Sha Liu

Sha Liu

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Irrational (misuse and overuse) use of available antibiotics in human and animals have accelerated the development of drug resistance and diseases once curable with antibiotics are no longer curable. To make it worse, the limited research investment of big pharma companies in the development of new and effective antibiotics has left us with very limited options to treat rapidly evolving drug-resistant infections/bacteria.

As the emergence of resistance is a ‘dynamic’ problem, it cannot be completely controlled by a ‘static’ solution like an antibiotic. One alternative solution was ‘phage’ - a virus that infects and kills specific bacteria in its natural form.

Looking back at history, phage was used to treat bacterial infections before the advent of antibiotics but research on phage lost interest after the discovery of penicillin. The emergence of ‘superbugs’ and the reluctance of pharma companies in developing new drugs for infectious diseases has renewed our interest in phage

This project focuses on the preclinical and clinical development of phage therapy to fight against bacterial infections, especially for those highly resistant strains.

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2023 Cherian, L. M., Liu, S., Hon, K., Ramezanpour, M., Hu, H., Javadiyan, S., . . . Vreugde, S. (2023). Hydrocortisone metabolism by Staphylococcus: Effects on anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action. International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, 5 pages.
    DOI
    2023 Huang, S., Hon, K., Bennett, C., Hu, H., Menberu, M., Wormald, P. J., . . . Liu, S. (2023). Corrigendum: Corynebacterium accolens inhibits Staphylococcus aureus induced mucosal barrier disruption(Front. Microbiol., (2022), 13, (984741), 10.3389/fmicb.2022.984741). Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, 1279422.
    DOI
    2022 Hon, K., Liu, S., Camens, S., Bouras, G. S., Psaltis, A. J., Wormald, P. -J., & Vreugde, S. (2022). APTC-EC-2A: A Lytic Phage Targeting Multidrug Resistant E. coli Planktonic Cells and Biofilms. Microorganisms, 10(1), 1-18.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC2
    2022 Hon, K., Liu, S., Cooksley, C., Vreugde, S., & Psaltis, A. J. (2022). Low pH nasal rinse solution enhances mupirocin antimicrobial efficacy.. Rhinology, 60(3), 218-228.
    DOI
    2022 Liu, S., Hon, K., Bouras, G. S., Psaltis, A. J., Shearwin, K., Wormald, P. -J., & Vreugde, S. (2022). APTC-C-SA01: A Novel Bacteriophage Cocktail Targeting Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA Biofilms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(11), 1-18.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS2 Europe PMC2
    2022 Huang, S., Hon, K., Bennett, C., Hu, H., Menberu, M., Wormald, P. J., . . . Liu, S. (2022). Corynebacterium accolens inhibits Staphylococcus aureus induced mucosal barrier disruption. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, 11 pages.
    DOI Scopus3 Europe PMC2
    2022 Hon, K., Liu, S., Cooksley, C., Vreugde, S., & Psaltis, A. J. (2022). Low pH nasal rinse solution enhances mupirocin antimicrobial efficacy. Rhinology, 60(3), 218-228.
    DOI
    2022 Hu, H., Liu, S., Hon, K., Psaltis, A. J., Wormald, P. J., & Vreugde, S. (2022). Staphylococcal protein A modulates inflammation by inducing interferon signaling in human nasal epithelial cells. Inflammation Research, 72(2), 1-12.
    DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
    2021 Dai, Y., Liu, S., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Zhao, Z., Liu, P., & Du, Y. (2021). A false alarm of COVID-19 pneumonia in lung cancer with anti-PD-1 related pneumonitis: a case report and review of the literature. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 15(1).
    DOI
    2021 Wong, M. L., Arcos-Burgos, M., Liu, S., Licinio, A. W., Yu, C., Chin, E. W. M., . . . Licinio, J. (2021). Rare functional variants associated with antidepressant remission in Mexican-Americans: short title: antidepressant remission and pharmacogenetics in Mexican-Americans. Journal of Affective Disorders, 279, 491-500.
    DOI Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC1
    2021 Menberu, M. A., Hayes, A. J., Liu, S., Psaltis, A. J., Wormald, P. -J., & Vreugde, S. (2021). Tween 80 and its derivative oleic acid promote the growth of Corynebacterium accolens and inhibit Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol, 11(4), 810-813.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
    2021 Menberu, M. A., Liu, S., Cooksley, C., Hayes, A. J., Psaltis, A. J., Wormald, P. -J., & Vreugde, S. (2021). Corynebacterium accolens Has Antimicrobial Activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus Pathogens Isolated from the Sinonasal Niche of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients. Pathogens, 10(2), 1-19.
    DOI Scopus24 WoS20 Europe PMC13
    2021 Liu, S., Zhao, Y., Hayes, A., Hon, K., Zhang, G., Bennett, C., . . . Vreugde, S. (2021). Overcoming bacteriophage insensitivity in Staphylococcus aureus using clindamycin and azithromycinat sub-inhibitory concentrations. Allergy, 76(11), 3446-3458.
    DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC4
    2021 Ramezanpour, M., Ogi, K., Liu, S., Tuli, J. F., Bennett, C., Masanobu, S., . . . Vreugde, S. (2021). Der p 1 disrupts the epithelial barrier and induces IL-6 production in patients with house dust mite allergic rhinitis. Frontiers in Allergy, 2, 1-9.
    DOI Scopus7 Europe PMC2
    2021 Sabab, A., Liu, S., Javadiyan, S., McAdam, C. J., Hanton, L. R., Jukes, A., . . . Wormald, P. -J. (2021). The effect of chemical and structural modifiers on the haemostatic process and cytotoxicity of the beta-chitin patch. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-15.
    DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
    2021 Camens, S., Hon, K., Liu, S., Bouras, G. S., Psaltis, A. J., Wormald, P., & Vreugde, S. (2021). Preclinical Development of a Bacteriophage Cocktail for Treating Multidrug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections. Microorganisms, 9(9), 2001-1-2001-16.
    DOI Scopus8 WoS6 Europe PMC7
    2021 Huang, S., Ding, P., Liu, S., Li, C., Zhang, Y., Dong, D., & Zhao, Y. (2021). ISMN-loaded PLGA-PEG nanoparticles conjugated with anti-Staphylococcus aureus α-toxin inhibit Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 13(23), 2033-2046.
    DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
    2021 Ogi, K., Liu, S., Ramezanpour, M., Cooksley, C., Javadiyan, S., Fujieda, S., . . . Psaltis, A. J. (2021). Trimellitic anhydride facilitates transepithelial permeability disrupting tight junctions in sinonasal epithelial cells. Toxicology Letters, 353, 27-33.
    DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
    2020 Ramezanpour, M., Hu, H., Lau, A., Liu, S., De Silva, A., Bolt, H., . . . Vreugde, S. (2020). Increased serum IgG4 associates with asthma and tissue eosinophilia in chronic rhinosinusitis patients. Pathogens, 9(10), 1-6.
    DOI Scopus1 WoS1
    2019 Hu, H., Ramezanpour, M., Hayes, A. J., Liu, S., Psaltis, A. J., Wormald, P., & Vreugde, S. (2019). Sub-Inhibitory Clindamycin and Azithromycin reduce S. aureus Exoprotein Induced Toxicity, Inflammation, Barrier Disruption and Invasion.. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(10), 16 pages.
    DOI Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC10
    2019 Lin, J., Zhang, Y., Xiong, L., Liu, S., Gong, C., & Dai, J. (2019). High-flow nasal cannula therapy for children with bronchiolitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 104(6), 564-576.
    DOI
    2017 Wong, M., Arcos-Burgos, M., Liu, S., Vélez, J., Yu, C., Baune, B., . . . Licinio, J. (2017). The PHF21B gene is associated with major depression and modulates the stress response. Molecular Psychiatry, 22(7), 1015-1025.
    DOI Scopus49 WoS40 Europe PMC23
    - Wang, W., Liu, S., Deng, L., Ming, J., Yao, S., & Zeng, K. (n.d.). Control of Citrus Post-harvest Green Molds, Blue Molds, and Sour Rot by the Cecropin A-Melittin Hybrid Peptide BP21. Frontiers in Microbiology, 9.
    DOI

  • Conference Items
    Year Citation
    2017 Licinio, J., Arcos-Burgos, M., Liu, S., Velez, J., Baune, B., Jawahar, C., . . . Wong, M. -L. (2017). Major Depression is Associated With Rare Variants in the PHF21B Gene, a Modulator of the Stress Response in Rodents. Poster session presented at the meeting of NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY. Palm Springs, CA: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP.

1: CIA; Project grant funded by  Aushealth; $500K; Co-establish the Adelaide Phage Therapy Centre.

2: CIA; Project grant funded by Aushealth; $300k; Translate the phage therapy from benchside to clinical

3: CIA; 2023 FHMS Building Leaders; $39,083; Project title: Diabetic Foot Ulcer Infection: Time For Smart Phage Cocktail Therapy?

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Exploring The Efficacy Of Bacteriophage Therapy In Disrupting Poly-Microbial Biofilms In Chronic Rhinosinusitis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Xiaohan Sun

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Investigating phage adherence to mucus in the nasal mucosa to screen for potential phage to develop needle-free nasal vaccines University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Jia Wen Lim
    2023 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Diabetic Foot Ulcer Infection: Time for smart phage cocktail therapy? University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Connor Jessop
    2023 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Safety and efficacy of a personalised phage treatment against phage resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Kaviya Kalyanasundaram
    2022 - ongoing External Supervisor "Mechanism research on the regulatory role of Staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin in lncRNA NEAT1/miR-155 expression-mediated Th2 cell activation in chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps Zhengzhou University - Higher Doctorate Full Time Xinjie Qiao
    2022 - ongoing External Supervisor Immunological Aspects of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Department of Rhinology, The ENT Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University - Master - Ge Guo
    2022 - ongoing External Supervisor Surgical Treatment for Chronic Sinusitis The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University - Higher Doctorate - Yanping Zhang
    2021 - ongoing External Supervisor Pathophysiology of Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis Department of Rhinology, The ENT Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University - Master Full Time Yidan Song
    2021 - ongoing External Supervisor Bacteriologic Features of Chronic Sinusitis in Children The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University - Higher Doctorate - Lei Lv
    2021 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Development of a bacteriophage cocktail for diabetic foot ulcers University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Shenoi Goonetilleke
    2020 - ongoing External Supervisor Mechanism research on the regulation of NF-kB/TGF-β1/Smad pathway by Staphylococcus aureus biofilm alpha toxin affecting the remodeling of the mucosa in chronic sinusitis Zhengzhou University - Higher Doctorate Full Time Chang Li
    2020 - ongoing External Supervisor Pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis Department of Rhinology, The ENT Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University - Master Full Time Haojie Hu
    2020 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Preclinical development of a P. aeruginosa phage cocktail for use to treat infections with multi-drug resistant bacteria University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Sophie Camens

  • Board Memberships
    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2020 - ongoing Co-Founder Adelaide Phage therapy Center the University of Adelaide and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network Australia

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2023 - ongoing Board Member BHI Policy Committee Basil Hetzel Institute Australia
    2020 - ongoing Board Member Antimicrobial stewardship committee Central Adelaide Local Health Network Australia

  • Consulting/Advisories
    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2021 - ongoing Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Advocacy Australia

  • Industry Partnerships
    Date Engagement Type Partner Name
    2021 - ongoing Consultant Jafral
    2020 - ongoing Consultant Aushealth
    2019 - ongoing Consultant AmphiPhi
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