Education
- 2023: Postdoc at Western University, Canada
- 2023: PhD from the University of Manitoba, Canada
- 2019: MSc from the University of Manitoba, Canada
Dr. Qian Liu's research focuses on developing new AI and data science methods for solving challenging problems in healthcare and other scientific fields.
Her work combines statistical modelling with modern machine learning to improve the analysis of complex, high dimensional, and heterogeneous data.
She has particular expertise in integrating multiple types of data, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, medical imaging, physiological signals,
electronic health records, and graph structured data, to better understand biological systems and support data driven decision making.
Dr. Liu has worked on a wide range of interdisciplinary projects, including precision medicine, cancer genomics, medical image analysis, radiogenomics, neurodegenerative diseases,
RNA epitranscriptomics, infectious disease research, and biomedical signal analysis.
More recently, her research has expanded to materials science and social services, where she develops AI methods to accelerate materials discovery and
to support evidence based decision making for complex social challenges such as homelessness prevention and health equity.
Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Email: qi.liu~at~uwinnipeg.ca
Teaching
Publications
co-first author *
co-corresponding author **
trainee
51.
S Dharia, C Valderrama, Q Liu, S Smith
Exploring the interaction of APOE-ε 4 and PICALM rs3851179 with dynamic functional connectivity in healthy middle-aged adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease
Journal of Neural Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/ae4926.
50.
D Ranganathan, D Barot, Q Liu, OM Adedayo
BloodTrace: Where Drops Become Decision
14th International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security (ISDFS). https://doi.org/10.1109/ISDFS69419.2026.11459050.
49.
J Castro, Q Liu, C Valderrama
EEG-based prediction of driving performance using spectrograms and vision transformers
Array. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.array.2026.100713.
48.
S Dharia, Q Liu, S Smith, C Valderrama
Dual-Transformer Cross-Attention Framework for Alzheimer’s disease detection via dPTE-Guided EEG channel selection and multi-modal integration
Biomedical Signal Processing and Control. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bspc.2025.108390.
47.
M Kaur, A Ebadi, X Zhang, H Liu, CY Chen, EA Stach, Q Liu
Semi-supervised spatiotemporal segmentation of in situ transmission electron microscopy for nanoparticle dynamics
Materials Today Physics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102033.
46.
G Feng, Y Long, H Ali, E Lou, F Butt, Q Liu, Y Wang, P Hu
RDFace: A Benchmark Dataset for Rare Disease Facial Image Analysis under Extreme Data Scarcity and Phenotype-Aware Synthetic Generation
Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR). CVPR 2026 open access.
45.
S Dharia, C Valderrama, Q Liu, B Fredborg, Amy S Desroches, S Smith
Fractal Dimension of Resting-State EEG as a Biomarker for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR)
IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics. https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2025.3612301.
44.
S Dharia, Q Liu, S Smith, C Valderrama
A Novel Approach for the Early Identification of Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease Using EEG and Psychometric Data
IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics. https://doi.org/10.1109/jbhi.2025.3639217.
43.
I Namir, M Hussain, S Ramanna, Q Liu**, P Kathiravelu**
Satellite image processing in the circumpolar north: Understanding climate crisis by predicting sea ice extent in the arctic
Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2025.101797.
42.
M Kaur, S Ramanna, Y Chen, Q Liu
PolyGraphCL: A Multi-View Graph Contrastive Learning Framework for Grain-Level Fatigue Damage Prediction in Polycrystalline Materials
IEEE Sensors Journal. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2025.3598238.
41.
M Tahir, S Ramanna, Q Liu
Hybrid Representation Learning for Human m6A Modifications with Chromosome-Level Generalizability
Bioinformatics Advances 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/bioadv/vbaf170.
40.
X Zhang, S Wijenayake, Q Liu
Estimating Progression of Alzheimer's Disease with Extracellular Vesicle-Related Multi-Omics Risk Models
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 17: 1617611. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1617611.
39.
H Liu, X Zhang, Q Liu
A Streamlined and Efficient Machine Learning Approach for Sleep Stage Classification
2025 International Conference on Mechatronics, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (MRAI). https://doi.org/10.1109/MRAI65197.2025.11135767.
38.
Y Abdelkader, M Abdelkarim, M Suresh, T Lopera, S Dhaliwal, S Shojaei, L Pope, Q Liu, P Hu, H Haga, K Thu, S Giunta, S Ishihara, M Anikovskiy, H Labouta
Genomic instability and shear stress influence nanoparticle-induced endothelial cell responses and gene expression
Materials Today Nano 31: 100641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtnano.2025.100641.
37.
A Ebadi, M Kaur, Q Liu
Hyperparameter optimization and neural architecture search algorithms for graph neural networks in cheminformatics
Computational Materials Science 254: 113904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2025.113904.
36.
Q Liu, D Fung, H Liu, P Hu
Knockoff statistics-driven interpretable deep learning models for uncovering potential biomarkers for COVID-19 severity prediction
International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) 2025 workshop
35.
M Kaur, C Valderrama, Q Liu
Hybrid vision transformer framework for efficient and explainable SEM image-based nanomaterial classification
Machine Learning: Science and Technology 6: 015066.https://doi.org/10.1088/2632-2153/adc072.
34.
H Liu, X Zhang, Q Liu
A review of AI-based radiogenomics in neurodegenerative disease
Frontiers in Big Data 8: 1515341.https://doi.org/10.3389/fdata.2025.1515341.
33.
X Zhang, Q Liu
A graph neural network approach for hierarchical mapping of breast cancer protein communities
BMC Bioinformatics 26(23).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12859-024-06015-x.
32.
L Chen, ZH Huang, Y Sun, M Domaratzki, Q Liu**, P Hu**
Conditional Probabilistic Diffusion Model Driven Synthetic Radiogenomic Applications in Breast Cancer
Plos Computational Biology. 20(10): e1012490. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012490.
31.
H Liu, CE Valderrama, X Zhang, Q Liu
MPSleepNet: Matrix Profile-Guided Transformer for Multi-Channel Sleep Classification
2024 International Conference on Signal Processing and Machine Learning (SPML). https://doi.org/10.1145/3686490.3686519.
30.
CE Valderrama, A Sheoran, Q Liu
Exploring the Effect of Age and Sex on Subject-Independent EEG-Based Emotion Recognition Methods
2024 IEEE Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (CCECE), pp. 319-323. https://doi.org/10.1109/CCECE59415.2024.10667058.
29. Y Li, L Lac, Q Liu, P Hu
ST-CellSeg: Cell segmentation for imaging-based spatial transcriptomics using multi-scale manifold learning
Plos Computational Biology.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012254.
28. YW Jin, P Hu, Q Liu
NNICE: a deep quantile neural network algorithm for expression deconvolution
Scientific Reports. 14, 14040. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65053-w.
27. R Qiu, X Zhang, C Song, H Nong, Y Li, X Xing, K Mequanint, Q Liu, X Sun, M Xing, L Wang
E-cardiac patch to sense and repair infarcted myocardium
Nature Communications. 15, 4133. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48468-x.
26. J Chowdhury, Q Liu, S Ramanna
Simple histogram equalization technique improves performance of VGG models on facial emotion recognition datasets
Algorithms. 17, 6: 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/a17060238.
25. Z Huang, L Chen, Y Sun, Q Liu**, P Hu**
Conditional generative adversarial network driven radiomic prediction of mutation status based on magnetic resonance imaging of breast cancer
Journal of Translational Medicine. 22:226. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05018-9.
24. Q Liu, S Huang, D Desautels, KJ McManus, L Murphy, P Hu
Development and validation of a prognostic 15-gene signature for stratifying HER2+/ER+ breast cancer
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. 21:2940-2949.
23. D Fung, Q Liu, L Lac, L O'Neil, C Hitchon**, P Hu**
Deep learning-based joint detection in Rheumatoid arthritis hand radiographs
AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association) Jt Summits Transl Sci Proc . 206-215. PMID: 37350925. Seattle, Washington, USA.
22. I Paul, D Bolzan, A Youssef, KA Gagnon, H Hook, G Karemore, MUJ Oliphant, W Lin, Q Liu, S Phanse, C White, D Padhorny, S Kotelnikov, CS Chen, P Hu, GV Denis, D Kozakov, B Raught, T Siggers, S Wuchty, SK Muthuswamy, A Emili
Parallelized multidimensional analytic framework applied to mammary epithelial cells uncovers regulatory principles in EMT.
Nature Communications, 14:688.
21. Q Liu, S Huang, Z Zhang, T Lakowski, W Xu, P Hu
Multiomics-based tensor decomposition for characterizing breast cancer heterogeneity
Invited chapter for “Machine Learning Methods for Multi-Omics Data Integration” edited by Luis Rueda. Nature Springer -Verlag Press. 133-150.
20. Q Liu, P Hu
Radiogenomic association of deep MR imaging features with genomic profiles and clinical characteristics in breast cancer
Biomarker Research, 11:9
19. Q Liu*, M Reed*, H Zhu*, Y Cheng, J Almeida, G Fruhbeck, R Ribeiro, P Hu
Epigenome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome profiling of localized and locally advanced prostate cancer: uncovering new molecular markers
Genomics, 114(5):110474.
18. Y Su, Q Liu, W Xie, P Hu
YOLO-LOGO: A transformer-based YOLO segmentation model for breast mass detection and segmentation in digital mammograms
Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine,221:106903
16. Q Liu, P Hu
An integrative computational framework for breast cancer radiogenomic biomarker discovery
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 20:2484-2494
15. J Zammit, DLX Fung, Q Liu, CKS Leung, P Hu
Semi-Supervised COVID-19 CT Image Segmentation Using Deep Generative Models
BMC Bioinformatics, 23:343
14. N Feizi, Q Liu, L Murphy, P Hu
Computational prediction of the pathogenic status of cancer-specific somatic variants
Frontiers in Genetics. 12:805656
13. B Blum, W Lin, ML Lawton, Q Liu, J Kwan, I Turcinovic, R Hekman, P Hu, A Emili
Multi-omic metabolic enrichment network analysis reveals metabolite-protein physical interaction subnetworks altered in cancer
Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. 21 (1):100189
12. Q Liu, P Hu
Interpretable and extendable deep learning for pan-cancer radiogenomics research
Current Opinion for Chemical Biology. 66:102111
11. Q Liu*,B Cheng*, Y Jin, P Hu
Bayesian tensor factorization-driven breast cancer subtyping by integrating multi-omics data
Journal of Biomedical Informatics. 125:103958
10. LJ Oneil, P Hu, Q Liu, M Islam, V Spicer, J Rech, A Hueber, V Anaparti, I Smolik, H EI-Gabalaway, G Schett, JA Wilkins
Proteomic Approaches to Defining Remission and the Risk of Relapse in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Frontiers in Immunology, 12:729681
9. Q Liu*, D LX Fung*, L Lac*, P Hu
A novel matrix profile-guided attention LSTM model for forecasting COVID-19 cases in USA
Frontiers in Public Health, 9:741030
8. D LX Fung*, Q Liu*, J Zammit, CK Leung, P Hu
Self-supervised deep learning model for COVID-19 lung CT image segmentation highlighting putative causal relationship among age, underlying disease and COVID-19
Journal of Translational Medicine. 19:318
7. A Bruinooge*, Q Liu*, Y Tian, W Jiang, Y Li, W Xu, CN Bernstein, P Hu
Genetic predictors of gene expression associated with psychiatric comorbidity in patients with IBD: a pilot study
Genomics. 113: 919-932.
6. R Ajwad, M Domaratzki, Q Liu, N Feizi, P Hu
Identification of significantly mutated subnetworks in the breast cancer genome
Scientific Reports. 11:642
5. Q Liu, CK Leung, P Hu
A two-dimensional sparse matrix profile DenseNet for COVID-19 diagnosis using chest CT image
IEEE Access. 8:213718-213728
4. Q Liu, A Junker, K Murakami, P Hu
A novel convolutional regression network for cell counting
2019 IEEE 7th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. Hangzhou, China
Won Best Oral Presentation Paper
3. Q Liu, A Junker, K Murakami, P Hu
Automated cancer cell counting by ensembling deep features
Cells, 8(9):1019
2. Q Liu, P Hu
Association analysis of deep genomic features extracted by denoising autoencoders in breast cancer
Cancers. 11:494
1. P Basak, S Chatterjee, V Bhat, A Su, H Jin, V Lee-Wing, Q Liu, P Hu, LC Murphy, A Raouf
H19 acts as an estrogen receptor modulator that is required for endocrine therapy resistance in ER+ breast cancer cells
Journal of Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry. 51:1518-1532
News
2026.7.1 Dr. Qian Liu is granted Tenure and Promotion at the rank of Associate Professor. Congratulations!2026.5.12 Our lab is funded a Research Manitoba - Manitoba Solutions Grant for our project entitled "From Absence to Action: A Multi-Agents AI Framework for Homelessness Service Disengagement". Congratulations and thank you to our collaborators!
2026.5.7 Welcome Taher (NSERC USRA student) and Abir (Mitacs Global Link student) to join the lab!
2026.4.21 Our undergraduate student Dristi Rauniyar won the International USRA. Congratulations!
2026.1.5 Welcome Tajwar (MSc student) to join the lab!
2025.11.22 Our undergraduate student Dristi Rauniyar won the 3rd place in the Randy Kobes Poster Symposium. Congratulations!
2025.9.3 Welcome Yuxi (MSc student), Shenyu (MSc student) and Dristi (Undergraduate) to join the lab!
2025.8.29 Our MSc student Manpreet Kaur won Research Manitoba Master's Studentship Award. Congratulations!
2025.8.29 Our MSc student Ali Ebadi won The University of Winnipeg Graduate Studdies Scholarship (UWGSS). Congratulations!
2025.3.20 Welcome Max (NSERC USRA student) and Shuhan (Mitacs Global Link student) to join the lab!
2025.1.1 Welcome Dr. Tahir (Postdoctoral Fellow) and Shyamal (Senior Research Assistant) to join the lab!
2024.10.3 Dr. Qian Liu is selected and funded to attend the 2024 CIHR-ICR Early Career Researcher Workshop in Toronto. Congratulations!
2024.9.11 Our MSc student Manpreet Kaur won The University of Winnipeg President’s Scholarship for World Leaders. Congratulations!
2024.7.13 Our MSc student Huanjing Liu won the 2024 International Signal Processing and Machine Learning (SPML) Conference Best Oral Presention Award. Congratulations!
2024.5.31 Dr. Qian Liu won the University of Manitoba Distinguished Dissertation Award. Congratulations!
2024.3.5 Our undergraduate student Xiao Zhang won the NSERC USRA award. Congratulations!
2023.8.4 Dr. Qian Liu's lab has now been established and is accepting graduate students, welcoming visiting scholars, and providing research opportunities for undergraduate students. If you are interested in engaging in research with Dr. Liu, please reach out via email to explore potential opportunities.
Members
Doctor of Medicine (MD) StudentXiao Zhang (Doctor of Medicine Program, University of Manitoba)
Also accepted by the BSc (Med) Program, University of Manitoba
MSc Student
Manpreet Kaur (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of The University of Winnipeg President’s Scholarship for World Leaders
Recipient of Research Manitoba Master's Studentship Award
Recipient of The University of Winnipeg Graduate Student Research Award
Ali Ebadi (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of The University of Winnipeg Graduate Studdies Scholarship
Recipient of The University of Winnipeg Graduate Student Research Award
Yuxi Wang (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Shenyu Yu (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Tajwar Elahi Choudhury (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Undergraduate Student
Maximilien Oosterhuis (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of the 2025 NSERC USRA Award
Dristi Rauniyar (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of The University of Winnipeg USRA-International Award
Abir Ben Ammar (University of Sfax, Tunisia)
Recipient of the Mitacs Global Link Research Internship Award
Taher Alabbar (Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of the 2026 NSERC USRA Award
Past Members
Postdoctoral FellowDr. Muhammad Tahir (The University of Winnipeg)
Period: Janurary 2025 - December 2025.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
MSc Student
Huanjing Liu (Applied Computer Science, The University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of the 2024 SPML Conference Best Oral Presention Award
Period: Janurary 2024 - December 2025.
Undergraduate Student
Xiao Zhang (Applied Computer Science, University of Winnipeg)
Recipient of the NSERC USRA Award
Period: Janurary 2024 - September 2024.
Current Position: MD student, University of Manitoba
Shuhan Wang
Recipient of the Mitacs Global Link Research Internship Award
Period: July 2025 - October 2025.
Senior Research Assistant
Shyamal Dharia (The University of Winnipeg)
Period: Janurary 2025 - December 2025.
Current Position: Senior Research Assistant, The University of Winnipeg