Vanessa Scanlon

Vanessa Scanlon, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut and holds an Adjunct appointment in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Science from UConn Health (2015) and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Molecular & Cell Biology and Diagnostic Genetic Sciences from UConn (2006). Her research program investigates hematopoietic progenitor cell fate decisions with a focus on extrinsic mechanisms in the bone marrow microenvironment.

Dr. Scanlon's laboratory develops innovative approaches including time-lapse microscopy of bipotent progenitors and 3D engineered cell culture models to study spatial regulation in hematopoiesis. Her work specifically examines megakaryocytic-erythroid lineage commitment and the molecular regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis. Key research areas include:

• Thrombopoietin signaling in progenitor self-renewal
• Chromatin organization in erythropoiesis
• Transcriptional networks in Diamond-Blackfan anemia
• Iron metabolism effects on lineage commitment

Her publication record demonstrates expertise in advanced cellular imaging, molecular biology techniques, and hematopoietic assay development. Research consistently focuses on megakaryocytic-erythroid progenitors, with recent work expanding into diagnostic optimization and translational applications for blood disorders.

Dr. Scanlon is actively engaged in mentoring and strengthening pathways for underrepresented researchers. She leads laboratory studies at UConn while maintaining collaborative ties at Yale, contributing to both institutions' research missions in hematology and regenerative medicine.