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Karen Liu

Professor Karen Liu

Professor of Genetics and Development

Biography

Professor Liu has had an independent group at King’s College London since 2007. Throughout her career she has been a developmental biologist, initially focusing on neural crest cells and embryogenesis with a more recent interest in the re-use of developmental programmes in the repair and regeneration of adult structures.

Before coming to King’s, she was a Regenerative Medicine Fellow at Stanford University where she worked with Prof Michael Longaker and Prof Gerald Crabtree. Her PhD studies were in Prof Richard Harland’s lab at the University of California, Berkeley. Her initial introduction to biology was in Prof Argiris Efstratiadis’ lab at Columbia University where she was a technician for several years before going to graduate school.

Professor Liu's lab focuses on the development of the neural crest cell population. Undifferentiated neural crest cells undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transformations (EMT), migrate from the neural tube, and populate distant destinations. These cells display incredible plasticity, giving rise to diverse tissues ranging from bone and cartilage to adipocytes and neurons. Persistence of this multipotent population into adults may reflect the important contributions of the neural crest lineage to development, homeostasis and repair of vertebrate organs.

Their research makes use of multiple animal models, including frog, mouse, chick and humans. They also bring together biology and chemistry, designing new tools to study development and differentiation over time. Current projects include work on mammalian neural crest stem cells, migratory neural crest, contributions of the neural crest to head structures, and human craniofacial anomalies.

    Research

    Well-defined gels
    Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology

    Our research goes beyond the mouth. If we understand how the entire face and head forms, we can repair damage and regenerate cells. If we unravel the causes of diseases, we can treat patients successfully. If we solve these problems, our discoveries will improve health worldwide.

    From Dev Biology to Regen Medicine-hero
    From Developmental Biology to Regenerative Medicine

    Understanding organ development and tissue regeneration provides a framework for elucidating disease mechanisms as well as for developing new therapeutics.

    News

    Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences Staff Awards

    The Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences held their first ever Staff Awards on Thursday 18 April.

    Dentistry Awards winners banner

    Bringing London and Tokyo Closer

    King's Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences and Tokyo Medical and Dental University conjointly hosted an inaugural online exchange.

    kcl-tmdu-signing-agreement

    British Society of Paediatric Dentistry Research Prize

    PhD student Reham Al Haratani has won the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry Research Prize

    Professsor MT Hosey, PhD student Reham Al Haratani and Professor Karen Liu.

      Research

      Well-defined gels
      Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology

      Our research goes beyond the mouth. If we understand how the entire face and head forms, we can repair damage and regenerate cells. If we unravel the causes of diseases, we can treat patients successfully. If we solve these problems, our discoveries will improve health worldwide.

      From Dev Biology to Regen Medicine-hero
      From Developmental Biology to Regenerative Medicine

      Understanding organ development and tissue regeneration provides a framework for elucidating disease mechanisms as well as for developing new therapeutics.

      News

      Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences Staff Awards

      The Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences held their first ever Staff Awards on Thursday 18 April.

      Dentistry Awards winners banner

      Bringing London and Tokyo Closer

      King's Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences and Tokyo Medical and Dental University conjointly hosted an inaugural online exchange.

      kcl-tmdu-signing-agreement

      British Society of Paediatric Dentistry Research Prize

      PhD student Reham Al Haratani has won the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry Research Prize

      Professsor MT Hosey, PhD student Reham Al Haratani and Professor Karen Liu.