Fu-Tong Liu, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
| The Chair of the Department, Dr. Fu-Tong Liu is internationally known for being a pioneer and leading investigator in the studies of the galectin family members, which play key roles in many physiological and pathological processes. Under Dr. Liu's leadership the department has grown rapidly in size and prestige. His current research is focused on the role of galectins in allergic inflammation, innate immunity, cancer progression, and wound healing. His research group also studies molecular and cellular mechanisms of allergic skin inflammation. Dr. Liu is interested in all areas of medical dermatology and has a particular interest in eczema, mast cell-mediated diseases (including urticaria and mastocytosis), and immunobullous disease. |
Title: Professor and Chair of Dermatology
Undergraduate Education: National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, B.S. 1970
Graduate Education: University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois, Ph.D. 1976
Medical Education: University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, M.D. 1987
Residency: University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California 1990-93, Dermatology
Board Certifications:
American Board of Dermatology. 1993
Professional Memberships:
Association of American Physicians
American Academy of Dermatology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Immunologists
American Chemical Society
American Society for Clinical Investigation
American Society for Investigative Pathology
Society of Investigative Dermatology
Positions and Employment
| 1979-1982 | Assistant Member, Department of Cellular and Developmental Immunology, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California |
| 1982-1990 | Associate Member/Member, Department of Immunology, Med. Biology Institute, La Jolla, California |
| 1990-1996 | Associate Member/Head, Allergy Research Section, Dept. of Molecular & Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California |
| 1993-2001 | Member, Division of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California |
| 1996-2001 | Member and Head, Division of Allergy, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology |
| 2001-present | Professor and Chair, Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, California |
Honors
| 1979-1980 | National Research Service Award |
| 1982-1987 | Leukemia Society of America Scholar Award |
| 1985-1989 | NIH Allergy and Immunology Study Section |
| 1988-present | Member, American Society for Clinical Investigation |
| 1993-1997 | Associate Editor, Journal of Clinical Investigation |
| 1993-1997 | NIH Immunology and Transplantation Research Committee | 2004-present | Member, Association of American Physicians |
| 2004-present | Member, American Skin Association Medical/Scientific Advisory Committee |
| 2005 | Joan Oettinger Memorial Award (Cancer and Pulmonary Research), UC Davis |
| 2005-present | Selection Editor, Journal of Dermatologic Science |
| 2005-present | Editorial Board, Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology |
| 2006 | Lu Yau-Chin Memorial Lectureship, Taiwanese Dermatology Society |
| 2008-present | Reviewer Board, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology |
Selected Peer-reviewed Publications (from a total of 202 original research articles and 49 reviews)
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Sano, H., Hsu, D.K., Yu, L., Apgar, J.R. Kuwabara, I., Yamanaka, T., Hirashima, M., Liu, F.-T. Human galectin-3 is a novel chemoattractant for monocytes and macrophages. J Immunol 165:2156-2164, 2000. Hsu, D.K., Yang, R.-Y., Pan, Z., Yu, L., Salomon, D.R., Fung-Leung W.-P., and Liu, F.-T. Targeted disruption of the galectin-3 gene results in attenuated peritoneal inflammatory responses. Am J Pathol. 156:1073-1083, 2000. Zuberi, R.I., Apgar,J.R., Chen, S.-S. and Liu, F.-T. A role for IgE in airway secretions: IgE immune complexes are more potent inducers than antigen alone of airway inflammation in a murine model. J Immunol. 164:2667-2673, 2000. Yang, R.-Y., Hsu, D.K., Yu, L., Ni, J., and Liu, F.-T. Cell cycle regulation by galectin-12, a new member of the galectin superfamily. J Biol Chem 276:20252-20261, 2001. Kuwabara, I., Kuwabara, Y., Yang, R.-Y., Schuler, M., Green, D.R., Hsu, D.K., and Liu, F.-T. Galectin-7 (PIG1:p53-induced gene 1) exhibits pro-apoptotic function through JNK activation and mitochondrial cytochrome c release. J. Biol. Chem. 277:3487-3497, 2002. Liu, F.-T., Patterson, R.J., and Wang, J.L. Intracellular functions of galectins. Biochim Biophys Acta 1572:263-273, 2002. Mayr, S.I, Zuberi, R.I., Zhang, M., de Sousa-Hitzler, J., Ngo, K., Kuwabara, Y., Yu, L., Fung-Leung, W.-P., and Liu, F.-T. IgE-dependent mast cell activation potentiates airway responses in murine asthma models. J. Immunol. 169:2061-8, 2002. Sano, H., Hsu, D.K., Apgar,J.R., Yu, L., Sharma, B.B., Kuwabara, I., Izui, S., and Liu, F.-T. Critical role of galectin-3 in phagocytosis by macrophages. J. Clin. Invest. 112:389-97. 2003. Yang, R.Y., Hsu, D.K., Yu, L., Chen, H.-Y., and Liu, F.-T. Galectin-12 is Required for Adipogenic Signaling and Adipocyte Differentiation. J. Biol. Chem. 279:29761-6, 2004. Ueda, S., Kuwabara, I. and Liu, F.-T. Suppressive effect of galectin-7 on tumor growth. Cancer Research, 64:5672-6, 2004. Zuberi, R. Hsu, D.K., Kalayci, O., Chen, H.-Y., Sheldon, H.K., Yu, L., Apgar, J., Kawakami, T., Lilly, C.M., and Liu, F.-T. Critical role for galectin-3 in airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of asthma. Am J Path, 165:2045-53, 2004. Liu, F.-T. and Rabinovich, G.A. Galectins as novel modulators of tumor progression. Nature Reviews Cancer, 5:29-41, 2005. Bernardes, E.S., Silva, N.M., Mineo, J.R., Loyola, A.M., Hsu, D.K., Liu, F.-T., Chammas, R., and Roque-Barreira, M.C. Toxoplasma gondii infection reveals a dual role for galectin-3 on innate and adaptive immune response. Am J Pathol 168:1910-20, 2006. Chen, H.-Y., Sharma, B.B, Yu, L., Zuberi, R., Weng, I.-C., Kawakami, Y., Kawakami, T., Hsu, D.K., and Liu, F.-T. Role of galectin-3 in mast cell functions. Galectin-3-deficient mast cells exhibit impaired mediator release and defective JNK expression. J Immunol 177:4991-7, 2006. Rabinovich, G.A., Liu, F.-T., Hirashima, M., and Anderson, A. An emerging role for galectins in tuning the inflammatory response: Lessons from experimental models of autoimmunity and cancer. Scand J Immunol 66:143-58, 2007. Saegusa, J., Hsu, D.K., Liu, W., Kuwabara, I., Kuwabara, Y., Yu, L., and Liu, F.-T. Galectin-3 protects keratinocytes from UVB-induced apoptosis by enhancing AKT activation and suppressing ERK activation. J Invest Dermatol. 128:2403-11, 2008. Yang, R.-Y., Rabinovich, G.A., Liu, F.-T. Galectins: Structures, functions and therapeutic potential. Exp Rev Mol Med. 10:e17, 2008. Hsu, D.K., Chen, H.-Y., Yu, L., Chernyavsky, A.I., Grando, S.A., and Liu, F.-T. Endogenous galectin-3 is localized in membrane lipid rafts and regulates migration of dendritic cells. J Invest Dermatol, 129:573-83, 2009. Saegusa, J., Hsu, D.K., Chen, H.-Y., Yu, L., Fermin, A., Fung, M.A., and Liu, F.-T. Galectin-3 is critical for the development of the allergic inflammatory response in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. Am J Pathol 174:922-931, 2009. Hsu, D.K., Chen, H.-Y., and Liu, F.-T. Galectin-3 regulates T cells. Immunol Rev 230: 114-127, 2009. Chen, H-Y., Fermin, A., Vardhana, S., Weng, I-C., Lo, K.F.R., Chang, E-Y., Maverakis, E., Yang, R.Y., Hsu, D.K., Dustin, M., and Liu, F.-T. Galectin-3 negatively regulates TCR-mediated CD4+ T cell activation at the immunological synapse. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA in press, 2009. To schedule an appointment and to see if Dr. Fu-Tong Liu is accepting new patients please call: (916) 734-6111.
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