Alison is a both a qualified Chemist and Engineer. Having graduated with an honours Chemistry degree in 2003, she went on to pursue a Masters in Biochemical Engineering. During her studies, she completed research internships in both the US. and Germany. Following her Masters, Alison went on to work in the Roche Diagnostics R&D department in Penzberg, Germany that specialised in the purification of bio-therapeutics.

It was this interest that motivated her to complete a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering on Multifunctional Chromatography Supports. She subsequently worked in Boston Scientific's R&D department in Galway, investigating new surface coatings for drug-eluting products.

Alison then joined Cook Medical in Limerick, where she was team lead on gastroenterology projects from design to manufacture of commercial products. She is the named inventor on eight US patent filings and she has presented her research work at international scientific conferences.

Currently, Alison is working on an Enterprise Ireland commercialisation fund at NUI Galway, developing a new technology for the treatment of Orofacial pain.