Contact Info:

Jane M. Liu
Drew University
Chemistry Department
Hall of Sciences S212
36 Madison Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940

Phone: (973) 408-3303
Fax: (973) 408-3572
jliu3@drew.edu

 

Jane M. Liu, Assistant Professor

2009 - present Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Drew University

2006 - 2009 Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine

2006 Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Harvard University

2000 B.A, with High Honors, Biochemistry, Swarthmore College

Prof. Jane M. Liu's CV


Courses

 

Research Interests

The Liu Group is interested in studying RNA as genetic regulatory elements and applying RNA as a tool for studying chemistry and biology.

If you are interested in doing research at the interface of chemsitry and biology, please contact Prof. Liu.

Why RNA?
The central dogma of molecular biology describes a scheme in which DNA, containing heritable genetic information, directs the translation of proteins through RNA.  According to this framework, which serves as a cornerstone of many biochemistry and molecular biology courses, RNA is a transient species that serves as a mere messenger.  Thus, the study of RNA has historically been limited to its supporting role (as mRNA, tRNA, rRNA) when DNA is translated into protein.  Research advances in the past two decades, however, have uncovered catalytic RNAs, molecules that behave like protein enzymes, and small, regulatory RNAs that directly silence gene expression through a process called RNA interference (RNAi).  These discoveries indicate that DNA and proteins may actually represent evolutionary descendents of an "RNA world".  New roles for RNA are frequently being uncovered, many with implications in human health.  It is now evident that the study of RNA is applicable to many scientific fields including microbial pathogenesis, biochemical technology, cancer research, and evolutionary chemistry and biology.

Click here to find out more about the Liu Group's research interests.

 

Publications

  1. Wang, W.; Zhao, J.; Han, Q.; Wang, G.; Yang, G.; Shallop, A.J.; Liu, J.M.; Gaffney, B.L.; Jones, R.A."Modulation of RNA metal binding by flanking bases: 15N NMR evaluation of GC, tandem GU, and tandem GA sites," Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids 2009, 28, 424-434.
  2. Paley, R.S.; Berry, K.E.; Liu, J.M.; Sanan, T.T. "Diastereoselective Intramolecular Pinacol Couplings of Sulfinyl Iron(0) Diene Complexes," Journal of Organic Chemistry 2009, 74, 1611-1620. (abstract)
  3. Liu, J.M.; Livny, J.; Lawrence, M.S.; Kimball, M.D.; Waldor, M.K.; Camilli, A. "Experimental discovery of sRNAs in Vibrio cholerae by direct cloning, 5S/tRNA-depletion and parallel sequencing," Nucleic Acids Research 2009, 37, e46. (abstract)
  4. Liu, J.M. & Liu, D.R. "Discovery of a mRNA mitochondrial localization element in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by nonhomologous random recombination and in vivo selection," Nucleic Acids Research 2007, 35, 6750-6761. (abstract)
  5. Liu, J.M.; Bittker, J.A.; Lonshteyn, M.; Liu, D.R. "Functional dissection of sRNA translational regulators using nonhomologous random recombination and in vivo selection," Chemistry & Biology 2005, 12, 757-767. (abstract)
  6. Bittker, J.A.; Le, B.V.; Liu, J.M.; Liu, D.R. "Directed evolution of protein enzymes using nonhomologous random recombination," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 2004, 101, 7011-7016. (abstract)
  7. Paley, R.S.; Liu, J.M.; Lichtenstein, B.R.; Knoedler, V.L.; Sanan, T.T.; Adams, D.J.; Fernandez, J.; Rablen ,P.R "Simultaneous and stereoselective formation of planar and axial chiralities in enantiopure sulfinyl iron diene complexes," Organic Letters 2003, 5, 309-312. (abstract)

 

Last updated: October 28, 2009