Manu Platt

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Manu Omar Platt
Born1979 (age 44–45)
Alma mater
Georgia Institute of Technology
Scientific career
InstitutionsMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
NIH Intramural Research Program
ThesisRole of shear stress in the differential regulation of endothelial cathepsins and cystatin C (2006)

Manu Omar Platt (born 1980) is an American biomedical engineer serving as the director of the NIH Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA) center.[1][2] He also serves as NIBIB Associate Director for Scientific Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.[2]

He was previously a professor at the

Georgia Institute of Technology
Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. He served as Diversity Director of the Center on Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems.

Early life and education

Platt is the son of a veteran of the

Georgia Institute of Technology for his graduate studies, where he worked with Hanjoong Jo on endothelial cell biology. His doctoral research was performed in collaboration with Emory University School of Medicine, as one of the first students to be part of the newly established biomedical engineering program.[citation needed] After earning his doctoral degree he joined Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).

Research and career

In 2009 Platt was appointed to the faculty of the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech, where he investigated the proteolytic mechanisms of disease, with a focus on conditions that impact Black communities.[7][8] He has concentrated on reducing the occurrence of stroke in patients with sickle cell disease.[8]

Platt has investigated how scientific discoveries have impacted the governmental response to HIV/AIDS.[9] He studied the various bills introduced by the United States Congress, and found that whilst the number of bills was related to breakthroughs in scientific research, it did not impact the passage of laws.[9]

Platt is the founding director of Engaging New Generations at Georgia Tech through Engineering and Science (ENGAGES), a biotechnology and engineering research scheme for African American high school students.[10][11] He delivered the 2017 Biomedical Engineering Society lecture, where he spoke about being from an underrepresented group in science, "Often, if you are the first or the only of a particular demographic category, the path is neither well paved, nor well lit,".[12] He remarked that scientists can feel like they are waiting for the "perfect time", to be impactful in promoting diversity and inclusion.[12] In 2019 he was selected as a Keystone Symposia Fellow.[13] In response to the George Floyd protests, universities released statements that called out racism within their research institutions. Platt wrote a perspective piece for Nature Reviews Materials on racism within academia, in which he wrote, "It is said that science is a meritocracy; however, that only holds true if Black professors' existence is accepted."[14]

Platt was chosen, after a nationwide search, to become inaugural director for the NIBIB Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA) center, which works on translational, cross-disciplinary projects.[2]

Awards and honours

  • NIH/International AIDS Society Scholarship[7]
  • National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award[15]
  • Georgia Tech Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Award[16]
  • Georgia Distinguished Cancer Scientist Award[17]
  • Emerging Scholar, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine[18]

Selected publications

Personal life

Platt is one of six sons, including political science researcher Matthew B. Platt.[9][19] He is a master of origami.[13]

External links

References

  1. ^ "Professor Manu Platt". National Press Club of Australia. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  2. ^ a b c "NIH launches intramural bioengineering center to foster technology collaboration across the agency". National Institutes of Health (NIH). 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  3. ^ a b c "Platt a Groundbreaker in Emerging Field". Diverse. 2015-02-02. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  4. ^ "Manu O. Platt, Ph.D." ASM.org. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  5. ^ "Morehouse Luncheon and Scholar Presentations | Atlanta". atlanta.arcsfoundation.org. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  6. ^ "S.P.A.C.E. Program | Morehouse College". www.morehouse.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  7. ^ a b "NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program - 2010 Award Recipients | NIH Common Fund". commonfund.nih.gov. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  8. ^
    ISSN 2380-3312
    .
  9. ^ a b c "Two Brothers, One Paper: BME's Manu Platt and Harvard's Matthew Platt Publish AIDS Paper | Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University". bme.gatech.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  10. ^ "Dr. Manu Platt". www.gtsaa.com. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  11. ^ "Project ENGAGES: Students get science, math & tech training". Atlanta INtown Paper. 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  12. ^ a b "Revisiting Manu Platt's 2017 Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Lecture | Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University". bme.gatech.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  13. ^ a b "Keystone Symposia Fellow Manu Platt on Mentorship and Career Advancement". KeyPoint. Keystone Symposia. 2019-09-18. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  14. S2CID 221884242
    .
  15. ^ "Manu Platt Wins $1.5M NIH Director's New Innovator Award | Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University". bme.gatech.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  16. ^ "Manu Platt Receives Diversity Award | Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University". bme.gatech.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  17. ^ "Cancer Research Awardees Named; GCC Scholar Achievements". archive.constantcontact.com. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  18. ^ "BME's Manu Platt featured in Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine". Georgia Tech College of Engineering. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  19. ^ Morehouse College. "Morehouse College | MPlattbio". www.morehouse.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-28.