Dr. Fertrin is an Associate Professor of Hematology in the Division of Hematology at the University of Washington in Seattle and the Director of the Sickle Cell Disease and Iron Overload Program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.  He originally obtained his medical degree and PhD in Medical Pathophysiology from the University of Campinas - UNICAMP, in Brazil, and trained as a research fellow at the Sickle Cell Vascular Section of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

His clinical interests include congenital and acquired hemolytic anemias, as well as patients with iron overload secondary to red blood cell transfusion or primarily caused by hemochromatosis. In his clinical research activities, he is currently investigating novel therapies for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, including medications that can reduce the need for transfusion and the frequency of vaso-occlusive crises, and the use of cell therapies such as gene therapy for reactivation of fetal hemoglobin production. His goal as a researcher is to develop novel therapeutic approaches that can mitigate the clinical burden of those diseases, prevent end-organ damage, and ultimately lead to longer life expectancy and a better quality of life.