Chunyu Liu, PhD
Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Biostatistics

PhD, Boston University
PhD, University of Maine
MA, Boston University



Dr. Chunyu Liu earned her PhD in Biostatistics with a specialization in statistical genetics from the Department of Biostatistics at Boston University. She embarked on her professional journey at Biogen Idec Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she served as a statistical geneticist. Additionally, she made significant contributions to the Population Sciences Branch & Framingham Heart Study (FHS), NHLBI, located in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Throughout her career, Dr. Liu has been actively engaged in diverse projects assessing risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Her notable portfolio includes leadership roles as the Principal Investigator (PI) for three R01 grants and an R21 grant since 2018. Moreover, she serves as a subcontract PI for two R21 grants and has secured funding from the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. In collaborative endeavors, she plays a pivotal role as the lead biostatistician in several R01 grants, contributing to over 135 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Dr. Liu often holds significant authorship positions in these publications, including as the first, second, or last author in more than 40 papers.
Dr. Liu's contributions span significant collaborative research endeavors, where she has held key roles as the lead statistician and co-convener in multiple working groups within the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genetic Epidemiology (CHARGE). Currently, she serves as a co-convener of the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) working group, leading efforts to develop analytical methods for mtDNA sequence variations.
Furthermore, Dr. Liu shares her expertise as a member of the NIH’s Genetics of Health and Disease Study Section within the Center for Scientific Review. Her commitment extends to editorial responsibilities, acting as an Associate Editor for the Cardiovascular Digital Health Journal and an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE. Additionally, she plays an active role in the International Genetic Epidemiology Society, co-chairing its Education Committee.

Investigator
Framingham Heart Study


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research




Life's Essential 8, Digital Cognitive Markers, and Alzheimer's Disease Risk
05/15/2025 - 01/31/2030 (PI)
NIH/National Institute on Aging
1R01AG086303-01A1

Calorie Restriction, Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy, Cardiometabolic Profiles, and Biological Aging
08/01/2024 - 07/31/2026 (Subcontract PI)
Trustees of Tufts College NIH NIA
1R21AG085086-01

Mitochondrial DNA, Nuclear DNA Methylation, and Cardiometabolic Disease Traits
09/01/2021 - 06/30/2026 (PI)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5R01HL155569-04

Trans-omic Analysis of Alcohol Consumption and Its Relation to Cardiovascular Disease
07/01/2021 - 04/30/2026 (PI)
NIH/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
5R01AA028263-05

Plasma proteins, sex and Alzheimer's disease: Proteome-wide analyses of the UK Biobank and Framingham Heart Study
01/22/2025 - 01/21/2026 (Subcontract PI)
Duke University Cure Alzheimers Fund


Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease Progression: Framingham Heart Study
10/15/2022 - 11/14/2024 (Subcontract PI)
Duke University Cure Alzheimers Fund


Mitochondrial DNA Copy number and Sequence Variation in Relation to Age, Metabolic traits, and Alzheimer's Disease Related Phenotypes
09/15/2018 - 05/31/2024 (Multi-PI)
PI: Chunyu Liu, PhD
NIH/National Institute on Aging
5R01AG059727-04

Validation of the DCTclock drawing task as a cognitive screening tool for prodromal Alzheimers disease in the Framingham Heart Study
09/30/2021 - 05/31/2023 (Subcontract PI)
Brown University NIH NIA
1R21AG072588-02

Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease Progression: Framingham Heart Study
02/15/2021 - 02/14/2023 (Subcontract PI)
Duke University Cure Alzheimers Fund


Mitochondrial heteroplasmy as an endophenotype of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders
07/23/2019 - 11/30/2022 (Subcontract PI)
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine/CWRU NIH NIMH
5R21MH121165-02

Showing 10 of 11 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. Li Z, Ding H, Wang M, Li Y, Ang TFA, Ashita G, Gifford KA, Karjadi C, Levy D, Au R, Liu C. Association of DNA methylation age acceleration with digital clock drawing test performance: the Framingham Heart Study. Aging (Albany NY). 2025 Jul 21; 17(7):1721-1745.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40699219; PMCID: PMC12339028; DOI: 10.18632/aging.206285;
     
  2. Carbonneau M, Li Y, Qu Y, Zheng Y, Wood AC, Wang M, Liu C, Huan T, Joehanes R, Guo X, Yao J, Taylor KD, Tracy RP, Durda P, Liu Y, Johnson WC, Post WS, Blackwell T, Rotter JI, Rich SS, Redline S, Fornage M, Wang J, Ning H, Hou L, Lloyd-Jones D, Ferrier K, Min YI, Carson AP, Raffield LM, Teumer A, Grabe HJ, Völzke H, Nauck M, Dörr M, Domingo-Relloso A, Fretts A, Tellez-Plaza M, Cole SA, Navas-Acien A, Wang M, Murabito JM, Heard-Costa NL, Prescott B, Xanthakis V, Mozaffarian D, Levy D, Ma J. DNA Methylation Signatures of Cardiovascular Health Provide Insights Into Diseases. Circulation. 2025 Aug 19; 152(7):436-449.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40654086; PMCID: PMC12262172; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.073181;
     
  3. Wang X, Zhang Y, Pathiravasan CH, Spartano NL, Benjamin EJ, McManus DD, Lewis GD, Larson MG, Vasan RS, Murabito JM, Liu C, Nayor M. Blood Pressure Responses During Exercise Were Associated With Average Home Blood Pressure and Home Blood Pressure Variability: The Electronic Framingham Heart Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 Jun 03; 14(11):e039457.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40459124; PMCID: PMC12229214; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.124.039457;
     
  4. Lundin JI, Peters U, Hu Y, Ammous F, Benjamin EJ, Bis JC, Brody JA, Cushman M, Fuller H, Gignoux C, Guo X, Haessler J, Haiman C, Joehanes R, Kasela S, Kenny E, Lappalainen T, Levy D, Liu C, Liu Y, Loos RJF, Matise T, North KE, Park SL, Ratliff SM, Reiner A, Rich SS, Rotter JI, Smith JA, Sotoodehnia N, Tracy R, Van den Berg D, Ye T, Zhao W, Raffield LM, Kooperberg C. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying variation of IL-6, a well-established inflammation biomarker and risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis. 2025 Aug; 407:120219.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40480020; PMCID: PMC12276907; DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120219;
     
  5. Wang X, Larson MG, Liu C. Two-stage multiple imputation with a longitudinal composite variable. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2025 May 06; 25(1):124. PMID: 40329169; PMCID: PMC12054270; DOI: 10.1186/s12874-025-02555-9;
     
  6. Ambrosone CB, Yao S, Long MD, Liu C, Chen J, Davis W, Zirpoli G, Payne-Ondracek R, Khoury T, Gong Z, Hu Q, Szewczyk S, Omilian AR, Bandera EV, Liu S, Kushi L, Higgins MJ, Palmer JR. Associations of DNA methylation in breast tumour subtypes with parity and breastfeeding in a cohort of 1459 Black women: implications for public health. BMJ Oncol. 2025; 4(1):e000675.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40519219; PMCID: PMC12164313; DOI: 10.1136/bmjonc-2024-000675;
     
  7. Yang J, Ding H, Li Y, Ang TFA, Devine S, Liu Y, Qiu W, Au R, Ma J, Liu C. Association of mid-age Life's Essential 8 score with digital cognitive performance and incident Alzheimer's disease: The Framingham Heart Study. J Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Mar; 104(2):498-508.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40025717; DOI: 10.1177/13872877251317734;
     
  8. Li J, Liu C, Ang TFA, Au R. Associations of Mid- and Late-Life Fasting Blood Glucose Levels With Dementia Risk Among Patients With Diabetes: Framingham Heart Study. Eur J Neurol. 2025 Feb; 32(2):e70062.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39910859; PMCID: PMC11799049; DOI: 10.1111/ene.70062;
     
  9. Leng Y, Ding H, Ang TFA, Au R, Doraiswamy PM, Liu C. Identifying proteomic prognostic markers for Alzheimer's disease with survival machine learning: The Framingham Heart Study. J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Feb; 12(2):100021.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39863332; PMCID: PMC12184055; DOI: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2024.100021;
     
  10. Rong J, Pathiravasan CH, Zhang Y, Faro JM, Wang X, Schramm E, Borrelli B, Benjamin EJ, Liu C, Murabito JM. Baseline Smartphone App Survey Return in the Electronic Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Omni 1 Study: eCohort Study. JMIR Aging. 2024 Dec 31; 7:e64636.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39740111; PMCID: PMC11706443; DOI: 10.2196/64636;
     
Showing 10 of 174 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 174 publications over 22 distinct years, with a maximum of 22 publications in 2022

YearPublications
20033
20041
20052
20063
20076
20082
20091
20112
20122
20132
20143
20157
201610
201714
201813
201913
202011
202114
202222
202316
202418
20259


Gender Differences in Dementia: Sex-Specific Blood Markers Linked to Memory Decline

Brain Tomorrow 4/1/2024

Is Drinking Ever Good for Heart Health?

WebMD 12/13/2023

Study suggests a complex metabolic basis between alcohol consumption and CVD

News Medical 11/27/2023

Alcohol Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: Unveiling the Complex Relationship

Express Healthcare Management 11/27/2023
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Genomewide associaiton study, mitochondrial DNA, DNA methylation and cardiovascular disease

Dr. Liu's commitment to academia encompasses both teaching and mentoring. She has taught several graduate-level courses including two core courses for the MS and PhD programs in Biostatistics. Dr. Liu's dedication extends to mentoring junior faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and students enrolled in various programs—ranging from PhD and MS to MPH. At present, Dr. Liu is the primary mentor for four PhD students. Furthermore, she holds crucial administrative positions, co-directing the MS in Applied Biostatistics and serving as co-chair of the Department PhD Career Development Committee and the Student Paper Competition Committee.

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):
  • Advisor
  • Career Mentor
  • Co-Mentor or Peer Mentor
  • Project Mentor
  • Research / Scholarly Mentor
Contact for Mentoring:

801 Massachusetts Ave
Boston MA 02118
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617.358.1841
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