Jane Little

Jane Little, MD is a Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, where she serves as Director of the UNC Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease program. Her work emphasizes comprehensive and multi-disciplinary care for patients with sickle cell disease, and she leads a program that is a member of NASCC and an active contributor to the GRNDaD Registry.

Dr. Little completed her undergraduate and medical education at Case Western Reserve University. Her distinguished career has spanned multiple prestigious institutions including the National Institutes of Health, Einstein School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and now UNC Chapel Hill.

Her primary research interests focus on sickle cell disease and erythropoiesis, with particular emphasis on the physical properties of red blood cells under ambient and hypoxic conditions. She utilizes microfluidic devices in collaboration with colleagues at UNC and Case Western Reserve University to study red cell behavior and correlate these findings with clinical phenotypes before and after treatment. Dr. Little is also involved in a national sickle cell disease registry that captures data prospectively across more than 8 institutions.

Dr. Little's scholarly contributions span hematology, with recent publications covering PK activators for sickle cell disease treatment, emerging point-of-care diagnostic technologies, stress erythropoiesis mechanisms, and epigenetic regulation of beta-globin genes. Her work demonstrates both clinical and basic science expertise in blood disorders.

As Director of the UNC Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease program, Dr. Little oversees clinical care, research initiatives, and educational programs related to sickle cell disease. Her leadership in this field has established UNC as a prominent center for sickle cell disease research and treatment.