Rate My Professor Junjun Liu

Junjun Liu is a Professor of Cell Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). He holds a B.S. in Molecular Biology and Virology from Wuhan University, China; a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from The University of Melbourne, Australia; and completed postdoctoral research in Cell Biology at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), USA. Since joining Cal Poly Pomona, Liu has focused his research on the molecular mechanisms that govern cell cycle regulation and cancer metastasis, particularly in breast cancer. His lab investigates epigenetic modifications such as ubiquitination and deubiquitination of histone H2A and their influence on breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Current projects examine how USP16 deubiquitinase activity affects chromosome alignment during mitosis, with collaboration from the City of Hope Cancer Research Institute. This research is supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a $420,000 grant awarded in 2019 for breast cancer studies.

Liu's key publications include 'A single amino acid change converts Aurora-A into Aurora-B-like kinase in terms of partner specificity and cellular function' (PNAS, 2009), 'Usp16 regulates kinetochore localization of Plk1 to promote proper chromosome alignment in mitosis' (J Cell Biol, 2015), 'Harmine inhibits breast cancer cell migration and invasion by inducing the degradation of Twist1' (PLOS ONE, 2021), and 'Xenopus cell-free extracts and their applications in cell biology study' (Biophysics Reports, 2023). He has received the College of Science Ralph W. Ames Distinguished Research Award in 2024 for distinguished productivity in research, the Department of Biological Sciences Faculty Research Award in 2020, and recognition as Outstanding Professor by Cal Poly Pomona student-athletes in 2024. Liu mentors undergraduate and graduate students in his lab, supporting their success in securing fellowships such as NSF LSAMP, Wu Biotechnology, and ARI. He teaches courses like BIO 5350 Advanced Cell Biology, BIO 4360 Recombinant DNA and Protein Technology, BIO 4430 Tissue Culture and Its Applications, BIO 4670 General Virology, and BIO 2200/L Foundations in Biotechnology.