R. Todd Allen, MD, PhD

Location: UCSD, San Diego, CA, US

Date of appointment: 2018

Dr. Richard (Todd) Allen is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with expertise in complex adult reconstruction procedures for deformity, scoliosis and tumors. He also specializes in complex disorders of the upper cervical spine and in degenerative, traumatic, and post-traumatic spinal conditions.

Dr. Allen utilizes both a variety of minimally invasive and open surgical procedures to address these conditions, with a focus on optimizing patient-centered outcomes. As the Behrooz A. Akbarnia, MD & Nasrin A. Owsia, MD Endowed Chair in Spinal Surgery and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UC San Diego Health System, he is committed to advancing education and research in spine surgery. He serves as Spine Fellowship Director at UC San Diego School of Medicine, playing an active role in training medical students, residents and fellows.

His research interests include deformity, biologics, disc replacement, cost-effectiveness and quality metrics in spine. Dr. Allen has been lead or contributing author to numerous peer-reviewed research publications and book chapters and has presented his work at national and international meetings, including the North American Spine Society (NASS) and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). He is an active member of the NASS Basic Science and Biologics Committee and continues to be highly active on several national committees advancing spine surgery research and outcomes.