Shawn Liu

Shawn Liu

Research Interest

Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience

Research Summary

Our laboratory is interested in investigating the function of epigenetics, a molecular mechanism enabling our genome to integrate extrinsic signals, in brain functions and disorders. We combine molecular tool development with genetic and genomic approaches to explore epigenetic mechanisms in normal brain functions, and to uncover the epigenetic basis of neurological disorder to accelerate the development of therapeutics. We use iPSC-based system and genetically engineered mouse models to tackle these questions.

Three major research directions in our laboratory are 1) to develop CRISPR-based epigenome editing tools allowing to manipulate DNA methylation, histone modification, and 3D chromatin structures at a locus specific manner in a single cell; 2) to dissect the molecular basis of memory storage at the epigenetic level; and 3) to tackle human diseases by editing the epigenome.

  • Epigenome Editing Tool Development
  • Molecular Basis for Memory Storage
  • Tackle Brain Diseases by Sculpting the Epigenome
  1. Shpokayte, M., McKissick, O., Kramer, E., Grella, S.L., Doucette, E., Merfeld, E., Liu, X.S.*, Ramirez, S.* (2021). Hippocampal cells multiplex positive and negative engrams. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.11.419887 (*corresponding author)
  2. Li, C.H., Coffey, E.L., Dall’Agnese, A., Hannett, N.M., Tang, X., Henninger, J.E., Platt, J.M., Oksuz, O., Zamudio, A.V., Afeyan, L.K., Schuijers, J., Liu, X.S., Markoulaki, S., Lungjangwa, T., LeRoy, G., Svoboda, D.S., Wogram, E., Lee, T.I., Jaenisch, R., Young, R.A. (2020). MeCP2 links heterochromatin condensates and neurodevelopmental disease. Nature. 586, 440–444.
  3. Liu, X.S., Jaenisch, R. (2019). Editing the Epigenome to Tackle Brain Disorders. Trends in Neurosciences. http://doi:10.1016/j.tins.2019.10.003
  4. Tang, X., Drotar, J., Li, K., Brumm, S.A., Wu, H., Liu, X.S., Wang, J., Gray, N., Sur, M., Jaenisch, R. (2019). Identification of KCC2 Expression Enhancer Compounds as a Basis for Treatment of Rett Syndrome. Science Translational Medicine. 11 (503).
  5. Liu, X.S., Wu, H., Krzisch, M., Wu, X., Graef, J., Muffat, J., Hnisz, D., Li, C.H., Yuan, B., Vershkov, D., Cacace. A., Young, R.A., and Jaenisch, R. (2018). Rescue of Fragile X syndrome by DNA methylation editing of the FMR1. Cell. 173, 1-14. (Highlighted by Nature Reviews Neuroscience and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery)
  6. Liu, X.S., Wu, H., Ji, X., Stelzer, Y., Wu, X., Czauderna, S., Shu, J., Dadon, D., Young, R.A., and Jaenisch, R. (2016). Editing DNA methylation in the mammalian genome. Cell. 167, 233-247. (Highlighted by Nature)

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography

  • Natalie Barretto, Graduate Student
  • Xinyue (Tracy) Chen, Graduate Student
  • Elizabeth Brewer, Graduate Student
  • Xiaonan Guan, Coming Postdoc