Wenshe Ray Liu

Wenshe Ray Liu, PhD is a distinguished academic and researcher at Texas A&M University, holding the titles of Presidential Impact Fellow and Gradipore Endowed Chair in Chemistry. He serves as a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biophysics, with dual appointments in both disciplines. His research spans epigenetic chromatin regulation and drug development targeting epigenetic proteins.

Education:

• B.S. in Chemistry, Peking University (2000)
• PhD in Chemistry, University of California, Davis (2005)
• Postdoctoral Researcher at The Scripps Research Institute (2005–2007)

Research Interests:

• Epigenetic regulation via histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs)
• Development of therapeutics targeting chromatin-modifying enzymes (SIRT1-3, HDACs, LSD1-2, ENL, BRD9)
• Chemical biology tools for chromatin assembly and analysis
• Phage display technologies for peptide library diversification

His lab operates two core units: a biological unit focusing on chromatin structure-function studies and a chemical unit developing novel inhibitors and drug candidates.

Grants & Awards:

• Presidential Impact Fellow (2018)
• ACS Chemical Biology Most Prolific Author (2017)
• NSF Career Award (2012)
• Molecular BioSystems Emerging Investigator (2010)

Lab & Collaborations:

• Leverages cryo-EM, proteomics, and synthetic chemistry for structural and functional studies
• Active in SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor discovery
• Develops genetic code expansion tools for site-specific protein modification