Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medicine
School of Medicine

Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, iron, ITP, non-malignant hematology

2000 Second grade degree and medallion: ‘Best Research Thesis’, Tehran Medical Sciences University, Avicenna Festival 2000, Tehran, Iran

December 2011 ASH Abstract Achievement Award


April 2017 Appreciation letter for “Dedication to sicke cell community” awarded by Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California

September 2017 Certificate of recognition for “valuable contribution to sickle cell disease and the community”-awarded by Cayenne Wellness Center

November 2019 2019 Riverside County Medical Association (RCMA) "Outstanding Contribution to Medicine" Award

January 2020 3 California Legislature Assembly certificate of recognition for "Outstanding Contribution to Medicine"

January 2020 Riverside County Board of supervisors certificate of recognition for "Outstanding Contribution to Medicine"

January 2020 United States House of Representatives certificate of congressional recognition for "Outstanding Contribution to Medicine"

January 2020 State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition for "Outstanding Contribution to Medicine"

2001-2008 Hemoglobinopathy center- Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland, Oakland California

Abstracts/Presentations

1. Vichinsky E, Hammer M, Fung E, Pakbaz Z, Hagar W. Osteopenia and osteoporosis in adults with Sickle Cell Disease. Blood. 2002 Nov.16; 100(11): 454a. ASH poster presentation.
2. Lal A, Fung E, Kammen B, Pakbaz Z, Sweeters N, Hackney-Stevens E, Quirolo K, Vichinsky E. Osteopenia and osteoporosis in children with severe manifestations of Sickle Cell Anemia. Blood. 2003 Nov.16; 102(11): 762a. ASH oral presentation.
3. Pakbaz Z, Fung E, Fagaly RL, Fischer R, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Long term reproducibility in liver concentration measurements by SQUID biosusceptometery. Blood. 2003 Nov.16; 102(11): 518a. ASH poster presentation.
4. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Fung E, Fagaly RL, Hassenzahl WV, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Liver iron concentration measured by Low-TC SQUID: First results from Children's Hospital Oakland Ferritometer. TIF poster presentation.
5. Pakbaz Z, Fung E, Sweeters N, Butensky E, Gollapudi A, Singer S, Vichinsky E. Low bone mass in patients with Thalassemia. Blood. 2003 Nov. 16; 102(11): 38b.
6. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Fung E, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Serum ferritin under estimates the the severity of iron overload in not regularly transfused patients with Thalassemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2004; 42(6): 497. ASPHO oral presentation.
7. Lal A, Fung E, Kammen B, Pakbaz Z, Sweeters N, Hackney-Stevens E, Quirolo K, Vichinsky E. Osteopenia and osteoporosis in children with severe manifestations of Sickle Cell Anemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2004; 42 (6): 513.
8. Pakbaz Z, Fung E, Sweeters N, Butensky E, Gollapudi A, Singer S, Vichinsky E. Low bone mass in patients with Thalassemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2004; 42(6): 516. ASPHO poster presentation.
9. Pakbaz Z, Orren P, Quirolo K, Hackney-Stephen E, Vichinsky E, Treadwell M. Quality of life in patients with Sickle Cell Disease. Blood. 2005 Nov. 16; 106(11): 384a. National Sickle Cell meeting 2006 oral presentation and ASH poster presentation.
10. Vichinsky E, Fischer R, Pakabz Z, Onyekwere O, Porter J, Swerdlow P, Coates T, Lane P, Files B, Mueller B, Coic L, Forni G, Abetz L, Baladi J, Ressayre-Djaffer C, Gathmann I, Alberti D, Marks P. Satisfaction and convenience of chelation therapy in patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Comparison between deferasirox (Exjade, ICL670) and deferoxamine. Blood. 2005 Nov. 16; 106(11): 656a. ASH poster presentation.
11. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Fung E, Nielsen P, Engelhardt R, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Serum ferritin and liver iron concentration in patients with iron overload. Blood. 2005 Nov. 16; 106(11): 38b.
12. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Foote D, Quirolo K, Yamashita R, Treadwell M, Fung E, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Adherence to iron chelation therapy in patients with Thalassemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2005; 44(6): 549 ASPHO and the 8th New York Academy of Sciences poster presentation.
13. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Fung E, Calvelli L, Fagaly R, Vichinsky E, Harmatz P. Molar efficacy of deferoxamine measured by SQUID Biosusceptometer. The 8th New York Academy of Sciences Symposium poster presentation.
14. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R , Fung E , Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Relationship between serum ferritin and liver iron concentration in Sickle Cell Disease compared to Thalssemia. National Sickle Cell Meeting 2005 poster presentation.
15. Pakbaz Z, Zhang Zhe, Fung E, Sweeters N, Singer S, Vichinsky E. Bone mineral density in transfusion independent Thalassemia patients. Blood. 2006 Nov. 16; 108(11): 957a. ASH poster presentation.
16. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Butz J, Foote D , Ekua Hackney-Stephens E, Fagaly B, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Liver iron measurement by SQUID compared to liver biopsy. Blood. 2006 Nov. 16; 108(11): 33b.
17. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Noonan N, Shiota S, Harmatz P, Vichinksy E, Walters M. Iron overload in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia after bone marrow transplantation. Blood. 2006 Nov. 16; 108(11): 426b.
18. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Butz J, Foote D, Hackney-Stephens E, Fagaly RL, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Liver iron assessment by SQUID compared to liver biopsy. National Sickle Cell Meeting 2007 poster presentation.
19. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Vichinsky E, Fagaly RL, Paulson D, Pratt K, Butz J, Foote D, Quirolo K, Harmatz P. Liver iron assessment by SQUID biosusceptometry compared to liver biopsy: A more accurate definition of optimal iron range. Blood. 2007 Nov. 16; 110(11): 786a. ASH poster presentation.
20. Pakbaz Z, Kim H, Trachtenberg F, Treadwell M, Giardina P, Parmar P, Kwiatkowski J, Cunningham MJ, Martin M, Sweeters N, Vichinsky E. Education and employment status of patients with Thalassemia in North America. ASPHO 2008 poster presentation.
21. Pakbaz Z, Nemeth E, Fischer R, Ganz T, Vichinsky E, MD1, Harmatz P, Walter P. Serum and urine hepcidin levels in patients with Beta-Thalassemia or Sickle Cell Disease. ASPHO 2008 oral presentation and SCDAA 36th annual convention poster presentation.
22. Pakbaz Z, Treadwell M, Yu S, Trachtenberg F, Giardina PJ, Kleinert D, Kwiatkowski J, Olivieri N, Porter J, Neufeld EJ, Thompson AA, Odame I, Yamashita RC, Vichinsky E. Lifestyle choices in adults with Thalassemia in the Thalassemia Clinical Research. Network Longitudinal Cohort. The 9th New York Academia of Sciences Symposium poster presentation.
23. Pakbaz Z, Hildesheim M, Alam S, Allen D, Minniti C, Taylor VI J, Kato G. Serum transferrin: An independent predictor of mortality in Sickle Cell Anemia. Blood. 2011 Nov. 16; 118(21):18. ASH poster presentation 2011 AND SCDAA Oral presentation 2012
24. Walter P, Pakbaz Z, Nemeth E, Ganz T, Porter JB, Evans P,Houston K, Fischer R, Wayhmiller M, Hertz M, Miller J, Hagar R, Neumayr L, Vichinsky E. Harmatz P. Determinants of tissue iron loading in transfused and non-transfused beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease patients –Biomarkers of iron regulation and inflammation. Blood. 2013; 122(21). ASH poster presentation 2013
25. Eke C, Nguyen T, Pakbaz Z. Pernicious anemia presenting as pseudo TTP . ACP 2017 and RUHS symposium 2018 poster presentation.
26. Grewal S, Tekeste T, Lim S, Garrison R, Pakbaz Z. Non-secretary multiple myeloma: an illustrative case report. ACP 2017 and RUHS symposium 2018 poster presentation
27. Oluoha N, Vanmali A, Farhadian P, Pakbaz Z. New onset LGL after autologous stem cell transplant for mantle cell lymphoma. ACP 2018 and RUHS 2018 poster presentation
28. Nguyen S, Nguyen C, The P, Pakbaz Z. When dream became air-Mercaptopurine induced hepatotoxicity in a case of ALLwith TPMT deficiency. RUHS symposium poster presentation 2018
29. Kesbeh Y, Pakbaz Z. Pernicous Anemia: A myelodysplastic syndrom look- alike. 2019 Jun 19;9(3):240-243. ACP 2018 poster presntation
30. Ho B, Choi KS, Ochoa W, Torralba KD, Sandhu VK, Pakbaz Z. Atypical manifestation of sarcoidosis in a Hispanic male. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2019 Jun 19;9(3):271-274. ACP and Kaiser Permanaete poster presentation 2018
31. La VT, Diatte M, Gaston J, Dick D, Sweiss R, Pakbaz Z. Spinal cord compression due to extramedullary hematopoiesis in a patient with E-Bata-thalassemia managed without radiation or surgery. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2018 Aug 23;8(4):246-249. ACP and RUHS poster presentation
32. Nguyen S, Llano L, Oluoha N, Pakbaz Z. Lipoprotein (a) a risk factor for venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in patients younger than 50 years of age. Blood 2018 Nov. 16
33. Wiltchick E, Mittal A, Pakbaz Z. The kiss of near death: Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis triggered by Epstein Barr Virus. SCCM 2019 poster presentation
34. Chuvoru N, Patel A, Rwoley C, Treadwell M, Vichinsky E, Pakbaz Z. A pilot adult sickle cell hematology clinic in california’s Inland Empire improves patient outcome. Blood 2019 Nov ASH 2019 poster presentation

January 2020 California State Senate Certification of Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Medicine
January 2020 Certificate of Congressional Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Medicine
January 2020 2 California Legislature Assembly Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Medicine
January 2020 County of Riverside Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to Medicine

1. Pakbaz Z, Fayazmoghaddam K. Report of hemoglobin electrophoresis tests of Tehran Nejatollahi Clinical Diagnosis Laboratory, Iran Blood Transfusion Services (Sep 1995-Aug 1996). Thalassemia. 1997; 12: 6-10.
2. Pakbaz Z, Farhadi M, Pasalar P, Malekpoor H, Emadi A, Fayazmoghaddam K. Report of assessing prescribed iron on HbA2 levels in people suspected to have B-Thalassemia Minor and iron deficiency. Thalassemia. 1997; 12: 23-25.
3. Pakbaz Z, Farhadi M, Pasalar P, Malekpoor H, Emadi A, Fayazmoghaddam K. Results of screening program for B-Thalassemia trait on 8, 500 high school students in Tehran. Thalassemia. 1997; 12: 18-20.
4. Pakbaz Z, Farhadi M, Pasalar P, Malekpoor H, Emadi A, Fayazmoghaddam K. Assessing the level of knowledge in Tehran high school students and evaluation of an educational program on Thalassemia. Thalassemia. 1999; Vol 11: 12-16.
5. Engelhard R, Fung E, Longo F, Borri M, Pakbaz Z, Opitz H, Fagaly RL, Piga A, Fischer R, Harmatz P. Agreement of liver iron quantification measurements with low Tc-SQUID biosusceptometers in Oakland, Torino and Hamburg. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Biomagnetism, Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 21-25, 2006. Volume 1300, June 2007, Pages 279-282.
6. Fung E, Fischer R, Pakbaz Z, Fagaly RL, Vichinsky E, Starr TN, Ewing T, Paulson DN, Hassenzahl WV, Harmatz P. The new SQUID biosusceptometer at Oakland: First year of experience. Neurol Clin Neurophysiol. 2004 Nov 30; 2004: 5. PMID: 16012600
7. Engelhardt R, Fung E, Kelly P, Biehl TR, Pakbaz Z, Nielsen P, Harmatz P, Fischer R. Interaction of artificial metallic objects with biosusceptometric measurements. Neurol Clin Neurophysiol. 2004 Nov 30; 2004: 32. PMID: 16012652
8. Lal A, Fung EB, Pakbaz Z, Hackney-Stephens E, Vichinsky E. Bone mineral density in children with Sickle Cell Anemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2006 Dec; 47(7): 901-6. PMID: 16317761
9. Butensky E, Pakbaz Z, Foote D, Walters MC, Vichinsky E, Harmatz P. Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection in Thalassemia. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2005; 1054: 290-9.
PMID: 16339677
10. Pakbaz Z, Treadwell M, Yamashita R, Quirolo K, Foote D, Quill L, Singer T, Vichinsky E. Quality of life in patients with Thalassemia Intermedia compared to Thalassemia Major. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2005; 1054: 457-61. PMID: 16339697
11. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Treadwell M, Yamashita R, Fung E, Calvelli L, Quirolo K, Foote D, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. A simple model to assess and improve adherence to iron chelation therapy with deferoxamine in patients with Thalassemia. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2005; 1054: 486-91. PMID: 16339703
12. Shamshirsaz AA, Bekheirnia MR, Kamgar M , Pakbaz Z, Tabatabaie SM, Bouzari N, Pourzahedgilani N, Azarkeivan A, Moosavi F, Alebouyeh M, Vosoogh P, Kimiagar P, Shamshirsaz AHA, Moradilakeh M, Habibzadeh MR. Bone mineral density in Iranian adolescents and young adults with ß-Thalassemia Major. Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2007 Oct-Nov; 24(7): 469-79. PMID: 17786783
13. Jastaniah W, Harmatz P, Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Vichinsky E, Walters M. Transfusional iron burden and liver toxicity after bone marrow transplantation for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and hemoglobinopathies. Pediatric Blood Cancer. 2008 Feb; 50(2): 319-24. PMID: 17557314
14. Pakbaz Z, Fischer R, Fung E, Nielsen P, Harmatz P, Vichinsky E. Serum ferritin underestimates liver iron concentration in transfusion independent Thalassemia patients as compared to regularly transfused Thalassemia and Sickle Cell patients. Pediatric Blood Cancer. 2007 Sep; 49(3): 329-32. PMID: 17554789
15. Vichinsky E, Pakbaz Z, Onyekwere O, Porter J, Swerdlow P, Coates T, Lane P, Files B, Mueller BU, Coïc L, Forni GL, Fischer R, Marks P, Rofail D, Abetz L, Baladi JF. Patient-reported outcomes of deferasirox (Exjade(R), ICL670) versus deferoxamine in Sickle Cell Disease patients with transfusional hemosiderosis. Substudy of a randomized open-label phase II trial. Acta Haematol. 2008 Apr 11; 119(3): 133-141. PMID: 18408362
16. Vogiatzi MG, Macklin EA, Fung EB, Cheung AM, Vichinsky E, Olivieri N, Kirby M, Kwiatkowski JL, Cunningham M, Holm IA, Lane J, Schneider R, Fleisher M, Grady RW, Peterson CC, Giardina PJ; Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. Collaborators: Neufeld E, Cunningham M, Cohen AR, Kwiatkowski JL, Manno CS, Martin M, Hillman D, Jackson GM, Henwood-Storto MJ, Fourtner SH, Vichinsky E, Foote D, Pang EH, Pakbaz Z, Holden S, Olivieri N, Quinn CT, Shull E, Giardina PJ, Grady RW, Mait JE, Kleinert D, Chaikhoutdinov I, Cintron G, Hom S, Peterson C, McKinlay S, Trachtenberg F, Jallow H. Bone disease in Thalassemia: A frequent and still unresolved problem. J Bone Miner Res. 2009 Mar; 24(3): 543-57. PMID: 18505376
17. Trachtenberg F, Foote D, Martin M, Carson S, Coates T, Beams O, Vega O, Merelles-Pulcini M, Giardina PJ, Kleinert DA, Kwiatkowski J, Thompson AA, Neufeld EJ, Schilling L, Thayalasuthan V, Pakbaz Z, Yamashita R. Pain as an emergent issue in Thalassemia, for the Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. Am J Hematol. 2010 May; 85(5): 367-70. PMID: 20232403
18. Pakbaz Z, Kim Y, Trachtenberg F, Parmar N, Kwiatkowski JL, Cunningham MJ, Martin M, Sweeters N, Neufeld EJ, Giardina PJ, Olivieri N, Yamashita RC, Vichinsky E. Education and employment status of children and adults with Thalassemia in North America, for the Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. Pediatric Blood Cancer. 2010 Oct; 55(4): 678-83. PMID: 20535817
19. Olivieri N, Pakbaz Z, Vichinsky E. HbE/Beta Thalassemia: Basis of marked clinical heterogeneity. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2010 Dec; 24(6): 1055-70. PMID: 21075280
20. Trachtenberg F, Vichinsky E, Haines D, Pakbaz Z, Mednick L, Sobota A, Kwiatkowski J, Thompson AA, Porter J, Coates T, Giardina PJ, Olivieri N,Yamashita R, Neufeld EJ. Iron chelation adherence to deferoxamine and deferasirox in Thalassemia, for the Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. Am J Hematol. 2011 May; 86(5): 433-6. PMID: 21523808
21. Olivieri NF, Pakbaz Z, Vichinsky E. Hb E/Beta-Thalassaemia: A common & clinically diverse disorder. Indian J Med Res. 2011 Oct; 134:522-31. PMID: 22089616
22. Trachtenberg FL, Mednick L, Kwiatkowski JL, Neufeld EJ, Haines D, Pakbaz Z, Thompson AA, Quinn CT, Grady R, Sobota A, Olivieri N, Horne R, Yamashita R. Thalassemia Clinical Research Network. Beliefs about chelation among thalassemia patients. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2012 Dec 7;10:148. PMID: 23216870
23. Pakbaz Z, Wun T. Role of the hemostatic system on sickle cell disease pathophysiology and potential therapeutics. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2014 Apr;28(2):355-74. PMID: 24589271
24. Ganz T, Jung G, Naeim A, Ginzburg Y, Pakbaz Z, Walter PB, Kautz L, Nemeth E. Immunoassy for human serom erythroferrone. Blood. 2017 Sep 7;130(10):1243-1246. PMID: 28739636
25. La VT, Diatte M, Gaston J, Dick D, Sweiss R, Pakbaz Z. Spinal cord compression due to extramedullary hematopoiesis in a patient with E-beta-thalassemia managed without radiation or surgery. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2018 Aug 23;8(4):246-249. PMID: 30181838
26. Ho B, Choi KS, Ochoa W, Torralba KD, Sandhu VK, Pakbaz Z. Atypical manifestation of sarcoidosis in a Hispanic male. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2019 Jun 19;9(3):271-274. PMID: 31258873
27. Kesbeh Y, Pakbaz Z. Pernicious anemia: a myelodysplastic syndrome look-alike. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2019 Jun 19;9(3):240-243. PMID: 31258865

American Society of Hematology (ASH)

Medical Oncology Association of Southern California (MOASC)

Riverside County Medical Association

Internal Medicine Resident
Union Memorial Hospital/ University of Maryland 2008—2011

Hematology Clinical Fellow
National Institute of Health/ NHLBI 2011—2013

Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6699

Last updated
10/15/2021