Overview

  • Research Interests: DNA electroporation, like other gene therapy methods, activates intercellular DNA-specific pattern recognition receptors, producing inflammatory signaling and cell death. This activation may help or hinder gene therapy efficacy.

    • Selected Publications

    Articles In Academic Journals

    Year Title
    2018 Coordination of different ligands to copper(II) and cobalt(III) metal centers enhances Zika virus and dengue virus loads in both arthropod cells and human keratinocytes..  Biochimica et biophysica acta. 40-50.
    2018 Electrotransfer of Different Control Plasmids Elicits Different Antitumor Effectiveness in B16.F10 Melanoma..  Cancers.
    2018 Upregulation of DNA sensors in B16.F10 melanoma spheroid cells after electrotransfer of pDNA.  Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment. 1-9.
    2017 Coordination of different complexes to copper(II) and cobalt(III) metal centers enhances Zika virus and dengue virus loads in both arthropod cells and human keratinocytes.  Biochimica et biophysica acta.
    2017 Electrosensitization Increases Antitumor Effectiveness of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields In Vivo..  Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment. 1533034617712397.
    2017 Long-term metabolic persistence of gram-positive bacteria on health care-relevant plastic..  American journal of infection control.
    2016 Plasma-activated air mediates plasmid DNA delivery in vivo.  Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 16028.
    2015 Activated air produced by shielded sliding discharge plasma mediates plasmid DNA delivery to mammalian cells.  Biotechnol Bioeng. 2583-2590.
    2015 Human platelet gel supernatant inactivates opportunistic wound pathogens on skin.  Platelets. 13-16.
    2015 Surface-dependent inactivation of model microorganisms with shielded sliding atmospheric plasma discharges and applied air flow.  Bioelectrochemistry. 22-27.
    2012 Cold DC Operated Air Plasma Jet for the Inactivation of Infectious Microorganisms.  IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.
    2012 Inactivation of bacterial opportunistic skin pathogens by nonthermal DC-operated afterglow atmospheric plasma.  Letters in Applied Micro. 126-132.
    2011 Characterization of gene electrodelivery to skin using a noninvasive multielectrode array.  J Control Release. 256-262.
    2011 Electro-gene transfer to skin using a noninvasive multielectrode array.  Journal of controlled release. 256-62.
    2011 Electroporation based gene therapy–from the bench to the bedside.  Conference proceedings : ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conference. 736-8.
    2011 Evaluation of delivery conditions for cutaneous plasmid electrotransfer using a multielectrode array.  Gene Therapy. 496-500.
    2011 Exploring Tissue Response to Field Mediated Plasmid Delivery.  ECS Transactions. 145-155.
    2010 Electrically mediated delivery of plasmid DNA to the skin using a multi-electrode array.  Hum Gene Ther. 357-362.
    2010 Electroporation Gene Therapy Preclinical and Clinical Trials for Melanoma.  Curr Gene Ther. 312-317.
    2010 Electroporation Mediated Delivery of a Naked DNA Plasmid Expressing VEGF to the Porcine Heart Enhances Protein Expression.  Gene Ther. 419-423.
    2010 Evaluation of delivery conditions for cutaneous plasmid electrotransfer using a multielectrode array.  Gene Ther. 496-500.
    2008 Comparison of DNA pyrosequencing to alternative methods for identification of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria.  J Clin Micro. 2092-2094.
    2008 Comparison of electrically mediated and liposome-complexed plasmid DNA delivery to the skin.  Genet Vaccines Ther. 16.
    2007 Bacillus acidiceler sp. nov., isolated from forensic specimens, containing Bacillus anthracis pX02 genes.  Int JSyst Evol Microbiol. 2031-2036.
    2007 Electric field mediated DNA motion model.  Bioelectrochemistry. 101-103.
    2007 Optimization of cutaneous electrically mediated plasmid DNA delivery using novel electrode.  Gene Therapy. 275-280.
    2007 Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCCmec) and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones.  J Clin Micro. 1019-1021.
    2006 Bacillus anthracis virulent plasmid pX02 genes found in large plasmids of two other Bacillus sp.  J Clin Micro. 2367-2377.
    2006 Evaluation of toxicity following electrically mediated interleukin-12 gene delivery in a B16 mouse melanoma model.  Clin Cancer Res.. 3177-3183.
    2006 In vivo electroporation for gene therapy.  Human Gene Ther. 890-897.
    2006 Performance evaluation of two Taqman Real-time PCR assays for the detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type I proviral DNA in blood samples.  J Micro Methods. 350-353.
    2005 Electroporation for targeted gene transfer.  Opin Drug Deliv. 255-268.
    2004 Electrically mediated plasmid DNA delivery to solid tumors in vivo.  Methods in molecular biology. 237-44.
    2004 Real time PCR detection of th thermostable direct hemolysin and thermolabile hemolysin genes in a Vibrio parahaemolyticus cultured from mussels associated with a food borne outbreak.  J Food Prot. 1005-1008.
    2003 Comparison of bacterial DNA isolation methods from food samples for detection of shiga toxin producing E. coli by real time PCR.  App Env Micro. 1844-1846.
    2002 Effect of electrically mediated intratumor and intramuscular delivery of a plasmid encoding IFN alpha on visible B16 mouse melanomas.  Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment. 205-9.
    2002 Effect of electrically mediated intratumor and intramuscular delivery of a plasmid encoding interferon alpha on visible B16 melanomas.  Tech Cancer Res & Treat. 205-209.
    2002 Electric Field Enhanced Plasmid Delivery to Liver Hepatocellular Carcinomas.  Cancer Res & Treat. 355-363.
    2002 Electrically mediated delivery of vector plasmid DNA elicits an antitumor effect.  Gene Ther. 1321-1325.
    2002 IL-12 plasmid delivery by in vivo electroporation for the successful treatment of established subcutaneous B16.F10 melanoma.  Mol Ther. 668-675.
    2001 Intradermal delivery of IL-12 plasmid DNA by in vivo electroporation.  DNA and Cell Biol. 21-26.
    2001 Intradermal delivery of interleukin-12 plasmid DNA by in vivo electroporation.  DNA and cell biology. 21-6.
    2000 Electrically mediated plasmid DNA delivery to hepatocellular carcinomas in vivo.  Gene Ther. 826-829.
    2000 In vivo electroporation of plasmids encoding GM-CSF or interleukin-2 into existing B16 melanomas combined with electrochemotherapy induces long-term antitumour immunity.  Melanoma research. 577-83.
    2000 In vivo electroporation of plasmids encoding GMCSF and interleukin-2 into existing B16 melanomas combined with electrochemotherapy induces long term antitumor immunity.  Melanoma Res. 577-583.
    1999 Transcriptional regulation of the Bmp2 gene: Retinoic acid induction in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells and Saccharomyces cerevisiae..  J. Biol. Chem.. 1394-1400.
    1997 Induction of altered gene expression in early embryos.  Mutation Research. 79-95.
    1992 Saccharomyces cerevisiae sec59 cells are deficient in dolichol kinase activity.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA. 7013-7016.
    Plasma activated air mediates plasmid DNA delivery in vivo.  Molecular Therapy:Methods and Clinical Development. 7.

    Chapters

    Year Title
    2016 Microbial Decontamination using Atmospheric Pressure Plasma.  Bioelectrics. Springer Publishing.
    2014 Electroporation Gene Therapy.  Gene Therapy of Cancer, Third Edition. Elsevier.
    2013 Electroporation Gene Therapy.  Gene Therapy of Cancer: Translational Approaches from Preclinical Studies to Clinical Implementation. San Diego, CA: Elsevier Inc..
    2011 Clinical Aspects of Electroporation.  Clinical Aspects of Electroporation. Springer.
    2011 Gene Electrotransfer to Tumor.  Electroporation in Science and Medicine. NY, NY: Springer-Verlag.
    2010 Translation of electroporation mediated DNA delivery to the clinic.  Advanced Electroporation Techniques in Biology and Medicine. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
    2004 Electrically mediated plasmid DNA delivery to solid tumors.  Gene Delivery to Mammalian Cells: Methods and Protocols. New York: Humana Press.

    Conference Papers

    Year Title
    2012 Electroporation based gene therapy--from the bench to the bedside.  736-8.

    Education And Training

  • B.S. in Microbiology, Oregon State University
  • M.S. in Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Long Island University
  • Ph.D. in Medical Sciences, University of South Florida

    • Full Name

  • Loree Heller