Biochemistry & Pharmacology: Open Access
Open Access

Yong-Yu Liu

Biography

 

2012 - present	Associate Professor of Pharmacology (tenured) Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Pharmacy University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LA
2008 - present	Adjunct Professor Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine  LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Baton Rouge, LA
2007 - present	Adjunct Professor Department of Medicine Tulane University School of Medicine  New Orleans, LA
2006 - 2012	Assistant Professor of Pharmacology Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Pharmacy University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LA
2005 - 2006	Assistant Researcher of Molecular Biology Department of Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
2002 - 2005	Assistant Member, Assistant Director  Experimental Therapeutics Joyn Wayne Cancer Institute Santa Monica, CA
1999 - 2002	Junior Member Breast Cancer Research Program John Wayne Cancer Institute Santa Monica, CA
1989 - 1992	Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Department of Biochemistry and Department of Endocrinology Soochow University School of Medicine Suzhou, P. R. China

 

Research Interest

Dr. Yong-Yu Liu  research interests focus on the molecular mechanism of cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. Drug-resistance or poor response to chemotherapy is the reason for treatment faliure which occues in more than 60% of patients with advanced solid tumors. Cell response to anticancer agents relies on the functions of certain genes. For instance, glucosylceramide synthase, an enzyme catalyzing ceramide glycosylation, modulates cell apoptosis and drug transport and its overexpression can cause drug resistance. Applying state-of-the-art technologies and knock-in/knock-out strategies including microarray and siRNA gene silencing, we are identifying the denomic feature to find out the causes of why the tumor cells have poor response to chemotherapy.

Gene regulation is a key issue formodulation of gene expression and for drug discovery. Distinct from most of other groups, our program will concentrate on characterizing the role of glycophingolipids on expression regulation of resistant-associated genes. Glycosphingolipids as well as sphingolipids are important molecules, but their biochemical functions need to be defined. In tumor cells, these lipids modulate myriad cell processes including cell proliferation and apoptosis, in response to growth factors, hormone and anticancer drugs. We are tracking the regulation of resistance-genesis, aiming to discover a specific approach to revers drug-resistance.

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