Nancy Pleshko, Ph.D.

Dr. Pleshko specializes in assessment of tissues at the molecular, cellular, and structural level through application of state-of-the-art vibrational spectroscopy, including mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging, in concert with complementary techniques. She has developed substantial expertise over the past 20 years in basic and translational research in connective tissue pathophysiology and orthopedics, including osteoporosis and other bone pathologies, osteoarthritis and cartilage repair, vascular tissue remodeling, as well as in spectroscopic assessment of food quality. Applications include establishing correlations between molecular tissue properties and mechanical and other functional properties, and assessment of therapeutic interventions. This includes evaluation of the effects of biological interventions, such as anti-resorptive agents for bone, as well as characterization of biomaterials for development of engineered tissues. She has further experience in assessment of growth and modification of engineered tissue. Dr. Pleshko also has expertise in the application of imaging modalities, such as micro-CT and MRI, in her tissue and biomaterial evaluations. Dr. Pleshko has extensive experience in the design of experimental and translational research protocols, and in formulating the overall approach to address specific questions related to tissue and materials characterization.

Dr. Pleshko’s research interests have included the characterization of the progression of osteoarthritic changes in bone and cartilage in a number of preclinical osteoarthritis models at the molecular level, and she has developed methodologies for minimally invasive assessment of related molecular alterations in human patients. She is currently developing similar capabilities of clinical outcome predictors in cartilage repair based on molecular features of the tissue. Further, Dr. Pleshko has defined molecular features of mineralization abnormalities in vitro and extended this to preclinical models of bone disease.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Pleshko was the founder and Director of the Musculoskeletal Imaging and Spectroscopy Laboratory at the Hospital for Special Surgery, an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical School in New York City. Her internationally recognized NIH-funded program focused primarily on cartilage and bone pathology and therapeutics. She also held appointments at Weill Cornell Medical School, and in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at City College in Manhattan.

Pearson KJ, Baur JA, Lewis KN, Peshkin L, Price NL, Labinsky N, Kamara D, Minor RK, Perez E, Jamieson HA, Zhang Y, Dunn SR, Sharma K, Pleshko N, Woollett LA, Csiszar A, Ikeno Y, Le Couteur D, Becker KG, Navas P, Ingram DK, Wolf NS, Ungvari Z, Sinclair DA, de Cabo R. Resveratrol delays age-related deterioration and mimics aspects of dietary restriction in mice on a standard diet . Cell Metabolism, in press.

Millán JL, Narisawa S, Lemire I, Loisel TP, Boileau G, Leonard P, Gramatikova S, Terkeltaub R, Pleshko Camacho N, McKee MD, Crine P, Whyte MP. Enzyme replacement therapy for murine hypophosphatasia. J Bone Miner Res 2007; Dec 17 [Epub ahead of print].

Zhang H, Ricciardi BF, Yang X, Shi Y, Camacho NP, Bostrom MPG. Polymethylmethacrylate particles stimulate bone resorption of mature osteoclasts in vitro. Acta Orthop 2008; 79:281–288.

Cheng C, Conte E, Pleshko-Camacho N, Hidaka C. Differences in matrix accumulation and hypertrophy in superficial and deep zone chondrocytes are controlled by bone morphogenetic protein. Matrix Biol 2007; May 31; [Epub ahead of print].

Yang X, Ricciardi BF, Hernandez-Soria A, Shi Y, Pleshko Camacho N, Bostrom MP. Callus mineralization and maturation are delayed during fracture healing in interleukin-6 knockout mice. Bone 2007; 41(6):928-936.

Delos D, Yang X, Ricciardi BF, Myers ER, Bostrom MPG, Pleshko Camacho N. The effects of RANKL inhibition on fracture healing and bone strength in a mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta. J Orthop Res 2007; Aug 29; [Epub ahead of print].

Miller E, Delos D, Baldini T, Wright TM, Pleshko Camacho N. Abnormal mineral-matrix interactions are a significant contributor to fragility in oim/oim bone. Calc Tiss Int 2007; 81(3):206-214.

Zhang H, Doty S, Hughes C, Dempster DW, Pleshko Camacho N. Increased resorptive activity and accompanying morphological alterations in osteoclasts derived from a mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta (oim/oim). J Cell Biochem 2007; 102(4):1011-1020.

Boskey A, Pleshko Camacho N. Infrared imaging of native and tissue-engineered bone and cartilage. Biomaterials 2007; 28(15):2465-2478.

Canuto HC, Fishbein KW, Bajaj P, Pleshko Camacho N, Spencer RG. Optimal methods for the preservation of cartilage samples in MRI and correlative biochemical studies. J Mag Res 2007; 57(5):866-873.

Lopez Franco GE, Huang A, Pleshko Camacho N, Stone DS, Blank RD. Increased Young’s modulus and hardness of Col1a2oim dentin. J Dental Res 2006; 85(11):1032-1036.

Bi X, Yang X, Bostrom MPG, Bartusik D, Ramaswamy S, Fishbein KW, Spencer RG, Camacho NP. Fourier transform infrared imaging and MR microscopy studies detect compositional and structural changes in cartilage in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis. Anal Bioanal Chem 2007; 387(5):1601-1612.

Spencer RG, Calton EF, Pleshko Camacho N. Statistical comparison of Fourier transform infrared spectra. J Biomed Optics 2006; 11(6):064023.

Southern D, Lutz G, Bracilovic A, West P, Spevak M, Pleshko Camacho N, Doty S. Histological and molecular structure characterization of annular collagen after intradiskal electrothermal annuloplasty. HSS J 2006; 1:49-54.

Harmey D, Johnson KA, Zelken J, Camacho NP, Hoylaerts MF, Noda M, Terkeltaub R, Millan JL. Elevated skeletal osteopontin levels contribute to the hypophosphatasia phenotype in akp2( /-) mice. J Bone Miner Res 2006; 21(9):1377-1387.

Bi X, Yang X, Bostrom MPG, Pleshko Camacho N. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy investigations in the pathogenesis and repair of cartilage. BBA-Biomem 2006; May 23 [Epub ahead of print].

Garimella R, Bi X, Anderson HC, Camacho NP. Nature of phosphate substrate as a major determinant of mineral type formed in matrix vesicle-mediated in vitro mineralization: An FTIR imaging study. Bone 2006; 38(6):811-817.

Li G, Thomson M, DiCarlo E, Yang X, Nestor B, Bostrom MPG, Camacho NP. A chemometric analysis for evaluation of early-stage cartilage degradation by infrared fiber optic probe spectroscopy. Appl Spectrosc 2005; 59(12):1527-1533.

Bi X, Li G, Doty SB, Camacho NP. A novel method for determination of collagen orientation in cartilage by Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS). Osteoarth Cartil 2005; 13(12):1050-1058.

Draper ERC, Morris MD, Camacho NP, Matousek P, Towrie M, Parker AW, Goodship AE. A novel assessment of bone using time-resolved transcutaneous raman spectroscopy. J Bone Miner Res 2005; 20(11):1968-1972.

Anderson HC, Harmey D, Camacho NP, Garimella R, Sipe JB, Bi X, Tague S, Terkeltaub R, Millán JL. Sustained osteomalacia of long bones despite major improvement in other hypophosphatasia-related mineral deficits in TNAP/NPP1 double deficient mice. Am J Pathol 2005; 166(6):1711-1720.

Lopez Franco GE, Huang A, Pleshko Camacho N, Blank RD. Dental phenotype of the col1a2(oim) mutation: DI is present in both homozygotes and heterozygotes. Bone 2005; 36(6):1039-1046.

Morris MD, Draper ERC, Goodship AE, Matousek P, Towrie M, Parker AW, Camacho NP. Picosecond time-gated Raman spectroscopy for transcutaneous evaluation of bone composition. Proc. SPIE Symposium on Biomedical Optics, 2005.

Misof BG, Roschger P, Baldini T, Raggio CL, Zraick V, Root L, Boskey AL, Klaushofer K, Fratzl P, Camacho NP. Differential effects of alendronate treatment on bone from growing osteogenesis imperfecta and wildtype mice. Bone 2005; 36(1):150-158.

Kim M, Bi X, Horton, WE, Spencer RG, Camacho NP. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopic (FT-IRIS) analysis of tissue engineered cartilage: Histologic and biochemical correlations. J Biomed Opt 2005; 10(3):031105.

West PA, Torzilli PA, Chen C, Lin P, Camacho NP. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS) analysis of collagenase-induced cartilage degradation. J Biomed Opt 2005; 10(1):14015.

Garimella R, Bi X, Camacho N, Sipe JB, Anderson HC. Primary culture of rat growth plate chondrocytes: An in vitro model of growth plate histotype, matrix vesicle biogenesis and mineralization. Bone 2004; 34(6):961-970.

West PA, Bostrom MPG, Torzilli PA, Camacho NP. FT-IR Spectral analysis of degenerative cartilage: An IR fiber optic probe and imaging study. Appl Spectrosc 2004; 58(4):376-381.

Anderson HC, Sipe JB, Hessle L, Dhamyamraju R, Atti E, Camacho NP, Millan JL. Impaired calcification around matrix vesicles of growth plate and bone in alkaline phosphatase-deficient mice. Am J Pathol 2004; 164(3):841-847.

Sims TJ, Miles CA, Bailey AJ, Camacho NP. Properties of collagen in OIM mouse tissues. Conn Tiss Res 2003; 44(Supp):202-205.

Bonewald LF, Harris SE, Rosser J, Dallas MR, Dallas SL, Camacho NP, Boyan B, Boskey A. von Kossa staining alone is not sufficient to confirm that mineralization in vitro represents bone formation. Calcif Tissue Int 2003; 72(5):537-547.

Camacho NP, Carroll P, Raggio CL. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FTIRIS) of mineralization in bisphosphonate-treated oim/oim mice. Calc Tiss Int 2003; 72(5):604-609.

McCarthy EA, Raggio CL, Hossack MD, Miller EA, Jain S, Boskey AL, Camacho NP. Alendronate treatment for infants with osteogenesis imperfecta: Demonstration of efficacy in a mouse model. Pediatr Res 2002; 52(5):660-670.

Bailey AJ, Miles CA, Sims TA, Camacho NP. The role of the alpha2 chain in the stabilization of the type I collagen heterotrimer: Type I homotrimer in oim mouse tissues. J Mol Biol 2002; 321(5):797-805.

Aparicio S, Doty SB, Camacho NP, Paschalis EP, Spevak L, Mendelsohn R, Boskey AL. Optimal methods for processing mineralized tissues for Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. Calc Tiss Int 2002; 70:422-449.

Hsu HH, Camacho NP, Tawfik O, Sun F. Induction of calcification in rabbit aortas by high cholesterol diets: Roles of calcifiable vesicles in dystrophic calcification. Atherosclerosis 2002; 161(1):85-94.

Camacho NP, West P, Griffith MH, Warren RF, Hidaka C. FT-IR imaging spectroscopy of genetically modified bovine chondrocytes. Mat Sci Engin C 2001; 17:3-9.

Camacho NP, Raggio CL, Doty SB, Root L, Zraick V, Ilg WA, Toledano TR, Boskey AL. A controlled study of the effects of alendronate in a growing mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta. Calc Tiss Int 2001; 69:94-101.

Derfus BA, Camacho NP, Olmez U, Kushnaryov VM, Westfall PR, Ryan LM, Rosenthal AK. Transforming growth factor beta-1 stimulates articular chondrocyte elaboration of matrix vesicles capable of greater calcium pyrophosphate precipitation. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2001; 9(3):189-194.

Camacho NP, West P, Torzilli P, Mendelsohn R. FTIR microscopic imaging of collagen and proteoglycan in cartilage. Biospectroscopy 2001; 62:1-8.

Hsu HH, Camacho NP, Sun F, Tawfik O, Aono H. Isolation of calcifiable vesicles from aortas of rabbits fed with high cholesterol diets. Atherosclerosis 2000; 153:337-348.

Camacho NP, Raggio CL. Blank RD osteogenesis imperfecta. Curr Opin Orthop 2000; 11:341-346.

Hsu HHT, Camacho NP. Isolation of calcifiable vesicles from human atherosclerotic aortas. Atherosclerosis 2000; 153(2):337-348.

Blank RD, Raggio CL, Giampietro PF, Camacho NP. A genomic approach to scoliosis pathogenesis. Lupus 1999; 8:1-5.

Camacho NP, Rinnerthaler S, Paschalis EP, Mendelsohn R, Boskey AL, Fratzl P. Complementary information on bone ultrastructure from scanning small angle x-ray scattering and Fourier transform infrared microscopy. Bone 1999; 25(3):287-293.

Camacho NP, Hou L, Toledano TR, Ilg WA, Brayton CF, Raggio CL, Root L, Boskey AL. The material basis for reduced mechanical properties in oim mice bones. J Bone Min Res 1999; 14:264-272.

Hsu HHT, Camacho NP, Anderson HC. Further characterization of ATP-initiated calcification by matrix vesicles isolated from rachitic rat cartilage. Biochim Biophysic Acta 1999; 1416:320-332.

Bostrom MPG, Camacho NP. Potential role of bone morphogenetic proteins in fracture healing. Clinical Orthop 1998; 355s(supplement):S274-282.

Bonewald L, Boskey A, Camacho N, Kato Y. Mineralization by osteocyte-like cell lines. Proceedings, 6th International Conference on the Chemistry and Biology of Mineralized Tissues, 1998.

Baechtold A, Wright JT, Yamauchi M, Spevak M, Camacho NP. Dentin composition and structure in the oim mouse. Proceedings, 6th International Conference on the Chemistry and Biology of Mineralized Tissues. Goldberg M, Robinson C, Boskey A (eds), AAOS Publications, pp. 57-61, Rosemont, IL, 1998.

Derfus B, Kranendonk S, Camacho N, Mandel N, Kushnaryov V, Lynch K, Ryan L. Human osteoarthritic cartilage matrix vesicles generate both calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate and apatite in vitro. Calcif Tissue Int 1998; 63(3):258-262.

Camacho NP, Dow D, Toledano TR, Buckmeyer JK, Gertner JM, Brayton CF, Raggio CL, Root L, Boskey AL. Identification of the oim mutation by dye terminator chemistry combined with automated direct DNA sequencing. J Orthop Res 1998; 16:38-42.

Pienkowski D, Doers TM, Monier-Faugere MC, Geng Z, Camacho NP, Boskey AL, Malluche HH. Calcitonin alters bone quality in beagle dogs. J Bone Miner Res 1997; 12:1936-1943.

Camacho NP, Paschalis EP, Fratzl P, Boskey AL. Analysis of bone ultrastructure by Fourier transform infrared microscopy. J Fur Mineralstoffwechsel, 3 Jahrgang 1996. Special Edition 5/96, ISSN 1023-7763, pp. 19-20.

Derfus BA, Kurtin SM, Camacho NP, Kurup I, Ryan LM. Comparison of matrix vesicles derived from normal and osteoarthritic human cartilage. Conn Tissue Res 1996; 35.

Camacho NP, Landis WJ, Boskey AL. Mineral changes in a mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta detected by Fourier transform infrared microscopy. Conn Tissue Res 1996; 35:259-265.

Gadaleta S, Camacho NP, Mendelsohn R, Boskey AL. Fourier transform infrared microscopy of mineralized turkey tendon. Calcif Tissue Int 1996; 58:17-23.

Boskey AL, Camacho NP, Gadaleta S, Paschalis EP, Mendelsohn R. Applications of Fourier transform infrared microscopy to the study of biologic mineralization. L’Eurobiologiste 1996; 30:15-23.

Camacho NP, Rimnac C, Meyer Jr RA, Doty SB, Boskey AL. Effect of abnormal mineralization on the mechanical behavior of X-linked hypophosphatemic mice femora. Bone 1995; 17:271-278.

Camacho NP, Smith D, Goldman A, Schneider B, Young P, Berman H. Structure of an interleukin-1 mutant with reduced bioactivity shows multiple subtle changes in conformation that affect protein-protein recognition. Biochemistry 1993; 32:8749.

Boskey A, Pleshko N, Mendelsohn R, Doty S, Binderman I. FT-IR microscopic mapping of early mineralization in chick limb-bud mesenchymal cell cultures. Calcif Tissue Int 1992; 51:443.

Boskey AL, Pleshko N, Doty SB, Mendelsohn R. Applications of FT-IR microscopy to the study of mineralization in bone and cartilage. Cells Mater 1992; 2:209-221.

Pleshko N, Mendelsohn R, Boskey AL. An FT-IR investigation of the effects of tissue preservation on bone. Calcif Tissue Int 1992; 51:72.

Pleshko N, Boskey AL, Mendelsohn R. An infrared study of the interaction of polymethyl methacrylate with the protein and mineral components of bone. J Histochem Cytochem 1992; 40:1413.

Pleshko N, Mendelsohn R, Boskey A. A novel IR spectroscopic method for the determination of crystallinity of hydroxyapatite minerals. Biophys J 1991; 60:786.

Book Chapters

Mendelsohn R, Boskey AL, Pleshko Camacho N. Infrared microscopy and imaging of hard and soft tissues: Applications to bone, skin, and cartilage. In: Spectrochemical Analysis Using Infrared Multichannel Detectors. Bhargava L (eds), Blackwell Publishing, 2005.

Gadaleta S, Paschalis E, Camacho NP, Betts F, Mendelsohn R, Boskey AL. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of synthetic and biological apatites: A review. pp. 283-297. In: Mineral Scale Formation and Inhibition. Plenum Publishing, 1995.

Selected Abstracts

Charlton D, Kim M, Attia E, Torzilli PA, Peterson M, Camacho NP, Maher SA. Incorporation of FN into PVA scaffolds enhances chondrocyte adhesion. Poster No. 1569. Orthopaedic Research Society 53rd Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February 2007.

Kim M, Richardson JB, Evans EH, Roberts S, Camacho NP. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopic (FT-IRIS) and histological assessment of cartilage repair following autologous chondrocyte implantation. Poster No. 1254. Orthopaedic Research Society 53rd Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February 2007.

Shi Y, Xu Y, Nestor B, Bostrom M, Camacho N, Li G, Purdue E, Sculco TP. Long-term histologic and FTIR study on PMMA particle-induced osteolysis in murine intramedullary implant model. Paper No. 217. Orthopaedic Research Society 53rd Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February 2007.

Uggen U, Foo LF, Kim M, Moynihan D, Ryaby JT, Potter HG, Camacho NP, Razzano P, Grande DA. Repair of osteochondral defects in the rabbit with the synthetic peptide TP-508. Poster No. 650. Orthopaedic Research Society 53rd Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February 2007.

Zhang H, Doty S, Panchal N, Pleshko Camacho N. An in vitro calvarial-osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture system to assess remodeling abnormalities in the oim/oim mouse model of OI. 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Philadelphia, PA, September 2006.

Zhu J, Huang A, Bi X, Zhang H, Panchal N, Pleshko Camacho N. Quantification of ostelclastic resorption on bone slices by Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS). Paper No. 1728. 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Philadelphia, PA, September 2006.

Shi Y, Yang X, Nestor BJ, Bostrom MP, Rakshit DS, Camacho NP, Li G, Purdue E, Sculco TP. Histologic and FTIR analysis of PMMA particle-induced osteolysis in a murine intramedullary implant model. Paper No. 87. Orthopaedic Research Society 52nd Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 2006.

West PA, Yang X, Bostrom MP, Boskey AL, Camacho NP. A preliminary investigation of subchondral bone and cartilage changes in an ACL/PCL injury OA rabbit model using FT-IR imaging analysis and micro-computed tomography. Poster No. 1589. Orthopaedic Research Society 52nd Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 2006.

Li G, Bi X, Yang X, Carson J, Dicarlo E, Thomson M, Nestor B, Bostrom MPG, Camacho NP. Correlation of infrared fiber optic probe spectra with cartilage histological grade. Paper P2-7. International Cartilage Repair Society, 6th Symposium, Los Angeles, CA, January 2006.

Canuto H, Fishbein KW, Spencer RG, Camacho NP. Characterization of Skin abnormalities associated with osteogenesis imperfecta via high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. 9th International Conference on Research Strategies in Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Annapolis, MD, June 2005.

King D, Camacho N, Huang A, Lobo B, Jarjoura D, McEwen HA, Askew MJ. Growth hormone injections improve bone quality in heterozygous OIM mice. 9th International Conference on Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Annapolis, MD, June 2005.

Zhang H, Camacho NP. Increased osteoclast activity in an OIM mouse osteoblast/osteoclast co-culture system. 9th International Conference on Research Strategies in Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Annapolis, MD, June 2005.

Li G, Huang A, Camacho NP. Non-invasive evaluation of bone quality in oim/oim mice by NIR spectroscopy. ASBMR Bone Quality Meeting, Bethesda, MD, May 2005.

Huang AH, Raggio CL, Fritton JC, Camacho NP. Comparison of radiographic and micro CT-determined parameters in mouse bone specimens. Poster No. 713. Orthopaedic Research Society 51st Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, February 2005.

Zhang H, Yang X, Riccardi BF, Shi Y, Camacho NP, Bostrom M. Response of osteoclasts to PMMS particulates is dependent on osteoclast differentiation stage. Poster No. 1625. Orthopaedic Research Society 51st Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, February 2005.

Camacho NP, Fishbein KW, Horton WE, Spencer RG. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS) of chondroitinase-treated engineered cartilage. Poster No. 963. Orthopaedic Research Society 49th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February 2003.

Raggio CL, Quenzer J, Boachie-Adjei K, Boskey AL, Prockop DJ, Camacho NP. Use of alendronate in treatment of transgenic OI mice. Paper No. 262. Orthopaedic Research Society 49th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February 2003.

Yang X, Lin J, Carrol P, Ricciardi B, Bostrom MP, Camacho NP. Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS) of the effect of alendronate on fracture healing in osteogenesis imperfecta and wild type mice. Poster No. 497. Orthopaedic Research Society 49th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February 2003.

Yang X, Lin J, Ricciardi B, Camacho NP, Bostrom MP. Subchondral bone measurements by micro-CT in an osteoarthritis model. Poster No. 768. Orthopaedic Research Society 49th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February 2003.

Quenzer J, Boachie-Adjei K, Huang A, Raggio CL, Dunstan C, Camacho NP. Treatment of OIM mice with osteoprotegerin. 25th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Minneapolis, MN, 2003.

• American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
• Orthopaedic Research Society
• Osteoarthritis Research Society International
• Society for Applied Spectroscopy