Chen Liu, Ph.D.

Download Curriculum Vitae

Our group studies how the nervous system controls energy and glucose metabolism. Ongoing research focuses on addressing key issues in neuroscience, metabolism, and medicine:

1)     We explore the neural circuits that regulate appetitive behaviors (e.g., Park et al., Nature Neuroscience, 2020; Yoo et al., Cell Reports, 2021; Li et al., Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2022) to develop new therapeutic strategies for treating obesity and diabetes.

2)     We study neurodevelopment in the hypothalamus, identifying novel genetic deficits responsible for severe, early-onset obesity in children (e.g., Chen et al., Journal of Neuroscience, 2020).

3)     Additionally, our group is one of the few labs that conduct NIH-sponsored research on antipsychotic drugs (APDs)-induced metabolic syndrome (e.g., Lord et al., Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2017; Li et al., Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2021), a critical clinical problem currently affecting millions of patients.

• Antipsychotic drug induced metabolic syndrome
• Brain serotonin and serotonin receptors
• Genetics of human obesity

Featured Publications

Sample enrichment for single-nucleus sequencing using concanavalin A-conjugated magnetic beads.

Li L, Xu B, Liu C, STAR Protoc 2023 Sep 4 4 102595

Delineating a serotonin 1B receptor circuit for appetite suppression in mice.

Li L, Wyler SC, León-Mercado LA, Xu B, Oh Y, SwatiChen X, Wan R, Arnold AG, Jia L, Wang G, Nautiyal K, Hen R, Sohn JW, Liu C, J Exp Med 2022 Aug 219 8

Ga_i/o-coupled Htr2c in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus antagonizes the anorectic effect of serotonin agents.

Yoo ES, Li L, Jia L, Lord CC, Lee CE, Birnbaum SG, Vianna CR, Berglund ED, Cunningham KA, Xu Y, Sohn JW, Liu C, Cell Rep 2021 Nov 37 7 109997

The atypical antipsychotic risperidone targets hypothalamic melanocortin 4 receptors to cause weight gain.

Li L, Yoo ES, Li X, Wyler SC, Chen X, Wan R, Arnold AG, Birnbaum SG, Jia L, Sohn JW, Liu C, J Exp Med 2021 Jul 218 7

Comparative Transcriptomic Analyses of Developing Melanocortin Neurons Reveal New Regulators for the Anorexigenic Neuron Identity.

Chen X, Wyler SC, Li L, Arnold AG, Wan R, Jia L, Landy MA, Lai HC, Xu P, Liu C, J. Neurosci. 2020 Apr 40 16 3165-3177

A neural basis for tonic suppression of sodium appetite.

Park S, Williams KW, Liu C, Sohn JW, Nat. Neurosci. 2020 Jan

The atypical antipsychotic olanzapine causes weight gain by targeting serotonin receptor 2C.

Lord CC, Wyler SC, Wan R, Castorena CM, Ahmed N, Mathew D, Lee S, Liu C, Elmquist JK J. Clin. Invest. 2017 Aug

PPARgamma in vagal neurons regulates high-fat diet induced thermogenesis.

Liu C, Bookout AL, Lee S, Sun K, Jia L, Lee C, Udit S, Deng Y, Scherer PE, Mangelsdorf DJ, Gautron L, Elmquist JK. Cell Metab. 2014 19 4 722-30

Serotonin 2C receptors in pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy and glucose homeostasis.

Berglund ED, Liu C, Sohn JW, Liu T, Kim MH, Lee CE, Vianna CR, Williams KW, Xu Y, Elmquist JK J. Clin. Invest. 2013 Dec 123 12 5061-70

Pet-1 is required across different stages of life to regulate serotonergic function.

Liu C, Maejima T, Wyler SC, Casadesus G, Herlitze S, Deneris ES Nat. Neurosci. 2010 Oct 13 10 1190-8

• Junior Investigator Award
  Chinese American Diabetes Association (2022)
• Grossman Award for Excellence in Diabetes Research
  (2018)
• Scientist Development Award
  American Heart Association (2016)
• Doctoral Excellence Award
  Case Western Reserve University (2011)
• Fellowship Award
  Davis Foundation in Eating Disorder Research (2011)
• The President's Award
  Case Western Reserve University (2008)

• American Diabetes Association (2023)
• American Heart Association (2013)
• International Society for Serotonin Research (2023)
• Society for Neuroscience (2008)
• The Obesity Society (2016)