faculty photo

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
Education:
M.B.Ch.B
University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1967.
Ph.D. (Mathematical models of lung function)
University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1976.
Post-Graduate Training
Junior House Officer in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland [Equivalent to Internship], 1967-1968.
Senior House Officer in Medicine, Department of Medical Cardiology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland, 1968-1969.
Junior House Officer in Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland [Equivalent to Internship; February to July], 1968-1968.
Registrar in Internal/Pulmonary Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland [Equivalent to Residency, Fellowship], 1970-1973.
Wellcome Research Fellow, Centre for Respiratory Investigation, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland, 1973-1976.
Honorary Senior Registrar, Respiratory Medicine, Centre for Respiratory Investigation, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland, 1974-1976.
Senior Registrar, Pulmonary Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary (further training in Pulmonary Medicine) [February to August], 1976-1976.
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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

Lim, D.C., Najafi, A., Afifi, L, Bassetti, C., Buysse, D.J., Han, F., Hogl, B., Melaku, Y.A., Morin, C.M., Pack, A.I., Poyares, D., Somers, V.K., Eastwood, P.R., Zee, P.C., Jackson, C.L; World Sleep Society Global Sleep Health Taskforce: The need to promote sleep health in public health agendas across the globe. Lancet Public Health 8(10): e820-e826, Oct 2023.

Emilsson, O.I., Aspelund T., Janson, C., Benediktsdottir, B., Juliusson, S., Maislin, G., Pack, A.I., Keenan, B.T., and Gislason, T.: Positive airway pressure treatment affects respiratory symptoms and gastro-oesophageal reflux: the Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort study. ERJ Open Research 9(5): 00387-2023, Sep 10 2023.

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. bioRxiv Page: 18:2023.08.17.553739, Aug 18 2023.

Thorarinsdottir, E.H., Gislason, T., Pack, A.I., Kuna, S.T., Penzel, T., Han, F., Li, Q.Y., cistulli, P.A., Magalang, U.J., McArdle, N., Singh, B., and Keenan, B.T.: Evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnea across international sleep centers. Sleep 46(8): zsac271, Aug 14 2023.

An, J., Glick, H.A., Sawyer, A.M., Arguelles, J., Bae, C.J., Keenan, B.T., Kuna, S.T., Maislin, G., Mazzotti, D.R., Pack, A.I., Shi, J.M., Watach, A.J., and Hwang, D.: Association between positive airway pressure adherence and health care costs among individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. Chest 163(6): 1543-1554, Jun 2023.

Sutherland, K., Kim, S., Veatch, O.J., Keenan, B.T., Bittencourt, L. Chen, N.H., Gislason, T., Han, F., Jafari, N., Li, Q.V., Lim, D.C., Maislin, G., Magalang, U., Mazzotti, D.R., McArdle, N., Mindel, J., Pack, A.I., Penzel, T., Singh, B., Weimken, A., Xu, L., Sun, Y., Tufik, S., Schwab, R.J., and Cistulli, P.A.: Facial and intraoral photographic traits related to sleep apnea in a clinical sample with genetic ancestry analysis. Annals of the American Thoracic Society 20(6): 880-890, Jun 2023.

An, J., Hwang, D., Sawyer, A.M., Arguelles, J., Bae, C.J., Chen, A., Keenan, B.T., Maislin, G., Mazzotti, D.R., Pack, A., Shi, J.M., Watach, A.J., and Glick, H.: Cost-effectiveness of a 3-year tele-messaging intervention for positive airway pressure use. American Journal of Managed Care 29(5): 256-263, May 2023.

Morris, J.L., Scott, P.W., Magalang, U., Keenan, B.T., Patel, S.R., Pack, A.I., and Mazzotti, D.R.: Five-year transitions of symptom subtypes in untreated obstructive sleep apnea. medRxiv Page: 2023.05.18.23290191, May 29 2023.

Doldur-Balli, F., Zimmerman, A.J., Keenan, B.T., Shetty, Z.Y., Grant, S.F.A., Seiler, C., Veatch, O.J., and Pack, A.I.: Pleiotropic effects of a high confidence Autism Spectrum Disorder gene, arid1b, on zebrafish sleep. Neurobiology Sleep Circadian Rhythms 14: 100096, May 2023.

Goldschmied, J.R., Kuna, S.T., Maislin, G., Tanayapong, P., Pack, A.I., Younes, M.: The sleep homeostatic response to sleep deprivation in humans is heritable. Sleep 46(3): zsac314, Mar 2023.

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Last updated: 02/09/2024
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