Shawn Liu, PhD

  • Joan and Paul Marks, MD '49 Assistant Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics

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Overview

Xiao Shawn Liu received his BA in Chemistry from Nankai University in China. He completed his PhD training at Purdue University and Stanford University focusing on the signal transduction mediated by protein kinases and ligand-receptor interactions. As a Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellow in Rudolf Jaenisch’s laboratory at Whitehead Institute MIT, Shawn developed a series of epigenome editing tools to systematically investigate the functional significance of epigenetic modifications in neurological disorders. In 2019 he joined the Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics at Columbia University as a Paul A. Marks assistant professor to start his independent research career.

Academic Appointments

  • Joan and Paul Marks, MD '49 Assistant Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • PhD, Biology, Stanford University
  • PhD, Biology, Purdue University
  • BA, Chemistry, Nankai University
  • Fellowship: Jaenisch Lab, Whitehead Institute, MIT

Committees, Societies, Councils

  • Member of Society for Neuroscience
  • Member of International Society for Stem Cell Research
  • Member of American Association of Cancer Research

Honors & Awards

  • 2024: CZI Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Award
  • 2022 - 2027: Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Award (R01, NIH)
  • 2021 - 2024: Paul Marks Scholar
  • 2018 - 2023: NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00, NIMH)
  • 2018: STAT Wunderkinds Award by The Boston Globe
  • 2018: Margaret and Herman Sokol Postdoctoral Award for Outstanding Postdoc
  • 2018: Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Fellowship Award
    (83rd Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Symposium on Quantitative Biology)
  • 2018: Harvard Chinese Life Sciences YONGJIN Distinguished Research Award
  • 2014 - 2017: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 2012: Arnold Kent Balls Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Research
  • 2011 - 2012: Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) Fellowship Award
  • 2011: Henry A. Moses Award for Early Publication Award as Graduate Student
  • 2010: Beach Travel Award (sponsorship for the attendance of scientific meeting)
  • 2003 - 2007: The Scholarship of Nankai University
  • 2003: Award in College Mathematical Competition in Tianjin area, China

Research

Decoding the Epigenome in Physiology and Diseases

The Liu Lab aims to decode the epigenome in brain functions and disorders. We combine molecular tool development with genetic and genomic approaches to explore epigenetic mechanisms in normal brain functions, and to uncover the epigenetic basis of neurological disorder to accelerate the development of therapeutics. We use iPSC-based system and genetically engineered mouse models to tackle these questions.

Grants

Our lab is funded by NIH R01 grants, Chan Zukerberg Initiative award, Rett Syndrome Research Trust award, FARA award, and Paul Marks Scholar award, PhiFund, and other generous organizations.

Selected Publications

  1. Liu XS, Wu H, Ji X, Stelzer Y, Wu X, Czauderna S, Shu J, Dadon D, Young RA, and Jaenisch R. (2016). Editing DNA methylation in the mammalian genome. Cell. 167, 233-247. (Highlighted by Nature). PMCID: PMC5062609.
  2. Liu XS, Wu H, Krzisch M, Wu X, Muffat J, Hnisz D, Li C, Yuan B, Vershkov D, Cacace A, Young RA, 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). PMCID: PMC6375087.
  3. Li CH, Coffey EL, Dall’Agnese A, Hannett NM, Tang X, Henninger JE, Platt JM, Oksuz O, Zamudio AV, Afeyan LK, Schuijers J, Liu XS, Markoulaki S, Lungjangwa T, LeRoy G, Svoboda DS, Wogram E., Lee TI, Jaenisch R, Young, RA. (2020). MeCP2 links heterochromatin condensates and neurodevelopmental disease. Nature. 586, 440–444. PMCID: PMC7735819.
  4. 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 multiplex positive and negative engrams. Nature Communication Biology. 5(1):1009. (*corresponding authors)
  5. Qian J, Guan X, Xie B, Xu C, Niu J, Tang X, Li CH, Colecraft HM, Jaenisch R, Liu XS. (2023). Multiplex Epigenome Editing of MECP2 to Rescue Rett Syndrome Neurons. Science Translational Medicine. 15(679):eadd4666. (Highlighted by Nature Reviews Neurology). PMID: 36652535
  6. Junming Qian and X. Shawn Liu. (2024). CRISPR/dCas9-Tet1 Mediated DNA Methylation Editing. Bio-Protocol 14(8): e4976.

For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov