Welcome to the laboratory of Chang Liu, located in the Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Our research is focused on the structural and molecular basis of viral and host gene regulations. we use a combination of biophysical, biochemical, cellular, genomic, and computational approaches together with the cutting-edge cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) techniques to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, and evolutionary conservation of various coronavirus-host interactions and identify targets for novel and effective antiviral treatments.

Post-doctoral candidates should send their CV and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Chang Liu (cliu207@jhmi.edu).

Prospective graduate students should apply to our graduate programs through the  Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, the XDBio Cross Disciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, and the Program in Molecular Biophysics.

Undergraduate students from Johns Hopkins are welcome to apply. Please send your CV, transcript, and a statement of interest to Dr. Liu (cliu207@jhmi.edu).

We study the molecular mechanisms underlying a variety of nucleic acid transactions, including DNA transposition, RNA synthesis and RNA processing. The current research focus of my laboratory is to understand the molecular underpinnings and biological significance of complex virus-host interactions in the dynamic cellular environment.

The intricate virus-host interplay in gene regulation is a sophisticated regulatory network that dictates the outcome of the battles between virus and host, creating a promising opportunity to develop innovative antiviral strategies. However, how RNA viruses, and in particular coronaviruses, interfere with host transcription and how the host restricts coronavirus RNA synthesis are largely uncharted territory, greatly hampering the design of novel antiviral agents targeting these critical interactions.

We use a combination of biophysical, biochemical, cellular, genomic, and computational approaches together with the cutting-edge cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) techniques to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, and evolutionary conservation of various coronavirus-host interactions and identify targets for novel and effective antiviral treatments.

• Liu C*, Zhang Y*, Liu C, Schatz DG (2022). Structural insights into the evolution of the RAG recombinase. Nat Rev Immunol 22, 353–370
• Liu C#, Shi W, Becker ST, Schatz DG, Liu B#, Yang Y# (2021). Structural basis of mismatch recognition by a SARS-CoV-2 proofreading enzyme. Science 373(6559): 1142-1146
• Yang Y*#, Liu C*#, Zhou W*, Shi W*, Chen M, Zhang B, Schatz DG, Hu Y#, Liu B# (2021). Structural visualization of transcription activated by a multidrug-sensing MerR family regulator. Nat Commun 12, 2702
• Liu C*, Yang Y*, Schatz DG (2019). Structures of a RAG-like transposase during cut-and-paste transposition. Nature 575(7783): 540-544