Allison Brashear

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Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, is an internationally recognized American neurologist. She was appointed vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, New York, in December 2021.

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As vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo (UB), she is driving innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration and strategic partnerships across the health sciences. She also serves as president and CEO of UBMD Physicians’ Group, advancing clinical excellence and integrated care.

As vice president for health sciences and dean, she spearheads the strategic integration of interprofessional education and practice, collaborative health sciences research, and clinical programs across the university’s health science schools — including the Jacobs School, dental medicine, nursing, pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, public health and health professions — as well as initiatives with our hospital and clinical affiliates. [1]

In 2025, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in health and medicine, recognizing her leadership in academic medicine and neuroscience. [2]

She was dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine until November 2021 [3] and previously served as the Walter C. Teagle Endowed Chair of Neurology at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

A respected national voice in academic medicine, Brashear contributes through board service and thought leadership. She serves as a trustee of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation and sits on the boards of the Association of American Medical Colleges [4] and the Western New York Women’s Foundation. She is also a member of the AAMC Council of Deans Administrative Board and was named chair-elect in 2024.

In 2023, she was honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award by the Buffalo Niagara Partnership [5] , recognizing her professional excellence, community leadership, and commitment to mentoring women.

She also supports the work of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) through her leadership in the Council of Deans LCME Advisory Group, helping to shape the future of medical education accreditation in a rapidly evolving academic landscape.

Early life and education

Brashear was born into a medical family; her father was a pulmonologist and her mother held a PhD in marriage and family therapy. [6] She was raised with the understanding that patient involvement in their own care is crucial. She attended Park Tudor School in Indiana and later earned their Distinguished Alumni award. [7] Following high school, Brashear earned her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from DePauw University in 1983. She earned her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, [8] which awarded her the 2024 Distinguished Medical Alumni Award. [9]

Career

Upon earning her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, Brashear stayed at the institution as a professor of neurology until 2005. [10] During her tenure at Indiana University, Brashear was the first person to show that botulinum toxin improved spasticity in wrists and fingers in stroke patients. As a result of her research, she was chosen to succeed B. Todd Troost as chairwoman of the Department of Neurology at Wake Forest School of Medicine. [11]

While working at Wake Forest, Brashear continued her studies on botulinum toxin and was selected to develop new guidelines on the use of Botox by American Academy of Neurology. In 2008, the guidelines released by the organization confirmed that Botox was safe and effective for treating a variety of neurological conditions. [12] In the same year, she was also elected to the board of directors of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center [13] and was the recipient of the 2008 Community Leadership Award. [14]

Brashear expanded her research beyond botulinum toxin and earned a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the genetic mutation of ATP1A3. The results of her research project, which surveyed 56 individuals, found that there was a shared genetic link between psychiatric problems and movement disorders. [15] Brashear has received continuous National Institutes of Health funding for her research since 2008.

In 2019, Brashear left Wake Forest to become the dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine by chancellor Gary S. May. [16] While serving in this role, she has sat on the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the American Neurological Association, the American Academy of Neurology, and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Board. [6]

She is a trustee of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation and the immediate past vice chair of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is also a board member of the Western New York Women's Foundation.

Personal life

Brashear is married to attorney Clifford Ong and they have two children together. [17]

References

  1. ↑ Gramza, Janet (2024-01-12). "UB Jacobs dean Allison Brashear leads med school to new levels of patient care". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  2. ↑ "National Academy of Medicine Elects 100 New Members - NAM". nam.edu. 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
  3. ↑ "UC Davis School of Medicine Dean Allison Brashear moving to University of Buffalo". UC Davis Health newsroom. UC Davis Health. October 18, 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Brashear Appointed to the AAMC Board of Directors". medicine.buffalo.edu. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
  5. ↑ "2023 ATHENA Awards®". Buffalo Niagara Partnership. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
  6. 1 2 McCormak, Kevin (August 7, 2020). "A new voice and vision added to CIRM Board". blog.cirm.ca.gov. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Wake Forest Baptist Neurologist Honored as Distinguished Alumni". newsroom.wakehealth.edu. June 19, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  8. ↑ "ALLISON BRASHEAR '83 APPOINTED DEAN OF THE UC DAVIS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE". depauw.edu. DePauw University. May 1, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  9. ↑ Indiana University School of Medicine (2024-05-18). Dr. Allison Brashear wins 2024 Distinguished Medical Alumni Award . Retrieved 2025-03-28– via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Allison Brashear: Dean of the School of Medicine". health.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Allison Brashear Named Chairwoman of Neurology at Wake Forest". Wake Health. August 9, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  12. ↑ "New Guidelines Say Botulinum Toxin Effective For Many Neurological Disorders, but Not Headache". newsroom.wakehealth.edu. May 9, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Wake Forest Physicians Elected to Medical Center Board of Directors". newsroom.wakehealth.edu. January 21, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Wake Forest Baptist Neurologist Receives Community Leadership Award". newsroom.wakehealth.edu. May 22, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Research Suggests Shared Genetic Link in Psychiatric and Movement Disorders". newsroom.wakehealth.edu. September 26, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  16. ↑ "UC Davis Names New Dean for School of Medicine". health.ucdavis.edu. April 30, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  17. ↑ "'A leader for these times': Get to know Allison Brashear, the School of Medicine's new dean". health.ucdavis.edu. July 18, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2020.

Allison Brashear publications indexed by Google Scholar

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