As VP of Translational Science and Experimental Medicine (TSEM) for Respiratory and Immunology (R&I) at AstraZeneca, I am part of the R&I leadership team spanning the UK, Sweden and US. I designed and launched TSEM to provide a roadmap from novel targets to disease pathology and biomarkers, with precision medicine from the start, emphasising the importance of understanding the heterogeneity of common chronic disease.
Already we have a number of molecules in clinical development where we are actively developing what will be some of the first examples of precision medicine for common chronic disease.
Previously, as Global Head of Genomics Portfolio in AstraZeneca’s Centre for Genomics Research, I played a pivotal role in securing the $400+ million investment to integrate genome sequence and clinical data from up to two million patients. Other business-critical deliveries have included AstraZeneca’s first respiratory diagnostic achieving EU CE-IVD certification in December 2018, and FDA clearance for a Point of Care (PoC) serum uric acid meter to monitor the effectiveness of urate lowering therapies.
I completed my PhD in molecular genetics from the University of Liverpool and I have published over 40 peer-reviewed articles, most recently in the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery.
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to apply strong science with many of the talented scientists and teams at AstraZeneca to bring life changing medicines to improve patients’ lives.
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Key Achievements
Featured publications
Diagnostic utility of exome sequencing for kidney disease.
Groopman, E. et al, Platt, A*, Goldstein, D.B., Gharavi, A.G. (2018) New England Journal of Medicine, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1806891
*Joint senior author as stated in paper
Drug development in the era of precision medicine.
Dugger S, Platt A, Goldstein D, (2018), Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 17 (3):183-196.
An analytical comparison between point-of-care uric acid testing meters.
Paraskos J, Berke Z, Cook J, Miner JN, Braddock M, Platt A, Hughes G, (2016) Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics. 16(3):373-382. DOI:10.1586/14737159.2016.1134326.
Rheumatoid arthritis: a case for personalized health care?
Platt A, Karsdal M A, Bay-Jensen A C, (2014), Arthritis Care and Research 66(9):1273-80.
A retrospective analysis of RET translocation, gene copy number gain and expression in NSCLC patients treated with vandetanib in four randomized Phase III studies.
Platt A, Morten J, Ji Q, Elvin P, Womack C, Su X, Donald E, Gray N, Read J, Bigley G, Blockley L, Cresswell C, Dale A, Davies A, Zhang T, Fan S, Fu H, Gladwin A, Harrod G, Stevens J, Williams V, Ye Q, Zheng L, de Boer R, Herbst RS, Lee JS, Vasselli J, (2015), 1. BMC Cancer. 15(1):171.
Translational biomarkers and ex vivo models of joint tissues as a translational tool for drug development in rheumatoid arthritis.
Kjelgaard-Petersen CF, Platt A, Braddock B, Jenkins M, Musa K, Graham E, Keeler S, Slynn G, Weinblatt ME, Karsdal MA, Bay-Jensen AC, (2018), Arthritis and Rheumatology, 70(9):1419-1428
Serological biomarkers of joint tissue turnover predict tocilizumab response at baseline.
Bay-Jensen AC, Byrjalsen I, Siebuhr AS, Christiansen C, Platt A, Karsdal MA, (2014), Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. 20(6):332-335.
IL-6 pathway-driven investigation of response to IL-6 receptor inhibition in rheumatoid arthritis.
Wang J, Platt A, Benayed R, Germer S, Lei G, Rabe C, Benayed R, Kenwright A, Hemmings A, Martin M, Harari O, (2013), British Medical Journal Open 2013;3:e003199. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003199.
Serological identification of fast progressors of structural damage with rheumatoid arthritis.
Siebuhr AS, Bay-Jensen AC, Leeming D.J, Platt A, Byrjalsen I, Christiansen C, van de Heijde D, Karsdal MA (2013), Arthritis Research & Therapy 15:R86 doi:10.1186/ar4266.
Genome-wide association analysis implicates the involvement of eight loci with response to tocilizumab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Wang J, Bansal AT, Martin M, Germer S, Benayed R, Essioux L, Lee JS, Begovich A, Hemmings A, Kenwright A, Taylor KE, Upmanyu R, Cutler P, Harari O, Marchini J, Criswell LA, Platt A, (2012), The Pharmacogenomics Journal 13:235-241.
IL-6 Receptor Inhibition Positively Modulates Bone Balance in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with an Inadequate Response to Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy: Biochemical Marker Analysis of Bone Metabolism in the tocilizumab RADIATE Study.
Karsdal MA, Schett G, Emery P, Harari O, Byrjalsen I, Kenwright A, Bay-Jensen AC, Platt A, (2012), Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism 42(2):131-9.
Genetic variation in UGT1A1 typical of Gilbert syndrome is associated with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in patients receiving tocilizumab.
Lee JS, Wang J, Martin M, Germer S, Kenwright A, Benayed R, Spleiss O, Platt A, Pilson R, Hemmings A, Weinblatt ME, Kaplowitz N, Krasnow J, (2011), Pharmacogenet Genomics. 21(7):365-74.
The insertion of two amino acids into a transcriptional inducer converts it into a galactokinase.
Platt A, Ross H, Hankin S, Reece RJ, (2000), Proceedings of the National Academy for Sciences 97 (7): 3154-3159.
The yeast galactose genetic switch is mediated by formation of a Gal4p/Gal80p/Gal3p complex.
Platt A, Reece RJ, (1998), The EMBO Journal 17 (14): 4086-4091
Nitrogen metabolite repression involves the C-terminus and the GATA domain of the Aspergillus transcription factor AREA and the 3'-untranslated region of its mRNA.
Platt A, Langdon T, Arst HN, Kirk D, Tollervey D, Mates Sanchez JM, Caddick MX, (1996), The EMBO Journal 15 (11): 2791-2801.
Veeva ID: Z4-51856
Date of preparation: January 2023