University of Cambridge

Dr Carrie Allison

Deputy Director

Carrie is Deputy Director of Research, contributing to the Autism Research Centre’s strategy and development together with providing support to the Director, staff and students.

Carrie has a degree in Psychology from Durham University, and did her PhD and post-doc at the Autism Research Centre, in collaboration with the Institute of Public Health (whose team includes Professors Carol Brayne and Fiona Matthews). She conducted a population prevalence study of autism in primary school age children using the CAST (Childhood Autism Screening Test), and a population screening study evaluating the Q-CHAT (Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers), in 18-30 month old toddlers. She developed ‘Red Flags’ to improve autism identification, based around the adult, adolescent, and child versions of the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), as well as the Q-CHAT. The AQ-10 is recommended in the NICE Guidelines for Autism in Adults: diagnosis and management (CG142).

Her work is funded by the Templeton World Charitable Foundation, the Autism Research Trust, the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England (formerly CLAHRC East of England – Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care) and The Wellcome Trust.

Selected Publications