Title: Genetic and Epigenetic Control of Normal and Malignant Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Time: 7:30 pm, November 2, 2021

Venue: N8T07

Introduction of Speaker:

Dr. Yan Liu is a tenured Associate Professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Liu is the Co-leader of the Hematologic Malignancies Program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. Dr. Liu is a member of American Society of Hematology, International Society of Experimental Hematology, International Society of Stem Cell Research, and Chinese Biological Scientists Society.The Liu laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) aging and pathogenesis of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The long-term goal of his research is to identify novel regulators of leukemia-initiating cells (LICs), understand the molecular mechanisms by which they control LIC self-renewal and expansion, and develop novel therapeutic strategies to eliminate leukemia-initiating cells and improve leukemia treatment. The Liu lab has published papers in high impact journals, including Nature Cell Biology, Nature Communications, Cancer Cell, Cell Stem Cell, Science Signaling, Blood, Leukemia, and PNAS. The Liu lab has made significant contributions to our understanding of the role of tumor suppressor p53 in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and leukemia development.

Dr. Liu received his PhD degree in the laboratory of Professor Jingrui Dai at the China Agricultural University in 1997. After completing his first postdoctoral training on cell cycle regulation in the laboratory of Dr. Brian Larkins at the University of Arizona in 2001, Dr. Liu continued his scientific pursuits in stem cell biology and cancer biology with Dr. Stephen Nimer at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in the New York city. Dr. Liu joined Indiana University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in 2010 and was promoted to tenured Associate Professor in 2016. Dr. Liu joined Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine as a tenured-Associate Professor in 2021.