Shan-Lu Liu, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Veterinary Biosciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has earned The Ohio State University 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award. Senior leadership from the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge recently surprised Liu with the honor.
Shan-Lu Liu receives 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award
Liu also holds an appointment in College of Medicine’s Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, serves as associate director of the Center for Retrovirus Research and is the co-director of the Infectious Diseases Institute’s Viruses and Emerging Pathogens Program. His research focuses on viral entry, evolution and virus-host interactions of emerging and re-emerging viruses.
“Thank you all for being here, for the kind words and for your support. This is really a gift for me, not only me, but also for our lab members and the college, department, the centers and the university.”
“In the immediate years after you arrived at Ohio State, your work significantly advanced our understanding of viral entry, replication and immune escape mechanisms, with applications for combating globally important viruses,” said Peter Mohler, executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge. “As an internationally-recognized leader in all things virus, you represent the best of Ohio State. Congratulations.”
“You’re surrounded by colleagues who deeply respect and work alongside you,” said Rustin Moore, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Your dedication inspires us all—and we’re truly grateful for you.”
“When the pandemic started, we were very fortunate to have an outstanding group of faculty like Shan-Lu Liu who work with viruses,” said Prosper Boyaka, Veterinary Biosciences department chair. “You have done just a fantastic job with impactful work, so congratulations again.”
Liu is an internationally recognized leader in virology and infectious diseases whose pioneering contributions have significantly advanced the field and elevated Ohio State’s global reputation. Since joining the university in 2016, Liu has conducted groundbreaking research addressing critical challenges in host-virus interactions and developing countermeasures against emerging pathogens. He received his medical degree from Zhengzhou University Henan College of Medicine and his doctorate of virology and gene therapy from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research and University of Washington, where he also served as a post-doctoral fellow.
The Distinguished Scholar Award is among the highest annual honors awarded at Ohio State. The university-level award annually honors six faculty members who demonstrate scholarly activity, conduct research or creative works that represent exceptional achievements in their fields and garner distinction for the university. Award recipients are nominated by their departments and chosen by a committee of senior faculty, including past award recipients. Distinguished Scholars receive an honorarium and a research grant to be used over the next three years.
Quotes from Liu’s nomination:
“…since being recruited to [Ohio State] in 2016, his work has really taken off extraordinary and important directions. His achievements are almost too numerous to describe here, but the highlights are his important work on the mechanisms of host antiviral proteins SERINC3, TIM family proteins, and IFITM proteins. In each case, Dr. Liu’s lab has made insights into how these antiviral proteins block virus transmission and how retroviruses have evolved to evade them....Shan-Lu Liu is doing outstanding and valuable work for society in advancing his expertise in virology.” Michael Emerman, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“I am truly impressed by Dr. Liu’s diverse and well-funded research program, by his productivity, creativity, and his outstanding contributions to science. He is an internationally recognized leader in virus entry, immunology, and virus-host interaction fields...Dr. Shan-Lu Liu is an outstanding scholar who continues to make many highly impactful contributions to the field of virus entry, virus-host interaction, and immunity.” Gregory Melikian, PhD, Emory University.
“Dr. Liu is an energetic and congenial colleague, and a frequent participant in national and international conferences. He is a committed and caring mentor and many of his trainees have gone on to successful independent careers in science. Dr. Liu is highly engaged in service to the scientific community.” Eric O. Freed, National Cancer Institute.
“Shan-Lu served as a valuable example for me during my graduate studies, demonstrating brilliant scholarship, dedicated leadership, compassionate mentorship, and a passion for scientific discovery. I sincerely hope I can emulate these qualities as a pursue my own career in science.” John P. Evans, GlaxoSmithKline.