Biography
Dr. Nancy Pleshko is a Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Pleshko is recognized for her research on assessment of tissues at the molecular, cellular, and structural level through application of state-of-the-art vibrational spectroscopy. She has substantial expertise in basic and translational research in connective tissue pathophysiology and orthopedics, including osteoporosis and other bone pathologies, and osteoarthritis and cartilage repair. She has over 90 publications, and has received over $5 million in federal funding.
Research Interests
- Molecular Imaging of Tissues & Cells
- Spectroscopic Analysis Techniques for Cartilage and Bone Pathologies
- Tissue Engineering
- Contribution of Molecular Alterations in Connective Tissue on Mechanical Behavior
- MicroCT & Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Connective Tissues
Courses Taught
Number | Name | Level |
|---|---|---|
BIOE 0956 | Honors Ethical Issues in Biomedical Science, Engineering and Technology | Undergraduate |
BIOE 3001 | Research Design and Methods in Bioengineering | Undergraduate |
BIOE 4333 | Capstone Elective: Applied Biospectroscopy | Undergraduate |
ENGT 3001 | Research Design and Methods in Bioengineering | Undergraduate |
BIOE 5333 | Applied Biospectroscopy | Graduate |
Selected Publications
Recent
Querido, W., Shanas, N., Radway, A.P., Jones, B.C., Ispiryan, M., Zhao, H., Hast, M.W., Rajapakse, C.S., & Pleshko, N. (2025). The Multifactorial Relationship Between Bone Tissue Water and Stiffness at the Proximal Femur. Calcif Tissue Int, 116(1), 33. United States. 10.1007/s00223-024-01327-9
Reiner, E., Weston, F., Pleshko, N., & Querido, W. (2023). Application of Optical Photothermal Infrared (O-PTIR) Spectroscopy for Assessment of Bone Composition at the Submicron Scale. Appl Spectrosc, 77(11), 1311-1324. United States. 10.1177/00037028231201427
Gidde, S.T.R., Acharya, S.R., Kandel, S., Pleshko, N., & Hutapea, P. (2022). Assessment of tissue damage from mosquito-inspired surgical needle. Minim Invasive Ther Allied Technol, 31(7), 1112-1121. England. 10.1080/13645706.2022.2051718
Kim, M., Koyama, E., Saunders, C.M., Querido, W., Pleshko, N., & Pacifici, M. (2022). Synovial joint cavitation initiates with microcavities in interzone and is coupled to skeletal flexion and elongation in developing mouse embryo limbs. Biol Open, 11(6). England. 10.1242/bio.059381
Querido, W., Zouaghi, S., Padalkar, M., Morman, J., Falcon, J., Kandel, S., & Pleshko, N. (2022). Nondestructive assessment of tissue engineered cartilage based on biochemical markers in cell culture media: application of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Analyst, 147(8), 1730-1741. England. 10.1039/d1an02351a
Shanas, N., Querido, W., Oswald, J., Jepsen, K., Carter, E., Raggio, C., & Pleshko, N. (2022). Infrared Spectroscopy-Determined Bone Compositional Changes Associated with Anti-Resorptive Treatment of the oim/oim Mouse Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Appl Spectrosc, 76(4), 416-427. United States. 10.1177/00037028211055477
Kandel, S., Querido, W., Falcon, J.M., Zlotnick, H.M., Locke, R.C., Stoeckl, B., Patel, J.M., Patil, C.A., Mauck, R.L., & Pleshko, N. (2022). In Situ Assessment of Porcine Osteochondral Repair Tissue in the Visible-Near Infrared Spectral Region. Front Bioeng Biotechnol, 10, 885369. Switzerland. 10.3389/fbioe.2022.885369
Falcon, J.M., Chirman, D., Veneziale, A., Morman, J., Bolten, K., Kandel, S., Querido, W., Freeman, T., & Pleshko, N. (2021). DMOG Negatively Impacts Tissue Engineered Cartilage Development. Cartilage, 13(2_suppl), 722S-733S. United States. 10.1177/1947603520967060
Miguez, P.A., Tuin, S.A., Robinson, A.G., Belcher, J., Jongwattanapisan, P., Perley, K., Gonҫalves, V.d.P., Hanifi, A., Pleshko, N., & Barton, E.R. (2021). Hesperidin Promotes Osteogenesis and Modulates Collagen Matrix Organization and Mineralization In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci, 22(6). Switzerland. 10.3390/ijms22063223
Sanden, K.W., Böcker, U., Ofstad, R., Pedersen, M.E., Høst, V., Afseth, N.K., Rønning, S.B., & Pleshko, N. (2021). Characterization of Collagen Structure in Normal, Wooden Breast and Spaghetti Meat Chicken Fillets by FTIR Microspectroscopy and Histology. Foods, 10(3). Switzerland. 10.3390/foods10030548
Querido, W., Kandel, S., & Pleshko, N. (2021). Applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy for Analysis of Connective Tissues. Molecules, 26(4). Switzerland. 10.3390/molecules26040922
Jones, B.C., Jia, S., Lee, H., Feng, A., Shetye, S.S., Batzdorf, A., Shapira, N., Noël, P.B., Pleshko, N., & Rajapakse, C.S. (2021). MRI-derived porosity index is associated with whole-bone stiffness and mineral density in human cadaveric femora. Bone, 143, 115774. United States. 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115774
Afara, I.O., Shaikh, R., Nippolainen, E., Querido, W., Torniainen, J., Sarin, J.K., Kandel, S., Pleshko, N., & Töyräs, J. (2021). Characterization of connective tissues using near-infrared spectroscopy and imaging. Nat Protoc, 16(2), 1297-1329. England. 10.1038/s41596-020-00468-z
Chirman, D. & Pleshko, N. (2021). Characterization of bacterial biofilm infections with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: a review. Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 56(8-10), 673-701. doi: 10.1080/05704928.2020.1864392.
Ailavajhala, R., Querido, W., Rajapakse, C.S., & Pleshko, N. (2020). Near infrared spectroscopic assessment of loosely and tightly bound cortical bone water. Analyst, 145(10), 3713-3724. England. 10.1039/c9an02491c
Shanas, N., Querido, W., Dumont, A., Yonko, E., Carter, E., Ok, J., Karchner, J.P., Barbe, M.F., Ali, S., Patil, C., Raggio, C., & Pleshko, N. (2020). Clinical application of near infrared fiber optic spectroscopy for noninvasive bone assessment. J Biophotonics, 13(4), e201960172. Germany. 10.1002/jbio.201960172
Kandel, S., Querido, W., Falcon, J.M., Reiners, D.J., & Pleshko, N. (2020). Approaches for In Situ Monitoring of Matrix Development in Hydrogel-Based Engineered Cartilage. Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 26(4), 225-238. United States. 10.1089/ten.TEC.2020.0014
Querido, W., Shanas, N., Bookbinder, S., Oliveira-Nunes, M.C., Krynska, B., & Pleshko, N. (2020). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of developing bone mineral: from amorphous precursor to mature crystal. Analyst, 145(3), 764-776. England. 10.1039/c9an01588d