Allison F. O’Neill

Dr. Allison F. O’Neill is a physician-scientist and senior clinical leader specializing in pediatric solid tumors. She is Vice President for Clinical Performance Management and Clinical Director of the Solid Tumor Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and directs Medical Therapies for the Liver Tumor Center. In these roles she leads institutional efforts to improve clinical quality, expand strategic solid tumor programs, and advance pediatric oncology care.

Her scientific work focuses on translational immuno-oncology and cancer imaging. Early in her career she developed a targeted imaging probe to improve detection of Ewing sarcoma micrometastases, an effort that informed her ongoing interest in antibody engineering and precision therapeutics. She trained extensively in cancer immunology, gaining expertise in antibody humanization, molecular targeting, and immune profiling.

Dr. O’Neill’s research integrates genomic characterization, cellular immunology, and novel therapeutic development to create more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for children with sarcoma and liver tumors. Her programs aim to translate preclinical discoveries in molecular biology and immunotherapy into clinical applications.

She is an international leader in pediatric liver tumor research and care. Dr. O’Neill chairs the Children’s Oncology Group Liver Tumor Committee and contributes to global collaborations including the Paediatric Hepatic International Tumor Trial (PHITT) and the SIOP Liver Tumor Working Group. She authored the pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma arm of PHITT and leads initiatives to refine prognostication and therapy for hepatoblastoma and pediatric HCC.

Dr. O’Neill directs the DFCI/Boston Children’s Liver Tumor Center, a multidisciplinary program that brings together surgeons, interventional radiologists, and translational researchers to coordinate care and clinical research.

She holds an appointment as Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and is an active educator and mentor to residents, fellows, and early-career scientists. Dr. O’Neill earned her MD at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, completed pediatric residency through the Boston Combined Residency Program, and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is board certified in Pediatrics.