Allison A. King, MD, MPH, PhD

Dr. King is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist. She focuses her research on educational outcomes of two populations of children with chronic diseases: children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and children with brain tumors. She is investigating variables related to academic achievement and self-sufficiency, including socioeconomic status and family dynamics.

Dr. King’s research focuses on factors that impact a child’s opportunity to learn. From a biological standpoint, she studies how chronic diseases such as sickle cell disease or brain tumors alter cognition. In addition, Dr. King studies the environment’s influence on children’s development and participation. The goal of this work is to determine targets for intervention that will have the greatest impact on development and education.

She is also working on a public health project to educate African Americans about their sickle trait status and is partnering with a local federally-qualified health center and local churches to complete education, trait testing and genetic counseling.