Vale Professor Katie Allen

Professor Katrina (‘Katie’) Jane Allen has died, aged 59. Professor Allen was a leading paediatric allergist whose research reshaped the understanding, prevention and treatment of childhood food allergy and whose public service extended from the clinic, community and laboratory to the Australian Parliament.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce that our beloved Katie passed away peacefully … surrounded by her family,” a statement from her children said, describing her as a devoted mother, partner and doctor who faced illness with courage and optimism.

Professor Allen built her scientific career at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, where she became one of the world’s foremost experts in paediatric allergy, and the institute’s first director of the Population Health theme.

As head of MCRI’s Population Allergy Research Group, she established the landmark HealthNuts study in 2007, the first population-based investigation to accurately measure food allergy in infants. Tracking more than 5,300 children, the study redefined allergy prevalence and risk, influencing clinical practice and infant feeding guidelines internationally. 

Her leadership in a twice-funded NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence, the Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR), united clinicians, scientists and families to deliver a new understanding of allergy determinants and inform international guidelines on infant feeding and allergy management. CFAR is also recognised as a World Allergy Organization Centre of Excellence and was funded for a third iteration under Professor Kirsten Perrett’s leadership.

Professor Allen’s research notably generated the hypothesis for the rise in food allergy rates in Australia as "the 5 Ds": dry skin, diet, dogs (i.e., external environmental exposure), dribble (i.e., internal microbial exposure), and vitamin D.

Following this, CFAR established internationally unique trials to investigate whether vitamin D, early prevention of eczema, type of vaccine and timing of introduction of solids could turn back the allergy tide. These studies are ongoing and their results will form a further testament to Professor Allen’s impact.

In 2019, Professor Allen led advocacy efforts that resulted in the bipartisan Parliamentary Inquiry into Allergies and Anaphylaxis, and Walking the Allergy Tightrope report, which recognised the critical need to support millions of Australians living with allergic disease. Recognising the report recommendations, the Australian Government announced $26.9 million in funding to establish the National  Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE) and the National Allergy Council (NAC) in 2022. Across her career, she authored more than 400 scientific papers and was a passionate advocate for collaborative, family-centred research.

Professor Allen was widely regarded as an inspirational mentor, particularly for female clinicians, scientists and public servants. She supported and nurtured emerging leaders, including Professor Kirsten Perrett, MCRI’s current Population Allergy Head and Director of the NACE and CFAR, and Professor Jennifer Koplin of the University of Queensland, both now senior figures in national and international allergy research. Her mentorship extended into formal leadership programs, including Pathways to Politics for Women, Science and Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM, and through her fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science. She was also a founding member of the Women in Feminist Education and Advocacy Parliamentary Friendship Group and served as chair of Melbourne Girls Grammar School Council.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Allen played a critical role in Australia’s public health response. She initiated and became the lead political representative of the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee, providing multidisciplinary advice to the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and Health Minister. She was a prominent voice addressing vaccine hesitancy within and beyond Parliament and was an early advocate for rapid antigen testing, directly contributing to their regulatory approval.

Professor Allen entered Australian federal politics in 2019, serving as the Liberal member for Higgins until 2022, where she continued to advocate for evidence-based health policy. 

She is survived by her husband, Malcolm, and their four children Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie. Katie will be sorely missed for her magnificent energy, self-deprecating wit and intelligence, honesty and above all, kindness.