Liu Lab - University of Houston
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Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling

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Liu Lab

Bin Liu, Ph.D.

Incoming Assistant Professor (9/1/2025)
Department of Biology and Biochemistry

Office: SERC, 3004
Contact: bliu39@central.uh.edu

Google Scholar Profile

Recruitment: We currently have two postdoc openings in our lab with preferred experience in synthetic (organic/polymer) chemistry or protein engineering. Prospective Ph.D. students need to apply directly to a graduate program. Students interested in our lab are encouraged to reach out to Bin for more information.

Our lab integrates expertise in chemistry, polymer science, bioconjugation, protein engineering, and immunology to develop precision macromolecular therapeutics. We are committed to advancing immunotherapy and targeted drug delivery through engineered antibody formats and synthetic polymers. Our approach focuses on the precise control of molecular structures across different scales—from small molecules to polymers and nanoparticles—enabling the design of next-generation antibody-based conjugates for therapeutic applications. By leveraging a multidisciplinary strategy, we incorporate insights from diverse scientific fields to develop innovative solutions for treating cancer and other diseases. Ultimately, our goal is to translate advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy into effective treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, and genetic disorders. The fundamental insights gained from our work will also contribute valuable knowledge across multiple areas of biomedical science.

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Research Focus Areas

  1. Innovative Macromolecular Conjugates
    • Designing advanced polymer synthesis and bio-macromolecule conjugation strategies, including the development of site-specific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
  2. Precision Antibody-Targeted Therapeutics
    • Engineering antibody-based therapeutics at multiple length scales, integrating diverse payloads (small molecules, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids) to enable precision therapies.
  3. Next-Generation Immunotherapy
    • Advancing immune-based therapies through combination immunotherapy, bi-specific antibodies, mRNA vaccines, and virotherapy to develop more effective and personalized treatments.

Bin Liu

Bin Liu, Ph.D.
Incoming Assistant Professor (9/1/2025)

Department of Biology and Biochemistry
University of Houston
Houston, Texas 77204-5001

Office: SERC, 3004, Room 3009
bliu39@central.uh.edu

We Are Recruiting!

Our lab at the University of Houston is looking for motivated individuals to join us. We have openings for Postdocs, PhD students, Undergraduates, and Research Assistants (Technicians), with positions available starting September 1, 2025.

Postdoctoral Positions (2 Openings)
We are seeking two postdoctoral researchers with expertise in synthetic chemistry (organic/polymer chemistry) and protein engineering. However, candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Interested candidates should email Bin directly with a CV, a brief research statement outlining experience and future interests, and contact information for three references.

Ph.D. Students
Graduate students should apply through the University of Houston Ph.D. program. Prospective students are encouraged to contact Bin for more information. Please include a CV and a brief research statement describing your experience (if applicable) and future interests.

Undergraduate Researchers
We welcome undergraduate students interested in gaining hands-on research experience. Please send Bin a CV and a short statement of research interest.

Research Assistant/Technician Positions
We also have openings for Research Assistants (Technicians), particularly those with experience in recombinant techniques. If you are interested, please reach out to Bin for more details.

For all inquiries, please contact Bin directly. We look forward to building a strong and dynamic research team!

  • Liu, B.; Nguyen, H.; Jiang, Y.; Wang, X.; Lensch, V.; Sun, Z.; Boyer, Z. H.; Raftopoulos, P. A.; Dai, Y.; MacNicol, P.; Wang, Y.; Jyotsana, N.; Wang, W.; Bhagchandani, S.; Hemdev, S.; Shieh, P.; Kristufek, S.; Downes, M.; Evans, R. M.; MacMillan, D. W. C.; Johnson, J. A. Antibody–Bottlebrush Conjugates Unlock Diverse Payloads for Targeted Cancer Therapy. DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-rpgkj. 
  • Sun, Z.#; Liu, B.#; Ma, M.; Alexander-Katz, A.; Ross, C. A.; Johnson, J. A. ROMP of Macromonomers Prepared by ROMP: Expanding Access to Complex, Functional Bottlebrush Polymers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 3855. (# equal contribution)
  • Liu, B.#; Gong, S.#; Qiu, J.; Ejaz, W.; Thayumanavan, S. Synergistic Effects of Polycationic and Polyfluorinated Functionalities for Efficient Intracellular Protein Delivery. Biomacromolecules 2025, in press. (# equal contribution)
  • Liu, B.; Rodriguez, J.; Kilgallon, L.; Wang, W.; Wang, Y.; Wang, X.; Dai, Y.; Nguyen, H.; Pentelute, B. L.; Johnson, J. A. An Organometallic Swap Strategy for Bottlebrush Polymer–Protein Conjugate Synthesis. Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 4238–4241.
  • Gong, S.#; Liu, B.#; Qiu, J.; Huang, F.; Thayumanavan, S. Antibody-Directing Antibody Conjugates (ADACs) Enabled by Orthogonal Click Chemistry for Targeted Intracellular Delivery. Small 2024, 20, 2402874. (# equal contribution)
  • Liu, B.; Singh, K.; Gong, S.; Canakci, M.; Osborne, B.; Thayumanavan, S. Protein–Antibody Conjugates (PACs) – A Plug‐and‐Play Strategy for Covalent Conjugation and Targeted Intracellular Delivery of Pristine Proteins. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 12813-12818. 
  • Liu, B.; Thayumanavan, S. Mechanism Investigation on Oxidative Degradation of ROS Responsive Thioacetal/-ketal Moieties and Their Implications. Cell Rep. Phys. Sci. 2020, 1, 100271. 
  • Liu, B.; Wu, R.; Gong, S.; Xiao, H.; Thayumanavan, S. In Situ Formation of Polymeric Nanoassemblies Using an Efficient Reversible Click Reaction. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 15135-15140.
  • Liu, B.; Ejaz, W.; Gong, S.; Kurbanov, M.; Canakci, M.; Anson, F.; Thayumanavan, S. Engineered Interactions with Mesoporous Silica Facilitate Intracellular Delivery of Proteins and Gene Editing. Nano Lett. 2020, 20, 4014-4021.
  • Liu, B.; Thayumanavan, S. Three-Component Sequential Reactions for Polymeric Nanoparticles with Tailorable Core and Surface Functionalities. Chem 2019, 5, 3166-3183.
  • Liu, B.; Ianosi-Irimie, M.; Thayumanavan, S. Reversible Click Chemistry for Ultrafast and Quantitative Formation of Protein-Polymer Nanoassembly and Intracellular Protein Delivery. ACS Nano 2019, 13, 9408-9420.
  • Liu, B.; Thayumanavan, S. Substituent Effects on the pH Sensitivity of Acetals and Ketals and Their Correlation with Encapsulation Stability in Polymeric Nanogels. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 2306-2317.
  • Liu, B.; Thayumanavan, S. Importance of Evaluating Dynamic Encapsulation Stability of Amphiphilic Assemblies in Serum. Biomacromolecules 2017, 18, 4163-4170.