Lonnie Shea, PhD
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science
Research Interests:
The genetics aspects of Lonnie Shea’s laboratory centers on the development of controlled DNA delivery systems, with their applications to tissue regeneration and cell biology research. These systems are based on the release or immobilization of DNA from biocompatible materials. In applications for tissue regeneration, the materials are processed into three-dimensional polymers which support cell growth and provide spatially and temporally controlled DNA delivery. Transgene expression is achieved both in vitro and in vivo, and can be employed in studies of tissue formation. The procedure for DNA immobilization is also being developed for the creation of transfected cell arrays, which have numerous applications to studies of cell function. These arrays provide a system to correlate gene expression with cellular responses, and can be used to screen for molecular targets that induce a specific response within a desired cell population.
Selected Publications:
De Laporte, L., Lei Yan, A. and Shea, L. D. (2009). Local gene delivery from ECM-coated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) multiple channel bridges after spinal cord injury. Biomaterials 30, 2361-8.
Rives, C. B., des Rieux, A., Zelivyanskaya, M., Stock, S. R., Lowe, W. L., Jr. and Shea, L. D. (2009). Layered PLG scaffolds for in vivo plasmid delivery. Biomaterials 30, 394-401.
Salvay, D. M., Rives, C. B., Zhang, X., Chen, F., Kaufman, D. B., Lowe, W. L., Jr. and Shea, L. D. (2008). Extracellular matrix protein-coated scaffolds promote the reversal of diabetes after extrahepatic islet transplantation. Transplantation 85, 1456-64.
Houchin-Ray, T., Whittlesey, K. J. and Shea, L. D. (2007). Spatially patterned gene delivery for localized neuron survival and neurite extension. Mol Ther 15, 705-12.
Pannier, A. K., Ariazi, E. A., Bellis, A. D., Bengali, Z., Jordan, V. C. and Shea, L. D. (2007). Bioluminescence imaging for assessment and normalization in transfected cell arrays. Biotechnol Bioeng 98, 486-97.
