Kristina Xiao Liang
Position
Senior Researcher, Principal Investigator, Group Leader in Mitochondrial Stem Cell Research Group
Affiliation
- xiao.liang@uib.no
- Visitor address
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Jonas Lies vei 91
5009 Bergen - Postal address
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P.O. Box 7804NO-5020 BergenNorway
Kristina Xiao Liang
Position
Senior Researcher, Principal Investigator, Group Leader in Mitochondrial Stem Cell Research Group
Affiliation
Research groups
Research
Our mitochondrial stem cell research group is located at the Department of Clinical Medicine (K1), University of Bergen.
We are using stem cells transformed from a patient's own fibroblasts to study mitochondrial diseases caused by POLG mutations. The goal of our research group is to conduct iPSC-based in vitro model system studies to increase the understanding of mitochondrial diseases, identify the underlying mechanisms of this common mitochondrial diseases and develop an iPSC-based platform to test therapeutic agents.
We have established the capabilities and facilities required for the reprogramming and differentiation of iPSCs, enabling the study of neuronal cells from patients and healthy controls. Validated iPSCs can differentiate into neural stem cells (NSCs) and compartmentalized neuronal subtypes, as well as astrocyte/glial cell populations. We have also recently developed 3D brain organoids to study disease mechanisms and test treatments.
Our broad research aim is to determine the biological and pathological basis of neurodegenerative diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, and we aim to develop this and conduct more in-depth molecular phenotyping studies. Since the group is also part of the Neuro-SysMed Center, we will use our model and stem cell approach to study other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
See also our group website: Mitochondrial Stem Cell Research | Mitochondrial Medicine & Neurogenetics (MMN) | UiB
Teaching
2022 - current: Course manager for the Neuro-SysMed Junior Symposium (NEUROSYSM910), Department of Clinical Medicine (K1), University of Bergen
2022 - current: Course coordinator for the Neuro-SysMed Seminars and symposium (NEUROSYSM920), Department of Clinical Medicine (K1), University of Bergen
2021 - 2022: Course assistance for Human Physiology (OD2FYS, FARM280), Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen
Publications
2025
- Tsering Yangzom; Anbin Chen; Kristina Xiao Liang (2025). Generation of 3D Midbrain Organoids from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. (external link)
- Zhuoyuan Zhang; Tsering Yangzom; Ning Lu et al. (2025). Metformin Restores Mitochondrial Function and Neurogenesis in POLG Patient-Derived Brain Organoids. (external link)
- Tarig Al-Hadi Osman; Oddveig Gjertrud Rikardsen; Muy-Teck Teh et al. (2025). Identification of Phenotypically Distinct Cancer Stem Cell Subpopulations in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. (external link)
- Xiaodan Xing; Chunling Tang; Siofra Murdoch et al. (2025). Artificial immunofluorescence in a flash: Rapid synthetic imaging from brightfield through residual diffusion. (external link)
2014
- Xiao Liang; Karen A. Graham; Anne Christine Johannessen et al. (2014). Human oral cancer cells with increasing tumorigenic abilities exhibit higher effective membrane capacitance. (external link)
- Xiao Liang; Tarig Al-Hadi Osman; Dipak Sapkota et al. (2014). Rapid adherence to collagen IV enriches for tumour initiating cells in oral cancer.. (external link)
- Ning Yang; Tao Yan; Huaiyang Zhu et al. (2014). A co-culture model with brain tumor-specific bioluminescence demonstrates astrocytes-induced drug resistance in glioblastoma.. (external link)
2024
- Heling Wang; Richard Siow; Tomás Alejandro Schmauck-Medina et al. (2024). Meeting Summary of The NYO3 5th NO-Age/AD Meeting and the 1st Norway-UK Joint Meeting on Aging and Dementia: Recent Progress on the Mechanisms and Interventional Strategies. (external link)
- Yu Hong; Zhuoyuan Zhang; Tsering Yangzom et al. (2024). The NAD+ Precursor Nicotinamide Riboside Rescues Mitochondrial Defects and Neuronal Loss in iPSC derived Cortical Organoid of Alpers' Disease. (external link)
- Xiao Liang (2024). Interplay of mitochondria and diabetes: Unveiling novel therapeutic strategies. (external link)
- Anbin Chen; Tsering Yangzom; Yu Hong et al. (2024). Hallmark Molecular and Pathological Features of POLG Disease are Recapitulated in Cerebral Organoids. (external link)
- Xiao Liang; Anbin Chen; Atefeh Kianian et al. (2024). Activation of Neurotoxic Astrocytes Due to Mitochondrial Dysfunction Triggered by POLG Mutation. (external link)
- Xiao Liang (2024). The application of brain organoid for drug discovery in mitochondrial diseases. (external link)
2023
- Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen; Jessica Furriol; Anbin Chen et al. (2023). Deoxyribonucleoside treatment rescues EtBr-induced mtDNA depletion in iPSC-derived neural stem cells with POLG mutations. (external link)
- Yu Hong; Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen; Anbin Chen et al. (2023). POLG genotype influences degree of mitochondrial dysfunction in iPSC derived neural progenitors, but not the parent iPSC or derived glia. (external link)
- Sharika Marjan; Tsering Yangzom; Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen et al. (2023). Application of Flow Cytometric Analysis for Measuring Multiple Mitochondrial Parameters in 3D Brain Organoids. (external link)
2020
- Novin Balafkan; Sepideh Mostafavi; Manja Schubert et al. (2020). A method for differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells toward functional cardiomyocytes in 96‐well microplates. (external link)
- Xiao Liang; Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen; Sepideh Mostafavi et al. (2020). Disease-specific phenotypes in iPSC-derived neural stem cells with POLG mutations. (external link)
- Yu Hong; Kristina Xiao Liang; Nils Erik Gilhus (2020). AChR antibodies show a complex interaction with human skeletal muscle cells in a transcriptomic study. (external link)
- Xiao Liang; Guro Helén Vatne; Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen et al. (2020). N-acetylcysteine amide ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction and reduces oxidative stress in hiPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons with POLG mutation. (external link)
- Ling Gao; Qibo Wang; Wen-Hao Ren et al. (2020). The RBP1–CKAP4 axis activates oncogenic autophagy and promotes cancer progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. (external link)
2022
- Shaoming Li; Ling Gao; Weidong Zhang et al. (2022). MiR-152-5p suppresses osteogenic differentiation of mandible mesenchymal stem cells by regulating ATG14-mediated autophagy. (external link)
- Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen; Anbin Chen; Lena Elise Høyland et al. (2022). Comparing the mitochondrial signatures in ESCs and iPSCs and their neural derivations. (external link)
- Lin Zhao; Han Wang; Sijia Liu et al. (2022). Inhibition of autophagy reduces the rate of fluoride-induced LS8 apoptosis via regulating ATG5 and ATG7. (external link)
Projects
Multiple iPSC-based in vitro model systems.
- 2D: neural stem cells, DA neurons, motor neurons, generic neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and cardiomyocytes.
- 3D: mini-brain organoid system
- Co-culture systems
Modeling diseases using neural stem cells, neurons, astrocytes, and astrocyte-neurons interactions.