Ze Liu, Ph.D.

Research Associate
Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC

2250 Alcazar St.
CSA 103 – HSC 9062
Los Angeles, CA 90033-9062
Phone: (323) 442-3170
Fax: (323) 442-3170
zeliu@usc.edu

Education
Experience
Publications

College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
B.S., 2008
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Herbology

School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
Ph.D., 2013
Oncology and Cancer Biology

  • 2024 – present – Research Associate – Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2020 – 2024 – Research Assistant – University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2019 – 2020 – Associate Researcher – The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA
  • 2014 – 2019 – Postdoctoral Researcher – The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA
  • 2010 – 2014 – Nankai Univeristy, Tianjin, China
  • 2009 – 2010 – The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA
  • 2008 – 2009 – Nankai University, Tianjin, China
  • 2006 – 2008 – Nankai University, Tianjin, China

  1. Ha DP*, Shin WJ*, Liu Z*, Doche ME, Lau R, Leli NM, Conn CS, Russo M, Lorenzato A, Koumenis C, Yu M, Mumenthaler SM, Lee AS. Targeting stress induction of GRP78 by cardiac glycoside oleandrin dually suppresses cancer and COVID-19. Cell Biosci. 2024 Sep 6;14(1):115. doi: 10.1186/s13578-024-01297-3. PMID: 39238058; PMCID: PMC11378597.

  2. Yamamoto V, Ha DP, Liu Z, Huang M, Samanta S, Neamati N, Lee AS. GRP78 inhibitor YUM70 upregulates 4E-BP1 and suppresses c-MYC expression and viability of oncogenic c-MYC tumors. Neoplasia. 2024 Sep;55:101020. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2024.101020. Epub 2024 Jul 10. PMID: 38991376; PMCID: PMC11294750.

  3. Xiong M, Liu Z, Wang B, Sokolich T, Graham N, Chen M, Wang WL, Boldin MP. The epithelial C15ORF48/miR-147-NDUFA4 axis is an essential regulator of gut inflammation, energy metabolism, and the microbiome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Jul 2;121(27):e2315944121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2315944121. Epub 2024 Jun 25. PMID: 38917002; PMCID: PMC11228508.

  4. Liu Z*, Wang J*, Shi Y, Yee BA, Terrey M, Zhang Q, Lee JC, Lin KI, Wang AH, Ackerman SL, Yeo GW, Cui H, Yang XL. (2023) Seryl-tRNA synthetase promotes translational readthrough by mRNA binding and involvement of the selenocysteine incorporation machinery. Nucleic Acids Res. 2023 Oct 27;51(19):10768-10781. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkad773. PMID: 37739431; PMCID: PMC10602924.

  5. Liu Z, Liu G, Ha DP, Wang J, Xiong M, Lee AS. (2023) ER chaperone GRP78/BiP translocates to the nucleus under stress and acts as a transcriptional regulator. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Aug;120(31):e2303448120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2303448120. Epub 2023 Jul 24. PMID: 37487081; PMCID: PMC10400976.

  6. Ha DP, Huang B, Wang H, Rangel DF, Van Krieken R, Liu Z, Samanta S, Neamati N, Lee AS. (2022) Targeting GRP78 suppresses oncogenic KRAS protein expression and reduces viability of cancer cells bearing various KRAS mutations. Neoplasia. 2022 Nov;33:100837. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2022.100837. Epub 2022 Sep 24. PMID: 36162331; PMCID: PMC9516447.

  7. Zhao J, Bai H, Li X, Yan J, Zou G, Wang L, Li X, Liu Z, Xiang R, Yang XL, Shi Y. (2021) Glucose-sensitive acetylation of Seryl tRNA synthetase regulates lipid synthesis in breast cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021 Aug 16;6(1):303. doi: 10.1038/s41392-021-00714-0. PMID: 34400610; PMCID: PMC8368063.

  8. Shi Y*, Liu Z*, Zhang Q, Vallee I, Mo Z, Kishi S, Yang XL. (2020) Phosphorylation of seryl-tRNA synthetase by ATM/ATR is essential for hypoxiainduced angiogenesis. PLoS Biol 18(12): e3000991. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000991.

  9. Chen M, Kuhle B, Diedrich J, Liu Z, Moresco JJ, Yates Iii JR, Pan T, Yang XL. (2020) Cross-editing by a tRNA synthetase allows vertebrates to abundantly express mischargeable tRNA without causing mistranslation. Nucleic Acids Res. 2020 Jul 9;48(12):6445-6457. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaa469. PMID: 32484512; PMCID: PMC7337962.

  10. Zhao L, Wang L, Zhang C, Liu Z, Piao Y, Yan J, Xiang R, Yao Y, Shi Y. (2019) E6-induced selective translation of WNT4 and JIP2 promotes the progression of cervical cancer via a noncanonical WNT signaling pathway. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2019 Sep 13;4:32. doi: 10.1038/s41392-019-0060-y. PMID: 31637011; PMCID: PMC6799841.

  11. Li Y, Li X, Cao M, Jiang Y, Yan J, Liu Z, Yang R, Chen X, Sun P, Xiang R, Wang L, Shi Y. (2019) Seryl tRNA synthetase cooperates with POT1 to regulate telomere length and cellular senescence. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2019 Nov 29;4:50. doi: 10.1038/s41392-019-0078-1. PMID: 31815007; PMCID: PMC6882858.

  12. Wang D, Xiong M, Chen C, Du L, Liu Z, Shi Y, Zhang M, Gong J, Song X, Xiang R, Liu E, Tan X. (2018) Legumain, an asparaginyl endopeptidase, mediates the effect of M2 macrophages on attenuating renal interstitial fibrosis in obstructive nephropathy. Kidney Int. 2018 Jul;94(1):91-101. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2017.12.025. Epub 2018 Apr 12. PMID: 29656902.

  13. Mo Z, Zhao X, Liu H, Hu Q, Chen XQ, Pham J, Wei N, Liu Z, Zhou J, Burgess RW, Pfaff SL, Caskey CT, Wu C, Bai G, Yang XL. (2018) Aberrant GlyRS-HDAC6 interaction linked to axonal transport deficits in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy. Nat Commun. 2018 Mar 8;9(1):1007. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03461-z. PMID: 29520015; PMCID: PMC5843656.

  14. Mo Z, Zhang Q, Liu Z, Lauer J, Shi Y, Sun L, Griffin PR, Yang XL. (2016) Neddylation requires glycyl-tRNA synthetase to protect activated E2. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2016 Aug;23(8):730-7. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3250. Epub 2016 Jun 27. PMID: 27348078; PMCID: PMC4972647.

  15. Zhang Y, Guo Q, Zhang Z, Bai N, Liu Z, Xiong M, Wei Y, Xiang R, Tan X. (2014) VDR status arbitrates the prometastatic effects of tumor-associated macrophages. Mol Cancer Res. 2014 Aug;12(8):1181-91. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-14-0036. Epub 2014 May 12. PMID: 24821711.

  16. Liu Z, Xiong M, Gong J, Zhang Y, Bai N, Luo Y, Li L, Wei Y, Liu Y, Tan X, Xiang R. (2014) Legumain protease-activated TAT-liposome cargo for targeting tumours and their microenvironment. Nat Commun. 2014 Jun 27;5:4280. doi: 10.1038/ncomms5280. PMID: 24969588.

  17. Dong Y, Xiong M, Duan L, Liu Z, Niu T, Luo Y, Wu X, Xu C, Lu C. (2014) H2AX phosphorylation regulated by p38 is involved in Bim expression and apoptosis in chronic myelogenous leukemia cells induced by imatinib. Apoptosis. 2014 Aug;19(8):1281-92. doi: 10.1007/s10495-014-0997-9. PMID: 24830786.

  18. Su W, Wang L, Zhou M, Liu Z, Hu S, Tong L, Liu Y, Fan Y, Kong D, Zheng Y, Han Z, Wu J, Xiang R, Li Z. (2013) Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Endothelial Cells as Cellular Delivery Vehicles for Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer. Cell Transplantation. 2013;22(11):2079-2090. doi:10.3727/096368912X657927.

  19. Liu Z, Lv D, Liu S, Gong J, Wang D, Xiong M, Chen X, Xiang R, Tan X. (2013) Alginic acid-coated chitosan nanoparticles loaded with legumain DNA vaccine: effect against breast cancer in mice. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e60190. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060190. Epub 2013 Apr 5. PMID: 23577091; PMCID: PMC3618226.

  20. Wang L, Su W, Liu Z, Zhou M, Chen S, Chen Y, Lu D, Liu Y, Fan Y, Zheng Y, Han Z, Kong D, Wu JC, Xiang R, Li Z. (2012) CD44 antibody-targeted liposomal nanoparticles for molecular imaging and therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomaterials. 2012 Jul;33(20):5107-14. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.03.067. Epub 2012 Apr 10. PMID: 22494888.

  21. Shi Q, Hou Y, Hou J, Pan P, Liu Z, Jiang M, Gao J, Bai G. (2012) Glycyrrhetic acid synergistically enhances β₂-adrenergic receptor-Gs signaling by changing the location of Gαs in lipid rafts. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e44921. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044921. Epub 2012 Sep 27. PMID: 23028680; PMCID: PMC3459958.

  22. Pan PW, Zhang Q, Hou J, Liu Z, Bai F, Cao MR, Sun T, Bai G. (2012) Cell surface glycoprotein profiling of cancer cells based on bioorthogonal chemistry. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2012 Jun;403(6):1661-70. doi: 10.1007/s00216-012-5989-4. Epub 2012 Apr 18. PMID: 22526661.

  23. Lu D, Chen S, Tan X, Li N, Liu C, Li Z, Liu Z, Stupack DG, Reisfeld RA, Xiang R. (2012) Fra-1 promotes breast cancer chemosensitivity by driving cancer stem cells from dormancy. Cancer Res. 2012 Jul 15;72(14):3451-6. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-2536. Epub 2012 May 14. PMID: 22586064.

  24. Liao D*, Liu Z*, Wrasidlo WJ, Luo Y, Nguyen G, Chen T, Xiang R, Reisfeld RA. (2011) Targeted therapeutic remodeling of the tumor microenvironment improves an HER-2 DNA vaccine and prevents recurrence in a murine breast cancer model. Cancer Res. 2011 Sep 1;71(17):5688-96. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-1264. Epub 2011 Jul 22. PMID: 21784871.

  25. Liao D*, Liu Z*, Wrasidlo W, Chen T, Luo Y, Xiang R, Reisfeld RA. (2011) Synthetic enzyme inhibitor: a novel targeting ligand for nanotherapeutic drug delivery inhibiting tumor growth without systemic toxicity. Nanomedicine. 2011 Dec;7(6):665-73. doi: 10.1016/j.nano.2011.03.001. Epub 2011 Mar 17. PMID: 21419870.

  26. Yang Y, Shi Q, Liu Z, Li RJ, Pan PW, Hou YY, Lu WG, Bai G. (2010) The synergistic anti-asthmatic effects of glycyrrhizin and salbutamol. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2010 Apr;31(4):443-9. doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.207. Epub 2010 Mar 15. PMID: 20228825; PMCID: PMC4085675.

  27. Shi Q, Liu Z, Yang Y, Geng P, Zhu YY, Zhang Q, Bai F, Bai G. (2009) Identification of anti-asthmatic compounds in Pericarpium citri reticulatae and evaluation of their synergistic effects. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2009 May;30(5):567-75. doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.36. Epub 2009 Apr 13. PMID: 19363516; PMCID: PMC4002823.

  28. Bai G, Yang Y, Shi Q, Liu Z, Zhang Q, Zhu YY. (2008) Identification of higenamine in Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata as a beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist1. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2008 Oct;29(10):1187-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2008.00859.x. PMID: 18817623.