Jun-Li Liu
Dr. Jun-Li Liu earned his BSc and MSc degrees in Biology and Physiology from Peking University, China. In 1989, he relocated to Canada to pursue doctoral studies in molecular endocrinology at 91丝瓜视频 under the mentorship of the late Dr. Yogesh C. Patel, receiving his PhD in Experimental Medicine in 1995. He subsequently completed a five-year postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK, Diabetes Branch) in Bethesda, MD, with Dr. Derek LeRoith. During this time, Dr. Liu pioneered the use of Cre/loxP technology to target the mouse Igf1 gene, leading to groundbreaking studies on liver-specific IGF-1 deficiency and its effects on somatic growth and glucose metabolism. In 2000, he returned to 91丝瓜视频 to establish his independent laboratory. His research program utilizes advanced knockout and transgenic mouse models to investigate the molecular regulation of pancreatic islet growth, beta-cell regeneration, and insulin production.
His current research focuses on exploring novel growth factors that can be used to expand or preserve the islet beta cells, which make the key hormone insulin, against onset of diabetes mellitus. His current focus is on a family of proteins normally produced in the pancreas, some of which have been shown to be effective in rodent models of the disease.
Dr. Liu has received several competitive awards, including:
2000-2005 Career Development Award, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, NYC
2008-2011 Chercheurs boursiers Fondamental, Senior, Fonds de la recherch茅 en sant茅 Quebec