Learn more about NICHD leadership, researchers, and grantees.
Acting & Deputy Director
Alison Cernich, Ph.D. is the Deputy Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and works to support the Institute’s mission to lead research and training to understand human development, improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all. Prior to this position, Dr. Cernich was the Director of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) at NICHD, Deputy Director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury in the Department of Defense, and multiple roles in the Department of Veterans Affairs. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and completed post-doctoral training in cognitive neuroscience at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC. She is a board-certified neuropsychologist and is the lead or contributing author on multiple peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations, with an emphasis on disability and pregnancy, traumatic brain injury and computerized neuropsychological assessment.
Read More
Other Profiles
- Director, Division of Extramural Research, Rohan Hazra, M.D.
- Director, Division of Extramural Activities, Rebekah Rasooly, Ph.D.
- Scientific Director, Christopher McBain, Ph.D.
- NICHD Clinical Director, Catherine Gordon, M.D., M.S.
- Director of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Una Grewal, Ph.D., M.P.H.
- Director, NICHD National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, Theresa Hayes Cruz, Ph.D.
- Women in Science Profiles
- Get to Know NICHD: Interviews with NICHD staff about their roles in the institute
- NICHD Research Profiles: Series that highlights the efforts and activities of institute-funded grantees and trainees
If you need additional biographical information on NICHD leadership or would like to schedule an interview with an NICHD staff member, contact the Office of Communications at nichdpress@mail.nih.gov or 301-496-5133.
BACK TO TOP