Clinical and Research Background
Dr. Liu’s clinical specialties are clinical molecular genetics and clinical cytogenetics and genomics (ABMGG) for both constitutional genetic disorders in prenatal and postnatal settings and acquired genetic disorders
including solid tumors and hematological neoplasms. Dr. Liu’s research interest is in translational medicine using genomic approaches to aid the understanding of the genetic and molecular etiologies of human diseases. Projects in Dr. Liu’s laboratory currently include:
(1) Implementing novel cytogenetics and genomics approaches to characterize numerical and structural chromosomal aberrations, copy number alterations, and copy neutral absence/loss of heterozygosity in human diseases using next generation sequencing solutions (such as Hi-C/3D whole genome sequencing, long-read sequencing) and optical genome mapping (OGM).
(2) Using RNA-seq and Hi-C sequencing to characterize gene fusions and juxtapositions in cancer, especially novel fusions in sarcoma.
(3) Implementing genome-wide methylation profiling in cancer diagnostics (such as CNS tumors, sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, and etc).
(4) Using multi-omics assays to characterize genetic mutations and their functional consequences to understand disease etiology.
The main goals are to develop molecular and genetic diagnostics using both conventional and novel genetics and genomic approaches for personalized care.
Dr. Liu is the Program Director of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) Fellowship, and also involved in the training of medical residents and fellows and at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Board Certifications
Clinical Molecular Genetics, American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics
Clinical Cytogenetics, American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics
Academic and Medical Appointments
Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology,University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. 2022-present
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. 2016-2022
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. 2009-2016
Director (founding director), Clinical Genomics Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. 2009-present.
Director of Cytogenetics Laboratory, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA. 2020-present
Co-Director of Cytogenetics Laboratory, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, 2009-2020
Senior Research Scientist, Departments of Biology and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2002-2007
Education and Training
Clinical Molecular Genetics Fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2012-2013
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cancer Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2007-2009
Clinical Cytogenetics Fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2007-2009
Postdoctoral Fellow, Yeast Genetics and Molecular Evolution. Departments of Biology and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1995-2002
State University of New York, College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Syracuse, NY, Molecular Biology, Ph.D., 1995
Wuhan University, Hubei, China, Genetics, Master of Science, 1989
Wuhan University, Hubei, China, Cell Biology, Bachelor of Science, 1986
Publications
Latest publications from PubMed