Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience
Office: 1A-404, 4/F, Block 1, To Yuen Building
Phone: +852 3442-5842
Email: qiangliu@cityu.edu.hk
Web:CityU Scholars
Dr Liu graduated from Beijing Medical University (currently Peking University Health Science Center) with a B.M. degree (M.D. equivalent) in Basic Medical Science and University of Toronto with a M.Sc. in Program in Neuroscience with Dr. Xian-min Yu at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Qiang received his postdoctoral training with Dr. Zhao-wen Wang at the University of Connecticut Health Center and Dr. Erik Jorgensen at the University of Utah and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Before joining the faculty of City University of Hong Kong in 2021, Qiang worked as a Research Assistant Professor and Staff Scientist with Dr. Cori Bargmann in the Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior at the Rockefeller University.
Research Interests The integrated function of the human brain allows every individual human to have unique thoughts, perceptions, memories, and actions. These complex abilities arise from the interconnected neurons in the brain, which acquire information about the world, integrate it with ongoing knowledge and motivational states, and drive subsequent decisions and actions. One of the grand challenges of neuroscience research is to mechanistically understand how neurons accomplish these incredibly sophisticated functions or even one day simulate the brain functions on a computer. However, it turns out, that this is a daunting task that requires a comprehensive understanding of a brain at every level of complexity, from molecules to neurons, the circuits and systems they form, and the underlying computational principles.
To achieve the ultimate goal of understanding the human brain we must first be able to understand and model much simpler brains. Compared to the human brain with approximately 86 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses, the brain of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has exactly 302 neurons and only several thousands of synapses. At such a scale, scientists were able to map the physical wiring of the entire C. elegans nervous system – the connectome – in the attempt to reconstruct the worm brain. It soon became clear, however, that structure alone did not solve function. Without the knowledge of the biophysical properties of individual neurons and the activity patterns they produce, theorists were unable to generate a unifying model that explained how the brain of a simple worm works. Liu lab aims to address this problem by comprehensively characterizing biophysical properties of every C. elegans neuronal cell type and constructing highly constrained mathematical models for each individual neuron and the circuits they constitute. The long-term goal of the Liu lab is to biophysically map the entire C. elegans nervous system, reproduce neural activity patterns in single neuron and neural circuits, and eventually simulate how the worm brain generates behaviors.
Specifically, the work of Liu lab is focused on the following three fronts:
Systematically record from every neuron type in C. elegans using electrophysiology to establish a complete biophysical atlas of the worm brain.
Explore the functional significance of diverse biophysical properties in cellular and circuit physiology, neural computation, and animal behavior.
Construct conductance-based single-neuron models as well as anatomically and biophysically correct network models to simulate the C. elegans nervous system.
Position AvailableWe are seeking talented Ph.D students and Research Assistants to join our team. Interested candidates please contact qiangliu@cityu.edu.hk.
Selected PublicationsDobosiewicz M., Liu, Q., and Bargmann, C.I. (2019). Reliability of an interneuron response depends on an integrated sensory state. ELife 8, 50566.
López-Cruz A., Sordillo A., Pokala N., Liu, Q., McGrath P.T., and Bargmann C.I. (2019). Parallel multimodal circuits control an innate foraging behavior. Neuron 102(2), 107-419 e8.
Liu, Q., Kidd P.B., Dobosiewicz M., and Bargmann, C.I. (2018). C. elegans AWA olfactory neurons fire calcium-mediated all-or-none action potentials. Cell 175, 57-70 e17.
Larsch, J., Flavell, S.W., Liu, Q., Gordus, A., Albrecht, D.R., and Bargmann, C.I. (2015). A circuit for gradient climbing in C. elegans chemotaxis. Cell Rep 12(11), 1748-60.
Liu, Q., Frerck M.J., Holman H.A., Jorgensen, E.M., and Rabbitt R. (2014). Exciting cell membrane with a blustering heat shock. Biophys J 106(8) 1570-7.
Pokala, N., Liu, Q., Gordus, A., and Bargmann, C.I. (2014) Inducible and titratable silencing of C. elegans neurons in vivo with histamine-gated chloride channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 111(7):2770-5.
Ailion, M., Hannemann, M., Dalton, S., Pappas, A., Watanabe, S., Hegermann, J., Liu, Q., Han, H.F., Gu, M., Goulding, M.Q., Sasidharan, N., Schuske, K., Hullett, P., Eimer, S., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2014). Two Rab2 interactors regulate dense-core vesicle maturation. Neuron 82(1), 167-80.
Watanabe, S., Liu, Q., Davis M.W., Hollopeter, G., Thomas, N., Jorgensen, N.B., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2013). Ultrafast endocytosis at Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction. Elife 2, e00723.
Gu, M., Liu, Q., Watanabe, S., Sun, L., Hollopeter, G., Grant, B., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2013) AP2 hemicomplexes contribute independently to synaptic vesicle endocytosis. Elife 2, e00190.
Hobson, R.J.*, Liu, Q.* (Co-first authorship), Watanabe, S., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2011). Complexin maintains vesicles in the primed state in C. elegans. Curr biol 21, 106-113.
Liu, Q., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2011). Muscle memory (Commentary). J Physiol 589, 775-776
Comment on: Liu, P., Ge, Q., Chen, B., Salkoff, L., Kotlikoff, M.I., and Wang, Z.W. (2011). J Physiol 589, 101-117.
Liu, Q., Hollopeter, G., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2009). Graded synaptic transmission at the Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106, 10823-10828.
Gu, M., Schuske, K., Watanabe, S., Liu, Q., Baum, P., Garriga, G., and Jorgensen, E.M. (2008). Mu2 adaptin facilitates but is not essential for synaptic vesicle recycling in Caenorhabditis elegans.J Cell Biol 183, 881-892.
Chen, B.*, Liu, Q.* (Co-first authorship), Ge, Q.*, Xie, J., and Wang, Z.W. (2007). UNC-1 regulates gap junctions important to locomotion in C. elegans. Curr Biol 17, 1334-1339.
Commentary: Norman, K.R., and Maricq, A.V. (2007). Innexin function: minding the gap junction. Curr Biol 17, R812-814.
Liu, Q., Chen, B., Hall, D.H., and Wang, Z.W. (2007). A quantum of neurotransmitter causes minis in multiple postsynaptic cells at the Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction. Dev Neurobiol 67, 123-128.
Liu, Q.*, Chen, B.*, Ge, Q.*, and Wang, Z.W. (2007). Presynaptic Ca2+/calmodulin- dependent protein kinase II modulates neurotransmitter release by activating BK channels at Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction. J Neurosci 27, 10404-10413.
Liu, Q.*, Chen, B.*, Gaier, E., Joshi, J., and Wang, Z.W. (2006). Low conductance gap junctions mediate specific electrical coupling in body-wall muscle cells of Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 281, 7881-7889.
Mahoney, T.R., Liu, Q., Itoh, T., Luo, S., Hadwiger, G., Vincent, R., Wang, Z.W., Fukuda, M., and Nonet, M.L. (2006). Regulation of synaptic transmission by RAB-3 and RAB-27 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Biol Cell 17, 2617-2625.
Liu, Q., Chen, B., Yankova, M., Morest, D.K., Maryon, E., Hand, A.R., Nonet, M.L., and Wang, Z.W. (2005). Presynaptic ryanodine receptors are required for normal quantal size at the Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction. J Neurosci 25, 6745-6754.
Deken, S.L., Vincent, R., Hadwiger, G., Liu, Q., Wang, Z.W., and Nonet, M.L. (2005). Redundant localization mechanisms of RIM and ELKS in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Neurosci 25, 5975-5983.
Lei, G., Xue, S., Chery, N., Liu, Q., Xu, J., Kwan, C.L., Fu, Y.P., Lu, Y.M., Liu, M., Harder, K.W., et al. (2002). Gain control of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity by receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase alpha. EMBO J 21, 2977-2989
