Liu Lab
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.
Recent News
Jan 15, 2026
Our paper on coronavirus resistance to nucleotide analog antivirals is published in Nature Communications!
Dec 8, 2025
Our paper on coronavirus ExoN divergence is now online in Nature Communications!
Dec 5, 2025
Dr. Liu is invited to present in the Future of Biophysics Burroughs Wellcome Fund Symposium at the Biophysical Society 70th Annual Meeting!
Oct 1, 2025
Our paper revealing molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 resistance to remdesivir is published in PNAS!
Jun 5, 2024
Dr. Liu is named a 2024 Searle Scholar.
Aug 1, 2023
The lab receives its first 5-year NIH grant: An NIAID DP2 New Innovators Award to study coronavirus-host interactions in gene regulation.
Selected Recent Publications
- Liu, C., Li, Y., Cao, X. et al. Mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 resistance to nucleotide analog-based antivirals. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68304-8
- Li, Y., Cao, X., Recker, L.M. Yang, Y. Liu, C (2025). Structural and catalytic diversity of coronavirus proofreading exoribonuclease. Nat Commun. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67140-6
- Yang, Y. Li, Y., Becker, S.T., Khan, A., Luo, G., Liu, B., Liu, C (2025). Molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 proofreading enzyme-mediated resistance to remdesivir. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 122 (40): e2519755122.
- 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
- Liu C, Yang Y, Schatz DG (2019). Structures of a RAG-like transposase during cut-and-paste transposition. Nature 575(7783): 540-544
- 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
Our Research
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.