About

Liping Feng is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University, with additional roles as an Assistant Professor in Pathology and an Associate Research Professor of Global Health. She is based at the Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology located at 701 W Main St, Durham, NC. Her professional focus involves reproductive sciences, and she is actively engaged in research and education within this field. Her work contributes to advancing knowledge in reproductive health, and she is involved in various academic and clinical initiatives at Duke University.

Research topics

• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Cell biology
• Chemistry
• Genetics
• Bioinformatics
• Microbiology
• Immunology

Selected publications

• Compliance with an enhanced recovery pathway and postoperative outcomes in elderly colorectal cancer patients: a real-world cohort and structural pathway analysis

  Updates in Surgery · 2026-04-29

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Genetic Evidence for Null Association Between Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Levels and Postpartum Depression Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study

  Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology · 2026-04-13

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Background: Previous observational studies suggest that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may influence the risk of postpartum depression (PPD) by modulating neuroinflammation and synaptic function. However, causal evidence remains limited. This study employs a genetic approach to investigate the causal relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs, including their subtypes, as well as the risk of PPD. Methods: Genetic instrumental variables (IVs) associated with PUFA levels were selected based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from European populations. The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method, along with additional Mendelian randomization (MR) approaches, were applied to analyze the associations between genetically predicted PUFA levels and PPD risk. Results: The results indicate that genetically predicted levels of omega-3, omega-6, and their subtypes were not causally associated with the risk of PPD in European women (odds ratio [OR] for omega-3 PUFAs = 1.026 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.949–1.109], p = 0.926; OR for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) = 0.937 [95% CI: 0.808–1.087], p = 0.39; OR for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) = 0.798 [95% CI: 0.561–1.136], p = 0.211; OR for omega-6 PUFAs = 1.053 [95% CI: 0.939–1.181], p = 0.377; OR for linoleic acid (LA) = 1.046 [95% CI: 0.938–1.167], p = 0.418; and OR for arachidonic acid (AA) = 1.001 [95% CI: 0.941–1.063], p = 0.997). Conclusions: The genetic evidence from this study does not support a causal role for omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs, or their subtypes, in the prevention of PPD. Although the genetic evidence from this study does not support a causal role for omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs, or their subtypes, in the prevention of PPD, these results do not preclude potential benefits in specific subgroups. Future biomarker-guided trials targeting individuals with baseline PUFA deficiency may still be warranted.

  PublisherDOI

• Terrestrial Nocturnal Roosting Behavior of Black‐necked Cranes ( <i>Grus nigricollis</i> ) on the Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau: Active Choice or Forced Environmental Adaptation

  Ecology and Evolution · 2025-06-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  ), which typically roost in shallow water, have exhibited an unexpected "terrestrialization" of nocturnal roosting sites within their eastern wintering population of southwest China. Despite this phenomenon being documented since the late 20th century, research on terrestrial nocturnal roosting behavior remains limited, hindered by technological challenges. To address this knowledge gap, we combined GPS-GSM tracking data from 14 individuals monitored between 2015 and 2022 in northeastern Yunnan and western Guizhou with remote sensing imagery to systematically analyze their nocturnal roosting patterns. Our results indicated that area of water body, the location of foraging grounds, and individual behaviors influenced the proportion of terrestrial nocturnal roosting in Black-necked Cranes. On land, Black-necked Cranes preferred to roost on highlands (headwaters, uphill terraces, mountain tops, and local ridges) and avoided valleys (canyons, shallow valleys, and U-shaped valleys). Notably, nocturnal terrestrial roosting sites were associated with increased nocturnal mobility compared to shallow water (11.6% vs. 0.8%). These findings suggest that terrestrial roosting behavior may reflect adaptive trade-offs under habitat pressure. We recommend that regional conservation strategies should prioritize the following: (1) Protect existing large wetlands, (2) Connect and restore fragmented small wetlands, (3) Strengthen nighttime monitoring of the Black-necked Crane, and (4) Strictly manage free-ranging dogs to minimize anthropogenic disturbance on terrestrially roosting cranes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effects of Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (PFBS) on Female Reproduction, Pregnancy, and Birth Outcomes

  Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey · 2025-10-01 · 2 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  ABSTRACT Importance Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) is a short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) that has emerged as a significant public health concern due to its widespread environmental contamination and persistent nature. While PFBS is considered to have a shorter half-life in the environment and human body compared to other PFAS compounds, there are still growing concerns about its potential impacts on human health, particularly on female reproduction and birth outcomes. Objective This literature review critically examines the impact of PFBS exposure on female reproductive health, pregnancy outcomes, and fetal development, synthesizing the most recent data from both human and animal studies. Evidence Acquisition A comprehensive literature search was conducted using data from peer-reviewed articles, clinical trials, animal models, and regulatory reports. Results These studies suggest that PFBS may have adverse effects on fertility, pregnancy health, and fetal development. It also explores the current regulatory landscape for PFBS, focusing on policies in Europe, the United States, and Asia while emphasizing the growing global efforts to establish more stringent guidelines and develop effective treatment technologies to mitigate PFBS exposure. Given the bioaccumulative properties of PFBS and its increasing detection through environmental surveillance, ongoing research, especially targeted studies in human populations, is urgently needed to fully elucidate its reproductive toxicity, including its potential transgenerational effects. Conclusion and Relevance This review underscores the importance of understanding PFBS mechanisms of action at the molecular and epigenetic levels, as this knowledge will be essential for informing public health strategies, shaping regulatory policies, and developing interventions to reduce human and environmental exposure. Target Audience Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians Learning Objectives After participating in this activity, the learner will be better able to evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the effects of PFBS exposure on pregnancy outcomes, including gestational age, birth weight, and potential developmental outcomes for the child; identify which women are most commonly and most severely impacted by PFBS exposure; describe the potential mechanisms by which PFBS influences female reproductive health, pregnancy, and birth outcomes; and explain the key public health recommendations and regulatory efforts aimed at reducing PFBS exposure, particularly in pregnant women and women of reproductive age.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• PIEZO1 drives trophoblast fusion and placental development

  Nature Communications · 2025-07-26 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  PIEZO1, a mechanosensor in endothelial cells, plays a critical role in fetal vascular development during embryogenesis. However, its expression and function in placental trophoblasts remain unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that PIEZO1 is expressed in placental villus trophoblasts, where it is essential for trophoblast fusion and placental development. Mice with trophoblast-specific PIEZO1 knockout exhibit embryonic lethality without obvious vascular defects. Instead, PIEZO1 deficiency disrupts the formation of the syncytiotrophoblast layer in the placenta. Mechanistically, PIEZO1-mediated calcium influx activates TMEM16F lipid scramblase, facilitating the externalization of phosphatidylserine, a key “fuse-me” signal for trophoblast fusion. These findings reveal PIEZO1 as a crucial mechanosensor in trophoblasts and highlight its essential role in regulating trophoblast fusion and placental development, expanding our understanding of PIEZO1’s functions beyond endothelial cells during pregnancy. Here they show that PIEZO1, a force-sensing ion channel, is important for trophoblast fusion during placental development. It triggers calcium entry that activates the TMEM16F lipid scramblase, allowing cells to merge and support fetal development.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Perinatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances impairs maternal care and induces depressive-like behavior in mice

  Toxicological Sciences · 2025-10-25 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Postpartum mental health disorders are a critical yet understudied aspect of maternal health. Exposure to environmental toxicants such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including reproductive and neurobehavioral dysfunction, whereas their specific effects on maternal behavior and mental health remain poorly characterized. This study investigated the effects of perinatal exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of a PFAS mixture comprising 10 individual PFAS (PFHxA, PFPeA, PFHpA, PFBA, perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA], PFOS, PFHxS, PFDA, and PFNA), as well as the alternative PFAS compound, perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), on maternal caregiving behaviors and mental health. Female mice were exposed to the PFAS mixture (758.6 ng/l) or PFBS (7.9 ng/l) in reverse osmosis filtered water at levels detected in North Carolina drinking water, beginning before conception and continuing until the first day of birth. Maternal behaviors, including pup-directed care and nest construction, were assessed along with depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors using standardized behavioral tests. Fluoxetine was administered to a subset of animals to pharmacologically validate depressive-like outcomes. Both PFAS mixture and PFBS-exposed dams exhibited impaired maternal caregiving, including diminished nurturing behavior and poor nest building. Litters of PFBS-exposed dams emitted fewer ultrasonic vocalizations, suggesting altered maternal-offspring interaction. Dams exposed to the PFAS mixture also exhibited depressive-like behaviors that were reversed by fluoxetine treatment, whereas anxiety-like behavior was unaffected. These findings demonstrate that perinatal PFAS exposure disrupts maternal behavior and induces depressive-like phenotypes, reflecting the neurobehavioral risks of exposure during the perinatal period. This study emphasizes the potential for environmental contaminants to contribute to maternal mental health disorders and supports the need for further research on the effect of PFAS exposure in human populations.

  PublisherDOI

• Abstract 7011: Humanized CRBN knockin mice enable in vivo assessment the efficacy and toxicity of CRBN-targeted protein degraders

  Cancer Research · 2025-04-21

  article

  Abstract Protein degraders have emerged as a transformative therapeutic approach in the past decade, enabling targeted degradation of proteins, including traditionally undruggable targets, by facilitating the recruitment of E3 ubiquitin ligases. Among these, molecular glues such as thalidomide and its derivatives, and PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs), have gained significant attention. Cereblon (CRBN), a key component of the Cullin 4 RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL4), is the most extensively studied target in protein degrader research. CRBN interacts with DDB1, Cullin 4 (CUL4A/B), and RBX1 to form the CRL4^CRBN complex, which mediates substrate recognition and degradation. Thalidomide derivatives bind to CRBN, modulating substrate specificity and promoting substrate degradation. However, differences at the V388 and E377 residues between human and mouse CRBN proteins (94% homology) impede the antitumor efficacy and teratogenicity of thalidomide in mice, limiting suitable preclinical models. To address this, we developed a humanized CRBN knockin mouse model by inserting the human CRBN coding region (exon 2-11) and a WPRE/polyA cassette into the mouse Crbn locus using ES cell-based gene targeting. This model expresses full-length human CRBN in targeted cells. We validated human CRBN (hCRBN) expression across multiple tissues, including spleen, liver, brain, and intestines, via RT-PCR and western blot. Lenalidomide and CC-885 treatments of hCRBN splenocytes demonstrated the degradation of substrate proteins CK1α and GSPT1. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed no significant differences between hCRBN knockin and wild-type C57BL/6 mice. In vivo CC-885 treatment induced on-target toxicity, as evidenced by rapid lethality, GSPT1 degradation, and increased pathological scores in hCRBN knockin mice. Our humanized CRBN mouse model serves as a robust preclinical platform for evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of CRBN-targeted protein degraders, offering valuable insights for drug development. Citation Format: Yi Li, Xiaolei Qiu, Liping Feng, Dongxiao Feng, Ruilin Sun. Humanized CRBN knockin mice enable in vivo assessment the efficacy and toxicity of CRBN-targeted protein degraders [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 7011.

  PublisherDOI

• Combination Antiretroviral Therapy: Impacts of Cardiovascular Health During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

  Free Radical Biology and Medicine · 2025-10-30

  article
  PublisherDOI

• PIEZO1 Drives Trophoblast Fusion and Placental Development

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-03-26 · 2 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract PIEZO1, a mechanosensor 1,2 in endothelial cells, plays a critical role in fetal vascular development during embryogenesis 3,4 . However, its expression and function in placental trophoblasts remain unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that PIEZO1 is expressed in placental villus trophoblasts, where it is essential for trophoblast fusion and placental development. Mice with trophoblast-specific PIEZO1 knockout exhibit embryonic lethality without obvious vascular defects. Instead, PIEZO1 deficiency disrupts the formation of the syncytiotrophoblast layer in the placenta. Mechanistically, PIEZO1-mediated calcium influx activates TMEM16F lipid scramblase, facilitating the externalization of phosphatidylserine, a key “fuse-me” signal for trophoblast fusion 5,6 . These findings reveal PIEZO1 as a crucial mechanosensor in trophoblasts and highlight its indispensable role in trophoblast fusion and placental development, expanding our understanding of PIEZO1’s functions beyond endothelial cells during pregnancy.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Application of KA representation theorem in electric vehicle charging load forecasting

  2025-06-30

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Effects of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) exposure on adverse pregnancy outcomes and fetal development

  NIH · $102k · 2017–2022

• Effects of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) exposure on adverse pregnancy outcomes and fetal development

  NIH · $422k · 2017–2022

Frequent coauthors

• Jun Zhang

  Shanghai Jiao Tong University

  117 shared

• Amy Murtha

  University of California, San Francisco

  57 shared

• Yongjie Liu

  Hainan Medical University

  40 shared

• Chad A. Grotegut

  Wake Forest University

  29 shared

• Huanghe Yang

  Duke University

  21 shared

• Rong Huang

  Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

  21 shared

• Shuman Li

  XinHua Hospital

  21 shared

• Fengxiu Ouyang

  XinHua Hospital

  20 shared