Jun Liu, PhD, HCLD

Lab Director

Senior Embryologist

Dr. Liu has over twenty years of experience in human clinical embryology and research in reproductive medicine and is best known for his research on cryopreservation for reproductive cells. Before he joined New Hope Fertility Center, he worked at several nationally well-known IVF centers, played the roles of lead embryologist, lab supervisor and lab directors. He is proficient at all techniques in the in vitro fertilization laboratory, including conventional in vitro insemination, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), testicular and epididymal sperm preparation, embryo culture, embryo transfer and assisted hatching, oocyte and embryo cryopreservation, embryo biopsy for Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) /Screening (PGS), semen analysis and cryopreservation.

Dr. Liu has authored and coauthored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications in the field of human reproduction and cryobiology, many of them focusing on fundamental research on oocyte and embryo cryopreservation. Different from other research peers, his research group conducted experiments to measure the membrane permeabilities of oocytes/embryos, and trending of these values as temperature lowered. Dr. Liu’s group had established theoretical models that integrated kinetics of transportation of water and cryoprotectant agent across the cellular membrane, kinetics of ice formation and cryo-media phase diagram. He applied his research achievement and experience to the clinical cryopreservation procedures, to fine-tune vitrification protocol for various cryopreservation conditions for optimal performance for our patients.

Dr. Liu also earned two master degrees in Biophysics from Wuhan University in China and Purdue University in USA, so he has comprehensive knowledge on instrumentation inside the lab. Most of his laboratory equipment units are connected to data collection systems via acquisition devices and/or wireless systems, that makes the laboratory quality assurance and quality control much more robust and efficient. He has developed standard operational procedures for all routines in our embryology and andrology lab. He designed and implemented an electronic database to enhance effective internal communication, laboratory task management, and storage inventory management.

Dr. Liu believes that delicate handling, minimal manipulation, customized treatments and stringent QC/QA practices maximize our clinical pregnancy rates.

Publications

Publications

Woods, E.J., J. Liu, C.W. Derrow, F.O. Smith, D.A. Williams, and J.K. Critser, Osmometric and permeability characteristics of human placental/umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells and their application to cryopreservation. J Hematother Stem Cell Res, 2000. 9(2): p. 161-73.

Agca, Y., J. Liu, E.S. Critser, J.J. McGrath, and J.K. Critser, Temperature-dependent osmotic behavior of germinal vesicle and metaphase II stage bovine oocytes in the presence of Me2SO in relationship to cryobiology. Mol Reprod Dev, 1999. 53(1): p. 59-67.

Phelps, M.J., J. Liu, J.D. Benson, C.E. Willoughby, J.A. Gilmore, and J.K. Critser, Effects of Percoll separation, cryoprotective agents, and temperature on plasma membrane permeability characteristics of murine spermatozoa and their relevance to cryopreservation. Biol Reprod, 1999. 61(4): p. 1031-41.

Woods, E.J., J. Liu, J.A. Gilmore, T.J. Reid, D.Y. Gao, and J.K. Critser, Determination of human platelet membrane permeability coefficients using the Kedem-Katchalsky formalism: estimates from two- vs three-parameter fits. Cryobiology, 1999. 38(3): p. 200-8.

Woods, E.J., J. Liu, M.A. Zieger, J.R. Lakey, and J.K. Critser, The effects of microencapsulation on pancreatic islet osmotically induced volumetric response. Cell Transplant, 1999. 8(6): p. 699-708.

Woods, E.J., J. Liu, M.A. Zieger, J.R. Lakey, and J.K. Critser, Water and cryoprotectant permeability characteristics of isolated human and canine pancreatic islets. Cell Transplant, 1999. 8(5): p. 549-59.

Zieger, M.A., E.J. Woods, J.R. Lakey, J. Liu, and J.K. Critser, Osmotic tolerance limits of canine pancreatic islets. Cell Transplant, 1999. 8(3): p. 277-84.

Agca, Y., J. Liu, J.J. McGrath, A.T. Peter, E.S. Critser, and J.K. Critser, Membrane permeability characteristics of metaphase II mouse oocytes at various temperatures in the presence of Me2SO. Cryobiology, 1998. 36(4): p. 287-300.

Agca, Y., J. Liu, A.T. Peter, E.S. Critser, and J.K. Critser, Effect of developmental stage on bovine oocyte plasma membrane water and cryoprotectant permeability characteristics. Mol Reprod Dev, 1998. 49(4): p. 408-15.

Gilmore, J.A., J. Liu, A.T. Peter, and J.K. Critser, Determination of plasma membrane characteristics of boar spermatozoa and their relevance to cryopreservation. Biol Reprod, 1998. 58(1): p. 28-36.

Pfaff, R.T., J. Liu, D. Gao, A.T. Peter, T.K. Li, and J.K. Critser, Water and DMSO membrane permeability characteristics of in-vivo- and in-vitro-derived and cultured murine oocytes and embryos. Mol Hum Reprod, 1998. 4(1): p. 51-9.

Woods, E.J., J.R. Lakey, M.A. Zieger, J. Liu, and J.K. Critser, Osmotic responses of isolated canine islets to novel cryoprotectants. Transplant Proc, 1998. 30(2): p. 388-9.

Gilmore, J.A., J. Liu, D.Y. Gao, and J.K. Critser, Determination of optimal cryoprotectants and procedures for their addition and removal from human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod, 1997. 12(1): p. 112-8.

Lakey, J.R., M.A. Zieger, E.J. Woods, J. Liu, and J.K. Critser, Hypoosmotic exposure of canine pancreatic digest as a means to purify islet tissue. Cell Transplant, 1997. 6(4): p. 423-8.

Liu, J., M.A. Zieger, J.R. Lakey, E. Woods, and J.K. Critser, Water and DMSO permeability at 22 degrees C, 5 degrees C, and -3 degrees C for human pancreatic islet cells. Transplant Proc, 1997. 29(4): p. 1987.

Liu, J., M.A. Zieger, J.R. Lakey, E.J. Woods, and J.K. Critser, The determination of membrane permeability coefficients of canine pancreatic islet cells and their application to islet cryopreservation. Cryobiology, 1997. 35(1): p. 1-13.

Agca Y, Liu J, Peter AT, et al, Fundamental cryobiology of mouse oocytes: Metaphase II membrane permeability characteristics at various temperatures in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). FERTILITY AND STERILITY, 1997, Suppl. S P 188-P188

Woods, E.J., J.R. Lakey, M.A. Zieger, J. Liu, D. Nelson, and J.K. Critser, Permeability characteristics of microencapsulated pancreatic islets. Transplant Proc, 1997. 29(4): p. 2148.

Woods, E.J., M.A. Zieger, J.R. Lakey, J. Liu, and J.K. Critser, Osmotic characteristics of isolated human and canine pancreatic islets. Cryobiology, 1997. 35(2): p. 106-13.

Gao, D.Y., J. Liu, C. Liu, L.E. McGann, P.F. Watson, F.W. Kleinhans, P. Mazur, E.S. Critser, and J.K. Critser, Prevention of osmotic injury to human spermatozoa during addition and removal of glycerol. Hum Reprod, 1995. 10(5): p. 1109-22.

Gilmore, J.A., L.E. McGann, J. Liu, D.Y. Gao, A.T. Peter, F.W. Kleinhans, and J.K. Critser, Effect of cryoprotectant solutes on water permeability of human spermatozoa. Biol Reprod, 1995. 53(5): p. 985-95.

Publications

J. Liu, J. Phy, E. Yeomans. Theoretic considerations regarding slow cooling and vitrification during cryopreservation. Theriogenology 2012 78(8):1641-52

Wang L, Liu J, Zhou GB, Hou YP, Li JJ, Zhu SE. Quantitative investigations on the effects of exposure durations to the combined cryoprotective agents on mouse oocyte vitrification procedures. Biol Reprod 2011;85: 884-894.

Liu, J., Mullen, S., Meng, Q., Critser, J., and Dinnyes, A. (2009). Determination of oocyte membrane permeability coefficients and their application to cryopreservation in a rabbit model. Cryobiology 59, 127-34.

Meng, Q., Polgar, Z., Liu, J., and Dinnyes, A. (2009). Live birth of somatic cell-cloned rabbits following trichostatin A treatment and cotransfer of parthenogenetic embryos. Cloning Stem Cells 11, 203-208.

Dinnyes A, Liu J, Nedambale TL. Novel gamete storage. (2007). Reprod Fertil Dev.19(6):719-31

Van den Abbeel, E., U. Schneider, J. Liu, Y. Agca, J.K. Critser, and A. Van Steirteghem, Osmotic responses and tolerance limits to changes in external osmolalities, and oolemma permeability characteristics, of human in vitro matured MII oocytes. Hum Reprod, 2007. 22(7): p. 1959-72.

Chaveiro, A., J. Liu, B. Engel, J.K. Critser, and H. Woelders, Significant variability among bulls in the sperm membrane permeability for water and glycerol: possible implications for semen freezing protocols for individual males. Cryobiology, 2006. 53(3): p. 349-59.

Agca, Y., J. Liu, S. Mullen, J. Johnson-Ward, K. Gould, A. Chan, and J. Critser, Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) spermatozoa osmotic tolerance and cryoprotectant permeability characteristics. J Androl, 2005. 26(4): p. 470-7.

Agca, Y., S. Mullen, J. Liu, J. Johnson-Ward, K. Gould, A. Chan, and J. Critser, Osmotic tolerance and membrane permeability characteristics of rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) spermatozoa. Cryobiology, 2005. 51(1): p. 1-14.

Chaveiro, A., J. Liu, S. Mullen, H. Woelders, and J.K. Critser, Determination of bull sperm membrane permeability to water and cryoprotectants using a concentration-dependent self-quenching fluorophore. Cryobiology, 2004. 48(1): p. 72-80.

Chaveiro AEN, Liu J, Critser JK, et al., Male differences in the sperm membrane permeability for water and glycerol, Theriogenology, 2005. 63(2):p 422-423

Woods, E.J., J. Liu, K. Pollok, J. Hartwell, F.O. Smith, D.A. Williams, M.C. Yoder, and J.K. Critser, A theoretically optimized method for cord blood stem cell cryopreservation. J Hematother Stem Cell Res, 2003. 12(3): p. 341-50.

Agca, Y., J. Gilmore, M. Byers, E.J. Woods, J. Liu, and J.K. Critser, Osmotic characteristics of mouse spermatozoa in the presence of extenders and sugars. Biol Reprod, 2002. 67(5): p. 1493-501.

Guthrie, H.D., J. Liu, and J.K. Critser, Osmotic tolerance limits and effects of cryoprotectants on motility of bovine spermatozoa. Biol Reprod, 2002. 67(6): p. 1811-6.

Liu, J., J.A. Christian, and J.K. Critser, Canine RBC osmotic tolerance and membrane permeability. Cryobiology, 2002. 44(3): p. 258-68.

Agca, Y., J. Liu, E.S. Critser, and J.K. Critser, Fundamental cryobiology of rat immature and mature oocytes: hydraulic conductivity in the presence of Me(2)SO, Me(2)SO permeability, and their activation energies. J Exp Zool, 2000. 286(5): p. 523-33.

Agca, Y., J. Liu, J.J. Rutledge, E.S. Critser, and J.K. Critser, Effect of osmotic stress on the developmental competence of germinal vesicle and metaphase II stage bovine cumulus oocyte complexes and its relevance to cryopreservation. Mol Reprod Dev, 2000. 55(2): p. 212-9.

Gilmore, J.A., J. Liu, E.J. Woods, A.T. Peter, and J.K. Critser, Cryoprotective agent and temperature effects on human sperm membrane permeabilities: convergence of theoretical and empirical approaches for optimal cryopreservation methods. Hum Reprod, 2000. 15(2): p. 335-43.

Liu, J., E.J. Woods, Y. Agca, E.S. Critser, and J.K. Critser, Cryobiology of rat embryos II: A theoretical model for the development of interrupted slow freezing procedures. Biol Reprod, 2000. 63(5): p. 1303-12.

Pfaff, R.T., Y. Agca, J. Liu, E.J. Woods, A.T. Peter, and J.K. Critser, Cryobiology of rat embryos I: determination of zygote membrane permeability coefficients for water and cryoprotectants, their activation energies, and the development of improved cryopreservation methods. Biol Reprod, 2000. 63(5): p. 1294-302.

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