Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of Hematology/Oncology

Faculty Profiles

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photo Julia Z Xu, MD, MScGH

Hematology/Oncology

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Email: xujz2@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-648-6466

Contact
Office: Falk Medical Building
3601 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-648-6466
Fax: 412-864-2663
E-mail: xujz2@upmc.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Linda Mazefsky
Address: Medical Arts Building
3708 Fifth Avenue, Suite 503
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: mazefskyl2@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-648-6466
Fax: 412-864-2663
Education and Training
Education
BA, Biochemistry and Spanish, University of Pennsylvania, 2009
MS, Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 2009
MD, Medicine, Columbia University, 2014
MSc, Global Health, Duke University, 2018
Training
Internal Medicine-Global Health Residency, Duke University, 2018
Hematology Fellowship, National Institutes of Health, 2020
Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Institutes of Health, 2021
Research Interest
Dr. Xu is a physician-scientist focusing on chronic complications of sickle cell disease (SCD). She has a particular interest in studying the complex pathophysiology of anemia and its treatment in SCD using clinical and translational research approaches.

With a longstanding interest in both red blood cell disorders and global health, she has conducted studies of the trajectory of renal function decline in sickle cell disease in a US-based cohort, the prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in a Dominican HIV clinic, the feasibility of thalassemia screening and barriers to care in Myanmar and Cambodian migrant populations in Thailand, and point-of-care testing for hemoglobin disorders. She has led and is leading clinical trials of novel drug therapies in patients with sickle cell disease.

Dr. Xu's research focuses on new drug therapies and biomarkers for improving anemia and other chronic complications in SCD. She is dedicated to improving anemia-related outcomes for individuals living with SCD in the US and globally by optimizing treatment strategies for anemia and expanding global access to treatments.
Clinical Interest
Dr. Xu is a hematologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Section of Benign Hematology. Her primary clinical area of interest is inherited red blood cell disorders, and she specializes in sickle cell disease and other hemoglobin disorders. She regularly sees patients in the Benign Hematology Center at Falk Clinic and is an attending physician on the inpatient hematology consult service.
Educational Interest
As the Hematology Chief Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Xu redesigned and implemented a new didactic hematology curriculum for hematology/oncology fellows and received the NHLBI Director’s Award for Learning Environment for her outstanding contributions to the educational environment for fellows at the NIH. At the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Xu continues to share her passion for both hematology and global health with trainees through didactic and research lectures and individual mentorship.
Notable Achievements
University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Scholars Program (KL2), 2022-present
American Society of Hematology (ASH) Scholar Award, 2021
NHLBI Director’s Award for Learning Environment, 2020
Fogarty International Center Global Health Fellowship, 2017
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation Research Fellowship, 2017
American Society of Hematology (ASH) HONORS Award, 2013-2019
Member, American Society of Hematology (ASH), 2013-present
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinical Research Fellowship, 2012
Dean’s Scholar Award, 2008
Member, Phi Beta Kappa, 2008-present