LSI Seminar Series: Zhe J. Liu, Ph.D., HHMI Janelia Research Campus
Precise imaging tools for multiscale spatial biology
Understanding the intricate relationship between gene regulation and genome organization requires innovative imaging tools capable of capturing molecular dynamics and structures across multiple scales. Zhe Liu will present his lab’s efforts in developing and applying precision imaging technologies to investigate these fundamental processes, spanning from single molecules to whole tissues. Their toolkit includes single-molecule imaging in live cells, 3D super-resolution imaging of accessible chromatin and deep-tissue highly multiplex imaging of RNA and proteins. These technologies allow the group to explore gene and genome function across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, revealing new insights into how 3D genome topology regulates gene co-expression programs at the single-cell level. Liu will also outline future plans to enhance these tools and develop new approaches to investigate complex form-function relationships within tissues, aiming to provide a more comprehensive understanding of gene regulation in its native spatial context.
Speaker
Zhe Liu began his scientific training in biophysics and structural biology at Tsinghua University before pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. There, he investigated how core promoter transcription factors contribute to stem cell pluripotency and employed genome-wide techniques like RNA-seq and ChIP-seq to study transcriptional regulation and cell fate determination.
With a structural biology background and a desire to visualize molecular structures directly, Liu recognized the limitations of traditional cell population-based assays in capturing the 3D architecture and dynamics of molecular machinery in live cells. In 2012, he joined Janelia as a fellow, collaborating with tool builders to create techniques to visualize transcription factors at single molecule level in living cells. Since establishing his independent lab, Liu has focused on building precision imaging tools to explore form-function relationships between molecular dynamics, genome organization and gene regulation in cultured cells and large tissue samples, such as developing mouse embryos and the brain.