Curricula Vitae
September 2013
MICHELLE C. LAPLACA
Associate Professor
Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology / Emory University
I.
EDUCATION AND DEGREES EARNED
B.B.E., Biomedical Engineering, Catholic University of America, May 1991
M.S.E., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Dec 1992
Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Dec 1996
Dissertation Title: Deformation Response and Cytosolic Calcium Increases in NTera2 Neurons Subjected
to Traumatic Levels of Hydrodynamic Shear Stress
Thesis Advisor: Lawrence E. Thibault, Sc.D.
II.
TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT
Research Assistant, 1989-1991
Department of Medical Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC
Principal Investigator: Debra L. Yourick, Ph.D.
Studied phosphoinositide hydrolysis in brain following kindling and audiogenically-stimulated seizures
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, 1996-1998
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Principal Investigator: Tracy K. McIntosh, Ph.D.
Investigated DNA damage and associated repair mechanisms following traumatic brain injury
Assistant Professor, Nov 1998 - 2005
Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University
Associate Professor, July 2005 - present
Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University
III.
A.
TEACHING
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GUIDANCE
Ph.D. Students
Donna M. Geddes, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 1997-Summer 2002
Status: Ph.D. (2002); Current affiliation: Postdoctoral fellow, Univ. of Pennsylvania
Project: Functional impairment of neurons subject to a defined mechanical stretch
Matthew C. Tate, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 1998-Summer 2002
Status: Ph.D (2002); Current affiliation: Neurosurgery Resident, UCSF
Project: Tissue engineering in the traumatically injured brain using stem cells
Gustavo R. Prado, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 1999-Summer 2004
Status: Ph.D. (2004); Current affiliation: Self-employed
Project: High strain rate injury of neurons to determine mechanisms of traumatic cell injury
Ciara (Caltagirone) Tate, BMED joint degree program, Summer 2001-Summer 2006
Status: Ph.D. (2006); Current affiliation: Scientist I, SanBio, Inc., Mountain View, CA
Project: The role of fibronectin in the injured brain and its potential as a cell scaffold
Kacy Cullen, M.S., Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 2003-Summer 2005
Status: Ph.D. (2005), Current affiliation: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Pennsylvania
Project: In vitro model of injury-induced gliosis
Sarah Stabenfeldt, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 2002-Fall 2007
Status: Ph.D. (2007); Current affiliation: Post-doctoral fellow, GT, FIRST Program
Project: Bioactive Thermoresponsive hydrogels for neural tissue engineering
Chris Lessing, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 2002-Fall 2008.
Status: Ph.D. (2008); Current affiliation: Scientist, Kinetic Concepts, Inc.
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Project: The acute cellular and behavioral response to mechanical neuronal injury
Crystal Simon, BMED joint degree program, Summer 2003-Spring 2008
Status: Ph.D. (2008); current affiliation: Scientist, Axogen, Inc.
Project: Membrane permeability following traumatic spinal cord injury
Hillary Irons, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 2003-Summer 2007.
Status:(Ph.D.,M.D.); current affiliation: Emergency Medicine resident, Michigan State Univ.
Project: Alternative cell sources for tissue engineering in the injured brain
Varadraj Vernekar, Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering Program, Fall 2002-present
Status: Passed Ph.D. quals (June 2004), Passed Ph.D. proposal defense (June 2005)
Project: Characterization of 3-D neuronal cultures within a micromachined environment
Brock Wester, BMED joint degree program (Fall 2004-present) (co-advised with Mark Allen)
Status: Passed Ph.D. quals (June 2006), Passed Ph.D. proposal defense
Project: Development of flexible microelectrodes for real-time recording in the injured brain
Maxine McClain, ECE/ BE Program (Fall 2003-present) (co-advised with Mark Allen)
Status: passed Ph.D. quals (Fall 2005)
Project: Development of microelectrode & microfluidic device for neural interfacing.
Sharon (Byers) Norman, BIOE/BMED (Summer 2007-present (co-advised with Ravi Bellamkonda)
Status: passed Ph.D. proposal defense (Spring 2009)
Project: Understanding neural cell response to mechanical and electrical stimuli in the context of electrodebrain interfaces
James (JT) Shoemaker, BMED joint degree program (2006-present)
Status (passed Ph.D. quals (May 2008)
Project: Development of a neural tissue equivalent for testing interventions for injury
Philip Kwon, ME Ph.D. Program (Fall 2009-present)
Project: Stress and cognition effect on traumatic brain injury
Master’s Students
Justin J. McLoughlin, M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Fall 1998-Fall 2000
Project: High rate strain of 3-D neural cultures as a novel model of traumatic brain injury
Affiliation: Atlanta Institute of Clinical Neuroscience
Aaron Derer, Mechanical Engineering, Fall 1999-Fall 2000
Project: Development of a traumatically-induced in vitro glial scar
D. Kacy Cullen, M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Fall 1999-Summer 2003 (M.S. Spring 2002)
Project: High strain rate injury of neuronal/glial co-cultures
Roberta Murnyack, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2000-Spring 2002
Project: Finite element analysis of cortical impact in the rat using magnetic resonance images
Leah Moore, M.S. (2004) BMED joint degree program, Summer 2001-Fall 2003
Project: Mechanotransduction mechanisms in injured neural cultures and resulting pathology
Daniel Olivero, ME Master’s Program (Fall 2009-Summer 2011)
Project: Biomarker detection for inflammation processes using nanoprobes
Graduate Rotation Students
Kyla Turpin, BMED Lab Rotation (Spring 2001)
Hillary Irons (M.D./Ph.D. Rotation Student, MCG) (Summer 2002)
Pete Henning, BMED Lab Rotation (Spring 2003)
Crystal Simon, BMED Lab Rotation (Summer 2003)
Brock Wester, BMED Lab Rotation (Winter 2004-5)
Amber Hudson, BMED/IGERT Rotation (Fall 2006)
J.T. Shoemaker, BMED/IGERT Rotation (Spring 2007)
Sharon (Norman) Byers, BMED/IGERT Rotation (Summer 2007)
Stacie Gutowski, BMED Rotation (Summer 2008)
Jeff Gaudling, BIOE/Chem/Biomaterial Training Grant Rotation (Spring 2009)
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Undergraduate Students (over 70 mentored and supervised)
Postdoctoral Fellows
Michael Schumm, Ph.D. (Jan 2003-Jan 2006)
Project: Neural stem cell transplantation in the injured brain
Gustavo Prado, Ph.D. (Aug 2004-Dec 2005)
Project: Analysis of neuronal membrane permeability changes following traumatic brain injury
Kacy Cullen, Ph.D. (Aug 2005-Dec 2006)
Project: Analysis of 3-D neural cultures within MEMS perfusion devices
Brian Rooney, Ph.D. (Fall 2010-present)
Project: Lipidomics of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury
Other Supervised Persons
Conchita Austin, GTEC GIFT Program (Summer 2002)
Project: Cell culturing in three-dimensions / Bring neurobiology to the high school classroom
Jean Miskelly, College of Computing Graduate Assistant (Fall 2002 – Spring 2004)
Project: Prototype development for rapid neuropsychological tests for traumatic brain injury
Eno Ekong, Research Technician (Fall 2002-Spring 2005)
Gaurav Bhatia, College of Computing Graduate Assistant (Fall 2004-Spring 2006)
Project: Software development for shortened neuropsychological tests
John Brumfield, BMED graduate, Project Manager, DETECT (Fall 2005-Summer 2006)
Project: Managing clinical studies, prototype development, and software upgrades
Kaelin Brewster, Research Technician (June 2009-August 2010)
B.
OTHER TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Course Development
BMED 8125: Laboratory Techniques for Bioengineers, Fall 1999
JUMPstart technology course development grant, student assistant hours (GIT OIT/CETL)
GTF Program Initiative grant (1/3 component)
Developed material for inclusion in web modules; worked within web team
BMED/ECE/ME 6793: Systems Pathophysiology, Fall 1999-2004
Added neural pathophysiology, cell pathology components
BMED 8105, Problem-Based Learning, Fall 2000
Developed biomechanics problem for in-depth small group discussion; facilitated discussion
BMED 8120: Physiologic Systems I, Spring 2001-2004
Course coordinator, worked with teams of faculty members, developed neurophysiology lectures,
incorporated problem-based learning components into lecture class
BMED 3161: Systems Physiology II, Spring 2003-Spring 2008, Course coordinator and instructor, developed
and presented lectures on human physiology with an emphasis on quantitative aspects and homeostasis and
control approaches
BMED 6793/BMED 8121: Systems Pathophysiology, Spring 2004, Course co-coordinator co- instructor
(Hanjoong Jo), Adapted existing Systems Pathophysiology course to include exposure to clinicians and
leading diseases, including case study assignments and independent proposal development
BMED 4833: Introductory Neuroscience, Summer 2004-present, Course co-coordinator, co-instructor (Nael
McCarty), Developed new undergraduate course for neuroengineering track
BMED 3100: Systems Physiology, Fall 2008-present; adapted higher level physiology to more general
physiology to integrate basic BME concepts
BMED 8813 NEU: Advanced Seminar: Neuroengineering (with Lena Ting), Fall 2009-present, to be offered in
Spring. Material will cover advanced topics in neuroengineering and neuropathology to address current
issues in the field. There will be a focus on understanding changes accompanying neuropathologies across
cellular and organ level systems and the impact on technology and society.
Course Instruction
BMED/ECE/ME 6793: Systems Pathophysiology, co-instructor (David Ku, Robert Guldberg), Fall 1999
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BMED/ECE/ME 6793: Systems Pathophysiology, course coordinator, co-instructor 50% (Robert Guldberg),
Fall 2000-Fall 2002
BMED/ME 6782: Cellular Engineering, guest lecturer (Membrane Biophysics and Physiology of Excitable
Cells), Fall 1999
IBS 729: Neurotraumatology (Emory), guest lecturer (Biomechanics, Fidelity of Animal Models of Traumatic
Brain Injury), Spring 2000-Spring 2003
BMED 8106, Problem-Based Learning, co-facilitator (Ajit Yoganathan, Wendy Newstetter), Spring 2001
BMED 8120: Physiologic Systems I, course coordinator, co-instructor (Richard Nichols), Fall 2001
BMED 2300: Problems in Biomedical Engineering, facilitator (two sections), Spring 2002
BMED 3161: Systems Physiology II, course coordinator and instructor, Spring 2003-Spring 2008
BMED 6793/BMED 8121: Systems Pathophysiology, Spring 2004
BMED 1300: Problems in Biomedical Engineering, facilitator (course director, Summer 2012)
BMED 4833: Introductory Neuroscience, Fall 2004
BMED 4752: Introductory Neuroscience, Summer 2012
BMED 3100: Systems Physiology, Fall 2008-present
Curriculum Development
Development of BME graduate labs under GTF Program Initiative to fund laboratory infrastructure, 1999
Georgia Tech/Emory Joint Ph.D. Program curriculum development, 1998-2002
Biomedical Engineering undergraduate program, ad hoc, 2002-present
Educational Program Participation
CETL Teaching Fellow, Fall 1999
Invited Participant, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, International Biomedical Engineering
Education Workshop, Chicago, IL, March, 2000
Co-facilitator, co-authored Cell and Tissue Engineering Educational component (Robert Nerem), The Whitaker
Foundation Educational Summit, December 2000
Participant, Georgia Tech/Emory Center for the Engineering of Living Tissues, Research Experience for
Undergraduates and Undergraduate Research Scholar Programs, 1998-present
Ad Hoc Member, Admissions Committee, MD/Ph.D. Program, Emory University (NIH MSTP), 1999-present
Invited participant, Georgia Tech representative, Joint NSF/NIH Workshop on Bioengineering, Medical
Engineering, and Bioinformatics Training and Educational Gaps, June, 2001
Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellow, 2006
IV. SCHOLARLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
A.
PUBLISHED BOOKS AND PARTS OF BOOKS
Greenberg, J.H., LaPlaca, M.C., and McIntosh, T.K. PARP [Poly (ADP-ribose) Polymerase] Inhibitors as
Neuroprotective Agents for Brain Injury. in PARP as a Therapeutic Target, ed. J. Zhang, CRC Press; Boca
Raton, FL, 2002.
LaPlaca, M.C., Simon, C.S., Prado, G.R., and Cullen, D.K. CNS Injury Biomechanics and Experimental
Models. Chapter in Neurotrauma: New Insights into Pathology and Treatment Progress in Brain Research,
vol 161; Eds. Weber and Maas Progress in Brain Research 161:13-26, 2007.
Shoichet, M.S., Tate, C.C., Baumann, M.D., LaPlaca, M.C. Strategies for Regeneration and Repair in the
Injured CNS. Chapter in Indwelling Neural Implants: Strategies for Contending with the In Vivo
Environment Frontiers in Neuroengineering Ed. W.M. Reichert, CRC Press, 2008.
LaPlaca, M.C., Lessing, M.C., Prado, G.R., Simon, C.M. Susceptibility of neuronal membranes to mechanical
injury and implication for repair. In The Pathomechanics of Tissue Injury and Disease, and the
Mechanophysiology of Healing. Ed. A. Gefen, Research Signpost; Kerala, India, 2009,
LaPlaca, M.C., Vernekar, V.N., Shoemaker, J.T., Cullen, D.K. Three-Dimensional Neuronal Cultures.
Methods in Bioengineering: 3D Tissue Engineering, Eds. F. Berthiaume and J. Morgan, Artech House;,
Boston, 2010.
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Morrison, B. III, Cullen D.K., LaPlaca, M.C. In Vitro Models for Biomechanical Studies of Neural Tissues. in
Neural Tissue Biomechanics, Ed. L. Bilston. Vol 3 in Studies in Mechanobiology, Tissue Engineering and
Biomaterials, Series Ed. A. Gefen, Springer; Berlin Heidelberg, 2011.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Irons, H.R. Essential Concepts in Traumatic Brain Injury Neuropathology: Primary Injury,
Secondary Injury, and Neuroplasticity. In Manual of Traumatic Brain Injury Management. Ed. F.S.
Zollman. Demos Medical Publishing; New York, 2011.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Lessing, M.C. Assessment of Membrane Permeability after Traumatic Brain Injury. in
Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries II: Injury and Mechanistic Assessment, Vol. 2. Eds. J.
Chen, X-M. Xu, Z.C. Xu, J.H. Zhang. Humana Press c/o Springer, New York, 2012.
B.
REFEREED PUBLICATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS:
Yourick, D.L., LaPlaca, M.C., and Meyerhoff, J.L. Norepinephrine-stimulated phosphatidylinositol
metabolism in genetically epilepsy-prone and kindled rats. Brain Research 551: 315-318, 1991.
Rubin, Y., LaPlaca M.C., Smith D.H., Thibault L.E., and Lenkinski R.E. The effect of N-acetyl-aspartate acid
on the intracellular free calcium concentration in NTera2-neurons. Neuroscience Letters 198: 209-212,
1995.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. An in vitro traumatic injury model to examine the response of NTera-2
neurons to a hydrodynamically-induced deformation. Annals of Biomedical Engineering 25(4): 365-377,
1997.
LaPlaca, M.C., Lee, V.M.-Y., and Thibault, L.E. An in vitro model of traumatic neuronal injury: loading rate
dependent changes in acute cytosolic calcium and lactate dehydrogenase release. Journal of Neurotrauma
14(6): 355-368, 1997.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. Dynamic Mechanical Deformation of Neurons Triggers an Acute Calcium
Response and Cell Injury Involving the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Glutamate Receptor. Journal of
Neuroscience Research 52:220-229, 1998.
LaPlaca, M.C., Raghupathi, R., Verma, A., Pieper, A.A., Saatman, K.E., Snyder, S.H., and McIntosh, T.K.
Temporal patterns of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation in the cortex following experimental
traumatic brain injury in the rat. Journal of Neurochemistry 72(2): 205-213, 1999.
Zhang, C., Raghupathi, R., Saatman, K.E., LaPlaca, M.C., and T.K. McIntosh. Regional and temporal
alterations in DNA fragmentation factor (DFF)-like proteins following experimental brain trauma in the rat.
Journal of Neurochemistry 73(4): 1605-9, 1999.
LaPlaca, M.C., Zhang, J., Smith, F., Bareyre, F.M., Raghupathi, R., Li, J.-H., Graham, D.I., Snyder, S.H., and
McIntosh, T.K. Pharmacologic inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase is neuroprotective following
traumatic brain injury in rats. Journal of Neurotrauma 18(4): 369-376, 2001.
LaPlaca, M.C., Newstetter, W.C., and Yoganathan, A.P., Problem-Based Learning in Biomedical Engineering
Curricula, Proceedings of 31st ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Reno, NV, October, 2001.
Tate, M.C., Shear, D.A., Hoffman, S.W., Stein, D.G., LaPlaca, M.C. Biocompatibility of MethylcelluloseBased Constructs Designed for Intracerebral Gelation and Enhanced Cell Support Following Experimental
Traumatic Brain Injury. Biomaterials 22(10): 1113-1123, 2001.
Tate, M.C., Shear, D.A., Hoffman, S.W., Stein, D.G., Archer, D.R., LaPlaca, M.C. Fibronectin promotes
survival and migration of primary neural stem cells transplanted into the traumatically injured mouse brain.
Cell Transplantation 11(3): 283-295, 2002.
Geddes, D.M., Cargill, R.S. II and LaPlaca, M.C. Neural stretch results in transiently altered plasma membrane
permeability that depends on strain rate and magnitude Journal of Neurotrauma 20(10): 1039-1049, 2003.
Geddes, D.M., LaPlaca, M.C., and Cargill, R.S. II Susceptibility of hippocampal neurons to mechanicallyinduced injury. Experimental Neurology 184(1):420-7, 2003.
Choi, Y., Powers, R., Vernekar, V., Frazier, A.B. LaPlaca, M.C., Allen, M.G. High Aspect Ratio SU-8
Structures for 3-D Culturing of Neurons, Proceedings of IMECE2003, Washington, D.C., November, 2003.
Tate, M.C, García, A.J., Keselowsky, B.G., Schumm, M.A., Archer, D.R., LaPlaca, M.C. Specific 1 integrins
mediate neural stem cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation on laminin and fibronectin Molecular and
Cellular Neuroscience 27: 22-31, 2004.
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Shear, D., Tate, M., Archer, D., Hoffman, S., Hulce, V., LaPlaca, M., Stein, D. Neural stem cell transplants
promote long-term functional recovery after traumatic brain injury Brain Research 1026:11-22, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C., Cullen, D.K., McLoughlin, J.J., Cargill, R.S., II. High rate shear strain of three-dimensional
neural cell cultures: A new in vitro traumatic brain injury model Journal of Biomechanics 38(5): 1093-105,
2005.
Prado, G.R. Ross, J.D., DeWeerth, S.P., LaPlaca, M.C. Mechanical Trauma Induces Immediate Changes in
Neuronal Network Activity Journal of Neural Engineering 2: 148-158, 2005.
Stabenfeldt, S.E., García, A.J., and LaPlaca, M.C. Thermoreversible Laminin-Functionalized Hydrogel for
Neural Tissue Engineering, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research A 77(4):718-2, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., Prado, G.R., Cullen, D.K., Irons, H.R. High rate shear insult delivered to cortical neurons
produces heterogeneous membrane permeability alterations. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc.
2006;1:2384-7.PMID: 17946956
Cullen, D.K. and LaPlaca, M.C. Differential Response of Neurons Cultured in Two- Versus Three-Dimensions
to High Rate Shear Deformation Journal of Neurotrauma 23(9):1304-19, 2006.
Tate, C.C., Tate, M.C., LaPlaca, M.C. Fibronectin and Laminin Increase in the Mouse Brain Following
Controlled Cortical Impact Injury Journal of Neurotrauma 24(1): 226-230, 2007.
Cullen, D.K, Vukasinovic, J., Glezer, A., and LaPlaca, M.C. Microfluidic Engineered High Cell Density
Three-Dimensional Neural Cultures Journal of Neural Engineering 4(2):159-172, 2007. (Selected as
“Highlights of 2007”)
Choi, Y., McClain, M.A., LaPlaca M.C., Frazier A.B., Allen M.G.. Three dimensional MEMS microfluidic
perfusion system for thick brain slice cultures. Biomed Microdevices 9(1):7-13. 2007
Barker, J.M., Ratcliff, J.J., Goldstein, F.C., Ockerman, J., Wright, D.W., LaPlaca, M.C. Portable, reducedlength neuropsychological testing for mild traumatic brain injury via a novel immersive environment: A
usability study. Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology 31(3):161–9, 2007.
Cullen, D.K., Lessing, M.C., and LaPlaca, M.C. Collagen-Dependent Neurite Outgrowth and Response to
Dynamic Deformation in Three-Dimensional Neuronal Cultures Annals of Biomedical Engineering
35(5):835-46. 2007.
Keselowsky, B.G., Bridges, A.W., Burns, K.L., Tate, C.C., Babensee, J.E., LaPlaca, M.C., García, A.J. Role
of Plasma Fibronectin in the Foreign Body Response to Biomaterials. Biomaterials 28(25):3626-31, 2007.
Cullen, D.K., Simon, C.M., LaPlaca, M.C. Strain rate-dependent induction of reactive astrogliosis and cell
death in three-dimensional neuronal-astrocytic co-cultures. Brain Research 1158: 103-115, 2007. (Cover
Article)
Tate, C.C., Garcia, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. Plasma Fibronectin is Neuroprotective Following Traumatic Brain
Injury Experimental Neurology 207: 13-22, 2007.
Cullen, D.K., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Simon, C.M., Tate, C.C., LaPlaca, M.C. An In Vitro Neural Injury Model for
Optimization of Tissue Engineered Constructs Journal of Neuroscience Research 85(16):3642-51, 2007.
LaPlaca, M.C., Simon, C.S., Prado, G.R., and Cullen, D.K. CNS Injury Biomechanics and Experimental
Models. Chapter in Neurotrauma: New Insights into Pathology and Treatment Progress in Brain Research,
vol 161; Eds. Weber and Maas Progress in Brain Research 161:13-26, 2007. PMID: 17618967
Hallow, D.M., Seeger, R.A., Kamaev, P.P., Prado, G.R., LaPlaca, M.C., Prausnitz, M.R.. Shear-induced
intracellular loading of cells with molecules by controlled microfluidics. Biotechnol Bioeng. 99(4):846-54,
2008. PMID: 17879304
Irons, H.R., Cullen, D.C., Shapiro, N.P., Lambert, N.A, Lee, R.H., LaPlaca, M.C. Three-dimensional neural
constructs: a novel platform for neurophysiological investigation J. Neural Eng. 5 333-341, 2008.
Vernekar, V.N., Cullen, D.K., Fogleman, N., Choi, Y., García, A.J., Allen, M.G., Brewer, G.J., LaPlaca, M.C.
SU-8 2000 rendered cytocompatible for neuronal bioMEMS applications. J Biomed Mater Res A.
89(1):138-51, 2009.
Wester, B.A., Lee, R.H., and LaPlaca, M.C., Development and characterization of in vivo flexible electrodes
compatible with large tissue displacements J. Neural Engineering 6(2):024002, 2009.
Simon, CM, Sharif S, Tan RP, LaPlaca MC. Spinal cord contusion causes acute plasma membrane damage. J
Neurotrauma. 26(4):563-74, 2009.
Vukasinovic, J, Cullen, DK , LaPlaca, MC, and Glezer, A. A microperfused incubator for tissue mimetic 3D
cultures Biomedical Microdevices 11(6):1155, 2009.
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Tate, C.C., Shear, D.A., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Stein, D.G., LaPlaca, M.C. Laminin and fibronectin
scaffolds enhance neural stem cell transplantation into the injured brain. J Tissue Eng Regen Med.3(3):20817, 2009. PMID: 19229887
McClain, M.A., LaPlaca, M.C., Allen, M.G. Spun-cast micromolding for etchless micropatterning of
electrically functional PDMS structures. J. Micromech. Microeng. 19 107002: 1-6, 2009.
LaPlaca, M.C., Prado, G.R., Cullen, D., Simon, C.M. Plasma membrane damage as a marker of neuronal
injury. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2009. 1113-6, 2009. PMID: 19964751
LaPlaca, M.C., Prado, G.R.. Neural mechanobiology and neuronal vulnerability to traumatic loading. J
Biomech. 2010 Jan 5;43(1):71-8. PMID: 19811784
Wright, D.W., Goldstein, F.C., Kilgo, P., Brumfield, J.R., Ravichandran, T., Danielson, M.L., LaPlaca, M. Use
of a novel technology for presenting screening measures to detect mild cognitive impairment in elderly
patients. Int J Clin Pract 64(9):1190–1197, 2010. PMID:20497262
Stabenfeldt, S.E., Munglani, G., García, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. Biomimetic microenvironment modulates neural
stem cell survival, migration, and differentiation. Tissue Eng Part A. ;16(12):3747-58. 2010. PMID:
20666608
Cullen, D.K., Gilroy, M.E., Irons, H.R., LaPlaca, M.C. Synapse-to-neuron ratio is inversely related to neuronal
density in mature neuronal cultures. Brain Research 1359:44-55, 2010. PMID: 20800585
McClain, M.A., Clements, I.P., Shafer, R.H., Bellamkonda, R.V., LaPlaca, M.C., Allen, M.G.. Highlycompliant, microcable neuroelectrodes fabricated from thin-film gold and PDMS. Biomed Microdevices
13(2):361-73, 2011. PMID: 21240559
Cullen D, Wolf JA, Vernekar VN, Vukasinovic J, LaPlaca MC. Neural Tissue Engineering and Biohybridized
Microsystems for Neurobiological Investigation In Vitro (Part 1). Crit Rev Biomed Eng.;39(3):201-240,
2011. PMID: 21967303
Higgins, A.Z., Cullen, D.K., LaPlaca, M.C., Karlsson, J.O. Effects of freezing profile parameters on the
survival of cryopreserved rat embryonic neural cells. J Neurosci Methods. 201(1):9-16. 2011. PMID:
21816171
Rajaraman, S., Choi, S-O., McClain, M.A., Ross, J.D., LaPlaca, M.C., and Allen, M.G. Metal-TransferMicromolded Three-Dimensional Microelectrode Arrays for in-vitro Brain-Slice Recordings Journal of
Microelectromechanical Systems, 20(2): 396-409, 2011.
Shear, D.A., Tate, C.C., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., LaPlaca, M.C., Stein, D.G., Dunbar, G.L. Stem cell survival
and functional outcome after traumatic brain injury is dependent on transplant timing and location. Restor
Neurol Neurosci. 2011;29(4):215-25. PMID: 21697596
Stabenfeldt, S.E., Irons, H.R., LaPlaca, M.C. Stem cells and bioactive scaffolds as a treatment for traumatic
brain injury. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 6(3):208-20, 2011. PMID: 21476977
Stabenfeldt, S.E., LaPlaca, M.C. Variations in rigidity and ligand density influence neuronal response in
methylcellulose-laminin hydrogels. Acta Biomater. 2011 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 21839862
Cullen, D.K., Vernekar, V.N., LaPlaca, M.C. Trauma-Induced Plasmalemma Disruptions in ThreeDimensional Neural Cultures are Dependent on Strain Modality and Rate. J Neurotrauma. 28(11):2219-33,
2011, PMID: 22023556.
Wright, D.W., Nevarez, H., Kilgo, P., LaPlaca, M., Robinson, A., Fowler, S., Brumfield, J., and Goldstein,
F.C. A Novel Technology to Screen for Cognitive Impairment in the Elderly Individuals American Journal
of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias, 226(6): 484-91, 2011. PMID: 22110158
LaPlaca, M.C., Meaney, D.F. Perspectives on the role of bioengineering in neurotrauma research. J
Neurotrauma. 28(11):2201-2, 2011. PMID: 22082448
Olivero, D., LaPlaca, M, Kottke, P.A. Ambient nanoelectrospray ionization with in-line microdialysis for
spatially resolved transient biochemical monitoring within cell culture environments. Anal Chem.
84(4):2072-5, 2012. PMID: 22263997
Gene expression patterns following unilateral traumatic brain injury reveals a local pro-inflammatory and
remote anti-inflammatory response. White TE, Ford GD, Surles-Zeigler MC, Gates AS, LaPlaca MC, Ford
BD. BMC Genomics. 2013 Apr 25. [Epub ahead of print]
Host response to microgel coatings on neural electrodes implanted in the brain. Gutowski SM, Templeman KL,
South AB, Gaulding JC, Shoemaker JT, LaPlaca MC, Bellamkonda RV, Lyon LA, García AJ. J Biomed
Mater Res A. 2013 May 13. [Epub ahead of print]
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C.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Conference Abstracts (Poster Presentations)
Yourick, D.L., LaPlaca, M.C. and Meyerhoff, J.L. Norepinephrine-stimulated inositol phosphate
accumulation in cortex, amygdala/pyriform cortex and hippocampus of genetically epilepsy-prone rats.
Society for Neuroscience 16:780, 1990.
Yourick, D.L., LaPlaca, M.C. and Meyerhoff, J.L. Norepinephrine-stimulated phosphatidylinositol
metabolism in cortex, amygdala/pyriform cortex and hippocampus of two different rat models of epilepsy,
genetic and induced. Sixth International Symposium on Cellular Endocrinology entitled "Receptormediated Stimulation of Phosphoinositide Metabolism and Protein Kinase C", Lake Placid, NY, August,
1990.
LaPlaca, M.C., Meyerhoff, J.L., Repasi, R.T. and Yourick, D.L. Norepinephrine-stimulated
phosphatidylinositol metabolism in cortex of audiogenically seizure sensitive DBA/2 and normal C57BL/6
mice. FASEB Journal 5:A1211, 1991.
LaPlaca, M.C., Cargill, R.S., and Thibault, L.E. Intracellular free calcium shifts in cultured neurons in
response to mechanical injury. 11th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma
11(1):116, 1993.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. Role of free calcium in the response of cultured NTera 2 neurons to
mechanical injury. 12th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma 12(1): 128,
1994.
Munir, M., LaPlaca, M., Thibault, L., McGonigle, P. Changes in intracellular free calcium levels during
delayed excitotoxicity and rescue in NT2-N neurons. Society for Neuroscience 21:1344, 1995.
LaPlaca, M.C., Djali, S., Saatman, K. E., and Thibault, L.E. Glutamate mediated cell damage in mechanically
injured Ntera-2 neurons. Society for Neuroscience 21:497, 1995.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. MK-801 reduces glutamate-induced cytosolic free calcium increases in
mechanically injured Ntera-2 neurons 13th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of
Neurotrauma 12(5):969, 1995.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. Evidence of a mechanical contribution in the response of Ntera2 neurons to
a rapid deformation injury in vitro. 14th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma
13(10): 608, 1996.
Blackman, B., LaPlaca, M., Barbee, K. and Thibault, L. Sensitivity of endothelial cell response to the onset
rate of shear stress. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Atlanta, GA,
November 1996.
LaPlaca, M.C., Conti, A.C., McDermott, K.L., Leitner, J.P., Raghupathi, R., McIntosh, T.K. Poly(ADPribose) polymerase mediated repair of damaged DNA following experimental brain injury. 15th Annual
Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma 14(10), 785, 1997.
LaPlaca, M.C., and McIntosh, T.K. Optimizing transplants for the rescue of injured brain tissue based on
mechanisms of DNA repair. Biomedical Engineering Society 1998 Annual Fall Meeting, Cleveland, OH,
October 1998.
LaPlaca, M.C., Zhang, J., Smith, F., Bareyre, F.M., Raghupathi, R., Li, J.-H., Graham, D.I., Snyder, S.H., and
McIntosh, T.K. Pharmacologic inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase is neuroprotective following
traumatic brain injury in rats. 17th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma
(abst.), 16(10): 976, 1999.
Tate, M.C. and LaPlaca, M.C. Tissue engineering neural constructs designed for intracerebral gelation.
Biomedical Engineering Society 1999 Annual Fall Meeting, Atlanta, GA, October 1999.
McLoughlin, J.J., Cargill, R.S., and LaPlaca, M.C. A novel in vitro shear device for high strain rate injury of
three-dimensional neural cultures. 17th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma,
16(10): 961, 1999.
Prado, G.R., LaPlaca, M.C. Improved Cell Shearing Injury Device Provides Enhanced Shear and Deformation
Rate Control. 18th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma 17(10):942, 2000.
McLoughlin, J.J. Cargill, R.S., LaPlaca, M.C. High rate strain of 3-D neural cultures as a novel in vitro model
of traumatic brain injury. 18th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma
17(10):941, 2000.
8
Tate, M.C., LaPlaca, M.C. Biocompatibility of Methylcellulose-Based Constructs Designed for Intracerebral
Gelation and Enhanced Cell Support Following Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury. 18th Annual
Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma, 17(10):991, 2000.
Tate, M.C., LaPlaca, M.C. Physical Characterization of a Methylcellulose Polymer System Designed for
Minimally Invasive Neural Tissue Engineering, Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting, St. Paul, MN,
May 2001.
Shear, D.A., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Haik, K.L., Hoffman, S.W., LaPlaca, M.C., Hulce, V.D, Stein, D.G.
Neural stem cells promote behavioral recovery in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury American
Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair, Experimental Neurology 170:201, 2001.
Geddes, D.M., LaPlaca, M.C., and Cargill, R.S. II. Hippocampal neurons are more susceptible to mechanical
stretch than cortical neurons, 19th Annual National Neurotrauma Society Symposium, San Diego, CA.
Journal of Neurotrauma 18(10):1166, 2001.
Prado, G.R. and LaPlaca, M.C.. Neuronal cell death threshold of shear stress and shear rate studied on 2D cell
shearing injury device, 19th Annual National Neurotrauma Society Symposium, San Diego, CA. Journal of
Neurotrauma 18(10): 1165, 2001.
Shear, D.A., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Haik, K.L., Simkins, R.M., Hoffman, S.W., Hulce, V.D., LaPlaca,
M.C., and Stein, D.G.. Neural stem cell transplants promote recovery following traumatic brain injury, 19 th
Annual National Neurotrauma Society Symposium, San Diego, CA. Journal of Neurotrauma 18(10): 1154,
2001.
Tate, M.C.*, Shear, D.A., Archer, D.R., Haik, K.L., Hoffman, S.W., Stein, D.G., LaPlaca, M.C.. FGF2Responsive, GFP-Positive neural stem cells integrate, differentiate, and promote functional recovery
following transplantation into mouse model of TBI, Society for Neuroscience 31st Annual Meeting, San
Diego, CA, 2001. (*Student Travel Award recipient, based on research)
Shear, D.A.*, Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Hoffman, S.W., Hulce, V.D., LaPlaca, M.C., Stein, D.G. Neural
progenitor cell transplants show long-term survival and enhance behavioral recovery in a mouse model of
traumatic brain injury 20th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium Journal of Neurotrauma 19(10):1275,
2002. (*Poster Award recipient)
Cullen, D.K., LaPlaca, M.C. Response of neurons cultured in two- and three-dimensions to dynamic shear
deformation. 20th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma 19(10):1285, 2002.
Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., and LaPlaca, M.C. 
-mediated adhesion and migration of primary neural
stem cells on various extracellular matrices. Society for Neuroscience 32nd Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL,
2002.
Cullen, D.K., Lessing, M.C. and LaPlaca, M.C. Dynamic Deformation of Three-Dimensional Neuronal
Cultures in Bioactive Agarose, 21st Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma
20(10):1061, 2003.
Prado, G.R., Ross, J.D., DeWeerth, S.P., LaPlaca, M.C. Traumatic Loading to Cultured Neurons Induces
Transient Membrane Permeability Increases that May Modulate Electrophysiological Activity. Society for
Neuroscience 33rd Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, 2003.
Ross, J., Prado, G., Choi, Y., Allen, M, LaPlaca, M., and DeWeerth, S. A Novel System for Measurement of
Electrophysiological Signals Associated with Traumatic Neuronal Injury. Micro Total Analysis Systems
Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, 2003.
Schumm, M.A., LaPlaca, M.C., and Archer, D.R. Development of Neural Progenitor Cells Derived from
Embryonic Stem Cells. 11th Annual Conference, American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair.
Clearwater, FL Experimental Neurology 187(1): 218, 2004.
Stabenfeldt, S.E. and LaPlaca, M.C., Methylcellulose-Laminin Conjugate for Neural Tissue Engineering
Applications: Fabrication and Characterization. 7th World Congress of Biomaterials, Sydney, Australia,
2004.
Schumm, M., Gallant, N., García, A., Archer, D., LaPlaca, M. Neural Progenitor Cells Derived from
Embryonic Stem Cells: Controlled Growth on Fibronectin and Laminin Micropatterned Substrates Society
for Neuroscience 34th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, 2004.
Prado, G.R., Caltagirone, C.L., and LaPlaca M.C. Neuronal Plasma Membrane Disruption in the Traumatically
Injured Brain. 22nd Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, San Diego, CA. Journal of Neurotrauma
21(9): 1331, 2004.
9
Prado, G.R. and LaPlaca M.C. Neuronal Plasma Membrane Is Transiently Disrupted By Mechanical Trauma:
An Insight into the Mechanisms Involved. 22nd Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, San Diego, CA.
Journal of Neurotrauma 21(9): 1331, 2004.
Cullen, D.K.*, Wolfson, M.E. and LaPlaca, M.C. Culture Configuration and Local Strain Regime Affect the
Response to High Rate Deformation in Neurons Cultured in Two- and Three-Dimensions. 22nd Annual
Neurotrauma Society Symposium, San Diego, CA, Journal of Neurotrauma 21(9): 1334, 2004. (*Selected
for oral presentation in addition to poster; *Award Recipient).
McClain, M.A., LaPlaca, M.C., and Frazier, A.B. A microperfusion system for improved viability in thick
slice preparations of brain tissue. The 9th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry
and Life Sciences (Transducer Research Foundation), TAS 2005 Boston, MA, October 9-13, 2005.
Tate M.C., Caltagirone C.L., Shear D.A., Gieseker E.A., Stein D.G., LaPlaca M.C., The Effect Of Recipient
Age On Survival and Migration of Neural Progenitor Cells Transplanted Into The Traumatically Injured
Mouse Brain. 9th International Neural Transplantation and Repair Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan. June 10,
2005.
Schumm, M.A., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Archer, D.R. and LaPlaca, M.C. Transplantation Of Methylcellulose
Scaffolds Seeded With Neural Stem Cells to the Traumatically Injured Mouse Brain. 9th International
Neural Transplantation and Repair Meeting. Taipei, Taiwan. June 10, 2005.
Schumm, M.A., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Archer, D.R. and LaPlaca, M.C. Transplantation Of Methylcellulose
Scaffolds Seeded With Neural Stem Cells to the Traumatically Injured Mouse Brain. 13 th Annual
Conference, American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair. Clearwater, FL. Experimental
Neurology. 193(1):259, 2005.
Caltagirone, C.L. and LaPlaca, M.C., Mice Deficient In Plasma Fibronectin Demonstrate Increased Behavioral
Deficits Following Traumatic Brain Injury. American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair,
Clearwater, FL. Experimental Neurology. 193(1): 241, 2005
Schumm, M.A., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Archer, DR and LaPlaca, MC. Methylcellulose Scaffolds Seeded with
Neural Stem Cells Transplanted to the Traumatically Injured Mouse Brain. Regenerate International
Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, GA, 2005.
Stabenfeldt, SE, García, AJ, and LaPlaca, MC. “Tethering of Laminin to Methylcellulose: A Thermoreversible
Hydrogel for Neural Tissue Engineering.” Regenerate International Conference and Exposition, Atlanta,
GA, June, 2005.
Lessing, M.C., Prado, G.R., and LaPlaca M.C. Acute Tyrosine Phosphorylation Events After Traumatic Brain
Injury in the Rat Have Different Initiating Factors. 23rdAnnual Neurotrauma Society Symposium,
Washington, D.C., Journal of Neurotrauma 22(10): 1226, 2005.
Simon, C.M., Prado, G. R., LaPlaca, M.C. Membrane Compromise in Neuronal Somata after Contusion Spinal
Cord Injury. 23rd Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Washington, DC, Journal of Neurotrauma
22(10): 1250, 2005.
Tate, C.C. and LaPlaca, M.C., Intravenous Injections of Fibronectin Restore Behavior Deficits Seen in
Fibronectin Deficient Mice Following Traumatic Brain Injury. 23rd Annual Neurotrauma Society
Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma 22(10): 1258, 2005.
Cullen, D.K., Simon, C.M., Schumm, M.A., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Tate, C.C., and LaPlaca, M.C., Assessment of
Factors Influencing Neural Stem Cell Survival Using an In Vitro Model of Traumatically Induced Cell
Death and Reactive Astrogliosis. 23rd Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma
22(10): 1191 2005.
Cullen, D.K., Simon, C.M. and LaPlaca, M.C. Mechanical Induction of Reactive Astrogliosis in 3-D NeuronalAstrocytic Co-Cultures, 23rd Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Washington, D.C. Journal of
Neurotrauma 22(10): 1250, 2005.
Simon, C.M., Prado, G. R., LaPlaca, M.C. Investigation of Plasma Membrane Permeability Changes in an In
Vivo Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Model. Society for Neuroscience 35th Annual Meeting, 678.1,
Washington, DC, November, 2005.
Tate C.C. and LaPlaca M.C., Fibronectin is Neuroprotective Following Traumatic Brain Injury. Society for
Neuroscience 35th Annual Meeting, 334.9, Washington, DC, November, 2005.
10
Schumm, M.A., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Archer, D.R. and LaPlaca, M.C.. Transplantation of Neural Stem Cells
Seeded in Methycellulose Scaffolds to the Traumatically Injured Mouse Brain. Society for Neuroscience,
35th Annual Meeting, 839.2, Washington, DC. November, 2005.
Keselowsky, B.G., Burns, K.E., Tate, C.C., LaPlaca, M.C., Babensee, J.E., and Garcia, A.J. Plasma
Fibronectin Modulates Foreign Body Response to Biomaterials, Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting,
2006.
Schumm, M.A.; Simon, C.M.; Sturkie, C.D.; West, F.D.; Stice, S.L.; LaPlaca, M.C. Neuroepithelial
progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells transplanted to the contused rat spinal cord in tissue
engineered constructs. 13th Annual Conference, American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair.
Clearwater, FL. Experimental Neurology, 198(2): 588-588, 2006.
Simon, C.M., Schumm, M.A., Sturkie, C.D., West, F.D., Stice, S.L., LaPlaca, M.C. Tissue engineered
constructs for human neuroepithelial progenitors transplanted to the contused spinal cord. 8th International
Neurotrauma Symposium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2006.
Tate, C.C., Cullen, D.K., LaPlaca, M.C. Fibronectin promotes neural cell survival in vivo and in vitro:
Implication for traumatic brain injury. 8th International Neurotrauma Symposium, Rotterdam, The
Netherlands, 2006.
Irons, H.R., Shapiro, N.P., Cullen D.K., Lee, R.H., and LaPlaca, M.C. Electrophysiological Function of
Neurons in Tissue-Engineered 3-D Constructs. Annual National M.D./Ph.D Conference. Keystone, CO,
July 2006.
Cullen, D.K.*, Vernekar, V.N. and LaPlaca, M.C. The Effects of Shear Versus Compressive Loading in ThreeDimensional Neuronal-Astrocytic Co-Cultures, 24th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, St. Louis,
MO. Journal of Neurotrauma 23(6):986, 2006. (*Selected for oral presentation in addition to poster;
*Award Recipient).
Tate, C.C., Shear, D.A., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Stein, D.G., LaPlaca, M.C. Laminin Enhances Survival Of
Neural Stem Cells Transplanted Into The Traumatically Injured Brain, 24th Annual Neurotrauma Society
Symposium, St. Louis, MO. Journal of Neurotrauma 23(6):1041, 2006.
Lessing, M.C. and LaPlaca M.C. Traumatic brain injury causes plasma membrane damage and cell death in the
hippocampus of rats 26th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma 23(6):1041,
2006.
Ross, J.D., Wester, B.A., Choi, Y. Lee, R.H., Allen, M.G., LaPlaca, M.C., DeWeerth, S.P. Mechanically
Actuated Microtweezers for Neural Interfacing Applications 2006 BMES Annual Fall Meeting.
Ross, J.D., Wester, B.A., Choi, Y., Lee, R.H., LaPlaca M.C., Allen M.G., DeWeerth S.P. Mechanically
Actuated Microtweezers for Simultaneous Cellular Manipulation and Electrophysiological Recording..
Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 2006.
Irons, H.R., Shapiro, N.P., Cullen, D.C., Tsai, V., Lee, R.H., and LaPlaca, M.C. Electrophysiological
properties of neurons in tissue-engineered 3-D constructs. Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting,
Atlanta, GA, 2006.
Cullen, D.K., Vukasinovic, J., Irons, H.R., Glezer, A., Wheeler, B.C. and LaPlaca. M.C. Engineered High Cell
Density Three-Dimensional Constructs. Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 2006.
Lessing, M.C., Makhmalbaf, A.A, and LaPlaca, M.C. Phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase is altered after
traumatic brain injury in rats. Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 2006.
Stabenfeldt, S.E., García, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. Laminin-1 tethering concentration to methylcellulose hydrogel
influences viability and neurite outgrowth in vitro. Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Atlanta,
GA, 2006.
Wester, B.A., Choi, Y., Allen., M.G., Lee, R.H and LaPlaca, M.C. Development of flexible electrodes for
electrical recording in the cortex during and immediately following traumatic brain injury. Society for
Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 2006.
Vukasinovic, J. Cullen D.K., Glezer, A. and LaPlaca, M.C., Bio-Fluid Dynamics in a Centimeter-Scale
Diagnostics Incubator with Integrated Perfusion, Bulletin of the American Physical Society-Division of
Fluid Dynamics, 2006.
Simon, C.M., Schumm, M.A., Sturkie, C.D., West, F.D., Stice, S.L., and LaPlaca, M.C. A Tissue Engineering
Approach for Transplanting Human Neuroepithelial Progenitors into the Contused Spinal Cord. Hilton
Head Tissue Engineering, 2007.
11
Irons, H.R., Roush, K.M., McDevitt T.C., and LaPlaca, M.C. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in
tissue-engineered constructs for neurotransplantation. Hilton Head Tissue Engineering, 2007.
Stabenfeldt, S.E., García, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. Migration and Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells within a
Methylcellulose-Laminin-1 Hydrogel In Vitro. Hilton Head Tissue Engineering, 2007.
Irons, H.R., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Roush, K.M., Tate, C.C., McDevitt, T.C., and LaPlaca, M.C. Comparative
analysis of neurospheres from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and neural stem cells for
neurotransplantation. 14th Annual Conference of the American Society for Neural Therapy & Repair May,
2007.
Simon, C.M., LaPlaca, M.C., Acute spinal cord injury-induced plasma membrane damage, 25h Annual
Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Kansas City, MO, 2007
Irons, H.I, Stabenfeldt, S.E., Simon, C.M., Cullen, D.K., and LaPlaca, M.C. Injured 3-D Neural Co-Cultures as
a Model to Study Interactions Between Cell Transplants and Injured Host Tissue. 25h Annual Neurotrauma
Society Symposium, Kansas City, MO, 2007.
Lessing, C., Prado, G.R., Simon ,C.M., Stabenfeldt, S.E, LaPlaca, M.C. Cell membrane disruption following
traumatic brain injury in rats (Abstract 261.10) Society for Neuroscience 37th Annual Meeting, San Diego,
CA, 2007.
Wester, B.A., Lee, R.H., LaPlaca, M.C.. Development of flexible electrodes for electrical recording in the
cortex during and immediately following traumatic brain injury (Abstract 316.12) Society for Neuroscience
37th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, 2007.
McClain, M.A., Allen, M.G., LaPlaca, M.C. Development of elastomeric string-like electrodes for integration
with neuronal-astrocytic co-cultures (Abstract 317.6) Society for Neuroscience 37th Annual Meeting, San
Diego, CA, 2007.
Shear, D.A., Tate, C.C., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Dunbar, G.L., LaPlaca, M.C. D.G. Stein Neural stem cell
mediated functional recovery following traumatic brain injury is not dependent on migration or phenotypic
differentiation of transplanted cells (Abstract 494.1) Society for Neuroscience 37th Annual Meeting, San
Diego, Ca, 2007.
Simon, C.M., Sharif, S., Lessing, C., LaPlaca, M.C. Citicoline as a treatment for spinal cord injury (Abstract
600.22) Society for Neuroscience 37th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, 2007.
Stabenfeldt, S.E., García, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. A laminin-based scaffold for improved neural stem cell survival.
26th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Orlando, FL, 2008.
Rahmani, Y., Simon, C.M., Schumm, M., Sturkie, C.D., West, F.D., Stice, S.L., LaPlaca, M.C.; A tissue
engineered scaffold seeded with human neuroepithelial cells for treatment of spinal cord injury. 26th Annual
Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Orlando, FL, 2008.
Stabenfeldt, S.E., García, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. A laminin-based scaffold for improved neural stem cell survival
753.12 Society for Neuroscience 38th Annual Meeting, Washington DC, 2008.
Rahmani, Y., Simon, C.M., Schumm, M., Sturkie, C.D., West, F.D., Stice, S.L., LaPlaca, M.C.; A tissue
engineered scaffold seeded with human neuroepithelial cells for treatment of spinal cord injury (Abstract
754.1) Society for Neuroscience 38th Annual Meeting, Washington DC, 2008.
Wester, B.A., Ross, J., Rajaraman, S., Allen, M., LaPlaca, M., A single-unit neural injury model using
mechanically actuated microtweezers (245.7) Society for Neuroscience 39th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL,
2009.
Shoemaker, J.T., LaPlaca, M.C. Development of multitypic neural cell cultures to study injury-induced
inflammatory responses in vitro (245.24) Society for Neuroscience 39th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2009.
Mcclain. M.A., Allen, M.G., LaPlaca, M.C. - Microcable and microweb elastomer electrodes for
electrophysiological applications (390.3) Society for Neuroscience 39th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2009.
Shoemaker, J.T. and LaPlaca, M.C. Development of multitypic neural cell cultures as an in vitro model of
neuroinflammation. Poster presentation, National Neurotrauma Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 2011.
Journal of Neurotrauma 28:A-1–A-134 (June 2011) P026.
Shoemaker J.T, LaPlaca M.C. The inflammatory response of microglia in a 3-D multitypic cell culture model
of neuroinflammation. Poster presentation, 10th European meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease,
Prague, Czech Republic 2011. Glia 59:S42–S154 (2011) P4-94.
12
Rooney B.A., Simon C.M., Bandyopadhyay S.B., Merrill A.H., LaPlaca M.C. Lipidomics of spinal cord
injury: Targeting membrane dysfunction and permeability. Poster presentation. National Neurotrauma
Symposium, Phoenix AZ, 22-25 July 2012.
James Shoemaker, Shivaram Selvam, Andrés Garcia, Michelle LaPlaca. Mechanical injury-induced
neuroinflammation in a 3-D neural cell culture model. Poster presentation, BMES Annual Meeting,
Atlanta, GA, 2012.
Magazine Articles
LaPlaca, M.C. and Ziejewski, M. Biomechanics of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A Review, Brain Injury
Professional 1(1):10-14, 2004. (LaPlaca, M.C., Guest Editor)
Wildermuth, C.W. Wright, D.W., and LaPlaca, M.C. Overview of Computer-Assisted Cognitive Function
Diagnostic and Assessment Tools, Brain Injury Professional 1(1):32-35, 2004. (LaPlaca, M.C., Guest
Editor)
D.
PRESENTATIONS
Conference Presentations (Speaker underlined)
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. A novel cell shearing device to study injury of neurons in vitro. Second
World Congress of Biomechanics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Jul 1994.
LaPlaca, M.C. and Thibault, L.E. An in vitro traumatic injury model: Mechanical response of cultured
neurons to hydrodynamic loading. 1994 ASME Winter Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, Nov 1994.
LaPlaca, M.C., Billiar, K.L., Goldstein, D.M., Thibault, L.E. Biomechanical considerations for modeling
traumatic brain and spinal cord injury in vitro. Third International Neurotrauma Symposium, Journal of
Neurotrauma 12(3):374, Jul 1995.
LaPlaca, M.C., Raghupathi , R., Saatman, K.E., and McIntosh, T.K. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity
following brain injury in the rat: an indicator of post-traumatic DNA damage? 16th Annual Neurotrauma
Society Symposium, Journal of Neurotrauma, 1998.
McLoughlin, J.J., Cargill, R.S., and LaPlaca, M.C. A novel in vitro shear device for high strain rate injury of
three-dimensional co-cultures of neurons and astrocytes. Biomedical Engineering Society 1999 Annual Fall
Meeting, Atlanta, GA, Oct 1999.
Tate, M.C. and LaPlaca, M.C. A Methylcellulose Polymer System for Minimally Invasive Tissue Engineering
in the Brain Sixth World Biomaterials Congress, Kamuela, HI, May 2000.
Tate M.C.*, Shear D.A., Archer D.R. Hoffman S.W., Haik, K.L., Stein D.G., LaPlaca M.C. Survival and
Migration of FGF-Responsive Neural Stem Cells Transplanted into a Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain
Injury, 8th Annual Meeting, American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair, Experimental
Neurology 170:204, 2001. (*Student Award Recipient)
Prado, G.R., LaPlaca, M.C. Differential Response of Primary Neurons and Astrocytes to a Controlled
Hydrodynamic Insult, ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference, Jun 2001.
Murnyack, R.M. Cargill, R.S., LaPlaca, M.C. Development of a Three-Dimensional Finite Element Model of
Lateral Cortical Impact Injury in Rat with Geometry Generated from MR Images, ASME Summer
Bioengineering Conference, Jun 2001.
Geddes, D.M., LaPlaca, M.C. and Cargill, R.S. II. Neural stretch results in a transient permeability change that
depends on strain rate and magnitude, Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Fall Meeting, Raleigh, NC.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering 29(S1): S-21, 2001.
Cullen, D.K., McLoughlin, J.J.and LaPlaca, M.C. Characterization of the cellular response after a shear injury
in 3D neuronal/astrocytic co-cultures, Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Fall Meeting, Raleigh, NC,
Annals of Biomedical Engineering 29(S1):S-20, 2001.
LaPlaca, M.C., Newstetter, W.C., Yoganathan, A.P.. Problem-Based Learning In Biomedical Engineering
Curricula, 31stASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference*, Reno, NV, October 10 - 13, 2001. (*Peer
Reviewed)
Caltagirone, C., Tate, M., and LaPlaca, M. Fibronectin and laminin increase in the mouse brain following a
controlled, cortical impact injury: implications for repair. Joint Meeting of INTR and ASNTR, Keystone,
CO, Jun 2002.
13
Tate, M.C., Shear, D.A., Stein, D.G., Archer, D.R., and LaPlaca, M.C. Migration of neural stem cells is
enhanced on laminin and fibronectin: implications for novel treatment strategies for traumatic brain injury.
Joint Meeting of INTR and ASNTR, Keystone, CO, Jun 2002.
Shear, D.A., Tate, M.C., Archer, D.R., Hoffman, S.W., Haik, K.L., Hulce, V.D., LaPlaca, M.C., Stein, D.G.
Long-term survival and functional efficacy of transplanted neural stem cells in a mouse model of traumatic
brain injury. Joint Meeting of INTR and ASNTR, Keystone, CO, Jun 2002.
Stabenfeldt, S.E. and LaPlaca, M.C., Methylcellulose-Laminin Conjugate for Neural Tissue Engineering
Applications: Fabrication and Characterization. 7th World Congress of Biomaterials, Sydney, Australia
2004.
Prado, G.R., Caltagirone, C.L. LaPlaca, M.C. Neuronal Plasma Membrane Disruption in the Traumatically
Injured Brain. Society for Neuroscience 34th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, October 27, 2004.
Caltagirone, C.L. and LaPlaca, M.C., Fibronectin is Neuroprotective Following Traumatic Brian Injury. 9th
International Neural Transplantation and Repair Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan. June 10, 2005.
Caltagirone, C.L. and LaPlaca, M.C., Fibronectin is Neuroprotective Following Traumatic Brain Injury.
Regenerate International Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, GA, June, 2005.
Cullen, D.K., Simon, C.M., Schumm, M.A., Stabenfeldt, S.E., Wester, B.A., Caltagirone, C.L., LaPlaca, M.C.,
Investigation of Tissue Engineered Treatment Strategies Using an In Vitro Model of Traumatic Brain
Injury. Regenerate International Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, GA, June, 2005.
Prado, G.R., Zhang, L., King, A.I, Yang, K.H., LaPlaca, M.C. Acute Increases in Neuronal Membrane
Permeability in the Rat Brain Following Mechanical Trauma Positively Correlate with Strain. ASME
Summer Bioengineering Conference, Vail, CO, June 25, 2005.
Stabenfeldt, S.E., García, A.J., and LaPlaca, M.C.. Methycellulose hydrogel with controlled protein tethering
for neural tissue engineering. Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, Oct 2005.
Shear D.A., Tate C.C., Tate M.C., Archer D.R., Hoffman S.W., Hulce V.D., LaPlaca M.C., Dunbar G.L., Stein
D.G., Neural Progenitor Transplants Promote Functional Recovery after Traumatic Brain Injury in the
Absence of Neuronal Replacement. Society for Neuroscience 35th Annual Meeting, 471.3, Washington, DC,
November, 2005.
Keselowsky, B.G., Burns, K.E., Tate, C.C., LaPlaca, M.C., Babensee, J.E., García, A.J. Plasma Fibronectin
Modulates Foreign Body Response to Biomaterials. Biomaterials 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., D.K. Cullen, S.E. Stabenfeldt, C.C. Tate, Neural Stem Cell Construct Delivery within an In
Vitro Test Bed. International Conference on Advances in Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Regenerative
Medicine, Capri, Italy, Jun 13, 2006.
Cullen, D.K., Vukasinovic, J., Glezer, A. and LaPlaca. M.C. High Cell Density Three-Dimensional Neural CoCultures Require Continuous Medium Perfusion for Survival. 28th International Conference IEEE
Engineering in Biology and Medicine Society, IEEE Transactions, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., Prado, G.R., Cullen, D.K., and Irons, H.I. High Rate Shear Insult Delivered to Cortical
Neurons Produces Heterogeneous Membrane Permeability. 28th International Conference IEEE
Engineering in Biology and Medicine Society, IEEE Transactions 2384-2387, 2006.
Cullen, D.K. and LaPlaca, M.C. Neuronal Response to High Rate Shear Deformation Depends on
Heterogeneity of the Local Strain Field, Journal of Neurotrauma 23(9):1304-1319, 2006.
Stabenfeldt, S.E. García, A.J., LaPlaca, M.C. Methylcellulose-Laminin Hydrogel Supports Migration and
Influences Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting. Apr 19, 2007
Stabenfeldt, S.E., Irons, H.I, Cullen, D.K., Tate, C.C., LaPlaca, M.C. A Multi-Level Analysis of a
Methylcellulose-Laminin Scaffold to Improve Neural Stem Cell Survival in a Traumatically Injured Neural
Environment 14th Annual Conference of the American Society for Neural Therapy & Repair, May 4, 2007.
LaPlaca, M.C., Prado, G.R., Cullen, D.K., Simon, C.M. Plasma Membrane Damage as a Marker of Neuronal
Injury. 31st International Conference IEEE Engineering in Biology and Medicine Society. Conf Proc IEEE
Eng Med Biol Soc. 2009;2009:1113-6. PMID: 19964751 (listed above in Papers).
LaPlaca, M.C. Engineering Neurotrauma Research from the Cell to the Clinic. National Neurotrauma Society
Symposium, July, 2012.
14
Invited Presentations
LaPlaca, M.C. An in vitro model of neuronal injury: Cellular biomechanics and mechanisms of calcium
elevations. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Head Injury Seminar Series, Apr
1996.
LaPlaca, M.C. DNA damage and repair following traumatic brain injury. Department of Neurosurgery,
University of Pennsylvania, Head Injury Seminar Series, May 1998.
LaPlaca, M.C. Invited Speaker, Baxter Immuno-Hyland Wound Healing Division: “Tissue Engineering in the
Hostile Environment of the Injury Brain”, Oct 2000.
LaPlaca, M.C., Tissue Engineering in the Traumatically-Injured Brain, Neurodegenerative Disease Seminar
Series, Emory University, Nov 20, 2001.
LaPlaca, M.C., Cell Death and Repair in the Brain Following Traumatic Injury, Wayne State University,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Apr 12, 2002.
LaPlaca, M.C., Brain Injury: From Biomechanics to Repair Frontiers in Neuroscience Seminar Series,
Neuroscience Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Feb 21, 2003.
LaPlaca, M.C., Invited Speaker, Extracellular Matrix-Based Scaffolds for Stem Cell Delivery to the Injured
Brain, Engineering Tissue Growth International Conference & Exposition, Mar 19, 2003.
LaPlaca, M.C., Brain Injury: From Biomechanics to Repair, Columbia University, New York, NY, Dec 5,
2003.
LaPlaca, M.C., Tissue Engineering in the Injured CNS: The Balance of Cell Death and Regeneration, TESI,
Orlando, FL, Dec 10, 2003.
LaPlaca, M.C., Repairing the Injured Brain: What We Know and What Challenges Remain, Case Western
Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, Feb 5, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C., Mechanisms of traumatic injury: What we know and how we can repair the injured brain.
University of Virginia, Charlotte, VA, Feb 28, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C., Spanning the Brain Injury Time Scale: Acute Mechanisms to Novel Repair Strategies,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Mar 18, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C., Plenary Speaker, Tissue Engineering in the Injured Central Nervous System, Wound Healing
Society Meeting, Atlanta, GA, May 26, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C. Tissue Engineering in the Injured Central Nervous System: Novel Repair Strategies, Institut de
Biologie Integrative, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France, Jul 7, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C, Tissue Engineering in the Injured Central Nervous System using Neural Stem Cells,
Regenerative Medicine Workshop, Emory University, Sept 25, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C., Holes and Sparks: Acute Responses in Brain Injury, BMES Symposium: Penn: Past, Present,
and Future, Philadelphia, PA, Oct 13, 2004.
LaPlaca, M.C., Improved Neural Stem Cell Transplantation Strategies for Traumatic Injury, Clemson
University, NIH-NSF Biomedical Summer School Program, Jul 8, 2005.
LaPlaca, M.C., How Biomechanics Can Help Us Understand the Acute Response Phase in Traumatic Brain
Injury, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College, Dec 7, 2005.
LaPlaca, M.C., Acute Responses to Brain Trauma: Why look so early?, Frontiers in Neuroscience Seminar
Series, Neuroscience Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Feb 2, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., Traumatic Neural Injury: From Acute Response to Repair, Department of Bioengineering,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Feb 6, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., Traumatic Neural Injury: From Acute Response to Repair, McGowan Institute for
Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, Mar 2, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., The Time-span of Traumatic Neural Injury: Acute Responses to Repair Capability, Dept. of
Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Mar 31, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C., Experimental Models and Biomechanics, 8th International Neurotrauma Symposium,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands, May 22, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C. TBI in a Dish: Cell & Tissue Culture Models. 24th Annual Neurotrauma Society Symposium,
St. Louis, MO. July 8, 2006.
LaPlaca, M.C. The Engineering of Stem Cells, MIT Enterprise Forum, Aired on PBS, Atlanta, GA, October
12, 2006.
15
LaPlaca, M.C. Membrane permeability and repair in the injury spinal cord, Spinal Cord Center Seminar Series,
Emory University, May 20, 2009.
LaPlaca, M.C., The top ten reasons why we don't have more options to treat traumatic brain injury, Veteran’s
Administration Rehabilitation Center, Atlanta, GA, October 28, 2009.
LaPlaca, M.C., Systems Physiology of Traumatic Brain Injury, Integrative Biosystems Institute Seminar
Series, Georgia Institute of Technology, October 28, 2009.
LaPlaca, M.C., Finding a Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury: Looking up from the Lab, Neurology Grand
Rounds, Emory Hospital, November 23, 2009.
E.
PATENTS
1. Display Enhanced Testing for Concussions and mTBI: (DETECT), application 11/503,579, publication
number US20070027406 A1
V.
A.
SERVICE
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Session Chair: National Neurotrauma Society Symposium, Nov 1999, Jul 2006, Jul 2010, July 2012;
Biomedical Engineering Society/Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Meeting, Oct 1999;
Biomaterials Conference, Apr 2001; Regenerate Conference, June, 2005; Biomedical Engineering Society
Meeting, Oct 2005, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, Aug 2006
Journal Reviewer: Journal of Neurochemistry, Journal of Neurotrauma, Journal of Neuroscience Research,
Biomacromolecules, Brain Research Bulletin, Biotechnology Progress, Biomaterial, Journal of Biomedical
Materials Research, Journal of Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Nature,
Neurochemistry International, Tissue Engineering
NSF Review Panels: June 2000 (BES), February 2001 (ECC, nanotechnology), March 2001 (SBIR review NSF)
NIH Review Activities: July 2003 (NIBIB/NIGMS T32); ad hoc Reviewer Neurogenesis and Cell Fate Study
Section, Nov 2004 (NIBIB K/T32); ad hoc Reviewer Neurogenesis and Cell Fate Study Section, Feb 2006
(NINDS); Special Emphasis Panel, Mar 2006 (NINDS PPG), SBIR (July 2009)
Other ad hoc Grant Application Reviewer: Whitaker Foundation; Spelman College, RIMI Seed Funding
Program; ETH Zentrum, Zurich, Switzerland; MRC research grants, United Kingdom; National University
of Singapore Grant Program Review; U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC);
American Institute of Biological Sciences; North Carolina Biotechnology Center; CDC National Center for
Injury Prevention and Control Extramural Research Grant Program
Elected Professional Society Positions: Society for Neuroscience, Atlanta Chapter Officer, 2000-4; Society for
Biomaterials Tissue Engineering Special Interest Group Vice-Chair, 2002-3, Women in Neurotrauma
Research, Newsletter Editor, Secretary / Treasurer (2005-present)
Editorial Board, Journal of Neurotrauma (2009-present)
B.
CAMPUS CONTRIBUTIONS
School Level
Member, Neuroengineering Whitaker Working Group (planning/writing, Development/Leadership Proposal to
The Whitaker Foundation), 1998-1999
Member, BME Graduate Student Recruiting Committee, 2000-2002
Member, BME Graduate Committee 2000-2004
Member, BME Building Committee 2001-2003
Member, BME Faculty Recruiting Committee, 2001-present
Member, BME Awards Committee, 2004-present
College Level
Member, College of Engineering Awards Committee, Fall 1999
Member, College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Committee, Fall 2002-Fall 2004
Member, College of Engineering Assistant-to-Associate Promotion and Tenure Committee (2007-2009)
16
Institute Level
Chair, Technology Fee Committee, 2004 (Member, 2003)
Member, IACUC committee, 2002-present (Alternate member 2002-2004)
Other/Interdisciplinary
Member, Bioengineering Program Graduate Student Recruiting Committee, 1998-2000
Examiner, Bioengineering Program Ph.D. qualifying exams
Investigator, Committee Member, Georgia Tech/Emory Center for the Engineering of Living Tissues,
Undergraduate Research Scholar student selection committee, Fall 1999, 2001
Member, Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Biosciences Laboratory Committee, Spring 2000
Member, Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Steering Committee, Spring 2000-present
Member, Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Animal Program Advisory Committee, Spring 2002present
C.
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS
Community
Brain Fair, Brain Awareness Month Activity, SciTrek, Atlanta, GA, 2001-2003
BioTrek program, research summer and after school program for area high school students, LaPlaca Lab,
Georgia Tech, 2001-2004
Buzz of BioTechnology, Georgia Tech/IBB, open house for bioengineering and bioscience aimed at high school
students, Fall 2002-present
Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology, mentor program, 2002-2004
Campbell High School Outreach Summer Program, GTEC, 2004
Medical Post Program, Morehouse School of Medicine, after school program for minority students interested in
medicine and biotechnology, 2001-2004
VI.
A.
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
AS PRINCIPAL AND CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Past
1. High Strain Rate Induction of Neuronal DNA Damage and Cell Death
PI, Georgia Institute of Technology
Agency: Whitaker Foundation, 1999-2002 ($210,000, total)
Goal: Determine molecular mechanisms of traumatic cell death using a well-defined mechanical insult.
2. Development of Cell/Scaffold Construct for Tissue Engineering in the Brain after Experimental Traumatic
Brain Injury
PI, Georgia Institute of Technology; Co-Investigator, Donald P. Stein, Emory University
Agency: Georgia Tech/Emory Biotechnology Center (Seed Grant), 1999-2000 ($30,000, total)
Goal: Optimize cell scaffold strategies for improved tissue engineering systems in the injured brain.
3. Optimization of a Tissue Engineered Construct using Neuroprogenitor Cells for Recovery of Function
following Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury
PI, Georgia Institute of Technology; Co-Investigator, Donald P. Stein, Emory University
Agency: Georgia Tech/Emory Biotechnology Center (Established Collaborator Grant), 2000-2001
($30,000, total)
Goal: Optimize cellular environment for stem cell transplantation and subsequent recovery.
4. Role of Glial Scar in Neurite Outgrowth for Tissue Engineered Construct following TBI
PI, Georgia Institute of Technology
Agency: NSF ERC on Tissue Engineering Seed Grant (EEC-9731643), 1999-2003 ($106.280, total)
Goal: Model a traumatically-induced glial scar to provide a test bed for interactions between tissue
engineered constructs and the injured brain.
5. Toward a Mechanistic Link between Traumatic Brain Injury and 
-Related Neurodegeneration
17
PI, Emory University
Agency: Emory Alzheimer’s Disease Center, 2000-2001 ($20,000, total)
Goal: Utilize an in vitro model of neuronal injury to determine biochemical/molecular cascades that may
lead to chronic acceleration of neurodegeneration.
6. Mechanisms of Phospholipid Membrane Breakdown and Subsequent Signal Transduction Alterations in
Acute Neural Injury
PI, Georgia Institute of Technology
Agency: Pfizer-Parke Davis, 2000-2002 ($100,000, total)
Goal: Examine mechanisms of traumatically-induced membrane damage in vitro and provide a basis for the
development of reducing ongoing membrane degradation.
7. Neural Potential of Embryonic Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Applications Using Extracellular Matrix
Protein Substrates
Co-Investigator, Georgia Institute of Technology; Co-Investigator: David R. Archer, Emory University
Agency: Georgia Tech/Emory Biotechnology Center (Seed Grant), 2001-2002 ($30,000, total)
Goal: Investigate the role of extrinsic differentiation factor for stem cell differentiation
8. Novel In Situ Caspase Activity Detection System for the Elucidation of Cell Death Mechanisms in Injured
Neurons
Co-Investigator; Co-Investigator: James C. Powers (Chemistry and Biochemistry)
Agency: Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (Seed Grant), 2002-2003 ($40,000, /total)
Goal: Develop and test novel fluorescent markers for specific enzymatic activity.
9. Neural Potential of Embryonic Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Applications Using Extracellular Matrix
Protein Substrates.
PI; co-Investigator; Archer (Emory)
Agency: Georgia Tech/Emory Biomed Tech Res Center, 7/1/02-6/30/03 ($30,000, total)
Goal: To develop stem cell population from different sources for neural tissue engineering approaches.
10. CAREER: The Utilization of Cell Mechanics and Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Technology to
Determine Mechanotransduction Mechanisms during Traumatic Neural Injury
PI, Georgia Institute of Technology
Agency: NSF (BES-0093830), 2001-2006 ($375,000, total)
Goal: Develop a model of traumatic brain injury based on the in situ cytoarchitecture of the brain.
11. Stem Cell-Seeded ECM Scaffold for Neurotransplantation
PI; Co-Investigators: Andrés García (GIT), David Archer (Emory University)
Agency: National Institutes of Health (R01), NIH/BRG (EB001014), 9/15/02-9/14/06 ($875,000, total)
Goal: Develop and test “smart” tissue engineering constructs for improved recovery after injury.
12. Brain Cell and Tissue Injury Tolerance to Traumatic Loading
Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (through University of Alabama at Birmingham
subcontract), 1/1/04-12/31/05 ($150,000, total)
Goal: Subject cell and tissue specimens to biomechanically well-defined inputs in order to develop injury
tolerance criteria that are model-independent and based on cellular properties.
13. A 3-D Microfluidic/electronic Neural Interface System (DeWeerth, PI) (LaPlaca, Co-I)
National Institutes of Health (BRP) EB000786 8/19/02-7/31/08
Goal: The major goal of this project was to develop novel MEMS devices for superior resolution during
excitable cell investigations.
14. EEC-9731643 (LaPlaca, PI on subproject) (Nerem, PI) 9/1/03-12/31/09
National Science Foundation
$450,000
The Use of Extracellular Matrix Proteins as Scaffolds to Improve Donor Cell Survival in Treatment of
Traumatic CNS Injury.
The major goal of this project is to develop tissue engineering strategies to enhance the efficacy of cell
transplantation in the injured brain and spinal cord.
15. Chemical Biology/ACTSI New Agent Development Fund (LaPlaca) 5/1/08-12/31/08
Emory University
$25,000
A New High-throughput Traumatic Neural Injury System
The major goal of this project is to establish multi-well neural cultures, engineer a new injury chamber, and
screen 15,000 compounds for reducing cell death-associated mechanisms.
18
16. Coulter Clinical Translation (LaPlaca)
10/1/02-12/31/08
Coulter Foundation
$1,200,000
Display Enhanced Testing for Cognitive Deficits and Traumatic Brain Injury
The major goal of this project is to develop a fast, portable, easy to administer, and sensitive system
quantitatively measuring cognitive function across several domains.
17. NS061153 (LaPlaca)
10/1/08-09/30/10
National Institutes of Health
$100,000
Augmentation of Plasma Membrane Repair for Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury
The major goal of this project is to develop targeted treatment to reduce membrane permeability and
ongoing membrane damage, which may contribute to functional deficits following spinal cord injury.
18, AFOSR FA9550-09-1-0162 BIONIC Air Force Center of Excellence on Bio-nano-enabled
Inorganic/Organic Nanostructures and Improved Cognition (LaPlaca, Co-I; PI: Ken Sandhage; co-PI:
Vladamir Tsukruk) 1/1/09-12/31/13
Air Force Research Labs/Air Force Office of Scientific Research $7.5M
The major goal of Interdisciplinary Research Group 3 (LaPlaca, leader) is the development of sensitive
assessment tools and real-time algorithms for the adaptation and optimization of critical cognitive
processes required for enhanced learning and skill retention.
B. Research Support (costs in direct)
ACTIVE
NSF CBET-0933506 (LaPlaca, co-I: Glezer, ME)
9/1/09-8/31/13
$300,000
National Science Foundation
0.5 calendar
IDF: Controlled Network Disruption and Spatiotemporal Sampling of Microperfused 3-D Neural
Cultures
The major goal of this project is to create a complex neural tissue equivalent that will faithfully
represent brain and to investigate the role of microglia following inflammatory triggers.
Georgia Tech / Emory Regenerative Medicine Center
LaPlaca, PI, seed grant
7/1/11-6/30/13
$100,000
The Effect of Oxidative Stress Protection on Neuroinflammation and Neurogenesis following
Traumatic Brain Injury
The major goal of this project is to inhibit superoxide free radical using novel inhibitors of NADPH
oxidase in mild and moderate traumatic brain injury.
Petit Institute Interdisciplinary Research Grant Program
LaPlaca co-PI, Merrill, co-PI
7/1/2011-6/30/13
$50,000
Plasma Membrane Pathology Following Traumatic Brain Injury
The major goal of this research is to evaluate the mechanism(s) of plasma membrane breakdown and
lipid signaling alterations in the acute period following traumatic brain injury.
U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command / Department of Defense (W81XWH-12-C0203)
Role: co-investigator; Epinoza, Phelps, co-PIs; other co-investigators: Wright, Emory;
Guskiewicz, UNC; Bazarian, Univ. Rochester
10/2012 – 09/2014 $3M
A Novel Tool for Field Assessment of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
The major goal of this research is to further enhance the Display Enhanced Testing for
Concussions and mTBI (DETECT) device for potential integration into standard predeployment baseline neuropsychological testing (NPT) and immediate post-injury field
screening and assessment for military TBI. The enhanced DETECT device will be
implemented in a relevant cohort of football players to assess neurocognitive outcomes as a
function of head impact severity.
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VII.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2000
National Science Foundation CAREER Award: “The Utilization of Cell Mechanics and ThreeDimensional Cell Culture Technology to Determine Mechanotransduction Mechanisms during
Traumatic Neural Injury” (2001)
2008
Health Care Heroes Innovation Award, Atlanta Business Chronicle (DETECT)
2009
Induction into the Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
2009
Brain Injury Association Young Investigator Award
20