Dr. Liu joined the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, OSU as Associate Professor of Physiological Sciences in 2000. He was promoted to Full Professor in 2004, and appointed as Lundberg-Kienlen Endowed Professor/Chair in Biomedical Research in 2008 and Regents Professor in 2009. Dr. Liu was selected as a Riata Faculty Fellow in the OSU School of Entrepreneurship in 2010. He is Funding Director of the Oklahoma Center for Respiratory and Infectious Diseases and the Interdisciplinary Program in Regenerative Medicine at OSU. Dr. Liu has also directed the Lung Biology and Toxicology Laboratory since 2000. He has established a nationally visible lung biology program focusing on various pulmonary diseases. His current research interests are development of drugs targeting host factors for treating influenza virus infection, adult stem cell therapy of COPD and pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.

Dr. Liu has received over 20 million in grants from federal agencies (National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture), foundations (American Heart Association and March of Dimes) and other local agencies. Dr. Liu has also served on grant review panels for the NIH and many other granting entities. He has served as Chair of the OSU Biomedical Sciences Group of the Graduate Faculty Council. Dr. Liu has been a member of the Steering Committee for the Physiological Genomics Interest Group of the American Physiological Society.

Dr. Liu has a long track record in training and mentoring rising scientists. He has trained 30 postdoctoral fellows, 22 Ph.D. students and 36 undergraduate and veterinary students. To date, his trainees have received 9 fellowships from NIH and American Heart Association, in addition to 44 various awards from organizations such as American Physiological Society and the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.  

Dr. Liu has received several awards including the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence twice and the OSU Regents Distinguished Research Award.