About
Jinpeng Liu, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, with adjunct affiliations to the Center for Computational Sciences, Markey Cancer Center, and the Molecular & Cellular Oncology Research Program. His lab integrates multi-omics and computational modeling to decode oncogenic signaling, epigenetic reprogramming and metabolic rewiring in lung, prostate, neuroblastoma and melanoma.
Education:
- Ph.D., University of Kentucky, 2021
- M.S., University of Kentucky, 2014
- M.S., Shanxi Medical College, 2009
- B.S., Beijing Institute of Technology, 2006
Research Focus:
Dr. Liu’s group combines single-cell transcriptomics, DNA-methylation profiling, metabolomics and machine learning to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in solid tumors. Major themes include:
- Neurotensin‐AMPK axis in obesity-driven gut and liver cancers
- Epigenetic regulation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte exhaustion in NSCLC
- Tyrosine-kinase mediated resistance in NRAS-mutant melanoma
- Stress-signaling and proteostasis nodes in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Recent Article Trends (2021-2025):
Across 68 publications, Liu’s work exhibits a clear trajectory from descriptive genomics to mechanistic cancer metabolism and immune-microenvironment modulation. Over half of his 2025 papers center on neurotensin as a multi-organ metabolic regulator, while 2023-24 outputs emphasize PLK1-driven immune evasion and combinatorial epigenetic-kinase inhibition strategies.
Funding & Awards:
He participates in 20 active grants (total 47 since 2013) from NCI, NHLBI, DoD, V-Foundation and AHA, serving as co-investigator on awards totaling >$12 M.
Collaborations:
Liu co-leads projects with 30+ faculty across Kentucky, Ohio and international sites, providing bioinformatics and metabolomics cores for lung fibrosis, cardio-oncology and pediatric neuroblastoma programs.
