Yong-Yu Liu, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Pharmacology

Bienville 368

Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences

College of Pharmacy

University of Louisiana at Monroe

Monroe, LA 71209-0497

email: yliu@ulm.edu

ph: 318-342-1709

fax: 318-342-1737

---

Curriculum Vitae

Scientific Society Offices

Publications

Lab

Teaching

---

Research Interests

Tumor cell response to chemotherapy and gene regulation.

My research interests focus on the molecular mechanism of cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. Drug-resistance or poor response to chemotherapy is the reason for treatment faliure which occues in more than 60% of patients with advanced solid tumors. Cell response to anticancer agents relies on the functions of certain genes. For instance, glucosylceramide synthase, an enzyme catalyzing ceramide glycosylation, modulates cell apoptosis and drug transport and its overexpression can cause drug resistance. Applying state-of-the-art technologies and knock-in/knock-out strategies including microarray and siRNA gene silencing, we are identifying the denomic feature to find out the causes of why the tumor cells have poor response to chemotherapy.

Gene regulation is a key issue formodulation of gene expression and for drug discovery. Distinct from most of other groups, our program will concentrate on characterizing the role of glycophingolipids on expression regulation of resistant-associated genes. Glycosphingolipids as well as sphingolipids are important molecules, but their biochemical functions need to be defined. In tumor cells, these lipids modulate myriad cell processes including cell proliferation and apoptosis, in response to growth factors, hormone and anticancer drugs. We are tracking the regulation of resistance-genesis, aiming to discover a specific approach to revers drug-resistance.

The goal of our research interests is to discover and develop gene-based therapy that would overcome drug-resistance and improve the treatment of cancers, especially solid tumors.