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Elizabeth Heller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002 and completed her PhD in Molecular Biology at Rockefeller University in 2009. Her research focuses on the mechanisms by which epigenome remodeling regulates neuronal gene function and behavior. The Heller Lab employs a range of approaches, including direct manipulation of histone and DNA modifications of specific genes in vivo, utilizing viral delivery methods and novel epigenetic editing tools such as zinc-finger transcription factors and CRISPR/dCas9 fusion proteins. Through high-throughput sequencing techniques, her team identifies genes involved in drug and stress regulation that have known epigenomic signatures correlating with changes in gene expression. By examining the causal relevance of individual epigenetic modifications, the lab sheds light on transcriptional regulation and the subsequent behavioral adaptations. Heller's work aims to elucidate the links between epigenetic remodeling and conditions like addiction and depression, particularly following prolonged cessation of harmful experiences, presenting exciting implications for therapeutic intervention.
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