Skip to nav Skip to content
James  Liu

James Liu, MD

Program: Neuro-Oncology

Research Program: Molecular Medicine Program

Contact

  • Overview

    My research focus is on improving the surgical and radiosurgical treatment of primary and metastatic brain and spine tumors. My research includes understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive the formation of primary and metastatic brain tumors, including cancer stem cells. I am also interested in developing and trialing targeted therapies that improve the medical control of brain tumors. I am also interested in advancing surgical technologies that will improve outcomes for primary and metastatic spine tumors. These in include minimally invasive techniques that allow for maximal survival benefit and pain relief with minimal morbidity.

    Associations

    • Neuro-Oncology
    • Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis
    • Molecular Medicine Program

    Education & Training

    Internship:

    • Cleveland Clinic - Intern - Surgery

    Board Certification:

      Fellowship:

      • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - Neurosurgical Oncology

      Residency:

      • Cleveland Clinic - Neurosurgery

      Medical School:

      • Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine - MD
    • Research Interest

      Targeting of glioblastoma stem cells using phage display, developing targeted therapeutics for primary and metastatic brain tumor. Use of immune therapy to target primary brain tumors, including gamma delta T cells for targeting glioblastoma. Optimizing treatment for spinal tumors, including metastatic spine disease. Use of targeted therapies for the treatment of metastatic spine disease. Comparison of open and percutaneous techniques for treatment of spinal tumors.

    • Participating Trials

      Clinical Trial 22319
      A Phase 1B/2 Open-Label Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerance and Efficacy of Drug Resistant Immunotherapy with Activated, Gene Modified Allogeneic or Autologous gamma delta T Cells (DELTEX) in Combination with Maintenance Temozolomide in Subjects with Recurrent or Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma
      Condition: Neurologic Oncology
      Intervention: Autologous Dendritic Cells (); Temodal (Temozolomide); Temozolomide ()
      Status: Open

      If you believe you are eligible for one of these trials or studies, please call
      813-745-6100 or toll-free 1-800-679-0775.

    • Publications

      • 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.
      • 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.
      • 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, 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.
      • 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.

    Find a Researcher Search