Professor Katie Allen is the Theme Director of Population Health and Group Leader of Gastro and Food Allergy at Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

She is a paediatric gastroenterologist and allergist undertaking research in the evolving field of food allergy. The food allergy burden is immense and ranges from the extreme consequences of anaphylaxis to the everyday restrictions placed on children, their families and the community, and Professor Allen's vision is to prevent food allergy in Australian children.

She is a prestigious Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellow and Chief Investigator on five National Health and Medical Research Council funded studies which all seek to answer parts of the jigsaw with regards to population health and evolution of the new allergy epidemic including gene-environment and epigenetic associations with food allergy.

Professor Allen is also Director of the NHMRC funded Australian Centre of Food & Allergy Research which aims to translate research findings into clinical practice and public health policy to ensure the best outcomes for children regarding food allergy.