Description of Research Expertise

Description of Research:
The Liu (Feradical) laboratory investigates Amino Acid Innovation — how amino acid-centered enzymatic chemistry and protein-derived or embedded cofactors create new chemical reactivity and biological function. Working at the interface of chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, and chemical biology, we combine bioinformatics, genetic code expansion, mechanistic enzymology, advanced spectroscopy, and high-resolution protein structure determination to discover new enzymes and reveal how metalloproteins and protein cofactors control reactivity and regioselectivity in amino acid metabolism, natural product biosynthesis, biodegradation, and redox signaling. We focus especially on free-radical and redox-driven processes that enable chemistry beyond canonical amino acids, and we translate fundamental insights into tools and strategies for antibacterial and antiviral discovery, biocatalyst design, and new approaches to cancer immunotherapy by targeting metabolic and immune checkpoints. Our laboratory offers collaborative opportunities and provides an interdisciplinary training environment for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue frontier research projects with hands-on experience in cutting-edge methods that span from fundamental mechanisms to biomedical impact.