Dr. Allen is a faculty member in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Pharmacology from Duquesne University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2013, and completed her postdoctoral training in Developmental programs and lifespan in the worm C. elegans at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, in 2011.
Dr. Allen’s training is diverse, encompassing neuroscience, pharmacology, and developmental biology. She has experience with both whole-animal models, specifically mice and Caenorhabditis elegans, and cell culture. Dr. Allen’s dissertation research focused on how natural supplements, such as resveratrol and wild blueberries, affect motor deficits in aged animals. Following this, her postdoctoral work at Wayne State University investigated the influence of various bacterial diets on the lifespan, reproduction, and development of C. elegans.
Teaching has become a central focus and passion in Dr. Allen’s career, leading her to educational research. Her current research explores critical thinking, study strategies, and stress management within the graduate school and medical school curricula. For the past five years, her work in educational research has included investigating the correlation between critical thinking and post-baccalaureate program scores.
Teaching Information
Teaching Interests
Dr. Allen is actively involved in teaching and directing physiology courses in the medical and graduate curricula at the School of Medicine. She serves as the Curriculum Director for the Master of Science in Medical Physiology program and as a faculty advisor to students in the program.
Dr. Allen serves on several committees at the departmental, school, and university levels, including the MSMP Administrative Committee and the Committee on Medical Student Promotion and Advancement (CMSPA). She is also deeply engaged with the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE), having served on the Marketing Committee, the Membership Committee, and the Publication Committee. Dr. Allen has served as a reviewer for Medical Science Educator and the British Journal of Pharmacology.