Dr. Julia Z. Xu is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Classical Hematology and the Vascular Medicine Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, where she specializes in caring for adults with sickle cell disease and other red blood cell disorders.

Dr. Xu earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and her MD from Columbia University. She completed combined internal medicine-global health residency training at Duke University, where she obtained a Master of Science in Global Health and conducted international research as a Fogarty International Center fellow. She completed her hematology fellowship training at the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Xu’s innovative research evaluates novel therapies and biomarkers to address the burden of chronic anemia in sickle cell disease. She has led multiple early-phase clinical trials investigating both single and combination drug therapies, while exploring how biomarkers of blood rheology and tissue perfusion can improve patient care. Her work bridges local clinical practice with international partnerships, advancing global care for individuals living with sickle cell disease.

As Scientific Chair, Dr. Xu brings a unique blend of rigorous scientific inquiry, clinical expertise, and commitment to global health advancement that will shape the 2026 Symposium’s transformative program.