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INFORMATION FOR

Shanshan Liu Lab

Our Focus

The Liu Lab in the Department of Cell Biology at Yale School of Medicine investigates how cells establish, sense, and regulate metabolite homeostasis within the secretory pathway. We seek to understand how this metabolic balance supports cellular function and how its disruption contributes to disease.

Our research focuses on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an organelle essential for protein folding, lipid synthesis, calcium storage, and secretion. We are particularly interested in how the ER coordinates protein homeostasis with metabolite homeostasis, including the regulation of redox balance and metabolite availability.

We combine rapid ER immunopurification (ER-IP), genetics, and metabolomics to study these questions. ER-IP enables isolation of the ER within 15 minutes for metabolomic and proteomic analyses, providing a platform to investigate the chemical environment of this organelle.

Through this work, we aim to uncover mechanisms that connect ER metabolism to the many functions of the secretory pathway. Explore our research, publications, and opportunities to join the lab, or contact us about potential collaborations.

Rapid ER-IP enables ER metabolomics

We developed a rapid ER immunopurification method that isolates ER within 15 minutes, enabling metabolomic and proteomic analysis of the ER. This method is a key platform for the lab's studies of ER metabolism. The electron microscopy images show immunopurified ER mini-stacks retained on magnetic beads after ER-IP.

  • Electron micrograph at 23,000x showing a large oval bead ringed by dense dark granular material, next to a pale elongated membrane loop, with scattered particle clusters on a light background. Scale bar: 200 nm.

Contact Us

For research, collaboration, and recruitment inquiries, please contact the lab by email.