Allison Abbott is an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. She received her doctorate from Tufts University in cell, molecular and developmental biology and was a postdoctoral fellow at Dartmouth Medical School. Abbott has been a faculty member at Marquette since 2006. She is currently the chair of the University Academic Senate. Previously, she has served as the vice chair of the University Academic Senate, chair of the University Board of Graduate Studies and a member of the University Board of Undergraduate Studies. She was a participant in the university’s inaugural Faculty Exploring Leadership Opportunities (FELOS) program in 2017 to 2018.

Abbott has taught many courses at the undergraduate and graduate level including Cell Biology; Genetics; and Animal Development. Her research lab uses the roundworm C. elegans to study the functions of small regulatory RNAs known as microRNAs. Many of these microRNAs are conserved from worms to humans. The functions of microRNAs are of great interest because microRNAs are associated with many common human diseases including cancer, viral diseases, immune-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. Because of this connection to human health, her lab has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2008.