Rate My Professor Haijun Liu

Liu's research centers on the structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules involved in solar energy capture and transformation, particularly membrane-bound protein complexes central to photosynthesis. His investigations employ mass spectrometry, chemical cross-linking, biochemical assays, and genetic engineering to elucidate protein interactions, conformational dynamics, and adaptive responses to environmental stressors such as varying light and temperature conditions. Key publications include "Phycobilisomes supply excitations to both photosystems in a megacomplex in cyanobacteria" (Science, 2013; 406 citations), "Precise insertion and guided editing of higher plant genomes using Cpf1 CRISPR nucleases" (Scientific Reports, 2017; 241 citations), "Intramolecular allostery in cyanobacterial phycobilisome as revealed by quantitative mass spectrometry" (Biochemistry, 2023), "Molecular asymmetry of a photosynthetic supercomplex from green sulfur bacteria" (Nature Communications, 2022), and "Structure of Cyanobacterial Phycobilisome Core Structure by Structural Modeling and Chemical Cross-linking" (Science Advances, 2021). With over 2,400 citations, his work significantly impacts photosynthetic biophysics, protein structural biology, and bioenergetics. Liu teaches General Chemistry, Biochemistry, Protein Chemistry, Biochemistry lab, and modules on current approaches in plant research using protein structural mass spectrometry.