Department of Surgery
Zhao-Jun Liu, MD., PhD. Dr. Liu is Associate Professor at Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He obtained his PhD. from Osaka University, Japan. His research interests span both vascular biology and cancer biology. His interest in the field of vascular biology has focused on the role of Notch signaling in postnatal neovascularization and vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. Modulation of the Notch activity in endothelial cells could determine angiogenesis or alter vascular inflammatory response that is crucial to atherosclerosis. In addition, he is investigating the signals and mechanisms governing circulating stem/progenitor cells, such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), homing to target tissues via specific attachment of these cells on the endothelium in diseased tissues and subsequent extravasation, for the sake of developing cell-based therapy by targeted delivery of therapeutic cells for the therapeutic angiogenesis to treat critical limb ischemia and non-healing wound. In the field of cancer biology, his research is directed toward elucidation of how dysregulation of the Notch signaling pathway, both in the neoplastic cells and in the tumor stromal cells, leads to melanocytic transformation and melanoma progression. The major goal of his research in this part is to develop novel cancer therapy through targeting the Notch signaling pathway and its down-stream mediator(s), in cancer cells or in tumor microenvironment, for melanoma/cancer treatment. Dr. Liu’s researches are sponsored by federal grants from NIH and state of Florida biomedical research program funding. Dr. Liu has published 60+ research papers, review articles and book chapters.
Origin of neointimal cells in arteriovenous fistulae: bone marrow, artery, or the vein itself?
Seminars in dialysis Mar-Apr, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21517994
A novel autologous cell-based therapy to promote diabetic wound healing.
Annals of surgery Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22964729
Notch activation induces endothelial cell senescence and pro-inflammatory response: implication of Notch signaling in atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23078884
Oxygen: Implications for Wound Healing.
Advances in wound care Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 24527310
Epigenetic reprogramming of melanoma cells by vitamin C treatment.
Clinical epigenetics , 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25977731
Hepatoma-derived growth factor-related protein-3 is a novel angiogenic factor.
PloS one , 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25996149
Notch1 Pathway Activity Determines the Regulatory Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Melanoma Growth and Invasion.
PloS one , 2015 | Pubmed ID: 26562315
SDF-1α-induced dual pairs of E-selectin/ligand mediate endothelial progenitor cell homing to critical ischemia.
Scientific reports 10, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 27713493
Notch1-WISP-1 axis determines the regulatory role of mesenchymal stem cell-derived stromal fibroblasts in melanoma metastasis.
Oncotarget Nov, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 27813493
Ascorbate induces apoptosis in melanoma cells by suppressing Clusterin expression.
Scientific reports 06, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28623268
Vitamin C Sensitizes Melanoma to BET Inhibitors.
Cancer research 01, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29180474
A Reliable Mouse Model of Hind limb Gangrene.
Annals of vascular surgery Apr, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29197603
A Molecular and Clinical Review of Stem Cell Therapy in Critical Limb Ischemia.
Stem cells international , 2017 | Pubmed ID: 29358955
Intramuscular E-selectin/adeno-associated virus gene therapy promotes wound healing in an ischemic mouse model.
The Journal of surgical research 08, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29907232
The effect of estrogen on diabetic wound healing is mediated through increasing the function of various bone marrow-derived progenitor cells.
Journal of vascular surgery 12, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 30064832
Impeding the single-strand annealing pathway of DNA double-strand break repair by withaferin A-mediated FANCA degradation.
DNA repair 05, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 30844655
Diabetic foot ulcers: effects of hyperoxia and SDF-1α on endothelial progenitor cells.
Expert review of endocrinology & metabolism Jan, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 30934386
Intracellular Notch1 Signaling in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Dictates the Plasticity and Stemness of Melanoma Stem/Initiating Cells.
Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio) 07, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 30941836
Novel combinations to improve hematopoiesis in myelodysplastic syndrome.
Stem cell research & therapy 03, 2020 | Pubmed ID: 32197634
Notch1 signaling determines the plasticity and function of fibroblasts in diabetic wounds.
Life science alliance 12, 2020 | Pubmed ID: 33109684
Increasing the Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cell Therapies for Critical Limb Ischemia.
HSOA journal of stem cells research, development & therapy , 2020 | Pubmed ID: 35155811
E-Selectin-Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Confers Improved Reperfusion, Repair, and Regeneration in a Murine Critical Limb Ischemia Model.
Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine , 2021 | Pubmed ID: 35174227