Research
The research in the Liu lab focuses on the molecular basis of the self-assembly, organisation, biogenesis and dynamics of biological membranes and protein supramolecular assemblies.
Compartmentalisation and self-assembly of bacterial microcompartments
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are proteinaceous organelles widespread among bacterial phyla. They compartmentalize enzymes within a selectively permeable shell and play important roles in carbon fixation, pathogenesis, and microbial ecology. Their physiological significance, self-assembly and modularity features have attracted increasing interest in synthetic engineering to build new nanoreactors and scaffolding systems for metabolic enhancement. We aim to decipher the molecular principles underlying the self-assembly, encapsulation and functional regulation of BMCs and harness the advanced knowledge in bioengineering and reprogramming synthetic metabolic organelles in other organisms, such as E. coli and plants.
Supramolecular structure, assembly and biosynthesis of photosynthetic membranes
Using interdisciplinary cutting-edge biological and biophysical approaches, we investigate the molecular basis of protein structure, distribution and assembly, and the biogenesis and physiological regulation of bioenergetic membranes.
Microscopic imaging
Exploitation and development of microscopic imaging, including fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy, (cryo-)electron microscopy, to characterize cell and protein dynamics, protein structure and self-assembly, and nanomechanics.
Research grants
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Cluster
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
December 2023 - November 2027
An Aberration Corrected STEM with Integrated Science Driven AI to Quantify Dynamic Functionality in Advanced Energy Technologies and Biomaterials
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2021 - September 2023
Ultra-sensitive Proteomics Platform
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
August 2020 - August 2021
Unlocking the molecular stoichiometry of functional CO2-fixing organelles for synthetic engineering
ROYAL SOCIETY
October 2018 - March 2022
Biosynthesis, Regulation and Engineering of Bacterial Carbon Fixation Machinery
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2015 - January 2019
Physical mechanics of bacterial carbon fixation machinery
ROYAL SOCIETY (CHARITABLE)
March 2014 - February 2018
Isolation and characterisation of functional bioenergetic domains
BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY (UK)
September 2013 - February 2015
A multimodal imaging platform with real-time super-resolution for research across the life sciences
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
May 2018 - April 2019
A new generation of Crystallographic detector for Multi-user Barkla X-ray laboratory
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
July 2017 - July 2018
Liverpool BioAFM: an integrated optical and atomic force microscope for research across the life sciences
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2015 - January 2016
Liverpool GeneMill
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
September 2014 - September 2015
Surface modification to immobilise functional biological membranes and proteins
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION (PAKISTAN)
May 2014 - October 2014
Deciphering the physical basis underlying the self-assembly of bacterial organelles
ROYAL SOCIETY
December 2017 - October 2022
Organisation, dynamics and biogenesis of photosynthetic membrane
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
February 2018 - January 2022
Enhancing crop productivity by engineering CO2-fixing organelles
ROYAL SOCIETY
December 2016 - December 2017