Faculty

Allan I. Pack, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., FRCP

John Miclot Professor

Department: Medicine

Graduate Group Affiliations

Contact information

Translational Research Laboratories
125 South 31st Street, Suite 2100
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403

Office: 215-746-4806
Fax: 215-746-4814

Email:
PACK@PENNMEDICINE.UPENN.EDU

Publications

Search PubMed for articles

Links
Search PubMed for articles
Primary Work Website
Neuroscience graduate group faculty webpage.

Education:
M.B.Ch.B
University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1967.
Ph.D. (Mathematical models of lung function)
University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1976.

Permanent link

SOM Home » BGS Home » NGG Home » Systems

Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Pack is pursuing research on genetics/genomics of sleep and its disorders. His laboratory is conducting studies in Drosophila and mice and translating these findings to humans. A particular focus of Dr. Pack’s work is to evaluate the genetic determinants of sleep homeostasis. Studies are ongoing to evaluate molecular mechanisms of sleepiness and sleep promotion using both hypothesis-driven and discovery science. The latter involves analysis of the changes in the transcription with sleep/wake and sleep deprivation in identified neuronal populations. Techniques being used include behavioral/sleep studies in Drosophila and mice, RT-PCR, Western analysis of protein, expression profiling, laser microcapture dissection, RNA seq and immunohistochemistry. Dr. Pack is committed to research training and directs three training grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Description of Clinical Expertise

Dr. Pack's clinical expertise is in sleep disorders with a particular focus on diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnea. He is internationally recognized for his expertise in this area and has been listed in the Best Doctor's in the United States and in the Philadelphia region (Philadelphia Magazine).

Selected Publications

Keenan, B. T., Strus, E., Lin, R., Chan, M., Lian, J., Galante, R., Worley, P., Pack, A. I., & Naidoo, N.: Mutant mouse models implicate a role for mGluR1/5, prolyl isomerase (Pin1) and Homer1a interactions in wakefulness. Frontiers in neuroscience September 2025.

Kurniansyah N, Strausz SJ, Chittoor G, Gupta S, Justice AE, Hrytsenko Y, Keenan BT, Cade BE, Spitzer BW, Wang H, Huffman J, Moll MR, Haring B, Jung SY, Raffield LM, Kaplan R, Rotter JI, Rich SS, Gharib SA, Bartz TM, Liu PY, Chen H, Fornage M, Hou L, Levy D, Morrison AC, Ochs-Balcom HM, Psaty BM, Wilson PWF, Cho K, Pack AI, Ollila HM, Redline S, Gottlieb DJ, Sofer T: Polygenic scores for obstructive sleep apnoea reveal pathways. EBioMedicine July 2025.

Imamura, T., Wasilczuk, A. Z., Reitz, S. L., Lian, J., Imamura, M., Keenan, B. T., Shimizu, N., Pack, A. I., & Kelz, M. B.: Parafacial GABAergic neurone ablation induces behavioural resistance to volatile anaesthetic-induced hypnosis without reducing sleep. British journal of anaesthesia 134(6): 1696-1708, June 2025.

Xu, L., Keenan, B. T., Wiemken, A. S., Staley, B., Benediktsdottir, B., Juliusson, S., Pack, A. I., Gislason, T., & Schwab, R. J. : The Relationship between Upper Airway Anatomy and Obesity in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Annals of the American Thoracic Society June 2025.

Lee, R., Larson, O., Dhaliwal, S., Moon, K., Gerardy, B., de Chazal, P., Cistulli, P. A., Chen, N. H., Han, F., Li, Q. Y., Maislin, G., McArdle, N., Penzel, T., Schwab, R. J., Tufik, S., Magalang, U. J., Singh, B., Gislason, T., Pack, A. I., Keenan, B. T., …: Comparative analysis of sleep physiology using qualitative and quantitative criteria for insomnia symptoms. Sleep 48(3), March 2025.

Mazzotti, D. R., Magalang, U. J., Keenan, B. T., Mindel, J., Younes, M., Penzel, T., Pack, A. I., & de Chazal, P.: OSA symptom subtypes and hypoxic burden independently predict distinct cardiovascular outcomes. ERJ open research 11(1), January 2025.

Kneeland, E., Ali, N., Maislin, D. G., Chang, Y. H., Epelboim, J., Keenan, B. T., & Pack, A. I.: Achieving adherence to positive airway pressure in commercial drivers using an employer-mandated remote management programme. ERJ open research 10(6), November 2024.

Sonti, S., Littleton, S.H., Pahl, M.C., Zimmerman, A.J., Chesi, A. Palermo, J., Lascni, C., Brown, E.B., Pippin, J.A., Wells, A.D., Doldur-Balli F., Pack, A.I., Gehrman, P.R., Keene, A.C., and Grant, S.F.A.: Perturbation of the insomnia WDR90 GWAS locus pinpoints rs3752495 as a causal variant influencing distal expression of neighboring gene, PIG-Q. Sleep Page: zsae085, July 2024 Notes: doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsae085.

Xu, L., Yi, H., Pi, M., Zhang, C., Keenan, B.T., Glick, H.A., Dong, X., Pack, A.I., Han, F., and Kuna, S.T.: Telemedicine management of obstructive sleep apnea disorder in China: a randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial. Sleep and Breathing June 2024 Notes: doi: 10.1007/s11325-024-02994-6.

Morris, J.L., Scott, P.W., Magalang, U., Keenan, B.T., Patel, S.R., Pack, A.I., and Mazzotti, D.R: Symptom subtype progression in obstructive sleep apnea over 5 years. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine June 2024.