Alison Fohner
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
Director of Institute of Public Health Genetics, Epidemiology
Education
PhD Public Health Genetics, University of Washington, 2015
MS Biology, Stanford University, 2008
Contact
Department of Epidemiology
Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, 874B
Seattle, WA 98195
Bio
Dr. Fohner is a genetic epidemiologist applying innovative big data methods to extensive electronic health record, population-based longitudinal cohort, and multi-omic data to improve precision medicine. She approaches genetic epidemiology through an ELSI (ethical, legal, social implications) lens, and aims to promote equity and justice in the benefit of and access to genetic information in health settings. She prioritizes interdisciplinary collaborations and is a member of the Cardiovascular Health Research Unit at UW, where she integrates genomics and proteomics to identify early biomarkers for cognitive decline and dementia. She is an Associate Director of the Institute for Public Health Genetics, an interdisciplinary program in the School of Public Health that explores the application of genomics in public health, and is an adjunct investigator at Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.
Research Areas
Research Interests
Dr. Fohner is a genetic epidemiologist applying innovative big data methods to extensive electronic health record and genomic data to improve precision medicine. She approaches genetic epidemiology through an ELSI (ethical, legal, social implications) lens, and aims to promote equity and justice in the benefit of and access to genetic information in health settings. She teaches in the Institute of Public Health Genetics, an interdisciplinary program in the School of Public Health that explores the application of genomics in public health, and is an adjunct investigator at Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.
Recent Publications (PubMed)
(2026 May 24)
J Clin Epidemiol
Johnson TN, Chu HY, Fohner AE
(2026 Apr 23)
J Alzheimers Dis
Peloso GM, Wang D, Abbruzzese SM, Bis JC, Choi SH, Beiser A, Bressler J, Dupuis J, Fohner AE, Ghanbari M, Gibbs RA, Heard-Costa N, Ikram MA, Lacaze P, Le Grand Q, Lopez OL, Mosley TH, Riaz M, Soumaré A, Yaqub A, Boerwinkle E, Psaty BM, Fornage M, TOPMed Neurocognitive Working Group, The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project, Seshadri S, DeStefano AL
(2026 Apr)
Alzheimers Dement 22(4): e71384
Xue D, Hirsch JA, Besser L, Hughes TM, Blue EE, Fitzpatrick AL, Fohner AE
(2026 Mar)
Lancet Healthy Longev 7(3): 100831
Giorgio K, Stephen JJ, Mansolf M, Peterson EA, Gross AL, Briceño EM, Levine DA, Helmer C, Debette S, Soumaré A, Ikram MA, Wolters FJ, Seshadri S, Satizabal CL, Himali JJ, Launer LJ, Li D, Mbangdadji D, Lloyd-Jones DM, Sorond FA, Zhao L, Lopez OL, Judd SE, Hughes TM, Guðnason V, Aiello AE, Fohner A, Singh-Manoux A, Sabayan B, Pankow JS, de Vries PS, Yaffe K, Beiser A, Dehghan A, Zmora R, Scholtens D, Lutsey PL, Allen NB, MacLehose R, Sedaghat S
(2026 Jan)
Alzheimers Dement 22(1): e71065
Li JM, Gauen AM, Zmora R, Stephen JJ, Petito LC, Scholtens D, Peterson EA, Kohli-Lynch C, Mansolf M, Sedaghat S, Giorgio K, Gross AL, Helmer C, Debette S, Soumaré A, Ikram MA, Wolters FJ, Seshadri S, Satizabal CL, Himali J, Levine DA, Briceño EM, Sorond FA, Launer LJ, Li D, Mbangdadji D, Zhao L, Lloyd-Jones DM, Lopez OL, Judd SE, Hughes TM, Gudnason V, Aiello AE, Fohner A, Singh-Manoux A, Allen NB
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