Yang Liu, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering Director, Biomedical Optical Imaging Laboratory (BOIL) University of Pittsburgh Email: Phone: (412) 623-3751 Fax: (412) 623-7828 Office: Hillman Cancer Center 2.32 5117 Centre Ave Pittsuburgh, PA

Education

B.S., Chemistry, Nankai University, China, 1999
M.S., Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2002
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering (Biomedical Optics), Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 2006

Prior Appointments

Research Interests

Dr. Liu's research is in the emerging interdisciplinary field of optical imaging and spectroscopy for biomedical applications, involving electrical engineering, physics, optics, medicine and biology. Her research focuses on developing novel optical imaging instrument and image processing tools for early detection of cancers. Her laboratory is in close collaborations with world-renowned clinicians (gastroenterologists, pathologists, surgeons, etc.) at University of Pittsbugh Medical Center to translate these novel optical technologies into clinical practice and patient care.

• Development of subcellular nano-structural markers for improved cancer diagnosis and personalized cancer risk assessment (breast, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic, etc).
• Development of spectral-encoding of spatial frequency approach for super-resolution imaging and nano-structural characterization of cells and tissue.
• Development of quantitative phase microscopy for cancer detection.
• Development of three-dimensional tomographic microscopy for cell and tissue imaging.
• Identification of biological origins of nano-structural characteristics in pre-cancerous cells.
• Development of minimally invasive endoscope-compatible fiber-optic probe for in-vivo diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases.
  

Selected Publications

• Uttam S, Bista RK, Staton K, Alexandrov S, Choi S, Bakkenist CJ, Hartman DJ, Brand RE, and Liu Y. Investigation of depth-resolved nanoscale structural changes in regulated cell proliferation and chromatin decondensation, Biomed Optics Express 2013; 4(4): 596-613. Link
• Uttam S, Alexandrov S, Bista RK, Liu Y. Tomographic imaging via spectral encoding of spatial frequency. Opt Express 2013; 21(6): 7488-7504. Link
• Alexandrov S, Uttam S, Bista RK, Liu Y. Spectral encoding of spatial frequency approach for characterization of nanoscale structures. Appl Phys Lett 2012; 101(4): 033702. Link PMC3411560
• Bista RK, Wang P, Bhargava R, Uttam S, Hartman DJ, Brand RE, Liu Y. Nuclear nano-morphology markers of histologically normal cells detect the "field effect" of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2012; 135(1): 115-124. Link
• Chen Y, Liang C-P, Liu Y, Fischer AH, Parwani AV, Pantanowitz L. Review of Advanced Imaging Techniques, Journal of Pathology Informatics, 2012; 3:22. Link
• Bista RK, Uttam S, Hartman DJ, Qiu W, Yu J, Zhang L, Brand RE and Liu Y. Investigation of nuclear nano-morphology marker as a biomarker for cancer risk assessment using a mouse model, J Biomed Opt, 2012; 17(6): 066014. Link PMC3382352
• Alexandrov S, Uttam S, Bista RK, Zhao C, Liu Y. Real-time quantitative visualization of 3D structural information, Opt Express, 2012; 20(8): 9203-9214. Link Selected in Virtual Journal of Biomedical Optics.
• Uttam S, Bista RK, Hartman DJ, Brand RE and Liu Y. Correction of stain variations in nuclear refractive index of clinical histology specimens, J Biomed Opt, 2011; 16(11): 116013. Link PMC3221715.
  Alexandrov S, Uttam S, Bista RK, Liu Y. Spectral contrast imaging microscopy, Opt Letters, 2011; 36(11): 3323-3325. Link Selected in Virtual Journal of Biomedical Optics.
  
• Bista RK, Uttam S, Wang P, Staton K, Choi S, Bakkenist CJ, Hartman DJ, Brand RE and Liu Y. Quantification of Nanoscale Nuclear Refractive Index Changes during the Cell Cycle, J Biomed Opt (Letters), 2011; 16(7): 070503. Link PMC3146546 Selected in Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research (July 15, 2011).
  
• Fang C, Brokl D, Brand RE, Liu Y. A depth-selective fiber-optic probe for characterization of superficial tissue with a constant physical depth. Biomed Opt Express, 2011; 2(4): 838-849. Link
• Bista, RK, Brentnall, TA, Bronner, MA, Langmead, CJ, Brand, RE, Liu Y. Using optical markers of non-dysplastic rectal epithelial cells to identify patients with ulcerative colitis (UC)-associated neoplasia. Inflamm Bowel Dis, 2011; 17(12): 2427-2435. Link PMC3139749
• Wang P, Bista R, Khalbuss WE, Qiu W, Staton K, Zhang L, Brentnall TA, Brand RE, Liu Y. Nanoscale nuclear architecture for cancer diagnosis beyond pathology via Spatial-domain Low-coherence Quantitative Phase Microscopy. J Biomed Opt, 2010; 15:066028. Link PMC3025597 Selected in Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research (January 1, 2011).
  
• Wang P, Bista RK, Qiu W, Khalbuss WE, Zhang L, Brand RE, Liu Y. An insight into statistical refractive index properties of cell internal structure via low-coherence statistical amplitude microscopy. Opt Express, 2010; 18(21): 21950-21958. Link
  
• Wang P, Bista R, Bhargava R, Brand RE, Liu Y. Spatial-domain low-coherence quantitative phase microscopy for cancer diagnosis, Opt Letters, 2010; 35 (17): 2840-2842. Link Selected in Virtual Journal of Biomedical Optics.
  
• Mahmoud BH, Ruvolo E, Hexsel CL, Liu Y, Owen MR, Kollias N, Lim HW, Hamzavi IH, Impact of long wavelength UVA and visible light on melanocompetent skin, J Invest Dermatol, 2010; 130: 2092-2097. Link
  
• Turzhitsky V, Liu Y, Hasabou N, Goldberg M, Roy HK, Backman V, Brand R. Investigating population risk factors of pancreatic cancer by evaluation of optical markers in the duodenal mucosa. Dis Markers, 2009; 25:313-321. PMC2730822
  Subramanian H, Pradhan P, Liu Y, Capoglu I, Rogers J, Roy H, Brand R, Backman V, Partial wave microscopic spectroscopy detects sub-wavelength refractive index fluctuations: an application to cancer diagnosis, Opt Letters. 2009; 34(4): 518-520. PMC2701738
• Subramanian H, Pradhan P, Liu Y, Capoglu I, Li X, Rogers J, Heiftez A, Kunte D, Roy HR, Taflove A, Backman V. Optical methodology for detecting histologically unapparent nanoscale consequences of genetic alterations in biological cells. Proc Nat Acad Sci, 2008; 105(51):20124-20129. Link
• Liu Y, Brand RE, Turzhitsky V, Kim YL, Roy HK, Hasabou N, Sturgis C, Shah D, Hall C, Backman V. Optical markers in duodenal mucosa predict the presence of pancreatic cancer, Clin Cancer Res. 2007;13(15 Pt 1):4392-9. Link (Featured article: Editoral) National Science Foundation Press Release
• Liu Y, Li X, Kim YL, Backman V. Elastic backscattering spectroscopic microscopy. Opt Letters. 2005;30(18):2445-7. Link
• Wali RK, Roy HK, Kim YL, Liu Y, Goldberg MJ, Turzhitsky V, and Backman V. Increased microvascular blood content is an early event in colon carcinogenesis. Gut, 2005;54(5):654-60. Link
• Roy HK, Liu Y, Wali RK, Kim YL, Kromin A, Goldberg MJ, Backman V. Four-dimensional elastic light-scattering fingerprints as preneoplastic markers in the rat model of colon carcinogenesis, Gastroenterology. 2004;126:1071-81. Link
• Liu Y, Kim YL, Li X, Backman V. Investigation of depth selectivity of polarization gating for tissue characterization. Opt Express. 2005; 13(2):526-33. Link
• Liu Y, Kim YL, Backman V. Development of a bioengineered tissue model and its application in the investigation of the depth selectivity of polarization gating. Appl Opt. 2005; 44(12): 2288-99. Link
  
• Allen J, Liu Y, Kim YL, Turzhitsky VM, Backman V, Ameer GA. Spectroscopic translation of cell-material interactions, Biomaterials. 2007;28:162-74. Link
• Roy HK, Kim YL, Liu Y, Wali RK, Goldberg MJ, Turzhitsky V, Horwitz J, Backman V. Risk-stratification of colon carcinogenesis through Enhanced Backscattering (EBS) spectroscopy analysis of the uninvolved colonic mucosa. Clin Cancer Res. 2006;12(3 Pt 1):961-8. Link
• Xia X, Liu Y, Backman V, Ameer G. Engineering sub-100 nm multi-layer nanoshells. Nanotechnol. 2006;17:5435-40. Link
• Kim YL, Liu Y, Turzhitsky VM, Wali RK, Roy HK, and Backman V. Depth-resolved low-coherent backscattering in tissue. Opt Letters 2005;30(7):741-3. Link
• Kim YL, Liu Y, Wali RK, Roy HK, Backman V. Low-coherent backscattering spectroscopy for tissue characterization. Appl Opt. 2005;44(3):366-77. Link
• Kim YL, Liu Y, Turzhitsky V, Roy HK, Wali RK and Backman V. Coherent backscattering spectroscopy. Opt Letters. 2004;29(16):1906-8. Link
• Kim YL, Liu Y, Wali RK, Roy HK, Goldberg MJ, Kromin A, Chen K and Backman V. Simultaneous measurement of angular and spectral properties of light scattering for characterization of tissue microarchitecture and its alteration in early precancer, IEEE J Sel Top Quantum Electron. 2003;9(2):243-56. Link

Other Publications

• Turzhitsky V, Gomes AJ, Kim YL, Liu Y, Kromine A, Rogers JD, Jameel M, Roy HK, Backman V. Measuring Mucosal Blood Supply in vivo with a Polarization Gating Probe. Appl Optics, 2008; 47: 6046-6057.
• Roy HK, Turzhitsky V, Kim YL, Goldberg MJ, Muldoon JP, Liu Y, Brand RE, Hasabou N, Jameel M, and Backman V. Spectral slope from the endoscopically-normal mucosa predicts concurrent colonic neoplasia: A pilot ex-vivo clinical study. Dis Colon Rectum, 2008; 51: 1381-1386.
• Roy HK, Wali RK, Kim YL, Liu Y, Hart J, Kunte DP, Koetsier JL, Goldberg MJ, Backman V. Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) Mediates the Early Increase of Blood Supply (EIBS) in a Pre-dysplastic Stage of Colon Carcinogenesis, FEBS Lett. 2007; 581(20): 3857-62.
• Figueiredo R, Backman V, Liu Y, Paladugula J. Architecture and performance of a grid-enabled lookup-based biomedical optimization application: Light scattering spectroscopy. IEEE Trans Inf Technol Biomed. 2007;11(2):170-8.
• Roy HK, Turzhitsky V, Kim YL, Goldberg MJ, Muldoon JP, Liu Y, Brand RE, Hasabou N, Jameel M, and Backman V. Spectral slope from the endoscopically-normal mucosa predicts concurrent colonic neoplasia: A pilot ex-vivo clinical study. Dis Colon Rectum, 2008; 0: 1-6.
• Kim YL, Turzhitsky V, Liu Y, Roy HK, Wali RK, Subramanian H, Pradhan P, and Backman V. Low-coherence enhanced backscattering (LEBS): Principles and applications for colon cancer screening. J Biomed Opt. 2006;11(4):041125.
  
• Roy HK, Kunte DP, Koetsier JL, Hart J, Kim YL, Liu Y, Bissonnette M, Goldberg MJ, Backman V, Wali RK. Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by polyethylene glycol: suppression of epithelial proliferation via modulation of SNAIL/B-catenin signaling. Mol Cancer Ther. 2006;5(8):2060-69.
  
• Gong J, Liu B, Kim YL, Liu Y, Li X, Backman V. Wavelength synthesis for optimizing the resolution of optical coherence tomography, Opt Express. 2006; 14(13):5909-15.
  
• Subramanian H, P. Prabhakar, Kim YL, Liu Y, Li X, and Backman V. Modeling low-coherence enhanced backscattering using Monte Carlo simulation. Appl Opt. 2006;45(24):6292-300.  
• Kim YL, Pradhan P, Subramanian H, Liu Y, Kim MH, Backman V. Origin of low-coherence enhanced backscattering. Opt Letters. 2006;31(10):1459-61.
• Chen K, Liu Y, Ameer G, Backman V. Optimal design of structured nanospheres for ultra-sharp light scattering resonances as molecular imaging multilabels. J Biomed Opt. 2005;10(2):024005.  
• Roy HK, Kim YL, Wali RK, Liu Y, Koetsier JL, Kunte DP, Goldberg MJ, and Backman V. Spectral markers in preneoplastic intestinal mucosa: An accurate predictor of tumor risk in the MIN mouse, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005;14(7):1639-45.  
• Roy HK, Iversen P, Hart J, Liu Y, Koetsier JL, Kim YL, Kunte DP, Madugula M, Backman V, Wali RK. Downregulation of SNAIL suppresses MIN mouse tumorigenesis: modulation of apoptosis, proliferation and fractal dimension. Mol Cancer Ther. 2004;3(9):1159-65.
  
• Zhu X-Q, Cao L, Liu Y, Yang Y, Lu J-Y, Wang J-S, Cheng J-P. Thermodynamics and Kinetics of the Hydride-Transfer Cycles for 1-Aryl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and Its 1,2-Dihydroisome.  Chem Eur J. 2003;9:3937-45.
  
• Zhu X-Q, Liu Y, Zhao B-J, Cheng J-P. An old but simple and efficient method to elucidate the oxidation mechanism of NAD(P)H model by cations 2-methyl-5-nitroisoquinolium, tropylium, and xanthylium in aqueous solution. J Org Chem. 2001;66(2):370-75.
  
• Zhu X-Q, Zou H, Yuan P, Liu Y, Cao L, Cheng J-P. A detailed investigation into the oxidation mechanism of Hantzsch by ethyl a-cyanocinnamates and benzylidenemalononitriles.  J Chem Soc Perkin Trans. 2. 2000;9:1857-61.