Qun Liu

Qun Liu is a Structural Biologist at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Biology Department, where he joined as a Principal Investigator in 2015 with a joint appointment from NSLS-II. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor and faculty member in the Biochemistry and Structural Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology Programs at Stony Brook University.

• Ph.D. in biophysics from Cornell University
• Postdoctoral research at Cornell Synchrotron Light Source (CHESS)
• Former scientist at New York Structural Biology Center
• Worked with New York Consortium on Membrane Protein Structure

Dr. Liu's research spans structural biology of membrane proteins, investigating metal transporters, lipid metabolizing enzymes, and protein-quality control mechanisms. His host-pathogen interaction studies focus on molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity, particularly relevant to emerging pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. In cellular structural biology, he leverages NSLS-II synchrotron X-rays and LBMS cryo-EM facilities to study cellular responses to environmental stimuli. His technological research develops experimental and computational methods including correlative X-ray imaging, cryoFIB-SEM/cryoET, and advanced computational data analysis techniques.

Analysis of Dr. Liu's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating AI and deep learning with structural biology. His work increasingly combines AlphaFold with traditional methods like X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, while maintaining focus on metal transport mechanisms, host-pathogen interactions, and novel imaging techniques. The research demonstrates increasing sophistication in computational approaches to structural analysis while addressing fundamental biological questions.

• Brookhaven's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024
• Scientists Find a New Way to Help Plants Fight Diseases
• Zinc Transporter Has Built-in Self-regulating Sensor
• Structure of 'Oil-Eating' Enzyme Opens Door to Bioengineered Catalysts

As a Principal Investigator, Dr. Liu leads interdisciplinary research that bridges multiple Brookhaven facilities including NSLS-II, Laboratory for BioMolecular Structure (LBMS), Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), and Computation and Data Sciences (CDS). His work exemplifies the integration of experimental and computational approaches to solve complex biological problems at multiple scales.

Dr. Liu's laboratory focuses on integrative multiscale imaging approaches, developing technologies in correlative microscopy and computational data analysis. His team works at the intersection of biology, physics, and computational science to advance structural characterization capabilities, with particular emphasis on cellular and molecular structure-function relationships in health and disease contexts.