Aimin Liu

Aimin Liu is an Associate Professor of Biology at the Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, with an affiliation to the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian development and human birth defects, particularly the roles of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway and primary cilia in development and diseases.

Education: B.Sc. from Peking University (1989); Ph.D. in Biology from New York University Medical Center (2000). Postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (2001-2004) and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (2004-2005).

Research Interests:

• Molecular mechanisms of birth defects
• Cilia biogenesis regulation (e.g., C2cd3, Intu, Fuz)
• Cilia-Hh signaling interplay
• Gli protein regulation and degradation pathways

Recent Work Highlights: Publications from 2017-2024 explore cilia’s role in lung, kidney, and spinal cord development; Hh pathway activation mechanisms; and interventions for diseases like polycystic kidney disease. The lab employs CRISPR-based genome engineering and mouse models to study these processes.

Lab & Collaborations: Liu Lab focuses on translational research bridging basic biology and clinical challenges. Collaborations include studies on kidney repair mechanisms, microcephaly modeling, and cancer-related Hh signaling.