Fudong Liu

Dr. Fudong Liu is a Professor and Director of Translational Stroke Research in the Department of Neurology at McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He leads the BRAINS Research Laboratory and joined UTHealth in 2015 after serving as Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Previously, he practiced neurology for seven years at Wannan Medical College Yijishan Hospital in China.

Education:

• Medical Degree: Bengbu Medical College, China
• MS in Neuroscience: Wannan Medical College, China
• Residency in Neurology: Yijishan Hospital, China

His research explores neuroinflammation and sex disparities in cerebrovascular diseases. Using advanced epigenomic and single-cell technologies, his lab deciphers how immune pathways (e.g., IRF4/5 signaling) and X-chromosome mechanisms influence stroke outcomes across the lifespan—from neonatal encephalopathy to aged brain ischemia. Recent work extends to COVID-19 neuroimmunology, revealing sex-specific immune responses and endothelial injury patterns.

Dr. Liu has authored 64+ publications, with recent studies demonstrating: 1) Dominant roles of X-chromosome escapee genes in stroke sensitivity, 2) Microglial IRF5-IRF4 regulatory axes as key inflammation modulators, and 3) Metabolomic/immune profiling of COVID-19 complications. His NIH/AHA-funded work bridges molecular discoveries with therapeutic strategies.

He mentors trainees and contributes to academia through NIH/AHA grant reviews, editorial duties, and international conference leadership. The BRAINS Laboratory focuses on translating mechanistic insights into clinical applications for stroke and neuroinflammatory disorders.