Linda M. Liau, M.D., Ph.D., MBA

  • Professor & Chair, Neurosurgery
LLiau@mednet.ucla.edu
  • Director, UCLA Brain Tumor Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE)
Research Areas
Publications
UCLA physician-scientist Linda Liau

Linda M. Liau, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, is a neurosurgeon who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. Her research focuses on clinical neuro-immunology and brain tumor immunotherapy, with the goal of developing new, more effective immune-based therapies to help patients.

Liau leads a translational research program focused on developing and testing immune-based treatments for glioblastoma and other primary brain tumors, with an emphasis on dendritic cell vaccines, gene therapy and immunomodulation. A leader in neuro-oncology and translational neuroscience, she developed one of the first personalized dendritic cell vaccines for glioblastoma and has continued to advance immunomodulatory strategies that harness the immune system to target aggressive brain cancers. Her work laid the foundation for a series of clinical trials testing next-generation cellular and gene-based therapies in patients with gliomas.

Liau’s lab also investigates the molecular mechanisms that drive tumor development and resistance, with a focus on isocitrate dehydrogenase, or IDH, mutations in gliomas and the progression of meningiomas. By integrating insights from tumor immunology, molecular biology and neurosurgery, her team aims to uncover new therapeutic targets and improve outcomes for patients with brain tumors that have historically had limited treatment options.

Her clinical expertise is in brain tumor surgery, intraoperative brain mapping and minimally invasive techniques for gliomas, meningiomas and brain metastases.

  • Developing smarter and stronger dendritic cell-based vaccines and combination immune modulators to improve the efficacy of brain cancer immunotherapy A type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer, infections and other diseases. This approach has revolutionized cancer care and is also being applied in experimental treatments for HIV, lupus and other conditions. immunotherapy A type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer, infections and other diseases. This approach has revolutionized cancer care and is also being applied in experimental treatments for HIV, lupus and other conditions.
  • Leading cell and gene therapy A technique that uses a gene or gene(s) to prevent, treat or cure a disease or disorder. Most gene therapies work by adding a healthy version of a gene to replace one that is defective or missing into the genome of particular cells. Some of these therapies use viral vectors to deliver genes into target cells. gene therapy A technique that uses a gene or gene(s) to prevent, treat or cure a disease or disorder. Most gene therapies work by adding a healthy version of a gene to replace one that is defective or missing into the genome of particular cells. Some of these therapies use viral vectors to deliver genes into target cells. clinical trials for brain tumor immunotherapy
  • Identifying the molecular mechanisms that control the development and progression of IDH mutant gliomas (astrocyomas and oligodendrogliomas)
  • Identifying the molecular mechanism that control the development and progression of meningiomas

  • Medical Board Certification

    • Neurological Surgery, American Board of Neurological Surgery, 2002

    Fellowship

    • Neuro-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 1998

    Residency

    • Surgery/Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 1997

    Internship

    • Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 1992

    Degrees

    • MBA, UCLA Anderson School of Management, 2016
    • Ph.D., Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 1999
    • M.D., Stanford University School of Medicine, 1991

Media Coverage