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Da Zhi Liu, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor Med Neuroscience Building |
Research Interests
Dr. Liu’s research leverages cancer elements, such as oncogenes/kinases (e.g. Src, Rock) and tumor suppressors (e.g. miR-122, miR-125b), to develop small molecule and microRNA drugs for treatment of traumatic brain injury, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, and other neurological disorders. Liu and colleagues developed a novel concept of “aberrant cell cycle diseases” that reveals cancers and neurological diseases share a common mechanism of aberrant cell cycle re-entry. For example, aberrant cell cycle re-entry (oncogene over-activation, tumor suppressor over-inactivation) involves both unlimited tumor growth and neuronal death. This concept builds the theoretical framework for Liu’s current research to study cancer elements in neurological diseases, and also paves the way to explore neural regulation in cancers.
Education
University of California at Davis, Post-doc, Neuroscience, 2006-2010
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, PhD, Neuro-Pharmacology, 2002-2005
Professional Memberships
Society for Neuroscience
National Neurotrauma Society
American Heart Association
Society for Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism
Curriculum Development and Teaching
Aberrant Cell Cycle Disease (UC Davis Course #: 44276)
Service
Admission Committee (UC Davis SOM)
Research Activities and Funding
MicroRNA Therapeutics for Traumatic Brain Injury (R01NS114061) 2/15/2020- 1/31/2025
Role of the Src in Traumatic Brain Injury (R01NS089901) 5/15/2015- 2/28/2020
Publications
Lv B, Cheng XY, Sharp FR, Ander BP, Liu DZ. Broad therapeutic window of miR-122 mimic to improve stroke outcome through indirect inhibition of NOS2. Front. Neurosci. 2018;12:767. PMID: 30405345
Liu DZ. Repurposing cancer drugs to treat neurological diseases – Src inhibitors as examples. Neural Regen Res. 2017 Jun;12(6):910-911. PMID: 28761420 Perspective
Liu DZ, Jickling GC, Ander BP, Hull H, Zhan X, Cox C, Shroff N, Dykstra-Aiello C, Stamova B, Sharp FR. Elevating microRNA-122 in blood improves outcomes after temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2016;36(8):1374-83. PMID: 26661204
Liu DZ. Aberrant cell cycle re-entry: Links between Cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. JSM Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia. 2014; 1(2):1006. Editorial
Jickling GC, Ander BP, Zhan X, Noblett D, Stamova B, Liu D. microRNA Expression in Peripheral Blood Cells following Acute Ischemic Stroke and Their Predicted GeneTargets. PLos One. 2014;9(6):e99283. PMID: 24911610
Liu DZ, Sharp FR, Van KC, Ander BP, Ghiasvand R, Stamova B, Zhan X, Jickling GC, Lyeth BG. Inhibition of Src Family Kinases Protects Hippocampal Neurons and Improves Cognitive Function after Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma. 2014 Jul 15;31(14):1268-76. PMID: 24428562
Liu DZ. Mutations in Tumor Suppressor Genes: Links between Cancers and Autism Spectrum Disorders? Journal of Cytology & Histology. 2013; 5:e109. Editorial
Liu DZ, Ander BP, Cell Cycle Inhibition without Disruption of Neurogenesis is a Strategy for Treatment of Aberrant Cell Cycle Diseases: an Update. ScientificWorldJournal. 2012; 2012:491737. PMID: 22547985. Review
Liu DZ, Tian Y, Ander BP, Xu H, Stamova B, Zhan X, Turner RJ, Jickling G, Sharp FR. Brain and blood microRNA expression profiling of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and kainate seizures. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2010 Jan;30(1):92-101. PMID: 19724284
Liu DZ, Ander BP, Xu H, Shen Y, Kaur P, Deng W, Sharp FR. Blood brain barrier breakdown and repair after thrombin-induced brain injury. Ann Neurol. 2010;67(4):526-33. PMID: 20437588
Liu DZ, Cheng XY, Ander BP, Xu H, Davis RR, Gregg JP, Sharp FR. Src kinase inhibition decreases thrombin-induced injury and cell cycle re-entry in striatal neurons. Neurobiol. Dis. 2008 May;30(2):201-11. PMID: 18343677.
