Allison Willis, MD

I am an Associate Professor of Neurology and of Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Additionally, I am a Senior Scholar in the CCEB, a senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, a Faculty Scholar at the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology Research Training, and Director of the Department of Neurology’s Translational Center of Excellence for Neuroepidemiology and Neurology Outcomes Research, and Co-Director of the Resource Center for Minority Aging Research.  I have formal research training in analytical and spatial epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, health outcomes research. My formative post doctoral clinical and research training occurred at Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, in the departments of Medicine, Neurology, and Epidemiology. I am fellowship trained movement disorders specialist.

I have developed a clinical research program in translational neuroepidemiology, and neuroaging patient oriented research, which focuses on institutionalization of scientific discovery into clinical practice and policy, and the health outcomes and disparities associated therewith.  I have received funding from NINDS, NIA, PCORI, MJFF, APDA and the PF.  My current work focuses on drug-disease interactions in Parkinson Disease, and health disparities as experienced by individuals with neurological conditions across the lifespan. I regularly present my work at national meetings of neurologists and PD researchers and other academic institutions. I serve as Chair of the Health/Care Outcomes and Disparities Working Group of the Parkinson Study Group, and have held several leadership and organizing roles in the American Neurological Association. I am the 2015 recipient of the American Academy of Neurology’s Jon Stolk Award, and the 2019 recipient of the UPenn Marjorie Bowman Award .  I have  published over 130 peer reviewed research manuscripts and abstracts.