Ofelia Alvarez MD

Dr. Ofelia A. Alvarez, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Miami and the Director of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Program. During childhood, Dr. Alvarez discovered her calling to medicine. She completed a bachelor's degree in Biology and graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan. After training in pediatrics, Dr. Alvarez did a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. She is board-certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology Oncology. Previous to joining the University of Miami, Dr. Alvarez was a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Loma Linda University, in Southern California, where she concentrated in a clinical career, with an interest in supportive care, brain tumors, and benign hematology.

In early 2001, Dr. Alvarez joined the University of Miami and became the director of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Program in late 2003. Her academic career and expertise are in both sickle cell disease (SCD) and hemoglobinopathies. Dr. Alvarez has published 70 papers, mostly in SCD, and has been the principal investigator or center investigator for many studies. The main topics of her research have been sickle cell nephropathy, prevention of organ damage with hydroxyurea or chronic blood transfusions, newborn screening, and lately, global health. Currently, Dr. Alvarez has been the recipient of several HRSA, PCORI, and NIH grants.