Dan Liu
I build the devices behind the science.
Presidential Fellow, Temple University · PhD Candidate in Bioengineering
ABOUT
I build microphysiological systems — organ-on-chip platforms — that model human vascular biology for drug discovery.
Before returning for the PhD, I spent 10+ years in pharma — process engineering, product management, CMC business development, and drug/device combination products. The full industry record lives on my personal site: danliu.bio
RESEARCH
Sepsis is the proving ground. The platform is the point.
My doctoral work centers on a biomimetic microvascular platform for studying neutrophil–endothelial interactions in sepsis, paired with proteomics-driven network modeling and AI-enabled repurposing of FDA-approved therapeutics.
The platform is a general toolkit for new approach methodologies (NAMs) in drug development: organ-on-chip, proteomics, and computational modeling.
FABRICATION & TRANSLATION
I also work hands-on in microfluidic chip fabrication alongside Shuai Yu, a PhD student in Dr. Ren Fei’s research group, through a collaboration between Dr. Ren’s group and Dr. Kiani’s group. This is the manufacturing craft behind the science. Longer term, I am exploring translating this fabrication capability into a university spinoff, so the devices and know-how built here can reach the researchers and teams who need them.
PUBLICATIONS
A biomimetic microphysiological system predicts the impact of sepsis therapeutics on neutrophil–endothelial dynamics.
Lab on a Chip, July 2026
A microvascular chip that predicts which sepsis drugs actually calm the immune response at the vessel wall.
organ-on-chip · sepsis · neutrophil–endothelial
Prioritizing FDA approved therapeutics for treating sepsis phenotypes: A network modeling approach based on neutrophil proteomics.
Frontiers in Immunology, August 2025
Network modeling on neutrophil proteomics ranks existing FDA-approved drugs by sepsis phenotype — a repurposing shortlist.
proteomics · network modeling · drug repurposing
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1646141/full
The critical role of neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions in sepsis: new synergistic approaches employing organ-on-chip, omics, immune cell phenotyping and in silico modeling.
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, January 2024
Maps how neutrophil–endothelial crosstalk drives sepsis and where organ-on-chip, omics, and modeling combine.
sepsis · organ-on-chip · omics