Efficient delivery remains a major barrier to the clinical translation of genetic medicines. The development of new biomaterials that can precisely deliver nucleic acids represents the critical challenge for gene therapeutics. Despite some progress, current genetic delivery systems encounter several limitations: 1) far more efficient genetic delivery systems are required for clinical use; 2) it is difficult to deliver genetic cargos into organs beyond the liver, lung, and spleen; 3) it remains formidably challenging to target specific cell types in vivo.

Our research leverages multidisciplinary knowledge in chemistry, materials, pharmacy, biology, and medicine to address these challenges:

Constructing nano-systems for the delivery of nucleic acids (especially mRNA) and genome editors

1. Liu, S*. et al. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2025.

2. Liu, S*. et al. Nature Communications, 2024, 15(1): 5659. 

3. Liu, S*. et al. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2024, 63(26): e202405444.

4. Liu, S. et al. Nature Materials, 2021, 20(5): 701-710.

5. Liu, S. et al. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021, 143(50): 21321-21330. 

6. Liu, S. et al. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2017, 139(14): 5102-5109.

Developing new biomaterials such as lipids and macromolecules for therapeutic applications

  1. Liu, S*. et al. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025, 64(17): e202500306.
  2. Liu, S*. et al. Advanced Materials, 2024, 36(43): 2306358.
  3. Liu, S. et al. Nature communications, 2019, 10(1): 3307.