Jing  Liu, Ph.D.

My research interest is to understand the neurobiology underlying stress-related psychiatric disorders with particular attention to the mechanisms of cognitive behavioral psychotherapies. Techniques used include virus-based optogenetics to manipulate activated neurons or synapses; electrophysiology to assess plasticity in ascending and descending corticolimbic circuits; immunohistochemistry; western blots; stereotaxic surgeries, confocal microscopy; as well as the animal models related to stress, cognitive flexibility, anxiety, depression et al.

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 2006 - PhD - Pharmacology - Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • 1997 - MS - Pharmacology - Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
  • 1994 - BS - Pharmaceutics - Shenyang Pharmaceutical University

  Training

  • 2011 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Pharmacology - UTHSCSA Department of Pharmacology

  Appointments

  • 2011 - Instructor (Research) - Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

• Publications

  • Pharmacological rescue in patient iPSC and mouse models with a rare DISC1 mutation
  • Leptin regulates exon-specific transcription of the Bdnf gene via epigenetic modifications mediated by an AKT/p300 HAT cascade
  • Leptin/LepRb in the Ventral Tegmental Area Mediates Anxiety-Related Behaviors

  Liu, J., Garza, JC., Li, W. and Lu, XY. (2013) Melanocortin-4 receptor in the medial amygdala regulates emotional stress-induced anxiety-like behavior, anorexia and corticosterone secretion.Int J Neuropsychopharmaco Feb;16(1):105-20

  Liu, J., Guo, M., Cheng, SY., Liu, M., Zhang, D., Ding, J., Scherer, P., Liu, F. and Lu, XY. (2012) Adiponectin is critical in determining susceptibility to depressive behaviors and has antidepressant-like activity.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA Jul 24;109(30):12248-53

  Liu, J., Perez, S., Zhang, W., Lodge, D. and Lu, XY. (2011) Selective deletion of the leptin receptor in dopamine neurons produces anxiogenic-like behavior and increases dopaminergic activity in amygdala. Mol Psychiatry Oct;16(10):1024-38

  Liu, J., Garza, JC., Bronner, J., Kim, CS., Zhang, W. and Lu, XY. (2010) Acute administration of leptin produces anxiolytic-like effects: A comparison with fluoxetine.Psychopharmacology Jan;207(4):535-4