
Chen Liu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School Medical School
Department Internal Medicine | Neuroscience
Graduate Programs Neuroscience
Biography
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.
Research Interest
- Antipsychotic drug induced metabolic syndrome
- Brain serotonin and serotonin receptors
- Genetics of human obesity
Publications
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
- Gai/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
Honors & Awards
- 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)
Professional Associations/Affiliations
- American Diabetes Association (2023)
- American Heart Association (2013)
- International Society for Serotonin Research (2023)
- Society for Neuroscience (2008)
- The Obesity Society (2016)