Department of Medical Genetics
Yang Liu
Yang Liu, Ph.D.
Principal investigator
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Genetics
Contact information
https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user="uQRwaUMAAAAJ&hl=zh-CN
Experience
B.S. Beijing Normal University (2011)
Ph.D. Peking University (2017)
Assistant Professor, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University (2024)
Research Interests
DNA replication regulation and genome stability maintenance
DNA replication ensures the faithful transmission of genetic information from parents to offspring, and its dysregulation leads to genome instability that contributes to various human diseases, including cancer, infertility, and early embryonic developmental defects. The Liu Laboratory is dedicated to elucidating the mechanisms governing DNA replication within the complex chromatin environment and their critical role(s) in maintaining genome stability, which remains poorly understood. Our research focuses on three primary areas: (1) developing innovative high-throughput sequencing assays driven by fundamental scientific questions, (2) investigating the interplay between DNA replication and other crucial chromatin processes, such as transcription and the 3D genome structure, and (3) linking DNA replication-associated genome instability to human diseases, with a particular interest in infertility and early embryonic developmental defects. Our recent findings have been published in leading journals, including Science (2024), Nature Genetics (2023), PNAS (2021), Nature Communications (2024), Genome Biology (2021), and Trends in Genetics (2025).
Selected Publication
1. Liu, Y.#, Zhangding, Z.#, Liu, X.#, Gan, T., Ai, C., Wu, J., Liang, H., Chen, M., Guo, Y., Lu, R., Jiang, Y., Ji, X., Gao, N., Kong, D., Li, Q., Hu, J.* (2024) Frok coupling directs DNA replication elongation and termination. Science 383 , 1215-1222.
2. Wu, J.#, Liu, Y.#, Zhangding, Z.#, Liu, X.#, Ai, C., Gan, T., Liang H., Guo, Y., Chen, M., Liu, Y., Yin, J., Zhang, W., Hu, J.* (2023) Cohesin maintains replication timing to suppress DNA damage on cancer genes. Nat. Genet. 55 , 1347-1358.
3. Liu, Y.#, Ai, C.#, Gan, T.#, Wu, J., Jiang, Y., Liu, X., Lu, R., Gao, N., Li, Q., Ji, X., Hu, J.* (2021) Transcription shapes DNA replication initiation to preserve genome integrity. Genome Biol. 22 , 176.
4. Liu, Y.#, Wang, L.#, Xu, X., Yuan, Y., Zhang, B., Li, Z., Xie, Y., Yan, R., Zheng, Z., Ji, J., Murray, J., Carr, A., Kong, D.* (2021) The intra-S phase checkpoint directly regulates replication elongation to preserve the integrity of stalled replisomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 118, 24.
5. Wu, J.#, Zou, Z.#, Liu, Y.#,*, Liu, X., Zhangding, Z., Xu, M.*, Hu, J.* (2022) CRISPR/Cas9-induced structural variations expand in T lymphocytes in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res. 50, 19.
6. Wu, J.#, Liu, Y.#, Ou, L.#, Gan, T.#, Zhangding, Z., Yuan, S., Liu, X., Liu, M., Li, J., Yin, J., Xin, C., Tian, Y., Hu, J.* (2024) Transfer of mitochondrial DNA into the nuclear genome during induced DNA breaks. Nat. Commun . 15, 9438.
7. Yin, S.#, Zhang, M.#, Liu, Y.#, Sun, X., Chen, X., Yang, L., Huo, Y., Yang, J., Zhang, X., Han, H., Zhang, J., Li, G., Xiao, M., Guan, Y., Liu, M., Hu, J.*, Wang, L.*, Li, D.* (2023) Engineering of efficiency enhanced Cas9 and base editors with improved gene therapy efficacies. Mol. Ther. 31, 3.
8. Chen, X.#, Niu, X.#, Liu, Y.#, Zheng, R., Yang, L., Lu, J., Yin, S., Wei, Y., Pan, J., Sayed, A., Ma, X., Liu, M., Jiang, F., Liu, M., Hu, J.*, Wang, L.*, Li, D.* (2022). Long-term correction of hemophilia B through CRISPR/Cas9 induced homology-independent targeted integration. J. Genet. Genomics 49, 12.
9. Yin, J.#, Liu, M.#, Liu, Y.#, Wu, J., Gan, T., Zhang, W., Li, Y., Zhou, Y., Hu, J.* (2019). Optimizing genome editing strategy by primer-extension-mediated sequencing. Cell Discov. 5 ,18.
10. Liu, Y.#, Zhangding, Z.#, Liu, X., Hu, J.* (2025) Chromatin-centric insights into DNA replication. Trends Genet . 41 , 412-424.