My research focuses on T cell antigen recognition and how it determines T cell responses. I use ultrasensitive two-dimensional (2D) methods to analyze T cell antigen recognition by measuring 2D kinetics of T cell receptor (TCR) and coreceptor (CD4/8) interacting with pMHC on live T cells at the single molecule/single cell level. I am currently working on a project looking at how diabetogenic CD8 T cells recognize beta-cell self-antigens and how 2D kinetics parameters correlate with type I diabetes. I am generally interested in the application of 2D methods to further our understanding of T cell antigen recognition in the broad context of viral infection, autoimmune diseases, and tumor immunology.
Research Statement
My research focuses on T cell antigen recognition and how it determines T cell responses. I use ultrasensitive two-dimensional (2D) methods to analyze T cell antigen recognition by measuring 2D kinetics of T cell receptor (TCR) and coreceptor (CD4/8) interacting with pMHC on live T cells at the single molecule/single cell level. I am currently working on a project looking at how diabetogenic CD8 T cells recognize beta-cell self-antigens and how 2D kinetics parameters correlate with type I diabetes. I am generally interested in the application of 2D methods to further our understanding of T cell antigen recognition in the broad context of viral infection, autoimmune diseases, and tumor immunology.
Education History
| Doctoral Training |
Washington University in St. Louis |
PhD |
|---|---|---|
|
Fudan University |
MS | |
| Undergraduate |
Fudan University |
BA |
Selected Publications
Journal Article
- Choi HK, Cong P, Ge C, Natarajan A, Liu B, Zhang Y, Li K, Rushdi MN, Chen W, Lou J, Krogsgaard M, Zhu C (2023). Catch bond models may explain how force amplifies TCR signaling and antigen discrimination. Nat Commun, 14(1), 2616. (Read full article)
- Bettini M, Scavuzzo MA, Liu B, Kolawole E, Guo L, Evavold BD, Borowiak M, Bettini ML (2019). A Critical Insulin TCR Contact Residue Selects High-Affinity and Pathogenic Insulin-Specific T Cells. Diabetes, 69(3), 392-400. (Read full article)
- Hong J, Ge C, Jothikumar P, Yuan Z, Liu B, Bai B, Li K, Rittase W, Shinzawa M, Zhang Y, Palin A, Love P, Yu X, Salaita K, Evavold B, Singer A, Zhu C (2018). A TCR mechanotransduction signaling loop induces negative selection in the thymus. Nat Immunol, 19(12), 1379–1390.
- Kolawole EM, Andargachew R, Liu B, Jacobs JR, Evavold BD (2018). 2D Kinetic Analysis of TCR and CD8 Coreceptor for LCMV GP33 Epitopes. Front Immunol, 9, 2348. (Read full article)
Review
- Liu B, Kolawole EM, Evavold BD (2021). Mechanobiology of T Cell Activation: To Catch a Bond. [Review]. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol, 37, 65-87. (Read full article)