PI, PhD

Email: daoyangzi@aliyun.com

Office Address: 13th Floor, Building D3, Kuanting Bay Valley Community, Chengtou, Yangpu District, Shanghai

Personal Profile

2000.09—2004.07  undergraduate degree  Nankai University

2004.09—2009.07  PhD student  Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences  Mentor: Professor Yuan Junying

2009.07—2011.12  research associate  Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences  Yuan Junying's research group

2012.01—2012.05  post-doctoral  MIT，Koch Institute, Robert S. Langer research group

2012.06—2016.01  post-doctoral  Department of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School  Umut Ozcan research group

2016.01—2025.01  Researcher at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine  Shanghai diabetes Research Institute, the Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University

2025.01—  Fudan University Researcher  Fudan University Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Physiology

Research Interests

For a long time, researcher Liu Junli has focused on exploring the regulatory mechanisms of energy metabolism such as lipolysis and thermogenesis in adipose tissue. The preliminary work revealed the molecular mechanism of alleviating leptin resistance to maintain energy metabolism balance (Cell, 2015, first author; Cell， 2016, one row in total; Nat Med， In 2016, there were two rows in total. Since returning to China in 2016 to establish a research group, Researcher Liu Junli has focused on studying new mechanisms for regulating fat energy metabolism that do not rely on the sympathetic nervous system, and has achieved a series of research results (Figure 1). 1. Revealed a new mechanism of autonomous sensing and regulation of energy metabolism in adipose tissue independent of the sympathetic nervous system: discovered a novel pathway for lipid browning and thermogenesis regulation in adipocytes, with pyruvate dehydrogenase subunit PDHE2 as a key node and independent of central nervous system regulation. This proves that the autonomous activation of adipose tissue thermogenesis by adipose tissue effectively alleviates metabolic diseases and is safe and harmless to the heart, opening up new directions for the development of safe weight loss drugs (Cell Metab, 2021a, final communication); Cell Metab， 2025, final communication; Metabolism， 2019, final communication). This achievement was awarded the Most Picked Award by Cell Press (Attachment 17), and Researcher Liu Junli was invited to publish a highlight review (Voices) in the Cell Metab journal, introducing the research result (Attachment 7). 2. Elucidated the novel pathophysiological mechanism of energy substance interaction between adipocytes and adjacent cells: revealed the mechanism of perirenal adipose tissue browning in renal cancer, and explored the pathological mechanism of perirenal beige adipose tissue promoting cancer progression through bidirectional communication with renal cancer cells; And discovered a new mechanism for alleviating renal fibrosis (Diabetes, 2024, Cell Metab, 2021b, final communication; Sci Transl Med， 2019, final communication); A new combination therapy for anti renal cancer was developed based on this and successfully obtained approval from the Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Center in 2023 (approval number: ChiCTR2300068631， Attachment 20), currently conducting Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials (IIT). This research achievement has been positively evaluated in three research highlights published by international authoritative journals Nat Rev Nephrol, Cancer Discov, and Cancer Res (see attachments 9-11). 3. A new mechanism for precise regulation of fat energy metabolism in subcellular space has been discovered: the nutmeg modified Eepd1 was found to recruit and activate PKA on the inner side of the cell membrane, regulating fat energy metabolism and liver fat metabolism through a novel molecular mechanism (Nat Commun, 2024, Unique Communication); Adv Sci， 2024, final communication; Cell Rep， 2022, final communication). Researcher Liu Junli was invited to publish two highlight reviews to promote the series.

Honors and Awards

2016  Thousand young people from the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

2017  National Natural Science Foundation of China Outstanding Youth

2022  Chinese-American Diabetes Association，Junior Investigator Award

2021  Winner of the Silver Snake Award in the Shanghai Health System

2021  Young Scientist Award, Metabolism Branch of the Biophysics Society

2020  Shanghai Education Foundation Dawn Scholar

2016  2016 Harvard Chinese Life Science Yongjin Research Award

Selected Publications

1. Wang N#, Lu SJ#, Cao ZY#, Li HM, Xu JT, Zhou Q, Yin HR, Qian QQ, Zhang XJ, Tao MJ, Jiang QX, Zhou PH, Zheng LY, Han L, Li HT, Yin LM, Gu YQ, Dou XF, Sun HP, Wang W, Piao HL, Li FM, Xu YJ, Yang WW*, Chen SZ*, Liu JL*. Pyruvate Metabolism Enzyme DLAT Promotes Tumorigenesis by Suppressing Leucine Catabolism. Cell Metabolism,2025, 37:1-19.

2. Wei G#, Sun HL#, Dong K#, Hu LB#, Wang Q#, Zhuang Q#, Zhu Y#, Zhang XJ, Shao YD, Tang HR, Li ZF, Chen SZ, Lu JX, Wang YB, Gan XX, Zhong TP, Gui DK, Hu XY, Wang LH*, Liu JL*. The thermogenic activity of adjacent adipocytes fuels the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma and compromises anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy. Cell Metabolism, 2021, October 5. 33 (10),2021-2039.

3. Chen SZ#, Liu XX#, Peng C#, Tan C#, Sun HL#, Liu H, Zhang Y, Wu P, Cui C, Liu CC, Yang D, Li ZQ, Lu JX, Guan J, Ke XS, Wang RX, Bo XH, Xu XJ*, Han JX*, Liu JL*. The Phytochemical Hyperforin Triggers Thermogenesis in Adipose Tissue via a Dlat-AMPK Signaling Axis to Curb Obesity. Cell Metabolism, 2021, Mar. 33(3):565-580.

4. Gao P#, Li LL#, Yang L, Gui DK, Zhang JR, Han JF, Wang JJ, Wang NS, Lu JX, Chen SZ, Hou LP, Sun HL, Xie LP, Zhou J, Peng C, Lu Y, Peng XM, Wang CC, Miao J, Ozcan U, Huang Y, Jia WP*, Liu JL*. Yin Yang 1 protein ameliorates diabetic nephropathy pathology through transcriptional repression of TGFβ1. Science Translational Medicine, 2019 Sep 18.11(510), DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw2050; PMID: 31534017.

5. Chen SZ#, Wang YP#, Zhou Q#, Jiang QX, Qian QQ, Liu CC, Zhou PH, Xiong J, Zhang Y, Wang N, Yin LM, Liu JL*, Myristoylated Eepd1 Enhances Lipolysis and Thermogenesis through PKA Activation to Combat Obesity. Nature Communications, 2025 Jan;16(1):651. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56026-2.

6. Xiong J#, Xu Y, Wang N, Wang SM, Zhang Y, Lu SJ, Zhang XM, Liang XX, Liu CC, Jiang QX, Xu JT, Qian QQ, Zhou PH, Yin LM, Liu F, Chen SZ*, Yin SK*, Liu JL*, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Exacerbates NASH Progression via Selective Autophagy-Mediated Eepd1 Degradation, Advanced Science. 2024, 11(35):e2405955, DOI：10.1002/advs.202405955.

7. Xie LP#, Yuan YM#, Xu SM#, Lu SJ#, Gu JY, Wang YP, Wang YB, Zhang XJ, Chen SZ, Li J, Lu JX, Sun HL, Hu RX, Piao HL, Wang W, Wang CC, Wang J, Li N, White MF, Han L, Jia WP*, Miao J*, Liu JL*. Downregulation of hepatic Ceruloplasmin ameliorates NAFLD via SCO1-AMPK-LKB1 complex, Cell Reports, 2022, Oct. 41: 111498.

8. Sun HL#, Wei G#, Lu JX, Miao J*, Liu JL*, Chen SZ*. Inhibition of XBP1s ubiquitination enhances its protein stability and improvesglucose homeostasis, Metabolism. Clin. Exp.，DOI:10.1016/j.metabol.2019.154046; PMID：31837300.

9. Zhang Y#，Jiang QX Fan XM, Liu JL*, Chen SZ* Coagulation factor FVII fine-tunes hepatic steatosis by blocking AKT-CD36-mediated fatty acid uptake , Diabetes, 2024, 73(5)：1-20.

10. YuanYM#, Junting Xu, Jiang QX, Yang CX, Wang N, Liu XL, Piao HL, Lu SJ, Zhang XJ, Han L, Liu ZY, Cai JB*, Liu F*, Chen SZ*, Liu JL*, Ficolin 3 promotes ferroptosis in HCC by downregulating IR/SREBP axis-mediated MUFA synthesis. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research. 2024, 43(1):133. DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03047-2.9.

11. Zheng ZG#, Zhang X, Liu XX, X, Jin XX, Dai LZ, Cheng HM, Liu JL*, Li HJ*, Li P*, Xu XJ*. Inhibition of HSP90β Improves Lipid Homeostasis Disorder by Promoting Mature SREBPs Ubiquitin-proteasome Degradation. Theranostics，2019;9(20); DOI:10.7150/thno.36505.  

12. Zhang Y#, Wang YB*, Liu JL*, Friend or foe for obesity: how hepatokines remodel adipose tissues and translational perspective, Genes & Diseases, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2021.12.011.

13. Lu SJ#, Wang YB, Liu JL*, TNF-α signaling in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and targeted therapies, Journal of Genetics and Genomics, 2021, (49): 269-278。 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgg.2021.09.009.

14. Wang YP#, Xiong J#, Yuan YM, Peng C, Wu P, Wang YB, Lu JX, Yin Y, Xu JT, Chen SZ*, Liu JL*, Suppression of RIP1 activity via S415 dephosphorylation ameliorates obesity-related hepatic insulin resistance, Obesity, 2022 Mar;30(3):680-693.  doi: 10.1002/oby.23361. Epub 2022 Feb 13.

15. Liu CC#, Zhang Y#, Wang N, Xu JT, Liang XX, Xiong J, Lu SJ, Zhou PH, Wang YB*, Liu JL*, Chen SZ*, Betaine–homocysteine methyltransferase promotes adipocyte commitment and insulin resistance via p38 MAPK/Smad signaling, Obesity, 2022， Accepted.

16. Wei G#, Sun HL, Liu JL, Dong K, Liu JL*, Zhang M*. Indirubin, a small molecular deriving from connectivity map (CMAP) screening, ameliorates obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction by enhancing brown adipose thermogenesis and white adipose browning, 2020, Nutrition & Metabolism, 17:21 DOI：10.1186/s12986-020-00440-4.

17. Lu SJ#, Chen SZ*, Miao J*, Liu JL*. Comments on ‘Downregulation of hepatic Ceruloplasmin ameliorates NAFLD via SCO1-AMPK-LKB1 complex, Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, 2023 Aug 3;15(4):mjad026.  doi: 10.1093/jmcb/mjad026.

18. Shao YD#, Yao Z#, Zhou JY, Yu M, Chen SZ, Yuan YM, Han L*, Jiang LQ*, Liu JL*. A novel small compound TOIDC suppresses lipogenesis via SREBP1-dependent signaling to curb MAFLD, Nutrition & Metabolism, 2022 Dec 6;19(1):80.  doi: 10.1186/s12986-022-00713-0.

19. Jiang QX#, Wang N, Lu SJ, Xiong J, Yuan MM*, Liu JL*, Chen SZ*. Targeting hepatic ceruloplasmin mitigates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by modulating bile acid metabolism, Journal of Molecular Cell Biology. accepted.

20. Liu JL#, Lee L#, Hernandez MAS, Mazitschek R*, Ozcan U*. Treatment of Obesity with Celastrol. Cell, 2015, 161: 999-1011.（co-first auther）PMID: 26000480

21. Liu JL#, Ibi D, Taniguchi K, Lee J, Herrema H, Akosman B, Mucka P, Hernandez MAS, Park SW, Karin M*, Ozcan U*. Inflammation Improves Glucose Homeostasis Through IKKβ-XBP1s Interaction 2016, Cell, 2016 Nov 3;167(4):1052-1066.e18; DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.10.015; PMID: 27814504

22. Liu JL#, Xia HG, Kim MS, Xu LH, Li Y, Zhang LH, Cai Y, Norberg HV, Zhang T, Furuya T, Jin MZ, Zhu ZM, Wang HC, Yu J, Li YX, Hao Y, Choi A, Ke HM, Ma DW*, Yuan JY*. Beclin1 controls the levels of p53 by regulating the deubiquitination activity of USP10 and USP13. Cell, 2011, 147: 223-234. PMID: 21962518

23. Jaemin L#, Liu JL#, Feng XD, Hernández MAS, Mucka P, Ibi D, Choi JW*, Ozcan U*. Withaferin A is a leptin sensitizer with strong antidiabetic properties in mice，Nature Medicine，2016 Sep;22(9):1023-32; doi:10.1038/nm.4145; PMID: 27479085

24. Zhou PH, Wang N, Lu SJ, Xiong J, Zhang Y, Jiang QX, Qian QQ, Zhou Q, Liu JL*，CHEN SZ*,Dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase activation alleviates diabetic kidney disease via AMPK-autophagy axis and mitochondrial protection. Translational Research. 2024, 274:81-100. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2024.09.005.

25. Lu SJ, Jiang QX, Zhou PH, Yin LM, Wang N, Xu JT, Qian QQ, Tao MJ, Yin HR, Han L, Gu YQ, Gao F, Liu JL*, Chen SZ*, Targeting Dlat-Trpv3 pathway by hyperforin elicits non-canonical promotion of adipose thermogenesis as an effective anti-obesity strategy ,J Adv Res， 2024，S2090-1232(24)00555-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.11.035.