X. Sherry Liu

X. Sherry Liu is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Perelman School of Medicine and an Associate Professor of Bioengineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned a B.E. in Bioengineering and Instrumentation from Tsinghua University in 2002, an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering in 2004, an M.Phil. in Biomedical Engineering in 2005, and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering in 2007 from Columbia University. Following postdoctoral training in the Endocrinology Division at Columbia University Medical Center, she joined the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 as an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering, advancing to tenured Associate Professor in 2018. Dr. Liu directs the McKay MicroCT Imaging Core in Orthopaedic Surgery, the MicroCT Imaging Core at the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders, and co-directs the McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory. She affiliates with the Bioengineering Graduate Group.

Dr. Liu's research examines biological processes influencing bone material, microstructural, and biomechanical properties amid aging, disease, and therapies. She utilizes state-of-the-art in vivo imaging, image analysis, and mechanical modeling to investigate mechanisms of skeletal mechanical function at multiple length scales in animal models and clinical settings. Focal areas encompass bone remodeling imaged in vivo, anabolic effects of parathyroid hormone, and impacts of female reproduction on bone quality, translating bench findings to enhance diagnostics and therapies for osteoporosis and bone diseases. With over 70 peer-reviewed publications, she has obtained significant funding including NIH K01 (2015), R01 grants (2017, 2021), NSF CAREER (2017), and recent R56 (2024). Awards recognize her contributions: Orthopaedic Research Society New Investigator Recognition (2009), ASBMR Harold Frost Young Investigator (2009) and John Haddad Young Investigator (2012), Kappa Delta Young Investigator (2019), and Orthopaedic Research Society Adele L. Boskey Award (2025) for research and mentorship. Key publications: Lu J et al., "Bone marrow adipogenic lineage precursors are the major regulator of bone resorption in adult mice" (Bone Research, 2025); Wang W et al., "Distinct responses of modeling- and remodeling-based bone formation to the discontinuation of intermittent parathyroid hormone treatment in ovariectomized rats" (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2022); Tseng WJ et al., "Short cyclic regimen with parathyroid hormone (PTH) results in prolonged anabolic effect relative to continuous treatment followed by discontinuation in ovariectomized rats" (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2022).

Professional Email: xiaoweil@pennmedicine.upenn.edu