Manu Platt

Platt is the son of a veteran of the United States Air Force.{{Cite web|date=2015-02-02|title=Platt a Groundbreaker in Emerging Field|url=https://diverseeducation.com/article/69253/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=Diverse|language=en}} He spent his high school years in Dover, Delaware. As a high school student, Platt took part in science enrichment programmes at Delaware State University. He earned his undergraduate degree at Morehouse College, where he studied biology as an ARCS Foundation scholar.{{Cite web|title=Manu O. Platt, Ph.D.|url=https://asm.org/Biographies/Manu-O-Platt,-Ph-D|access-date=2020-09-28|website=ASM.org|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Morehouse Luncheon and Scholar Presentations {{!}} Atlanta|url=https://atlanta.arcsfoundation.org/morehouse-luncheon-and-scholar-presentations|access-date=2020-09-28|website=atlanta.arcsfoundation.org}} At Morehouse, Platt was mentored by Robert M. Nerem, and he took part in the Morehouse SPACE scholar programme.{{Cite web|title=S.P.A.C.E. Program {{!}} Morehouse College|url=https://www.morehouse.edu/academics/NASA/success.html|access-date=2020-09-28|website=www.morehouse.edu}} On Nerem's advice Platt moved to 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|date=September 2020}} After earning his doctoral degree he joined Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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.{{Cite web|title=NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program - 2010 Award Recipients {{!}} NIH Common Fund|url=https://commonfund.nih.gov/newinnovator/awardrecipients10|access-date=2020-09-28|website=commonfund.nih.gov|date=18 September 2018 }}{{Cite journal|last1=Pollock|first1=Anne|last2=Roy|first2=Deboleena|last3=Platt|first3=Manu O.|last4=Adams|first4=Morgann|last5=Dusabamoro|first5=Theophilia|last6=Fearce|first6=Chelesa|last7=Fennell|first7=Imani|last8=Gaillard|first8=Ebony|last9=Harrison|first9=Courtney|last10=Sihwa|first10=Daphney|last11=Williams|first11=Phoenix|date=2017-10-18|title=How do Black Lives Matter in Teaching, Lab Practices, and Research?|url=https://catalystjournal.org/index.php/catalyst/article/view/28793|journal=Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience|volume=3|issue=1|pages=1–38|doi=10.28968/cftt.v3i1.28793|issn=2380-3312|doi-access=free}} He has concentrated on reducing the occurrence of stroke in patients with sickle cell disease.

Platt has investigated how scientific discoveries have impacted the governmental response to HIV/AIDS.{{Cite web|title=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|url=https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/two-brothers-one-paper-bmes-manu-platt-and-harvards-matthew-platt-publish-aids-paper|access-date=2020-09-28|website=bme.gatech.edu|date=21 November 2013 }} 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.

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.{{Cite web|title=Dr. Manu Platt|url=https://www.gtsaa.com/s/1481/alumni/17/interior-wide.aspx?sid=1481&gid=39&pgid=7859|access-date=2020-09-28|website=www.gtsaa.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2015-01-05|title=Project ENGAGES: Students get science, math & tech training|url=https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2015/01/05/project-engages-students-get-science-math-tech-training/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=Atlanta INtown Paper|language=en-US}} 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,".{{Cite web|title=Revisiting Manu Platt's 2017 Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Lecture {{!}} Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University|url=https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/revisiting-manu-platts-2017-biomedical-engineering-society-diversity-lecture|access-date=2020-09-28|website=bme.gatech.edu|date=4 June 2020 }} He remarked that scientists can feel like they are waiting for the "perfect time", to be impactful in promoting diversity and inclusion. In 2019 he was selected as a Keystone Symposia Fellow.{{Cite web|date=2019-09-18|title=Keystone Symposia Fellow Manu Platt on Mentorship and Career Advancement |url=https://keypoint.keystonesymposia.org/features/diversity/keystone-symposia-fellow-manu-platt-career-advice/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=KeyPoint|publisher=Keystone Symposia|language=en-US}} 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."{{Cite journal|last=Platt|first=Manu O.|date=2020-09-24|title=We exist. We are your peers.|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-020-00248-x|journal=Nature Reviews Materials|volume=5|issue=11|language=en|pages=783–784|doi=10.1038/s41578-020-00248-x|bibcode=2020NatRM...5..783P|s2cid=221884242|issn=2058-8437|url-access=subscription}}

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.

• NIH/International AIDS Society Scholarship
• National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award{{Cite web|title=Manu Platt Wins $1.5M NIH Director's New Innovator Award {{!}} Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University|url=https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/manu-platt-wins-15m-nih-directors-new-innovator-award|access-date=2020-09-28|website=bme.gatech.edu|date=29 September 2010 }}
• Georgia Tech Biomedical Engineering Society Diversity Award{{Cite web|title=Manu Platt Receives Diversity Award {{!}} Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University|url=https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/manu-platt-receives-diversity-award|access-date=2020-09-28|website=bme.gatech.edu}}
• Georgia Distinguished Cancer Scientist Award{{Cite web|title=Cancer Research Awardees Named; GCC Scholar Achievements|url=http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs088/1102418485103/archive/1103858091875.html|access-date=2020-09-28|website=archive.constantcontact.com}}
• Emerging Scholar, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine{{Cite web|title=BME's Manu Platt featured in Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine|url=https://coe.gatech.edu/news/2015/01/bmes-manu-platt-featured-diverse-issues-higher-education-magazine|access-date=2020-09-28|website=Georgia Tech College of Engineering|date=14 January 2015 |language=en}}

• {{Cite journal|last1=Barabino|first1=Gilda A.|last2=Platt|first2=Manu O.|last3=Kaul|first3=Dhananjay K.|date=2010-08-15|title=Sickle Cell Biomechanics|url=http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-bioeng-070909-105339|journal=Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering|language=en|volume=12|issue=1|pages=345–367|doi=10.1146/annurev-bioeng-070909-105339|pmid=20455701|issn=1523-9829|url-access=subscription}}
• {{Cite journal|last1=Sorescu|first1=George P.|last2=Sykes|first2=Michelle|last3=Weiss|first3=Daiana|last4=Platt|first4=Manu O.|last5=Saha|first5=Aniket|last6=Hwang|first6=Jinah|last7=Boyd|first7=Nolan|last8=Boo|first8=Yong C.|last9=Vega|first9=J. David|last10=Taylor|first10=W. Robert|last11=Jo|first11=Hanjoong|date=2003-08-15|title=Bone Morphogenic Protein 4 Produced in Endothelial Cells by Oscillatory Shear Stress Stimulates an Inflammatory Response|url=http://www.jbc.org/content/278/33/31128|journal=Journal of Biological Chemistry|language=en|volume=278|issue=33|pages=31128–31135|doi=10.1074/jbc.M300703200|issn=0021-9258|pmid=12766166|s2cid=37233984|doi-access=free}}
• {{Cite journal|last1=Sorescu George P.|last2=Song Hannah|last3=Tressel Sarah L.|last4=Hwang Jinah|last5=Dikalov Sergey|last6=Smith Debra A.|last7=Boyd Nolan L.|last8=Platt Manu O.|last9=Lassègue Bernard|last10=Griendling Kathy K.|last11=Jo Hanjoong|date=2004-10-15|title=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|journal=Circulation Research|volume=95|issue=8|pages=773–779|doi=10.1161/01.RES.0000145728.22878.45|pmid=15388638|s2cid=1016941|doi-access=free}}

Platt is one of six sons, including political science researcher Matthew B. Platt.{{Cite web|last=Morehouse College|title=Morehouse College {{!}} MPlattbio|url=https://www.morehouse.edu/academics/polsci/mplatt-bio.html|access-date=2020-09-28|website=www.morehouse.edu|language=en}} He is a master of origami.

• "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe4nbgjchco Danger of Waiting for 'Perfect Time' to Promote Diversity and Inclusion]." Lecture presented to the University of Arkansas, Biomedical Engineering Seminar, September 13, 2018.

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Category:American biomedical engineers

Category:1980 births

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Category:20th-century African-American people