William Allan (geneticist)

{{short description|American physician and geneticist (1881–1943)}}

{{Infobox scientist

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| birth_date = August 14, 1881

| birth_place = McDonogh School, Owings Mills, Maryland, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age |1943|4|24|1881|8|14|mf=y}}

| death_place = Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.

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| fields = genetics

| workplaces = {{plainlist|

• Bowman Gray School of Medicine

}}

| known_for = Allan–Herndon–Dudley syndrome

| awards = The American Society of Human Genetics named its highest honor the William Allan Award

| spouse =

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William Allan (August 14, 1881 – April 24, 1943) was an American physician and geneticist who made pioneering studies in human genetics and hereditary diseases. He established the first course in human genetics, at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, which is now a part of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.{{cite web | url=http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/175.html | title=Who Named It, William Allan }}

At Bowman Gray School of Medicine, the first department of medical genetics in the United States was established, and William Allan was appointed as the department's first chairman. Prior to this appointment, Allan had been in private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was nationally recognized for his early work in human and medical genetics. As chairman of this new department, William Allan also directed the nation's first research program in medical genetics, funded by the Carnegie Foundation.{{cite web | url=http://www1.wfubmc.edu/medicalgenetics/history.htm | title=History of Medical Genetics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine }}

The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) named its highest honor for Allan in 1961. The William Allan Award is presented annually by ASHG to recognize substantial and far-reaching scientific contributions to human genetics carried out over a sustained period of scientific inquiry and productivity. An award of $25,000 and an engraved medal are presented at the ASH annual meeting.

Allan died on April 24, 1943, at the age of 61.{{cite news |title=Dr. W. Allan, Bowman Gray Teacher, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-obituary-for-willi/168314753/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=Winston-Salem Journal |date=25 April 1943}}