Dr. Kaizheng Liu is an associate professor at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He obtained his Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees from Nankai University (CN), University College London (UK), and Radboud University (NL), respectively. Collaborating with European research institutions, he is committed to the study of cell mechanobiology in 3D microenvironments and the development, production, and biomedical applications of a novel nonlinear synthetic polymer material (PIC hydrogels). He has published over ten papers in world-renowned journals such as Nature Protocols, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Cell Reports Physical Science, Bioactive Materials, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, and Biomacromolecules. Dr. Liu has received the short-term funding from the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) as well as support from the Guangdong Provincial Overseas Postdoctoral Talent Support Program. He is also recognized as a Shenzhen Overseas High Level Talent.
Research Areas
Cell-matrix reciprocity, 3D cell culture, PIC hydrogels
Education
2015-2020 PhD, Radboud University, The Netherlands
2014-2015 MSc, University College London, The UK
2010-2014 BSc, Nankai University, PRC
Experience
Work Experience
2024-now, Associate Professor, SIAT, PRC
2023-2024, Assistant Professor, SIAT, PRC
2020-2023, Postdoc, SIAT, PRC
Publications
1. Yuan, H.#*, Liu, K.#*, van Velthoven, M. J., Kumari, J., Bao, Y., Rocha, S., & Kouwer, P. H.* (2025). Fibrous polyisocyanide hydrogels for 3D cell culture applications. Nature Protocols, 1-22. (Co-first author & co-correspondence author)
This article introduces the standard protocols for the usage of PIC gels for 3D cell culture applications.
2. Yuan, H.#*, Liu, K.#, Cóndor, M., Barrasa-Fano, J., Louis, B., Vandaele, J., ... & Rocha, S.* (2023). Synthetic fibrous hydrogels as a platform to decipher cell–matrix mechanical interactions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(15), e2216934120. (Co-first author)
This work was highlighted in: Bakhshandeh, S. (2023). A designer matrix to study cell–ECM interactions. Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 1-1.
This work presents the highly biomimetic fibrous network of PIC and the bead-free TFM application.
3. Liu, K., Veenendaal, T., Wiendels, M., Ruiz-Zapata, A. M., van Laar, J., Kyranas, R., Enting, H., van Cranenbroek, B., Koenen, H., Mihaila, S., Oosterwijk, E., Kouwer, P.H.* (2020) Synthetic extracellular matrices as a toolbox to tune stem cell secretome. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces,12(51), 56723-56730. (ACS LiveSlides available)
This work reports the influence of matrix properties on stem cell secretome.
4. Liu, K., Mihaila, S. M., Rowan, A., Oosterwijk, E., & Kouwer, P. H.* (2019). Synthetic extracellular matrices with nonlinear elasticity regulate cellular organization. Biomacromolecules, 20(2), 826-834. (ACS LiveSlides available)
This work was referenced in Chaudhuri, O., Cooper-White, J., Janmey, P. A., Mooney, D. J., & Shenoy, V. B. (2020). Effects of extracellular matrix viscoelasticity on cellular behaviour. Nature, 584(7822), 535-546.
This work showcases the influence of nonlinear mechanics and cell adhesion cues of 3D matrix on cell spreading.
5. Liu, K.#, Vandaele, J.#, Yuan, H., Blank, K. G., Hammink, R.*, Kouwer, P. H.*, & Rocha, S.* (2024). Structure and applications of PIC-based polymers and hydrogels. Cell Reports Physical Science, 5(2), 101834.
This review summarizes the research progress of PIC polymers and hydrogels in the last decade.
6. Liu, K., Wiendels, M., Yuan, H., Ruan, C., & Kouwer, P. H.* (2022). Cell-matrix reciprocity in 3D culture models with nonlinear elasticity. Bioactive Materials, 9, 316-331.
This review summarizes the understanding of cell-matrix mechanoreciprocity in biological and synthetic matrices with nonlinear mechanics.
7. Liu, K.#, Fang, X.#, Aazmi, A.#, Wang, Q.#, Gong, X.#, Chen, Z.#, ... & Ruan, C.* (2024). Organoids: Principle, application and perspective. The Innovation Life, 2(3), 100088-1.
This review discusses comprehensively the research progress in organoid culture, which is a promising application for PIC matrices.
8. Ma, C.#, Liu, K.#, Li, Q., Xiong, Y., Xu, C., Zhang, W., Ruan C., Li X.*, & Lei, X.* (2022). Synthetic Extracellular Matrices for 3D Culture of Schwann Cells, Hepatocytes, and HUVECs. Bioengineering, 9(9), 453. (Co-first author)
This work demonstrates the wide applicability of PIC gels for 3D culture of a series of cell types.
9. Liu, K., Vandaele, J., Bernhagen, D., van Erp, M., Oosterwijk, E., Timmerman, P., ... & Kouwer, P. H.* (2022). Rapid stem cell spreading induced by high affinity α5β1 integrin-selective bicyclic RGD peptide in biomimetic hydrogels. bioRxiv, 2022-02. (Pre-print)
This work introduces bicyclic RGD peptides with high affinity toward specific integrin subtypes and demonstrates their impact on stem cell spreading in PIC gels.
10. Zheng, H., Liu, K., Cui, Y., Li, L., Liu, Q., & Men, Y.* (2025). Synthetic Reversible Fibrous Network Hydrogels Based on a Double‐Helical Polyelectrolyte. Angewandte Chemie, 137(22), e202503030.
This work reports the development of a new type of synthetic polymer hydrogel with nonlinear mechanics.
11. Qu, H., Gao, C., Liu, K., Fu, H., Liu, Z., Kouwer, P. H., ... & Ruan, C. * (2024). Gradient matters via filament diameter-adjustable 3D printing. Nature Communications, 15(1), 2930.
This work presents a new approach to creating gradient structures with traditional extrusion printing.