Allison King, M.D., M.P.H, Ph.D

Approved Mentor (Primary, Mentoring Committee)

Washington University in St. Louis

Dr. King is a pediatric and young adult hematologist investigating cognitive function and educational attainment of individuals with sickle cell disease. Much of her work has focused on identifying modifiable risk factors associated with cognitive function of children with sickle cell disease. Some of these measures include the home environment, parenting skills of the child’s caregiver, hemoglobin level and oxygen saturation. Dr. King began to use methods of implementation science to increase the use of evidence based interventions to target these risk factors. She founded and directed the transition program within St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes Hospital at Washington University School of Medicine, and has been active in both research and clinical programming and education around the transition of care for adolescents with sickle cell disease. Dr. King has been both a Principal Investigator and collaborator on studies involving the measurement of cognition, academic attainment and academic achievement of students with sickle cell disease. Her training in clinical investigation, public health including dissemination and implementation science research is a unique combination and allows her to engage in impactful research that bridges the health system with schools and communities to improve the lives of these vulnerable children.