Phone: 501-603-1087
Email: YLiu5@uams.edu
Education and Training
- Ph.D. – New York Medical College, Department of Pharmacology. 2013
- Postdoctoral training– University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Rusch laboratory. 2019
Research Interests
My primary research focus centers on the pathogenic mechanisms of metabolic syndromes, particularly the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This journey began during my graduate studies and continued through my postdoctoral training. My professional career in cardiovascular research started in 2009 at New York Medical College, where my primary focus was on understanding the effects of Eicosanoids on vasculature. Upon completing graduate studies, I joined Dr. Rusch’s laboratory at UAMS as a postdoctoral fellow, where I started my collaborations with colleagues in my department and experts in the immunology field.
In 2023, I was promoted to Assistant Professor in my department, which allowed me to initiate my independent project, targeting the potential role of immune cells in contributing to the pathogenic connection between diabetes and hypertension. Our research is grounded in extensive clinical observations that have revealed a high prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular mortality in diabetic patients. Significantly, the pivotal mechanisms linking the pathogenesis of these two complications remain elusive. Our group possesses multidisciplinary knowledge of diverse research, including physiology, endocrinology, immunology, and molecular biology, and employs many state-of-the-art experimental technologies, including radio-biotelemetry monitoring of blood pressure and blood glucose, multi-color flow cytometry, Seahorse assays, capillary western blots, and 3D- structured illumination microscopy (SIM), among others. Therefore, I strongly believe that our studies will not only advance our understanding of diabetes and hypertension but also yield innovative therapeutic strategies with the potential to enhance public health.
Recent Research Support
- Sturgis Foundation Grant, (PI) 1/1/2024 – 12/31/2024
“Diabetes promotes hypertension via metabolic reprogramming” - NIH R01 HL146713, (Major Contributor) 4/15/2024 – 3/30/2029,
“T cell homing to the kidney contributes to salt retention and blood pressure regulation”
Selected Publications
- Benson LN, Deck KS, Mora CJ, Guo Y, Rafferty TM, Li LX, Huang L, Andrews JT, Qin Z, Trott DW, Hoover RS, Liu Y*, Mu S*. P2X7-Mediated Antigen-Independent Activation of CD8+ T Cells Promotes Salt-Sensitive Hypertension. (*co-corresponding author) Hypertension. 2024; 81: 530–540. PMID: 38193292
- Benson LN, Guo Y, Deck KS, Mora CJ,Liu Y Mu S. The link between immunity and hypertension in the kidney and heart. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2023;10: 1129384. PMID: 36970367
- Benson LN*, Liu Y *, Wang X, Xiong Y, Rhee SW, Guo Y, Deck KS, Mora CJ, Li LX, Huang L, Andrews JT, Qin Z, Hoover RS, Ko B, Williams RM, Heller DA, Jaimes EA & Mu S. The IFNγ-PDL1 pathway enhances CD8T-DCT interaction to promote hypertension. (*co-first author) Circulation Research. 2022; 130(10): 1550-1564. PMID: 35430873
- Liu Y, Rafferty TM, Rhee SW, Webber JS, Song L, Ko B, Hoover RS, He B & Mu S. CD8+ T cells stimulate Na-Cl co-transporter NCC in distal convoluted tubules leading to salt-sensitive hypertension. Nature Communications. 8: 14037; 2017. PMID: 28067240