Yuxiang Liu

Dr. Liu received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Hainan Normal University in 2006. He subsequently earned his master’s degree in Ecology in 2009 through a joint program between Hainan Normal University and the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He completed his Ph.D. in the Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017. From 2017 to 2023, Dr. Liu was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he was later promoted to Instructor before relocating with his postdoc laboratory to UCLA. Dr. Liu’s research focuses on the genetic and circadian regulation of neocortical development. His long-term goal is to develop novel therapeutic and preventive strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He employs multidisciplinary approaches that integrate single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, bioinformatics, confocal imaging, immunostaining, in situ hybridization, and behavioral analyses in both transgenic mouse and human iPSC models. His research aims to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms that ensure the generation of the appropriate types and numbers of cells required for proper brain function.