James Liu, MD

Cancer Focus:
Brain Cancer, Glioblastoma, Meningioma, Spinal Tumor

Dr. James Liu is a neurosurgeon who specializes in the surgical and radiosurgical treatment of brain and spine tumors. Currently, he is an Assistant Member in the Department of Neuro-Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center and an Assistant Professor of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida. He received his undergraduate education from the University of Michigan. He received a medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He obtained his residency training in neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Cancer Stem Cell Biology at the Cleveland Clinic, during which he was awarded the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Tumor Fellowship. He then completed a fellowship in neurosurgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Liu also leads a laboratory research effort focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive the formation of brain tumors. In particular, the Liu Laboratory focuses on how a subset of the tumor population with tumor-initiating, or stem-like properties, contributes to the proliferation of brain tumors and their resistance to medical therapies. The Laboratory uses peptide screening technology against patient derived brain tumor cells to isolate novel receptors and targets that can be used to further characterize the mechanisms that drive these cells, for the development of future therapeutic strategies. The Laboratory also utilizes peptide screening technology to develop targeting agents that allow tumor detection at a cellular level, for improved visualization as well as earlier diagnosis of primary and metastatic brain tumors.

Education & Training

Fellowship:

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - Neurosurgical Oncology

Residency:

• Cleveland Clinic - Neurosurgery

Medical School:

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine - MD

• Bilenkin A, Barnes A, Brisco A, Whiting J, Tran ND, Beer-Furlan A, Vogelbaum MA, Liu JKC. Comparison of open and percutaneous instrumented fixation for the treatment of spinal metastases. Neurosurg Focus. 2025 May.58(5):E12. Pubmedid: 40311210.
• Ugolini A, De Leo A, Yu X, Scirocchi F, Liu X, Peixoto B, Scocozza D, Pace A, Perego M, Gardini A, D'Angelo L, Liu JKC, Etame AB, Rughetti A, Nuti M, Santoro A, Vogelbaum MA, Conejo-Garcia JR, Rodriguez PC, Veglia F. Functional Reprogramming of Neutrophils within the Brain Tumor Microenvironment by Hypoxia-Driven Histone Lactylation. Cancer Discov. 2025 Jun.15(6):1270-1296. Pubmedid: 40014923. Pmcid: PMC12133432.
• Chafe SC, Zhai K, Aghaei N, Miletic P, Huang Z, Brown KR, Mobilio D, Young D, Suk Y, Grewal S, McKenna D, Alizada Z, Kieliszek AM, Lam FC, Escudero L, Huang Q, Huebner A, Lu J, Ang P, Anand A, Custers S, Apel E, Slassi S, Brakel B, Kim J, Liu JKC, Bassey-Archibong BI, Abdo R, Shargall Y, Lu JQ, Cutz JC, Zhang Q, Li SS, Venugopal C, Hynds RE, Dufour A, Moffat J, Swanton C, Bao S, Singh SK. A genome-wide in vivo CRISPR activation screen identifies BACE1 as a therapeutic vulnerability of lung cancer brain metastasis. Sci Transl Med. 2025 Jul.17(805):eadu2459. Pubmedid: 40601773. Pmcid: PMC7617989.
• Liu JKC, Tran N, Piteo C, Peinhardt A, Vogelbaum MA. Results of a Pilot Trial of Infusion Rate Escalation During Convection Enhanced Delivery of Topotecan with a Multiport Catheter. World Neurosurg. 2025 Dec.124696. Pubmedid: 41344399.
• De Leo A, Ugolini A, Yu X, Scirocchi F, Scocozza D, Peixoto B, Pace A, D'Angelo L, Liu JKC, Etame AB, Rughetti A, Nuti M, Santoro A, Vogelbaum MA, Conejo-Garcia JR, Rodriguez PC, Veglia F. Glucose-driven histone lactylation promotes the immunosuppressive activity of monocyte-derived macrophages in glioblastoma. Immunity. 2024 May.57(5):1105-1123.e8. Pubmedid: 38703775. Pmcid: PMC11114377.
• Demetriou AN, Chow F, Craig DW, Webb MG, Ormond DR, Battiste J, Chakravarti A, Colman H, Villano JL, Schneider BP, Liu JKC, Churchman ML, Zada G. Profiling the molecular and clinical landscape of glioblastoma utilizing the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network brain cancer database. Neurooncol Adv. 2024 Mar.6(1):vdae046. Pubmedid: 38665799. Pmcid: PMC11044707.
• Tang JD, Mills MN, Nakashima J, Dohm AE, Khushalani NI, Forsyth PA, Vogelbaum MA, Wuthrick EJ, Yu HM, Oliver DE, Liu JKC, Ahmed KA. Clinical outcomes of melanoma brain metastases treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab alone versus nivolumab and ipilimumab with stereotactic radiosurgery. J Neurooncol. 2024 Feb.166(3):431-440. Pubmedid: 38310157.
• Huang Q, Liu L, Xiao D, Huang Z, Wang W, Zhai K, Fang X, Kim J, Liu J, Liang W, He J, Bao S. CD44+ lung cancer stem cell-derived pericyte-like cells cause brain metastases through GPR124-enhanced trans-endothelial migration. Cancer Cell. 2023 Sep.41(9):1621-1636.e8. Pubmedid: 37595587.
• Dohm AE, Nakashima JY, Kalagotla H, Jiang SX, Tang JD, Bhandari M, Kim Y, Graham JA, Khushalani NI, Forsyth PA, Etame AB, Liu JK, Tran ND, Vogelbaum MA, Wuthrick EJ, Yu HM, Oliver DE, Ahmed KA. Stereotactic radiosurgery and anti-PD-1 + CTLA-4 therapy, anti-PD-1 therapy, anti-CTLA-4 therapy, BRAF/MEK inhibitors, BRAF inhibitors, or conventional chemotherapy for the management of melanoma brain metastases. Eur J Cancer. 2023 Oct.192:113287. Pubmedid: 37657227.
• Potez M, Snedal S, She C, Kim J, Thorner K, Tran TH, Ramello MC, Abate-Daga D, Liu JKC. Use of phage display biopanning as a tool to design CAR-T cells against glioma stem cells. Front Oncol. 2023 Mar.13:1124272. Pubmedid: 37035164. Pmcid: PMC10080078.
• Lynes J, Khan I, Aguilera C, Rubino S, Thompson Z, Etame AB, Liu JKC, Beer-Furlan A, Tran ND, Macaulay RJB, Vogelbaum MA. Development of a "Geo-Tagged" tumor sample registry: intra-operative linkage of sample location to imaging. J Neurooncol. 2023 Dec.165(3):449-458. Pubmedid: 38015375.
• Kim J, Potez M, She C, Huang P, Wu Q, Bao S, Rich JN, Liu JKC. Glioblastoma Stem Cell Targeting Peptide Isolated Through Phage Display Binds Cadherin 2. Stem Cells. 2023 Aug.41(8):762-774. Pubmedid: 37280108. Pmcid: PMC10427963.
• Law V, Chen Z, Vena F, Smalley I, Macaulay R, Evernden BR, Tran N, Pina Y, Puskas J, Caceres G, Bayle S, Johnson J, Liu JKC, Etame A, Vogelbaum M, Rodriguez P, Duckett D, Czerniecki B, Chen A, Smalley KSM, Forsyth PA. A preclinical model of patient-derived cerebrospinal fluid circulating tumor cells for experimental therapeutics in leptomeningeal disease from melanoma. Neurooncol. 2022 Oct.24(10):1673-1686. Pubmedid: 35213727. Pmcid: PMC9527526.
• Liu JKC, Kang R, Bilenkin A, Prorok R, Whiting J, Patel KB, Beer-Furlan A, Naso C, Rogers A, Castro XB, Peguero E, Mokhtari S, Tran N, Etame A, Pina Y, Spiess PE, Forsyth P, Vogelbaum MA. Patient satisfaction and cost savings analysis of the telemedicine program within a neuro-oncology department. J Neurooncol. 2022 Nov.160(2):517-525. Pubmedid: 36367630. Pmcid: PMC9651094.
• Lynes J, Rubino S, Rogers A, Gaballa S, Liu HD, Arrington JA, Peguero E, Liu JKC. Spontaneous Spinal Subdural Hematoma Secondary to Hemophilia A and Zanubrutinib. J Neurol Surg Rep. 2022 Jan.83(1):e19-e22. Pubmedid: 35273899. Pmcid: PMC8920709.
• Lowe SR, Wang CP, Brisco A, Whiting J, Arrington J, Ahmed K, Yu M, Robinson T, Oliver D, Etame A, Tran N, Beer Furlan A, Sahebjam S, Mokhtari S, Piña Y, Macaulay R, Forsyth P, Vogelbaum MA, Liu JKC. Surgical and anatomic factors predict development of leptomeningeal disease in patients with melanoma brain metastases. Neurooncol. 2022 Aug.24(8):1307-1317. Pubmedid: 35092434. Pmcid: PMC9340645.
• Lynes J, Flores-Milan G, Rubino S, Arrington J, Macaulay R, Liu JKC, Beer-Furlan A, Tran ND, Vogelbaum MA, Etame AB. Molecular determinants of outcomes in meningiomas. Front Oncol. 2022 Aug.12:962702. Pubmedid: 36033542. Pmcid: PMC9413043.
• Wang CP, Flores-Milan G, Liu JKC. Paramedian Wiltse Approach for Giant Paraspinal Lumbar Schwannoma: Technical Note and Alternative Approaches. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2022 Aug.23(2):e95-e101. Pubmedid: 35838459.
• Mills MN, Naz A, Thawani C, Walker C, Figura NB, Kushchayev S, Oliver DE, Etame AB, Yu HM, Robinson TJ, Liu JKC, Vogelbaum MA, Forsyth PA, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman HH, Han HS, Ahmed KA. Capecitabine and stereotactic radiation in the management of breast cancer brain metastases. BMC Cancer. 2021 May.21(1):552. Pubmedid: 33992087. Pmcid: PMC8126143.
• Vogelbaum MA, Kroll D, Etame A, Tran N, Liu J, Ford A, Sparr E, Kim Y, Forsyth P, Sahebjam S, Mokhtari S, Peguero E, Macaulay R. A Prospective Validation Study of the First 3D Digital Exoscope for Visualization of 5-ALA-Induced Fluorescence in High-Grade Gliomas. World Neurosurg. 2021 May.149:e498-e503. Pubmedid: 33561551.
• Mills MN, Thawani C, Figura NB, Oliver DE, Soyano AE, Etame A, Robinson TJ, Liu JK, Vogelbaum MA, Forsyth PA, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman HH, Han HS, Yu HM, Ahmed KA. Breast cancer subtype predicts clinical outcomes after stereotactic radiation for brain metastases. J Neurooncol. 2021 May.152(3):591-601. Pubmedid: 33742358.
• Mills MN, Walker C, Thawani C, Naz A, Figura NB, Kushchayev S, Etame A, Yu HM, Robinson TJ, Liu J, Vogelbaum MA, Forsyth PA, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman HH, Han HS, Ahmed KA. Trastuzumab Emtansine (T-DM1) and stereotactic radiation in the management of HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases. BMC Cancer. 2021 Mar.21(1):223. Pubmedid: 33663447. Pmcid: PMC7934378.
• Kim J, She C, Potez M, Huang P, Wu Q, Prager BC, Qiu Z, Bao S, Rich JN, Liu JKC. Phage display targeting identifies EYA1 as a regulator of glioblastoma stem cell maintenance and proliferation. Stem Cells. 2021 Jul.39(7):853-865. Pubmedid: 33594762. Pmcid: PMC10741052.
• Hsieh JK, Colby S, Nichols D, Kondylis E, Liu JKC. Delayed Development of Spinal Subdural Hematoma Following Cranial Trauma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. World Neurosurg. 2020 Sep.141:44-51. Pubmedid: 32450315.
• Liu JKC. Initial Approach to Patients with a Newly Diagnosed Solitary Brain Metastasis. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2020 Oct.31(4):489-503. Pubmedid: 32921346.
• Ward B, Wang C, Macaulay RJB, Liu JKC. Adult Intracranial Myxoid Mesenchymal Tumor with EWSR1-ATF1 Gene Fusion. World Neurosurg. 2020 Nov.143:91-96. Pubmedid: 32683005.
• Glitza IC, Smalley KSM, Brastianos PK, Davies MA, McCutcheon I, Liu JKC, Ahmed KA, Arrington JA, Evernden BR, Smalley I, Eroglu Z, Khushalani N, Margolin K, Kluger H, Atkins MB, Tawbi H, Boire A, Forsyth P. Leptomeningeal disease in melanoma patients: An update to treatment, challenges, and future directions. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2020 Jul.33(4):527-541. Pubmedid: 31916400.
• Eroglu Z, Holmen SL, Chen Q, Khushalani NI, Amaravadi R, Thomas R, Ahmed KA, Tawbi H, Chandra S, Markowitz J, Smalley I, Liu JKC, Ann Chen Y, Najjar YG, Karreth FA, Abate-Daga D, Glitza IC, Sosman JA, Sondak VK, Bosenberg M, Herlyn M, Atkins MB, Kluger H, Margolin K, Forsyth PA, Davies MA, Smalley KSM. Melanoma central nervous system metastases: An update to approaches, challenges, and opportunities. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2019 May.32(3):458-469. Pubmedid: 30712316. Pmcid: PMC7771318.
• Figura NB, Rizk VT, Mohammadi H, Evernden B, Mokhtari S, Yu HM, Robinson TJ, Etame AB, Tran ND, Liu J, Washington I, Diaz R, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman H, Han HS, Sahebjam S, Forsyth PA, Ahmed KA. Clinical outcomes of breast leptomeningeal disease treated with intrathecal trastuzumab, intrathecal chemotherapy, or whole brain radiation therapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 Jun.175(3):781-788. Pubmedid: 30859348.
• Figura NB, Potluri TK, Mohammadi H, Oliver DE, Arrington JA, Robinson TJ, Etame AB, Tran ND, Liu JK, Soliman H, Forsyth PA, Sahebjam S, Yu HM, Han HS, Ahmed KA. CDK 4/6 inhibitors and stereotactic radiation in the management of hormone receptor positive breast cancer brain metastases. J Neurooncol. 2019 Aug.144(3):583-589. Pubmedid: 31399935.
• Liu JKC. Neurologic Deterioration Due to Brain Sag After Bilateral Craniotomy for Subdural Hematoma Evacuation. World Neurosurg. 2018 Jun.114:90-93. Pubmedid: 29524703.
• Liu JK, Kshettry VR, Recinos PF, Kamian K, Schlenk RP, Benzel EC. Establishing a surgical skills laboratory and dissection curriculum for neurosurgical residency training. J Neurosurg. 2015 Nov.123(5):1331-1338. Pubmedid: 26052729.
• Liu JK, Turner RD, Luciano MG, Krishnaney AA. Circumferential intrathecal ossification in oculoleptomeningeal amyloidosis. J Clin Neurosci. 2015 Apr.22(4):769-771. Pubmedid: 25630425.
• Liu JK, Laufer I, Bilsky MH. Update on management of vertebral column tumors. CNS Oncol. 2014 Mar.3(2):137-147. Pubmedid: 25055019. Pmcid: PMC6128188.
• Liu JK, Lubelski D, Schonberg DL, Wu Q, Hale JS, Flavahan WA, Mulkearns-Hubert EE, Man J, Hjelmeland AB, Yu J, Lathia JD, Rich JN. Phage display discovery of novel molecular targets in glioblastoma-initiating cells. Cell Death Differ. 2014 Aug.21(8):1325-1339. Pubmedid: 24832468. Pmcid: PMC4085538.
• Cheng L, Huang Z, Zhou W, Wu Q, Donnola S, Liu JK, Fang X, Sloan AE, Mao Y, Lathia JD, Min W, McLendon RE, Rich JN, Bao S. Glioblastoma stem cells generate vascular pericytes to support vessel function and tumor growth. Cell. 2013 Mar.153(1):139-152. Pubmedid: 23540695. Pmcid: PMC3638263.
• Liu JK, Soliman H, Machado A, Deogaonkar M, Rezai AR. Intracranial hemorrhage after removal of deep brain stimulation electrodes. J Neurosurg. 2012 Mar.116(3):525-528. Pubmedid: 22136644.
• Bidros DS, Liu JK, Vogelbaum MA. Future of convection-enhanced delivery in the treatment of brain tumors. Future Oncol. 2010 Jan.6(1):117-125. Pubmedid: 20021213.
• Moskowitz SI, Liu J, Krishnaney AA. Postoperative complications associated with dural substitutes in suboccipital craniotomies. Neurosurgery. 2009 Mar.64(3 Suppl):ons28-ons33. Pubmedid: 19240570.
• Federici T, Liu JK, Teng Q, Yang J, Boulis NM. A means for targeting therapeutics to peripheral nervous system neurons with axonal damage. Neurosurgery. 2007 May.60(5):911-918. Pubmedid: 17460527.
• Zhao Z, Krishnaney A, Teng Q, Yang J, Garrity-Moses M, Liu JK, Venkiteswaran K, Subramanian T, Davis M, Boulis NM. Anatomically discrete functional effects of adenoviral clostridial light chain gene-based synaptic inhibition in the midbrain. Gene Ther. 2006 Jun.13(12):942-952. Pubmedid: 16511525.
• Federici T, Liu JK, Teng Q, Garrity-Moses M, Yang J, Boulis NM. Neuronal affinity of a C7C loop peptide identified through phage display. J Drug Target. 2006 Jun.14(5):263-271. Pubmedid: 16882546.
• Teng Q, Tanase D, Tanase DK, Liu JK, Garrity-Moses ME, Baker KB, Boulis NM. Adenoviral clostridial light chain gene-based synaptic inhibition through neuronal synaptobrevin elimination. Gene Ther. 2005 Jan.12(2):108-119. Pubmedid: 15496959.
• Garrity-Moses ME, Teng Q, Liu J, Tanase D, Boulis NM. Neuroprotective adeno-associated virus Bcl-xL gene transfer in models of motor neuron disease. Muscle Nerve. 2005 Dec.32(6):734-744. Pubmedid: 16116646.
• Teng Q, Garrity-Moses M, Federici T, Tanase D, Liu JK, Mazarakis ND, Azzouz M, Walmsley LE, Carlton E, Boulis NM. Trophic activity of Rabies G protein-pseudotyped equine infectious anemia viral vector mediated IGF-I motor neuron gene transfer in vitro. Neurobiol Dis. 2005 Dec.20(3):694-700. Pubmedid: 16005636.
• Liu JK, Teng Q, Garrity-Moses M, Federici T, Tanase D, Imperiale MJ, Boulis NM. A novel peptide defined through phage display for therapeutic protein and vector neuronal targeting. Neurobiol Dis. 2005 Aug.19(3):407-418. Pubmedid: 16023583.
• Leung C, Lingbeek M, Shakhova O, Liu J, Tanger E, Saremaslani P, Van Lohuizen M, Marino S. Bmi1 is essential for cerebellar development and is overexpressed in human medulloblastomas. Nature. 2004 Mar.428(6980):337-341. Pubmedid: 15029199.
• Tanase K, Teng Q, Krishnaney AA, Liu JK, Garrity-Moses ME, Boulis NM. Cervical spinal cord delivery of a rabies G protein pseudotyped lentiviral vector in the SOD-1 transgenic mouse. Invited submission from the Joint Section Meeting on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, March 2004. J Neurosurg Spine. 2004 Jul.1(1):128-136. Pubmedid: 15291033.
• Garrity-Moses ME, Liu JK, Boulis NM. Molecular biology and gene therapy in the treatment of chronic pain. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2003 Jul.14(3):419-435. Pubmedid: 14567143.

• Title: Radiomic spatial maps for identifying viable tumor extent on multi-parametric MRI for Glioblastoma
  Award Number: 1R01CA277728-01A1
  Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  Liu, J. (PD/PI)

Voted top doctor in Neurosurgery in Tampa Magazine's Top Doctors 2025.