Katya Ravid, DSc
Barbara E. Corkey Professor, Medicine
Biography
Platelet activation plays a central role in thrombosis and hemostasis, while these processes are central to vascular health and disease. In the platelet lineage, bone marrow stem cells develop into early committed megakaryocyte progenitors, which undergo a unique cell cycle leading to polyploid cells prior to fragmenting into platelets. Our research focuses on mechanisms that regulate these processes under normal conditions vs. pathology. We proposed a new paradigm for controlling the transcription of genes uniquely expressed in this lineage, by identifying a cluster of non-tissue specific transcription factors that, together, constitute a signature uniquely driving this lineage development, among other cell lineages in the bone marrow. Studies were extended to identifying mechanisms governing polyploidy in megakaryocytes, leading also to better understanding of regulatory processes that cause polyploidy in other cells, such as aging vascular smooth muscle cells. Past projects involved molecular characterization of platelet and vascular adenosine receptors, and exploration of their roles in such cellular function. Importantly, knowledge gained by studying basic regulatory processes in healthy megakaryocytes and platelets aids our investigation of bone marrow pathologies, such as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The systems used include primary bone marrow cultures, as well as transgenic and knock out mouse models.
Other Positions
- Professor, Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center, Boston University
- Member, Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University
- Founding Director, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
- Director, Master of Science Program in Biomedical Research, Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Member, Genome Science Institute, Boston University
- Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
Websites
- BU Profile
- Ravid Lab
- Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute Training Program
- Sargent Colege Faculty
- Biology Faculty
- Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering
- BU Nanotechnology Innovation Center (BUnano)
- Past President, Massachusetts Academy of Sciences
- Founding Director, BU Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Office
- Founding Director, Evans Center for Interdiciplinary Biomedical Research
Education
- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, PhD
- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, DSc
- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, BSc
Publications
- Published on 1/30/2025
Subramaniam S, Napoleon MA, Lotfollahzadeh S, Kamal MH, Kurniawan H, Elsadawi M, Kenney D, Douam F, Bosmann M, Whelan S, Cabral H, Burks EJ, Zhao G, Kolachalama V, Ravid K, Chitalia V. Tryptophan metabolism reprogramming contributes to the prothrombotic milieu in mice and humans infected with SARS-CoV-2. bioRxiv. 2025 Jan 30. PMID: 39896681.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/3/2024
Dulberger KN, La J, Li A, Lotfollahzadeh S, Jose A, Do NV, Brophy MT, Gaziano JM, Ravid K, Chitalia VC, Fillmore NR. External validation of a novel cancer-associated venous thromboembolism risk assessment score in a safety-net hospital. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2025 Jan; 9(1):102650. PMID: 39839661.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/20/2024
Karagianni A, Karkempetzaki AI, Brooks D, Matsuura S, Dambal V, Trackman PC, Ravid K. Deletion of mouse lysyl oxidase in megakaryocytes affects bone properties in a sex-dependent manner. Blood. 2024 Jun 20; 143(25):2666-2670. PMID: 38635757.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 4/23/2024
Ma S, La J, Swinnerton KN, Guffey D, Bandyo R, De Las Pozas G, Hanzelka K, Xiao X, Rojas-Hernandez CM, Amos CI, Chitalia V, Ravid K, Merriman KW, Flowers CR, Fillmore N, Li A. Thrombosis risk prediction in lymphoma patients: A multi-institutional, retrospective model development and validation study. Am J Hematol. 2024 Jul; 99(7):1230-1239. PMID: 38654461.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/9/2024
Karkempetzaki AI, Ravid K. Piezo1 and Its Function in Different Blood Cell Lineages. Cells. 2024 Mar 09; 13(6). PMID: 38534326.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/5/2024
Lotfollahzadeh S, Yang X, Wu Wong DJ, Han J, Seta F, Ganguli S, Jose A, Ravid K, Chitalia VC. Venous Thrombosis Assay in a Mouse Model of Cancer. J Vis Exp. 2024 Jan 05; (203). PMID: 38251710.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/2/2024
Abbonante V, Karkempetzaki AI, Leon C, Krishnan A, Huang N, Di Buduo CA, Cattaneo D, Ward CM, Matsuura S, Guinard I, Weber J, De Acutis A, Vozzi G, Iurlo A, Ravid K, Balduini A. Newly identified roles for PIEZO1 mechanosensor in controlling normal megakaryocyte development and in primary myelofibrosis. Am J Hematol. 2024 Mar; 99(3):336-349. PMID: 38165047.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/29/2023
Bekendam RH, Ravid K. Mechanisms of platelet activation in cancer-associated thrombosis: a focus on myeloproliferative neoplasms. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023; 11:1207395. PMID: 37457287.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/1/2023
Martens KL, Li A, La J, May SB, Swinnerton KN, Tosi H, Elbers DC, Do NV, Brophy MT, Gaziano JM, Lotfollahzadeh S, Chitalia V, Ravid K, Fillmore NR. Epidemiology of Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Solid and Hematologic Neoplasms in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jun 01; 6(6):e2317945. PMID: 37306999.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/10/2023
Li A, May SB, La J, Martens KL, Amos CI, Flowers CR, Do NV, Brophy MT, Chitalia V, Ravid K, Gaziano JM, Fillmore NR. Venous thromboembolism risk in cancer patients receiving first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor versus chemotherapy. Am J Hematol. 2023 Aug; 98(8):1214-1222. PMID: 37161855.
Read at: PubMed
View 164 more publications: View full profile at BUMC