Laura M. De Castro, MD

Laura M. De Castro MD, MHSc, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Benign Hematology for the Institute for Transfusion Medicine and UPMC Cancer Center. In addition, she is a hematologist specializing in sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies. Dr. De Castro also serves as Clinical Director of the Benign Hematology Program at UPMC, and works to expand clinical programs in hemostasis and thrombosis.

Dr. De Castro received her medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York, and her hematology/oncology fellowship at Yale University in New Haven, CT.

Representative Publications:

Efficacy and safety of the Gardos channel blocker, senicapoc (ICA-17043), in patients with sickle cell anemia

Morbidity associated with sickle cell disease in pregnancy

Neuropsychological dysfunction and neuroimaging abnormalities in neurologically intact adults with sickle cell anemia

Surgical and obstetric outcomes in adults with sickle cell disease

Factors associated with survival in a contemporary adult sickle cell disease cohort

Indications and Results of HLA-Identical Sibling Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Sickle Cell Disease

Usability and Feasibility of an mHealth Intervention for Monitoring and Managing Pain Symptoms in Sickle Cell Disease: The Sickle Cell Disease Mobile Application to Record Symptoms via Technology (SMART)