Adam Heller Webpage

 

Adam Heller received his M.Sc. (Chemistry and Physics, 1957) and Ph.D. (Chemistry, 1961) from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, where he studied under E. D. Bergmann.  Following postdoctoral work at U.C. Berkeley and at Bell Laboratories, he joined GTE Laboratories becoming Manager of Exploratory Research in 1970.  In 1975 he returned to ATT Bell Laboratories, heading from 1977 until 1988 the Electronic Materials Research Department. He managed the early phase of the development of the materials science and engineering of the now practiced high-density chip interconnections. He was appointed to the Ernest Cockrell, Sr. Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin in 1988 and became one of the first Research Professors of the University of Texas in 2002.

Heller’s contributions to science are described in 225 peer reviewed papers and his contributions to technology in 85 issued US patents. 

His studies of radiationless relaxations led him to propose that, in absence of energy transfer to high frequency vibrations associated with bonds of hydrogen atoms, the excited ions decay only radiatively. Based on this proposal, he built the first inorganic liquid lasers, which were solutions of neodymium salts in liquid inorganic oxyhalides (Appl. Phys. Lett., 9, 106 (1966); Physics Today, 20(11), 35, (1967)). After recognizing that neither sodium nor lithium corrode in the inorganic oxyhalides, he designed, with James J. Auborn, the lithium thionyl chloride battery (J. Electrochem. Soc. 120, 1613 (1973)), which remains, after more than 30 years, widely used. It   powers, for example, neurostimulators alleviating chronic pain, treating epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease, powering implanted drug-infusion devices for treatment of cancer, cerebral palsy, chronic pain and management of diabetes. The battery is also widely used in defense applications.

In his studies of solar energy conversion, Heller demonstrated that photo-electrochemical cells can convert efficiently sunlight to electrical power and to chemical energy, stored as hydrogen. He raised the solar conversion efficiency of these cells by  an order of magnitude, to > 10 %.  (Nature, 262, 680 (1976); Science, 196, 1097 (1977); Appl. Phys. Lett. 33, 521 (1978);  J. Electrochem. Soc. 126, 954 (1979);  J. Am. Chem. Soc., 102, 6555 (1980);  J. Am. Chem. Soc.  102, 1877 (1980);  Appl. Phys. Lett. 38, 282 (1981);  Phys. Rev. Letters, 46, 1153, (1981); J.  Am. Chem. Soc.  104, 6942 (1982); Science, 223, 1141 (1984)). His studies, with the late Heinz Gerischer, of the role of oxygen in the photocatalytic oxidation of organic compounds on titanium dioxide, (J. Phys. Chem. 95, 5261 (1991); J. Phys. Chem. 99, 5633 (1995)), defined that the controlling step is oxygen-reduction by the photogenerated electrons, not the oxidation of the organic compounds by the photogenerated holes.    Heller applied this knowledge in photocatalysts for the oxidation of thin organic films (Acc. Chem. Res. 28, 503 (1995)), particularly on window glass (J. Mater. Res. 10, 2842  (1995)), now widely used in “self cleaning” windows, made by major window-glass manufacturers like PPG Industries in the US, Saint-Gobain in France and Pilkington in the UK.

Heller then showed that reaction centers of electron transferring enzymes can be electrically “wired” to electrodes through bound electron-relaying redox centers and applied this knowledge to the design of  miniature biosensors and biofuel cells. (J. Phys. Chem.  91, 1285 (1987); J.  Am. Chem. Soc. 110 , 2615 (1988); J.  Am. Chem. Soc.  111, 2357 (1989); J. Phys. Chem.  95, 5970 (1991); J. Phys. Chem. 95 5976 (1991); Anal. Chem. 66, 2451 (1994). He co-founded, with his son Ephraim Heller, Therasense, Inc., building electrochemical glucose monitors, improving the lives of diabetic people. 

The measurement of the blood glucose concentration by self-monitoring diabetic people has been and remains the most frequently performed chemical analysis, performed 6 billion times each year,  more often than all other analyses combined.  With Ben Feldman and Ephraim he designed a thin-layer micro-coulometer FreeStyle™, which required only 300 nL blood, so little that, for the first time, it was painlessly obtained (Diabetes Technology & Therapy 2, 221 (2000)).  Its cell of is the smallest mass manufactured fluidic device. Heller also designed a continuous, miniature, subcutaneously implanted glucose monitor based on the electrical “wiring” of glucose oxidase. (Anal.Chem. 67, 1326-1331 (1995); Proc. Nat. Acad. of Sci., 95, 6379-6382 (1998); Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 95, 294-299 (1998)). In 2004 TheraSense completed clinical trials of the continuous monitor, FreeStyle Navigator™, scheduled for release in 2005.

 Abbott Laboratories acquired TheraSense in 2004  for $ 1.2 billion, moving the headquarters of Abbott Diabetes Care to the Alameda, CA site of TheraSense.   

Presently Heller and his colleagues are designing miniature oxygen-reducing glucose-oxidizing membrane-less biofuel cells that might be used for powering implanted medical sensor-transmitters.  The cells are about a thousand times smaller than the smallest available batteries. They consist of two 7 μm diameter carbon fibers, one coated with a glucose electro-oxidation catalyzing “wired” enzyme, the other with an oxygen electroreduction catalyzing enzyme.  (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 6588 (2003)). The cathode electrocatalyst is superior to platinum and its alloys, which was considered as the best catalyst for the reduction of oxygen to water (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126, 8368 (2004))

Heller received the Battery Research Award of The Electrochemical Society (1978); was named Guest Professor of the Collège de France (1982);  received the David C. Grahame Physical Electrochemistry Award of The Electrochemical Society (1987);   was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 1987;  received the Vittorio De Nora Gold Medal of The Electrochemical Society in 1988;  was awarded the title of Doctor honoris causa of Uppsala University in Sweden in 1991;  received the Medal of the Faculty of Engineering of Tokyo University in 1992; received the Chemistry of Materials Award of the American Chemical Society,  and was named Fellow of The Electrochemical Society in 1994;  received the Michael Faraday (Physical Chemistry) Silver Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK in 1996; was named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1997; received  the Spiers Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) in 2000; received the Charles N. Reilly Award of the Electroanalytical Society and delivered the Institute Lecture of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2004; and received the Fresenius Gold Medal and Prize of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker  in 2005.  

 

 

Key Publications

 

Structural requirements of organic liquid scintillators.  Heller, A.  J. Chem. Phys. 35, 1980 (1961) 

 

High-gain room-temperature liquid laser:  trivalent neodymium in selenium oxychloride.  Heller, A.  Appl. Phys. Lett. 9, 106 (1966). 

 

Laser action in liquids.  Heller, A.  Physics Today, 20(11), 35  (1967).

 

Lithium anode cells operating at room temperature in inorganic electrolytic solutions.  Auborn, J. J.; French, K. W.; Lieberman, S. I.; Shah, V. K.; Heller, A.  J. Electrochem. Soc. 120, 1613 (1973).

 

Semiconductor liquid junction solar cells based on anodic sulfide films.  Miller, B.; Heller, A.  Nature, (London, UK) 262, 680 (1976)

 

Stable semiconductor liquid junction cell with 9 percent solar-to-electrical conversion efficiency.  Chang, K. C.; Heller, A.; Schwartz, B.; Menezes, S.; Miller, B.  Science 196, 1097 (1977).

 

Efficient solar to chemical conversion:  12% efficient photoassisted electrolysis in the [p-type InP(Ru)]/HCl-KCl/Pt(Rh) cell.  Heller, A.; Vadimsky, R. G.  Phys. Rev. Lett. 46, 1153 (1981).

 

11.5% Solar conversion efficiency in the photocathodically protected p-indium phosphide/vanadium3+ ion-vanadium2+ ion-hydrogen chloride/carbon semiconductor liquid junction cell.  Heller, A.; Miller, B.; Thiel, F. A.  Appl. Phys. Lett. 38, 282(1981).

 

Conversion of sunlight into electrical power and photoassisted electrolysis of water in photoelectrochemical cells.  Heller, A.  Accts. Chem. Res. 14, 154 (1981). 

 

Hydrogen-evolving semiconductor photocathodes:  Nature of the junction and function of the platinum group metal catalyst.  Heller, A.; Aharon-Shalom, E.; Bonner, W. A.; Miller, B.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 104, 6942 (1982)

 

Direct electrical communication between chemically modified enzymes and metal electrodes.  I.  Electron transfer from glucose oxidase to metal electrodes via electron relays, bound covalently to the enzyme.  Degani, Y.; Heller, A.  J. Phys. Chem. 91, 1285(1987). 

 

Direct electrical communication between chemically modified enzymes and metal electrodes.  2.  Methods for bonding electron-transfer relays to glucose oxidase and D-amino-acid oxidase.  Degani, Y.; Heller, A.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110, 2615  (1988)

 

Electrical wiring of redox enzymes. Heller, A.  Accts. Chem. Res. 23, 128 (1990).

 

The role of oxygen in photooxidation of organic molecules on semiconductor particles.  Gerischer, H.; Heller, A.  J. Phys. Chem. 95, 5261 (1991).  

 

Redox polymer films containing enzymes.  1.  A redox-conducting epoxy cement:  synthesis, characterization, and electrocatalytic oxidation of hydroquinone.  Gregg, B.A.; Heller, A.  J. Phys. Chem. 95, 5970-5 (1991)

 

Redox polymer films containing enzymes.  2.  Glucose oxidase containing enzyme electrodes.  Gregg, Brian A.; Heller, A.  J. Phys. Chem. 95, 5976 (1991).

 

Photocatalytic oxidation of organic molecules at titanium dioxide particles by sunlight in aerated water.  Gerischer, H.; Heller, A.  J. Electrochem. Soc. 139, 113 (1992).

 

Electrical connection of enzyme redox centers to electrodes.  Heller, A.  J. Phys. Chem. 96, 3579 (1992).

 

"Wired" enzyme electrodes for amperometric determination of glucose or lactate in the presence of interfering substances.  Ohara, T. J.; Rajagopalan, R.; Heller, A.  Anal. Chem. 66, 2451(1994). 

 

Chemistry and applications of photocatalytic oxidation of thin organic films.  Heller, A.  Accts. Chem. Res. 28, 503 (1995).  

 

Photooxidative self-cleaning transparent titanium dioxide films on glass.  Paz, Y.; Luo, Z.; Rabenberg, L.; Heller, A.  J. Mat. Res. 10, 2842 (1995).

 

Role of the oxygen molecule and of the photogenerated electron in TiO2-photocatalyzed air oxidation reactions.  Schwitzgebel, J.; Ekerdt, J. G.; G., H.; Heller, A.  J. Phys. Chem. 99, 5633 (1995).  

 

Design and optimization of a selective subcutaneously implantable glucose electrode based on "wired" glucose oxidase.  Csöregi, E.; Schmidtke, D. W.; Heller, A.  Anal. Chem. 67, 1240 (1995). 

 

Photo-oxidatively self-cleaning transparent titanium dioxide films on soda lime glass: the deleterious effect of sodium contamination and its prevention.  Paz, Y.; Heller, A.  J. Mat. Res. 12, 2759 (1997). 

 

Biocompatible, glucose-permeable hydrogel for in situ coating of implantable biosensors.  Quinn, C. A.; Connor, R. E.; Heller, A.  Biomaterials 18, 1665 (1997). 

 

Measurement and Modeling of the Transient Difference between Blood and Subcutaneous Glucose Concentrations in the Rat after Injection of Insulin  Schmidtke, D. W. ; Freeland, A.  C.; Heller, A.; Bonnecaze, R.  T., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA  95 , 294 (1998).

 

Continuous Amperometric Monitoring of Glucose in a Brittle Diabetic Chimpanzee with a Miniature Subcutaneous Electrode  Wagner, J. G.; Schmidtke, D. W.; Quinn C. P.; Fleming, T. F.; Bernacky, B; Heller, A,  Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA  95,  6379 (1998).

 

FreeStyle: a small-volume electrochemical glucose sensor for home blood glucose testing.  Feldman, B.; McGarraugh, G.; Heller, A.; Bohannon, N.; Skyler, J.; DeLeeuw, E.; Clarke, D.  Diabetes Technol. Ther. 2 (2), 21 (2000). 

 

A miniature biofuel cell.  Chen, T.; Barton, S. C.; Binyamin, G.; Gao, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Kim, H. H.; Heller, A.  J. Am. Chem. Soc.  123, 8630 (2001).

 

Characteristics of a miniature compartment-less glucose-O2 biofuel cell and its operation in a living plant.  Mano, N.; Mao, Fei; Heller, A.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 6588  (2003). 

 

Miniature biofuel cells.  Heller, A. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 6, 209 (2004).

 

Detection of approx. 103 copies of DNA by an electrochemical enzyme-amplified sandwish-assay of Shigella ultilizing ambient O2 as substrate.  Zhang, Y.; Pothukuchy, A.; Shin, W., Kim, Y.; Heller, A.  Anal. Chem.  76, 4093 (2004).

 

A four-electron O2 electroreduction biocatalyst superior to platinum and a biofuel cell operating at 0.88V.  Soukharev, V.; Mano, N.; Heller, A.  J. Am. Chem. Soc.  126, 8368  (2004).

 

Integrated medical feedback systems for drug delivery.  Heller, A.  AICHE J. 51, 1054 (2005)

 

 

 

Patents in Current Use

 

 

Enzyme electrodes. Gregg, B. A.; and Heller, A. US 5,262,035, Nov. 16, 1993.

 

Enzyme electrodes. Gregg, B. A.; Heller, A.; Kerner, W.; Pishko, M. V.; and Katakis, I. US 5,264,104, Nov. 23, 1993.

 

Enzyme electrodes. Gregg, B. A.; Heller, A.; Kerner, W.;Pishko, M.V. and Katakis, I., US 5,264,105, Nov. 23, 1993.

 

Subcutaneous glucose electrode. Heller, A.; and Pishko, M.V. US 5,593,852, Jan. 14, 1997.

 

Photocatalyst -binder compositions. Heller, A.; Pishko, M. V.; and Heller, E. US 5,616,532, Apr. 1, 1997.

 

Photocatalyst-binder compositions. Heller, Adam; Pishko, Michael V.; Heller, Ephraim, US 5,849,200, Dec. 15, 1998.

 

Photocatalyst-binder compositions. Heller, A.; Pishko, M. V.; and Heller, E. US 5,854,169, Dec. 29, 1998.

 

Subcutaneous glucose electrode. Heller, A. and Pischko, M. V, US 5,965,380, Oct. 12, 1999.

 

Photocatalyst-binder compositions. Heller, A.; Pishko, M. V.; and Heller, E. US 6,093,676, Jul. 25, 2000.

 

Method of using a small volume in vitro analyte sensor. Heller, A.; Feldman, B. J.; Say, J.; and Vreeke, M. S. US 6,120,676, Sept. 19, 2000.

 

Small volume in vitro analyte sensor. Heller, A.; Feldman, B. J.; Say, J.; and Vreeke, M. S. US 6,143,164, Nov. 7, 2000.

 

Subcutaneous glucose electrode. Heller, A; and Pishko, M.V. US 6,162, 611, Dec. 19, 2000.

 

Subcutaneous glucose electrode. Heller, A; and Pishko, M. V. US 6,284,478, Sept. 2, 2001.

 

Small volume in vitro analyte sensor with diffusible or non-leachable redox mediator. Feldman, B. J.; Heller, A.; Heller E.; Mao. F.; Vivolo, J. A.; Funderburk, J. V.; Colman, F. C.; and Krishnan, R. US 6,299,757, Oct. 9, 2001.

 

Subcutaneous glucose electrode. Heller, A.; and Pishko, M.V. US 6,329,161, Dec. 11, 2001.

 

Small volume in vitro analyte sensor with diffusible or non-leachable redox mediator. Feldman, B. J.; Heller, A.; Heller, E.; Mao, F.; Vivolo, J. A.; Funderburk, J. V.; Colman F. C.; and Krishnan; R. US 6,338,790, Jan. 15, 2002.

 

Small volume in vitro analyte sensor with diffusible or non-leachable redox mediator.  Feldman, B. J.; Heller, A.; Heller, E.; Mao, F.; Vivolo, J. A.; Funderburk, J. V.; Colman, F. C.; Krishnan, R.  US 6,461,496, Oct. 8, 2002.

 

Subcutaneous glucose electrode.  Heller, A.; and Pishko, M.V.  U.S. 6,514,718, Feb. 4, 2003.

 

Psuedo-reflective read inhibitor for optical storage reader.  Bakos, Y.; Brynjolfsson, E.; Heller, A.; Heller, E.  US 6,537,635, Mar. 25, 2003.

 

Small volume in vitro analyte sensor.  Heller, A.; Feldman, Benjamin J.; Say, James; Vreeke, Mark S. US 6,551,494 B1, Apr. 22, 2003.

 

Small volume in vitro analyte sensor.  Heller, A.; Feldman, B. J.; Say, J.; Vreeke, M. S.  US Patent 6,576,101, Jun. 10, 2003.

 

Method of using a small volume in vitro analyte sensor with diffusible or non-leachable redox mediator.  Feldman, B. J.; Heller, A.; Heller, E.; Mao, F.; Vivolo, J. A.; Funderburk, J. V.; Colman, F. C.; Krishman, R.  US 6,592,745, Jul. 15, 2003.

 

Polymeric transition metal complexes and uses thereof.  Mao, F.; Heller, A.  US 6,605,200, Aug. 12, 2003.

 

Transition metal complexes with bidentate ligand having an imidazole ring and sensor constructed therewith.  Mao, F.; Heller, A.  US Patent 6,605,201, Aug. 12, 2003.

 

Method of manufacturing small volume in vitro analyte sensor.  Feldman, B. J.; Heller, A.; Heller, E.; Mao, F.; Vivolo, J. A.; Funderburk, J. V.; Colman, F. C.; Krishman, R.  US 6,618,934, Sep. 16, 2003.

 

Transition metal complexes with (pyridyl)imidazole ligands and sensors using said complexes.  Mao, F.; Heller, A.  US 6,676,816, Jan. 13, 2004.

 

Pseudo-reflective read inhibitor for optical storage media.  Bakos, Y.; Brynjolfsson, E.; Heller, A.; Heller, E.  US Patent 6,839,316, January 4, 2005