Faculty

Scott Alan Peslak, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology)

Department: Medicine

Graduate Group Affiliations

Cell and Molecular Biology

Contact information

University of Pennsylvania, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology
Biomedical Research Building II/III, Room 809
421 Curie Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Email:
scott.peslak@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Publications

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Education:
BS (Biochemistry, Philosophy)
University of Scranton , 2006.
PhD (Pathology)
University of Rochester School of Medicine, 2012.
MD (Medicine )
University of Rochester School of Medicine, 2014.

Links
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Permanent link

> Perelman School of Medicine > Faculty > Details

Description of Clinical Expertise

I see patients in the UPenn Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program and Comprehensive Adult Thalassemia Program at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine as well as serve as the Director of the UPenn Comprehensive Adult Thalassemia Program and Gene Therapy Lead for patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

Description of Research Expertise

Our lab is focused on improving therapeutic approaches for sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta-thalassemia via the study of key signaling pathways that regulate expression of the fetal form of hemoglobin. Our work spans the entire translational spectrum from basic science to pre-clinical studies, and we utilize a variety of genomic, pharmacologic, and functional approaches in both in vitro and in vivo red blood cell models.

Selected Publications

Sheth S., Lal A., Appiah-Kubi A, Peslak S.A., Temin N.T., Coates T. : Real-world safety profile of twice-daily deferiprone for iron overload in patients with thalassemia syndromes. 20th Annual Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Conference (ASCAT), London, UK October 2025.

Sheth S., Lal A., Appiah-Kubi A, Peslak S.A., Temin N.T., Coates T. : Real-world safety profile of twice-daily deferiprone for iron overload in patients with sickle cell disease. 20th Annual Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Conference (ASCAT), London, UK October 2025.

Cheng A.N, Peslak S.A., Sheth S., Sayani S., Lal A.: High Morbidity in Adults with Non-Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia Referred to U.S. Specialty Centers. 20th Annual Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Conference (ASCAT), London, UK October 2025.

Al Ta’ani, O.; Mayrer, B.M.; Luche, N.M.; Siddique, S.M., Peslak, S.A.; Anderson, T.S.; Vajravelu, R.K.: Impact of Diagnostic Serum Ferritin Thresholds on Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of U.S. Adults. JAMA Internal Medicine Online Ahead of Print: e252311, August 2025.

Cheng A.N., Cohen J., Lundberg R.K., Sayani F.A., Chong E.A., Peslak S.A.: Progressive Anaemia and Splenomegaly in an Adult with HbE/Beta Thalassaemia. 1st TIF Pan American Conference on Thalassaemia and Other Haemoglobin Disorders July 2025.

Huang, P., Peslak, S.A., Shehu, V., Keller, C.A., Giardine, B., Shi, J., Hardison, R.C., Blobel, G.A., Khandros, E.: Let-7 miRNAs repress HIC2 to regulate BCL11A transcription and hemoglobin switching. Blood 143(19): 1980-1991, May 2024.

Peslak S.A., Abbas T., Khandros E., Traxler E.A., Abdulmalik O., Giardine B.M., Keller C.A., Hardison R.C., Shi J., Blobel G.A. : Protein Phosphatase 6 Complex: Novel Regulator of Fetal Hemoglobin and Potential Therapeutic Target in Sickle Cell Disease. American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA Dec 2023.

Cheng A., Traxler E.A., Peslak S.A., Cohen J., Russell J.E., Sayani F. : Patients with Non-Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia May Evolve to Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia in Adulthood. American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA Dec 2023.

Li C, Shin H, Bhavanasi D, Liu M, Yu X, Peslak SA, Liu X, Alvarez-Dominguez JR, Blobel GA, Gregory BD, Huang J, Klein PS: Expansion of human hematopoietic stem cells by inhibiting translation. bioRxiv Nov 2023.

Peslak, S.A., Akins, A.B., Foxwell, A.M., Iannelli, M., Grande, C., Breen, D., Russell, J.E., Uritsky, T.J., Sayani, F.A.: A novel, effective, and efficient strategy for treating sickle cell vaso-occlusive events in the infusion center setting. Blood Adv 7(3): 410-413, Feb 2023.