以结构生物学及生物成像方法研究细胞信号转导的分子机制。目前聚焦与精神类疾病、代谢类疾病和肿瘤与免疫类疾病相关G蛋白偶联受体的结构与功能研究及相关靶点的药物设计。

2025年：揭示人类甜味受体TAS1R2-TAS1R3的结构与功能机制，研究成果发表于《Nature》；

2024年：揭示苦味受体TAS2R14独特的配体识别机制，研究成果发表于《Nature》；

2022年：首次破解人源苦味受体的结构与功能机制，研究成果发表于《Science》；

2020年：人源大麻素受体 CB2及CB2分别与激动剂及下游信号G蛋白复合物的冷冻电镜结构与功能研究成果于《Cell》；

2020年：与癌症治疗相关的人源趋化因子受体CXCR2与白介素IL8及G蛋白复合物研究成果发表于《Nature》;

2019年：人源大麻素受体 CB2与拮抗剂复合物的结构与功能研究发表于《Cell》；

2018年：为探索 GPCR 药物的多重药理学特性，解析了五羟色胺 2C 受体分别与激动剂及拮抗剂复合物的晶体结构 。揭示了两种配体获得多重药理学特性及选择性的结构基础。成果发表于 《Cell》；

2017年：人源大麻素受体 CB1分别与激动剂AM841及AM1542复合物的结构与功能研究发表于《Nature》。与Stevens课题组合作解析了与糖尿病相关的胰高血糖素样肽受体GLP1R 的晶体结构并发表于《Nature》；

2016年：人源大麻素受体 CB1与拮抗剂AM6538复合物的结构与功能研究发表在《Cell》上，入选《Cell》十佳论文和上海市十大科技事件.

研究生获奖情况：

2025年：史宗俊、岳晓磊获博士研究生国家奖学金

2024年：敖炜祯获博士研究生国家奖学金

2022年：周雅丽获上海市优秀毕业生

2021年：张进一获研究生国家奖学金、沈灵获上海市超博计划支持

2020年：刘凯雯获中科院优秀博士学位论文奖，教育部博新计划及上海市超博计划支持

2019年：李潇婷获教育部博新计划及上海市超博计划支持

2019年：华甜和彭瑶入选福布斯中国30位30岁以下精英榜

2017年：华甜获中科院院长特别奖，中科院优秀博士学位论文奖，三次获研究生国家奖学金

1.     Shi, Zongjun*; Xu, Weixiu*; Wu, Lijie*; Yue, Xiaolei*; Liu, Shenhui; Ding, Wei; Zhang, Jinyi; Meng, Bing; Zhao, Lianghao; Liu, Xiaoyan; Liu, Junlin; Liu, Zhi-Jie; Hua, Tian. Structural and functional characterization of human sweet taste receptor. NATURE. 01 Jun 2025. 645(8081):801-808.

2.     Yue, Xiaolei*; Peng, Li; Liu, Shenhui; Zhang, Bingjie; Zhang, Xiaodan; Chang, Hao; Pei, Yuan; Li, Xiaoting*; Liu, Junlin; Shui, Wenqing; Wu, Lijie; Xu, Huji; Liu, Zhijie; Hua, Tian*. Structural basis of stepwise proton sensing-mediated GPCR activation. CELL RESEARCH. 11 Apr 2025. 35(6):423-436.

3.     Hou, Junyi*; Liu, Shenhui; Zhang, Xiaodan; Tu, Guowei; Wu, Lijie; Zhang, Yijie; Yang, Hao; Li, Xiangcheng; Liu, Junlin; Jiang, Longquan; Tan, Qiwen; Bai, Fang; Liu, Zhijie; Miao, Changhong; Hua, Tian; Luo, Zhe. Structural basis of antagonist selectivity in endothelin receptors. CELL DISCOVERY. 30 Jul 2024. 10(1).

4.     Liu, Shenhui*; Liu, Zhi-Jie.The integration of artificial intelligence and protein science: the protein structure prediction and protein design revolution behind the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.CHINESE SCIENCE BULLETIN. 25 Mar 2025. 70(10):1421-1427.

5.     Fu Y(付优)*; Guo CJ(郭陈君); Liu ZJ(刘志杰); Liu JL(刘冀珑).Architecture of CTPS filament networks revealed by cryo-electron tomography. EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH. 01 Oct 2024. 442(2).

6.     Xiaolong Hu*#; Weizhen Ao*#; Mingxin Gao*#; Lijie Wu*#; Yuan Pei; Shenhui Liu; Yiran Wu; Fei Zhao; Qianqian Sun; Junlin Liu; Longquan Jiang; Xin Wang; Yan Li; Qiwen Tan; Jie Cheng; Fan Yang; Chi Yang*; Jinpeng Sun*; Tian Hua*; Zhi-Jie Liu*. Bitter taste TAS2R14 activation by intracellular tastants and cholesterol. Nature. 2024.

7.     Yuxia Wang*; Lijie Wu*; Tian Wang*; Junlin Liu; Fei Li; Longquan Jiang; Zhongbo Fan; Yanan Yu; Na Chen; Qianqian Sun; Qiwen Tan; Tian Hua#; Zhi-Jie Liu#.Cryo-EM structure of cannabinoid receptor CB1-β- arrestin complex.PROTEIN & CELL. 2024. 15(3): 230-234.

8.     Yang Yang*; Hye Jin Kang*; Ruogu Gao*; Jingjing Wang; Gye Won Han; Jeffrey F. DiBerto; Lijie Wu; Jiahui Tong; Lu Qu; Yiran Wu; Ryan Pileski; Xuemei Li; Xuejun Cai Zhang, Suwen Zhao, Terry Kenakin; Quan Wang; Raymond C. Stevens; Wei Peng; Bryan L. Roth#; Zihe Rao#; Zhi-Jie Liu#.Structural insights into the human niacin receptor HCA2-Gi signalling complex.NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2023. 14(1): 1692.

9.     Li, Xiaoting*; Chang, Hao*; Bouma, Jara*; de Paus, Laura V.; Mukhopadhyay, Partha; Paloczi, Janos; Mustafa, Mohammed; van der Horst, Cas; Kumar, Sanjay Sunil; Wu, Lijie; Yu, Yanan; van den Berg, Richard J. B. H. N.; Janssen, Antonius P. A.; Lichtman, Aron; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; Pacher, Pal#; van der Stelt, Mario#; Heitman, Laura H.#; Hua, Tian#; .Structural basis of selective cannabinoid CB2 receptor activation.NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 15 Mar 2023. 14(1).

10.   Li, Hao*; Zhang, Jinyi; Yu, Yanan; Luo, Feng; Wu, Lijie; Liu, Junlin; Chen, Na; Liu, Zhijie#; Hua, Tian; .Structural insight into the constitutive activity of human orphan receptor GPR12.SCIENCE BULLETIN. 15 Jan 2023. 68(1):95-104.

11.   Xu, Weixiu*; Wu, Lijie; Liu, Shenhui; Liu, Xiao; Cao, Xiaoling; Zhou, Cui; Zhang, Jinyi; Fu, You; Guo, Yu; Wu, Yiran; Tan, Qiwen; Wang, Ling; Liu, Junlin; Jiang, Longquan; Fan, Zhongbo; Pei, Yuan; Yu, Jingyi; Cheng, Jianjun; Zhao, Suwen; Hao, Xiaojiang; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; Hua, Tian#; .Structural basis for strychnine activation of human bitter taste receptor TAS2R46.SCIENCE. 16 Sep 2022. 377(6612).

12.   Zhou, Yali*; Daver, Henrik; Trapkov, Boris; Wu, Lijie; Wu, Meng; Harpsoe, Kasper; Gentry, Patrick R.; Liu, Kaiwen; Larionova, Marina; Liu, Junlin; Chen, Na; Brauner-Osborne, Hans#; Gloriam, David E.#; Hua, Tian#; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Molecular insights into ligand recognition and G protein coupling of the neuromodulatory orphan receptor GPR139.CELL RESEARCH. Feb 2022.

13.   Liu, Kaiwen*; Shen, Ling*; Wu, Meng; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; Hua, Tian#; .Structural insights into the activation of chemokine receptor CXCR2.FEBS JOURNAL. Jan 2022.

14.   Zhang, Jinyi*; Qu, Lu; Wu, Lijie; Tang, Xiaomeng; Luo, Feng; Xu, Weixiu; Xu, Yueming; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; Hua, Tian#; .Structural insights into the activation initiation of full-length mGlu1.PROTEIN & CELL. Aug 2021.

15.   Li, Xiaoting*; Shen, Ling; Hua, Tian#; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Structural and Functional Insights into Cannabinoid Receptors.TRENDS IN PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Sep 2020. 41(9):665-677.

16.   Liu, Kaiwen*; Wu, Lijie; Yuan, Shuguang; Wu, Meng; Xu, Yueming; Sun, Qianqian; Li, Shu; Zhao, Suwen; Hua, Tian#; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Structural basis of CXC chemokine receptor 2 activation and signalling.NATURE. 03 Sep 2020.

17.   Wang, Jingjing*; Hua, Tian#; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Structural features of activated GPCR signaling complexes.CURRENT OPINION IN STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY. Aug 2020. 63:82-89.

18.   Hua, Tian*; Li, Xiaoting; Wu, Lijie; Iliopoulos-Tsoutsouvas, Christos; Wang, Yuxia; Wu, Meng; Shen, Ling; Johnston, Christina A.; Nikas, Spyros P.; Song, Feng; Song, Xiyong; Yuan, Shuguang; Sun, Qianqian; Wu, Yiran; Jiang, Shan; Grim, Travis W.; Benchama, Othman; Stahl, Edward L.; Zvonok, Nikolai; Zhao, Suwen; Bohn, Laura M.; Makriyannis, Alexandros; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Activation and Signaling Mechanism Revealed by Cannabinoid Receptor-G(i) Complex Structures.CELL. 20 Feb 2020. 180(4):655-+.

19.   Li, Xiaoting*; Hua, Tian; Vemuri, Kiran; Ho, Jo-Hao; Wu, Yiran; Wu, Lijie; Popov, Petr; Benchama, Othman; Zvonok, Nikolai; Locke, K'ara; Qu, Lu; Han, Gye Won; Iyer, Malliga R.; Cinar, Resat; Coffey, Nathan J.; Wang, Jingjing; Wu, Meng; Katritch, Vsevolod; Zhao, Suwen; Kunos, George; Bohn, Laura M.; Makriyannis, Alexandros; Stevens, Raymond C.; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Crystal Structure of the Human Cannabinoid Receptor CB2.CELL. 24 Jan 2019. 176(3):459-+.

20.   Peng, Yao*; McCorvy, John D.; Harpsoe, Kasper; Lansu, Katherine; Yuan, Shuguang; Popov, Petr; Qu, Lu; Pu, Mengchen; Che, Tao; Nikolajsen, Louise F.; Huang, Xi-Ping; Wu, Yiran; Shen, Ling; Bjorn-Yoshimoto, Walden E.; Ding, Kang; Wacker, Daniel; Han, Gye Won; Cheng, Jianjun; Katritch, Vsevolod; Jensen, Anders A.; Hanson, Michael A.; Zhao, Suwen; Gloriam, David E.; Roth, Bryan L.#; Stevens, Raymond C.#; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .5-HT2C Receptor Structures Reveal the Structural Basis of GPCR Polypharmacology.CELL. 08 Feb 2018. 172(4):719-+.

21.   Hua, Tian*; Vemuri, Kiran; Nikas, Spyros P.; Laprairie, Robert B.; Wu, Yiran; Qu, Lu; Pu, Mengchen; Korde, Anisha; Jiang, Shan; Ho, Jo-Hao; Han, Gye Won; Ding, Kang; Li, Xuanxuan; Liu, Haiguang; Hanson, Michael A.; Zhao, Suwen#; Bohn, Laura M.#; Makriyannis, Alexandros#; Stevens, Raymond C.; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Crystal structures of agonist-bound human cannabinoid receptor CB1.NATURE. 27 Jul 2017. 547(7664):468-+.

22.   Song, Gaojie*; Yang, Dehua; Wang, Yuxia; de Graaf, Chris; Zhou, Qingtong; Jiang, Shanshan; Liu, Kaiwen; Cai, Xiaoqing; Dai, Antao; Lin, Guangyao; Liu, Dongsheng; Wu, Fan; Wu, Yiran; Zhao, Suwen; Ye, Li; Han, Gye Won; Lau, Jesper; Wu, Beili; Hanson, Michael A.; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; Wang, Ming-Wei#; Stevens, Raymond C.#; .Human GLP-1 receptor transmembrane domain structure in complex with allosteric modulators.NATURE. 08 Jun 2017. 546(7657):312-+.

23.   Hua, Tian*; Vemuri, Kiran; Pu, Mengchen; Qu, Lu; Han, Gye Won; Wu, Yiran; Zhao, Suwen; Shui, Wenqing; Li, Shanshan; Korde, Anisha; Laprairie, Robert B.; Stahl, Edward L.; Ho, Jo-Hao; Zvonok, Nikolai; Zhou, Han; Kufareva, Irina; Wu, Beili; Zhao, Qiang; Hanson, Michael A.; Bohn, Laura M.; Makriyannis, Alexandros; Stevens, Raymond C.; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Crystal Structure of the Human Cannabinoid Receptor CB1.CELL. 2016. 167(3):750-762.

24.   Liu, Bing*; Ouyang, Songying; Makarova, Kira S.; Xia, Qiu; Zhu, Yanping; Li, Zhimeng; Guo, Li; Koonin, Eugene V.; Liu, Zhi-Jie; Huang, Li; .A primase subunit essential for efficient primer synthesis by an archaeal eukaryotic-type primase.NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2015. 6:-.

25.   Zhao, Lixia*; Hua, Tian; Crowley, Christopher; Ru, Heng; Ni, Xiangmin; Shaw, Neil; Jiao, Lianying; Ding, Wei; Qu, Lu; Hung, Li-Wei; Huang, Wei; Liu, Lei; Ye, Keqiang; Ouyang, Songying; Cheng, Genhong; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Structural analysis of asparaginyl endopeptidase reveals the activation mechanism and a reversible intermediate maturation stage.CELL RESEARCH. Mar 2014. 24(3):344-358.

26.   Niu, Fengfeng*; Shaw, Neil; Wang, Yao E.; Jiao, Lianying; Ding, Wei; Li, Xiaomin; Zhu, Ping; Upur, Halmurat; Ouyang, Songying; Cheng, Genhong; Liu, Zhi-jie; .Structure of the Leanyer orthobunyavirus nucleoprotein-RNA complex reveals unique architecture for RNA encapsidation.PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 2013. 110(22):9054-9059.

27.   Ru, Heng*; Ni, Xiangmin; Zhao, Lixia; Crowley, Christopher; Ding, Wei; Hung, Li-Wei; Shaw, Neil; Cheng, Genhong; Liu, Zhi-Jie; .Structural basis for termination of AIM2-mediated signaling by p202.CELL RESEARCH. 2013. 23(6):855-858.

28.   Ouyang, Songying*; Song, Xianqiang; Wang, Yaya; Ru, Heng; Shaw, Neil; Jiang, Yan; Niu, Fengfeng; Zhu, Yanping; Qiu, Weicheng; Parvatiyar, Kislay; Li, Yang; Zhang, Rongguang; Cheng, Genhong; Liu, Zhi-Jie; .Structural Analysis of the STING Adaptor Protein Reveals a Hydrophobic Dimer Interface and Mode of Cyclic di-GMP Binding.IMMUNITY. 2012. 36(6):1073-1086.

29.   Wu, Dong*; Li, Yang; Song, Gaojie; Cheng, Chongyun; Zhang, Rongguang; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Shaw, Neil#; Liu, Zhi-Jie#; .Structural Basis for the Inhibition of Human 5,10-Methenyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase by N10-Substituted Folate Analogues.CANCER RESEARCH. 2009. 69(18):7294-7301.

30.   Shaw, Neil*; Zhao, Min; Cheng, Chongyun; Xu, Hao; Saarikettu, Juha; Li, Yang; Da, Yurong; Yao, Zhi; Silvennoinen, Olli; Yang, Jie; Liu, Zhi-Jie; Wang, Bi-Cheng; Rao, Zihe; .The multifunctional human p100 protein 'hooks' methylated ligands.NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. 2007. 14(8):779-784.