Erica Sparkenbaugh, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (DPLM) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined the department in September 2024 and is also faculty in the Pathobiology and Translational Sciences (PBTS) PhD program and a member of the UNC Blood Research Center. Dr. Sparkenbaugh’s research focuses on the mechanisms linking coagulation, inflammation, and vascular complications in blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, with an emphasis on translational approaches and women’s health. She earned her BS in Biology from Allegheny College and her PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology from Michigan State University, and completed postdoctoral training in hematology at UNC Chapel Hill. Her work bridges basic science and clinical relevance to advance understanding of thrombo-inflammatory disease processes.