Manu O. Platt, Ph.D.

Manu Platt, Ph.D., is a senior investigator, Section on Mechanics and Tissue Remodeling Integrating Computational & Experimental Systems (MATRICES) in NIBIB’s intramural research program. His lab studies the transition of tissue from healthy to a diseased state and the underlying mechanisms driving disease progression. He is also the director of the NIH-wide Center for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA Center), housed within the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) Intramural Research Program. The BETA Center serves as a model to bring a focused engineering approach for NIH researchers across disciplines to accelerate the development, validation and dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. As the BETA Center director, Platt will work to expand opportunities for biomedical engineering training and professional growth.

Formerly, Dr. Platt was professor and Associate Chair of Graduate Studies in the Walter H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. He also was Georgia Research Alliance Distinguished Cancer Scientist and Deputy Director, Interdisciplinary Bioengineering Graduate Program at Georgia Tech Walter H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Fellow.

As a scientific investigator for cutting-edge biomedical research projects, Platt has received numerous grants and research support from NIH, the National Science Foundation, the International AIDS Society and the Georgia Cancer Coalition, among other public and private research institutions. He has served on numerous review committees at NIH, is a member the Biomedical Engineering Society board of directors and is a former member of the NIBIB National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

Dr. Platt earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Morehouse College in Atlanta and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University in Atlanta. He was a postdoctoral fellow in biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

Publications

Cerebral arteries in mice with sickle cell disease are exposed to larger areas of low wall shear stress.
Montes ARRivera CPZhang SXLee HSHuo YPlatt MO
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol
2026 Jul 01

Radiomic Features Extracted from Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Identify Arteriopathy in a Humanized Mouse Model of Sickle Cell Anemia and Sickle Cell Trait.
Hatoum LBenfante VLee HSBotchwey EAComelli APlatt MO
Ann Biomed Eng
2026 Jul

A case series of cerebrovascular abnormalities in Townes sickle cell mice visualized with magnetic resonance imaging and angiography.
Hatoum LLee HSOshinski JNBotchwey EAPlatt MO
Blood Cells Mol Dis
2025 Nov

Bone marrow transplant protects mice from sickle cell-mediated large artery remodeling.
Hatoum LSong HAlexander DOmojola VOMoore HFrank JNBotchwey EAPlatt MO
Sci Transl Med
2025 Feb 26

Statistical modeling of extracellular vesicle cargo to predict clinical trial outcomes for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Hoffman JRPark HJBheri SPlatt MOHare JMKaushal SBettencourt JLLai DSlesnick TCMahle WTDavis ME
iScience
2023 Oct 20

Challenges and Opportunities Modeling the Dynamic Tumor Matrisome.
Peyton SRPlatt MOCukierman E
BME Front
2023

Analysis of structural effects of sickle cell disease on brain vasculature of mice using three-dimensional quantitative phase imaging.
Filan CSong HPlatt MORobles FE
J Biomed Opt
2023 Sep

Microfluidic Platform for Microparticle Fabrication and Release of a Cathepsin Inhibitor.
Treviño EAShah JPearson JJPlatt MOXia YTemenoff JS
Tissue Eng Part C Methods
2023 Aug

Modeling collective cell behavior in cancer: Perspectives from an interdisciplinary conversation.
Adler FRAnderson ARABhushan ABogdan PBravo-Cordero JJBrock AChen YCukierman EDelGiorno KEDenis GVFerrall-Fairbanks MCGartner ZJGermain RNGordon DMHunter GJolly MKKaracosta LGMythreye KKatira PKulkarni RPKutys MLLander ADLaughney AMLevine HLou ELowenstein PRMasters KSPe'er DPeyton SRPlatt MOPurvis JEQuon GRicher JKRiddle NCRodriguez ASnyder JCLee Szeto GTomlin CJYanai IZervantonakis IKDueck H
Cell Syst
2023 Apr 19

Comparative analysis of arterial compliance in mice genetically null for cathepsins K, L, or S.
Omojola VOHardnett ZSong HDong HAlexander DJMichael AOAGleason RLPlatt MO
J Biomech
2022 Oct

Metabolomics and cytokine profiling of mesenchymal stromal cells identify markers predictive of T-cell suppression.
Maughon TSShen XHuang DMichael AOAShockey WAAndrews SHMcRae JMPlatt MOFernández FMEdison ASStice SLMarklein RA
Cytotherapy
2022 Feb

Sickle cell disease promotes sex-dependent pathological bone loss through enhanced cathepsin proteolytic activity in mice.
Selma JSong HRivera CDouglas SAkella ABollavaram KThompson NPlatt MOBotchwey EA
Blood Adv
2022 Mar 08

Genetic Mutations Associated with Hormone-Positive Breast Cancer in a Small Cohort of Ethiopian Women.
Schwartz ADAdusei ATsegaye SMoskaluk CASchneider SSPlatt MOSeifu DPeyton SRBabbitt CC
Ann Biomed Eng
2021 Aug

Multiple sites on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein are susceptible to proteolysis by cathepsins B, K, L, S, and V.
Bollavaram KLeeman THLee MWKulkarni AUpshaw SGYang JSong HPlatt MO
Protein Sci
2021 Jun

Cysteine cathepsins are altered by flow within an engineered microvascular niche.
Douglas SAHaase KKamm RDPlatt MO
APL Bioeng
2020 Dec

Age-dependent characterization of carotid and cerebral artery geometries in a transgenic mouse model of sickle cell anemia using ultrasound and microcomputed tomography.
Rivera CPLi LCai SPei NMcAlear GEBollavaram KAriyo OVOmojola VOSong HAlfonso ALTan WHuo YPlatt MO
Blood Cells Mol Dis
2020 Nov

Tumor cell-organized fibronectin maintenance of a dormant breast cancer population.
Barney LEHall CLSchwartz ADParks ANSparages CGalarza SPlatt MOMercurio AMPeyton SR
Sci Adv
2020 Mar

Sickle Cell Anemia Mediates Carotid Artery Expansive Remodeling That Can Be Prevented by Inhibition of JNK (c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase).
Song HKeegan PMAnbazhakan SRivera CPFeng YOmojola VOClark AACai SSelma JGleason RLBotchwey EAHuo YTan WPlatt MO
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol
2020 May

Reassessing enzyme kinetics: Considering protease-as-substrate interactions in proteolytic networks.
Ferrall-Fairbanks MCKieslich CAPlatt MO
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
2020 Feb 11

Dynamic Model of Protease State and Inhibitor Trafficking to Predict Protease Activity in Breast Cancer Cells.
Shockey WAKieslich CAWilder CLWatson VPlatt MO
Cell Mol Bioeng
2019 Aug

Predicting Functional Responses of Progenitor Cell Exosome Potential with Computational Modeling.
Trac DHoffman JRBheri SMaxwell JTPlatt MODavis ME
Stem Cells Transl Med
2019 Nov

Circulating exosomes derived from transplanted progenitor cells aid the functional recovery of ischemic myocardium.
Saha PSharma SKorutla LDatla SRShoja-Taheri FMishra RBigham GESarkar MMorales DBittle GGunasekaran MAmbastha CArfat MYLi DHabertheuer AHu RPlatt MOYang PDavis MEVallabhajosyula PKaushal S
Sci Transl Med
2019 May 22

Using Statistical Modeling to Understand and Predict Pediatric Stem Cell Function.
Shoja-Taheri FGeorge AAgarwal UPlatt MOGibson GDavis ME
Circ Genom Precis Med
2019 Jun

Sequential, but not Concurrent, Incubation of Cathepsin K and L with Type I Collagen Results in Extended Proteolysis.
Parks ANNahata JEdouard NETemenoff JSPlatt MO
Sci Rep
2019 Apr 01

Full-thickness rotator cuff tear in rat results in distinct temporal expression of multiple proteases in tendon, muscle, and cartilage.
Treviño EAMcFaline-Figueroa JGuldberg REPlatt MOTemenoff JS
J Orthop Res
2019 Feb

Long-Term Cryopreservation and Revival of Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle.
Grant LRaman RCvetkovic CFerrall-Fairbanks MCPagan-Diaz GJHadley PKo EPlatt MOBashir R
Tissue Eng Part A
2019 Jul

Implementation and evaluation of a biotechnology research experience for African-American high school students.
Boyce ASAvent CAdetogun AServance LDeStefano LNerem RPlatt MO
Eval Program Plann
2019 Feb

Molecular insights into the irreversible mechanical behavior of sickle hemoglobin.
Yesudasan SDouglas SAPlatt MOWang XAverett RD
J Biomol Struct Dyn
2019 Mar

Implementation of a Biomedical Engineering Research Experience for African-American High School Students at a Tier One Research University.
Avent CMBoyce ASServance LDDeStefano LANerem RMPlatt MO
J Biomech Eng
2018 Aug 01

Human cathepsins K, L, and S: Related proteases, but unique fibrinolytic activity.
Douglas SALamothe SESingleton TSAverett RDPlatt MO
Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj
2018 Sep

Co-Emergence of Specialized Endothelial Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells.
Madfis NLin ZKumar ADouglas SAPlatt MOFan YMcCloskey KE
Stem Cells Dev
2018 Mar 01

Computational predictions of cysteine cathepsin-mediated fibrinogen proteolysis.
Ferrall-Fairbanks MCWest DMDouglas SAAverett RDPlatt MO
Protein Sci
2018 Mar

Development of a Platform for Studying 3D Astrocyte Mechanobiology: Compression of Astrocytes in Collagen Gels.
Mulvihill JJERaykin JSnider EJSchildmeyer LAZaman IPlatt MOKelly DJEthier CR
Ann Biomed Eng
2018 Feb

Novel in vivo and in vitro techniques to image and model the cerebral vasculature in sickle cell disease.
Buckley EMPlatt MOLam WA
Blood Cells Mol Dis
2017 Sep

Investigating the Life Expectancy and Proteolytic Degradation of Engineered Skeletal Muscle Biological Machines.
Cvetkovic CFerrall-Fairbanks MCKo EGrant LKong HPlatt MOBashir R
Sci Rep
2017 Jun 19

Multiplex Cathepsin Zymography to Detect Amounts of Active Cathepsins K, L, S, and V.
Platt MO
Methods Mol Biol
2017

Computational imaging analysis of glycated fibrin gels reveals aggregated and anisotropic structures.
Norton DGFan NKGoudie MJHanda HPlatt MOAverett RD
J Biomed Mater Res A
2017 Aug

PACMANS: A bioinformatically informed algorithm to predict, design, and disrupt protease-on-protease hydrolysis.
Ferrall-Fairbanks MCBarry ZTAffer MShuler MAMoomaw EWPlatt MO
Protein Sci
2017 Apr

Supraspinatus tendon overuse results in degenerative changes to tendon insertion region and adjacent humeral cartilage in a rat model.
Parks ANMcFaline-Figueroa JCoogan APoe-Yamagata EGuldberg REPlatt MOTemenoff JS
J Orthop Res
2017 Sep

Experimental, Systems, and Computational Approaches to Understanding the MicroRNA-Mediated Reparative Potential of Cardiac Progenitor Cell-Derived Exosomes From Pediatric Patients.
Agarwal UGeorge ABhutani SGhosh-Choudhary SMaxwell JTBrown MEMehta YPlatt MOLiang YSahoo SDavis ME
Circ Res
2017 Feb 17

Computational imaging analysis of fibrin matrices with the inclusion of erythrocytes from homozygous SS blood reveals agglomerated and amorphous structures.
Averett RDNorton DGFan NKPlatt MO
J Thromb Thrombolysis
2017 Jan

Differential cathepsin responses to inhibitor-induced feedback: E-64 and cystatin C elevate active cathepsin S and suppress active cathepsin L in breast cancer cells.
Wilder CLWalton CWatson VStewart FAAJohnson JPeyton SRPayne CKOdero-Marah VPlatt MO
Int J Biochem Cell Biol
2016 Oct

Age-Dependent Effect of Pediatric Cardiac Progenitor Cells After Juvenile Heart Failure.
Agarwal USmith AWFrench KMBoopathy AVGeorge ATrac DBrown MEShen MJiang RFernandez JDKogon BEKanter KRAlsoufi BWagner MBPlatt MODavis ME
Stem Cells Transl Med
2016 Jul

Original Research: Sickle cell anemia and pediatric strokes: Computational fluid dynamics analysis in the middle cerebral artery.
Rivera CPVeneziani AWare REPlatt MO
Exp Biol Med (Maywood)
2016 Apr

Biomechanical and biochemical regulation of cathepsin K expression in endothelial cells converge at AP-1 and NF-κB.
Keegan PMAnbazhakan SKang BPace BSPlatt MO
Biol Chem
2016 May

Low-Cost Method to Monitor Patient Adherence to HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Using Multiplex Cathepsin Zymography.
Platt MOEvans DKeegan PMMcNamara LParker IKRoberts LMCaulk AWGleason RLSeifu DAmogne WPenny C
Mol Biotechnol
2016 Jan

MMP-mediated mesenchymal morphogenesis of pluripotent stem cell aggregates stimulated by gelatin methacrylate microparticle incorporation.
Nguyen AHWang YWhite DEPlatt MOMcDevitt TC
Biomaterials
2016 Jan

Cathepsin Protease Inhibition Reduces Endometriosis Lesion Establishment.
Porter KMWieser FAWilder CLSidell NPlatt MO
Reprod Sci
2016 May

Endothelial cells and cathepsins: Biochemical and biomechanical regulation.
Platt MOShockey WA
Biochimie
2016 Mar

Monocyte-derived macrophage assisted breast cancer cell invasion as a personalized, predictive metric to score metastatic risk.
Park KYLi GPlatt MO
Sci Rep
2015 Sep 09

Muscadine grape skin extract can antagonize Snail-cathepsin L-mediated invasion, migration and osteoclastogenesis in prostate and breast cancer cells.
Burton LJSmith BASmith BNLoyd QNagappan PMcKeithen DWilder CLPlatt MOHudson TOdero-Marah VA
Carcinogenesis
2015 Sep

Efavirenz treatment causes arterial stiffening in apolipoprotein E-null mice.
Caulk AWSoler JPlatt MOGleason RL
J Biomech
2015 Jul 16

Microarchitectural and mechanical characterization of the sickle bone.
Green MAkinsami ILin ABanton SGhosh SChen BPlatt MOsunkwo IOfori-Acquah SGuldberg RBarabino G
J Mech Behav Biomed Mater
2015 Aug

Experimental and imaging techniques for examining fibrin clot structures in normal and diseased states.
Fan NKKeegan PMPlatt MOAverett RD
J Vis Exp
2015 Apr 01

Cathepsins in Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: Identification in Human Chronic Tears and Temporal Induction in a Rat Model.
Seto SPParks ANQiu YSoslowsky LJKaras SPlatt MOTemenoff JS
Ann Biomed Eng
2015 Sep

Identification of therapeutic covariant microRNA clusters in hypoxia-treated cardiac progenitor cell exosomes using systems biology.
Gray WDFrench KMGhosh-Choudhary SMaxwell JTBrown MEPlatt MOSearles CDDavis ME
Circ Res
2015 Jan 16

Acid sphingomyelinase is activated in sickle cell erythrocytes and contributes to inflammatory microparticle generation in SCD.
Awojoodu AOKeegan PMLane ARZhang YLynch KRPlatt MOBotchwey EA
Blood
2014 Sep 18

Pro-atherogenic shear stress and HIV proteins synergistically upregulate cathepsin K in endothelial cells.
Parker IKRoberts LMHansen LGleason RLSutliff RLPlatt MO
Ann Biomed Eng
2014 Jun

Crohn's disease: a review of treatment options and current research.
Bandzar SGupta SPlatt MO
Cell Immunol
2013

From GRID to gridlock: the relationship between scientific biomedical breakthroughs and HIV/AIDS policy in the US Congress.
Platt MBPlatt MO
J Int AIDS Soc
2013 Nov 27

Azidothymidine (AZT) leads to arterial stiffening and intima-media thickening in mice.
Hansen LParker IRoberts LMSutliff RLPlatt MOGleason RL
J Biomech
2013 May 31

Systematic optimization of multiplex zymography protocol to detect active cathepsins K, L, S, and V in healthy and diseased tissue: compromise among limits of detection, reduced time, and resources.
Dumas JEPlatt MO
Mol Biotechnol
2013 Jul

Endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffening, and intima-media thickening in large arteries from HIV-1 transgenic mice.
Hansen LParker ISutliff RLPlatt MOGleason RL
Ann Biomed Eng
2013 Apr

Patient specific proteolytic activity of monocyte-derived macrophages and osteoclasts predicted with temporal kinase activation states during differentiation.
Park KYLi WAPlatt MO
Integr Biol (Camb)
2012 Dec

Cathepsin S cannibalism of cathepsin K as a mechanism to reduce type I collagen degradation.
Barry ZTPlatt MO
J Biol Chem
2012 Aug 10

Tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulates cathepsin K and V activity via juxtacrine monocyte-endothelial cell signaling and JNK activation.
Keegan PMWilder CLPlatt MO
Mol Cell Biochem
2012 Aug

Sickle cell disease activates peripheral blood mononuclear cells to induce cathepsins k and v activity in endothelial cells.
Keegan PMSurapaneni SPlatt MO
Anemia
2012

T-cell phosphokinome as a fingerprint of effective graft versus leukemia.
Platt MOKemp ML
Front Biosci (Elite Ed)
2012 Jan 01

Manipulating substrate and pH in zymography protocols selectively distinguishes cathepsins K, L, S, and V activity in cells and tissues.
Wilder CLPark KYKeegan PMPlatt MO
Arch Biochem Biophys
2011 Dec 01

VEGF internalization is not required for VEGFR-2 phosphorylation in bioengineered surfaces with covalently linked VEGF.
Anderson SMShergill BBarry ZTManousiouthakis EChen TTBotvinick EPlatt MOIruela-Arispe MLSegura T
Integr Biol (Camb)
2011 Sep

Multiplex zymography captures stage-specific activity profiles of cathepsins K, L, and S in human breast, lung, and cervical cancer.
Chen BPlatt MO
J Transl Med
2011 Jul 14

Sickle cell biomechanics.
Barabino GAPlatt MOKaul DK
Annu Rev Biomed Eng
2010 Aug 15

Detection of femtomole quantities of mature cathepsin K with zymography.
Li WABarry ZTCohen JDWilder CLDeeds RJKeegan PMPlatt MO
Anal Biochem
2010 Jun 01

Multipathway kinase signatures of multipotent stromal cells are predictive for osteogenic differentiation: tissue-specific stem cells.
Platt MOWilder CLWells AGriffith LGLauffenburger DA
Stem Cells
2009 Nov

Sustained epidermal growth factor receptor levels and activation by tethered ligand binding enhances osteogenic differentiation of multi-potent marrow stromal cells.
Platt MORoman AJWells ALauffenburger DAGriffith LG
J Cell Physiol
2009 Nov

Expression of cathepsin K is regulated by shear stress in cultured endothelial cells and is increased in endothelium in human atherosclerosis.
Platt MOAnkeny RFShi GPWeiss DVega JDTaylor WRJo H
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol
2007 Mar

Cyclic pressure and shear stress regulate matrix metalloproteinases and cathepsin activity in porcine aortic valves.
Platt MOXing YJo HYoganathan AP
J Heart Valve Dis
2006 Sep

Laminar shear stress inhibits cathepsin L activity in endothelial cells.
Platt MOAnkeny RFJo H
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol
2006 Aug

Simulated microgravity using the Random Positioning Machine inhibits differentiation and alters gene expression profiles of 2T3 preosteoblasts.
Pardo SJPatel MJSykes MCPlatt MOBoyd NLSorescu GPXu Mvan Loon JJWang MDJo H
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol
2005 Jun

Bone morphogenic protein 4 produced in endothelial cells by oscillatory shear stress induces monocyte adhesion by stimulating reactive oxygen species production from a nox1-based NADPH oxidase.
Sorescu GPSong HTressel SLHwang JDikalov SSmith DABoyd NLPlatt MOLassègue BGriendling KKJo H
Circ Res
2004 Oct 15

Heat shock and cold shock in Deinococcus radiodurans.
Airo AChan SLMartinez ZPlatt MOTrent JD
Cell Biochem Biophys
2004

Bone morphogenic protein 4 produced in endothelial cells by oscillatory shear stress stimulates an inflammatory response.
Sorescu GPSykes MWeiss DPlatt MOSaha AHwang JBoyd NBoo YCVega JDTaylor WRJo H
J Biol Chem
2003 Aug 15