocols and processes following the initial wave of COVID-19 in 2020 and the development and launch of a new faculty leadership program for the Basic Medical Sciences in 2022.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Allan on her re-appointment.
John Yoo, MD, FRCS(C), FACS
Dean, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Western University
