Jeff Allen, PhD

Jeff Allen is President and CEO of Friends of Cancer Research (Friends). Friends is an advocacy organization based in Washington, DC that drives collaboration among partners from every healthcare sector to power advances in science, policy, and regulation that speed life-saving treatments to patients. For more than two decades, Friends has been instrumental in the creation and implementation of policies ensuring patients receive the best treatments in the fastest and safest way possible.

For over 10 years, Jeff has been a driving force in the growth and success of the organization. Under his leadership, Friends has evolved into a nimble, forward-thinking policy, public affairs, and research organization. As President and CEO, he leads the strategic development and implementation of Friends’ scientific, policy, research, and legislative initiatives, as well as overseeing Board governance and organizational operations.

As a thought leader on many issues related to the Food and Drug Administration, regulatory strategy, and healthcare policy, he is regularly published in prestigious medical journals and policy publications. In addition to participating in major scientific and policy symposiums around the country each year, Jeff has had the honor to be called to testify before Congress on multiple occasions and regularly contributes his expertise to the legislative process. Recent Friends initiatives include the establishment of the Breakthrough Therapies designation and the development of the Lung Cancer Master Protocol (Lung-MAP), a unique partnership that will accelerate and optimize clinical trial conduct for new drugs.

Jeff has the privilege to also serve on a variety of influential committees, boards, and advisory councils including the Alliance for a Stronger FDA (Board Member, Past President), the Medical Evidence Development Consortium (MED-C; Board Chair), Lung-MAP Senior Leadership Team Member, and a participant on working groups convened by the National Academies of Medicine and President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

Prior to joining Friends, Jeff was an endocrinology researcher at the National Institutes of Health. His background in cancer research focused upon molecular changes associated with cancer formation as well as treatments to prevent cancer progression. Jeff received his Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from Georgetown University, and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Bowling Green State University.