Welcome

Our laboratory aims to decode the epigenome, how genetic information is read, in physiology and diseases. We combine molecular tool development with genetic and genomic approaches to explore epigenetic mechanisms underlying normal physiological functions, and to uncover the epigenetic basis of diseases to accelerate the development of therapeutics. We mainly use human ESC- or iPSC-based system and genetically engineered mouse models to tackle these questions.

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Research

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Publications

  1. Qian, J., Guan, X., Xie, B., Xu, C., Niu, J., Tang, X., Li, C.H., Colecraft, H.M., Jaenisch, R. Liu, X.S. (2022). Multiplex Epigenome Editing of MECP2 to Rescue Rett Syndrome Neurons. bioRxiv. (under review in Science)

  2. Krzisch, M.A., Wu, H., Yuan, B., Whitfield, T.W., Liu, X.S., Fu, D., Garrett-Engele, C.M., Chang, A.N., Warren, S., Cacace, A., Andrykovich, K.R., Rietjens, R.G.J., Jain, B., Wallace, O., and Jaenisch, R. (2022). Fragile X syndrome patient-derived neurons developing in the mouse brain show FMR1 -dependent phenotypes. bioRxiv. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.27.461739v1 (accepted in Biological Psychiatry)

  3. Shpokayte, M., McKissick, O., Guan, X., Yuan, B., Rahsepar, B., Fernandez, F., Ruesch, E., Grella, S.L., White, J.A., Liu, X.S.*, Ramirez, S.* (2022). Hippocampal cells segregate positive and negative engrams.  (*co-corresponding author). Nature Communication Biology. 5, Article number: 1009. PDF

    engram paper cover

  4. Li C.H., Coffey E.L., Dall’Agnese A., Hannett N.M., Tang X., Henninger J.E., Platt J.M., Oksuz O., Zamudio A.V., Afeyan L.K., Schuijers J., Liu X.S., Markoulaki S., Lungjangwa T., LeRoy G., Svoboda D.S., Wogram E., Lee T.I., Jaenisch R., Young, R.A.  (2020). MeCP2 links heterochromatin condensates and neurodevelopmental disease. Nature. PDF



    Publications before 2020

  5. Liu, X.S., Jaenisch, R. (2019). Editing the Epigenome to Tackle Brain Disorders. Trends in Neurosciences. (Invited Review) PDF
  6. Tang, X., Drotar, J., Li, K., Brumm, S.A., Wu, H., Liu, X.S., Wang, J., Gray, N., Sur, M., Jaenisch, R. (2019). Identification of KCC2 Expression Enhancer Compounds as a Basis for Treatment of Rett Syndrome. Science Translational Medicine. 11 (503) PDF
  7. Liu, X.S., Wu, H., Krzisch, M., Wu, X., Graef, J., Muffat, J., Hnisz, D., Li, C.H., Yuan, B., Vershkov, D., Cacace. A., Young, R.A., and Jaenisch, R. (2018). Rescue of Fragile X syndrome by DNA methylation editing of the FMR1. Cell. 173, 1-14. (Highlighted by Nature Reviews Neuroscience and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery)  PDF
  8. Liu, X.S., Wu, H., Ji, X., Stelzer, Y., Wu, X., Czauderna, S., Shu, J., Dadon, D., Young, R.A., and Jaenisch, R. (2016). Editing DNA methylation in the mammalian genome. Cell. 167, 233-247. (Highlighted by Nature) PDF
  9. Lee, J.J., Perera, R.M., Wang, H.*, Wu, D.C.*, Liu, X.S.*, Han, S., Fitamant, J., Jones, P.D., Ghanta, K.S., Kawano, S., Nagle, J.M., Deshpande, V., Boucher, Y., Kato, T., Chen, J.K., Willmann, J.K., Bardeesy, N., Beachy, P.A. (2014). Stromal response to Hedgehog signaling restrains pancreatic cancer progression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 111, E3091-3100. (*equal contribution) PDF
  10. Song, B., Liu, X.S., Rice, S., Elzey, B.D., Konieczny, S.F., Ratliff, T., Hazbun, T., Chiorean, E.G., Liu, X., (2012). Plk1 phosphorylation of Orc2 and Hbo1 contributes to gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 12, 58-68. PDF
  11. Liu, W., Wen, Y., Bi, P., Lai, X., Liu, X.S., Liu, X., Kuang, S. (2012). Hypoxia promotes satellite cell self-renewal and enhances the efficiency of myoblast transplantation. Development. 139(16), 2857-65. PDF
  12. Iliuk, A., Liu, X.S., Xue, L., Liu, X., Tao, W.A. (2012). Chemical Visualization of Phosphoproteomes on Membrane. Mol. Cell Proteomics. 11(9), 629-39. PDF
  13. Liu, X.S., Song, B., Tang, J., Liu, X. (2012). Plk1 phosphorylates Sgt1 at the kinetochores to promote the timely kinetochore-microtubule attachment. Mol. Cell Biol. 32(19), 4053-67. PDF
  14. Song B., Liu, X.S., Liu, X. (2012). Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1): an Unexpected Player in DNA Replication. Cell Division, 7, 3. (invited review) PDF
  15. Song, B., Liu, X.S., Davis, K., Liu, X. (2011). Plk1 phosphorylation of Orc2 promotes DNA replication under conditions of stress. Mol. Cell Biol., 31(23), 4844-56. PDF
  16. Song, B., Davis, K., Liu, X.S., Lee, H.G., Smith, M., Liu, X. (2011). Inhibition of Polo-like kinase 1 reduces beta-amyloid-induced neuronal cell death in Alzheimer’s disease. Aging, 9, 846-851. PDF
  17. Liu, X.S., Song, B., Elzey, B.D., Ratliff, T.L., Konieczny, S.F., Cheng, L., Ahmad, N., Liu, X. (2011). Polo-like Kinase 1 Facilitates Loss of Pten Tumor Suppressor-induced Prostate Cancer Formation. J Biol. Chem., 286, 35795-35800. PDF
  18. Liu, X.S., Liu, X. (2011). Targeting Plk1 in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs). Cell Cycle. 10(10), 1523. (invited commentary) PDF
  19. Liu, X.S., Song, B., Liu, X. (2011). The substrates of Plk1, beyond the functions in mitosis. Protein & Cell, 11, 999-1010. (invited review) PDF
  20. Li, H., Liu, X.S. Yang, X., Song, B., Wang, Y., Liu, X. (2010). Polo-like kinase 1 phosphorylation of p150Glued facilitates nuclear envelope breakdown during prophase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 107, 14633-14638. PDF
  21. Li, H., Liu, X.S. Yang, X., Wang, Y., Wang, Y., Turner, J.R., Liu, X. (2010). Phosphorylation of CLIP-170 by Plk1 and CK2 promotes timely formation of kinetochore-microtubule attachments. EMBO J, 29, 2953-2965. PDF
  22. Liu, X.S., Li, H., Song, B., Liu, X. (2010). Polo-like kinase 1 phosphorylation of G2 and S-phase-expressed 1 protein is essential for p53 inactivation during G2 checkpoint recovery. EMBO Rep, 11, 626-632. PDF
  23. Yang, X., Li, H., Liu, X.S., Deng, A., Liu, X. (2009). Cdc2-mediated phosphorylation of CLIP-170 is essential for its inhibition of centrosome reduplication. J. Biol. Chem., 284, 28775-28782. PDF

Collaborators

Join Us Our laboratory is located in Columbia University Medical Center, a world-renowned research university doing cutting-edge biomedical research. We welcome highly motivated individuals with training in medicine, biology, chemistry, and biophysics. We offer highly competitive salaries and benefits to postdoctoral fellows, students and research associates. For additional information about ongoing research projects and open positions, please send inquiry to Shawn Liu (shawnxiaoliu@gmail.com) along with your CV and names of references.

Contact

Liu Lab
Dept of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics
Columbia University Medical Center
Room 403A (Office), Room 403 (Lab)
1150 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10032
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