Overview
Background
Dr. Guoquan Liu has more than ten years experience in sorghum tissue culture and genetic transformation. He developed a highly efficient sorghum particle transformation system in 2012. Since then, hundreds of transgenic plants have been regenerated from tens of constructs that are invoved in plant disease resistant genes (e.g. Lr34), report gene (gfp), specific-promoters (e.g. alpha- beta- kafirin, A2, LSG), G proteins etc.. He has trained many students how to transform sorghum including honor students, master students, and PhD students.
He has focused on improving sorghum grain yield and grain quality through biotechnologies including genetic transformation, genome-editing, synthetic biology, and plant apomixis.
Availability
- Dr Guoquan Liu is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University
- Masters (Research) of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Super sorghum for increasing grain yield and biomass
The super sorghum project is funded by GRDC and focuses on improving sorghum grain yield and increasing sorghum biomass.
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Apomixis to fix heterosis
The HyGain project is proudly funded by the Bill Gates Foundation and predominantly focus on fixing heterosis in sorghum and cowpea.
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Plant genetic transformation
Investigate and characterize gene function. Established the genetic transformation system by particle bombardment. Optimize and establish the phenotype-independent tissue culture system.
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Plant genome editing
Investigate and manipulate gene function for improving grain size, grain quality, and biomass for biofuel in sorghum. Optimize and establish the transgene-free genome editing system for sorghum. Optimize and establish the phenotype-independent genome editing system in sorghum.
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Plany synthetic biology
Design and synthesize genes for plant engineering in sorghum to improve grain yield, grain quality, and protein digestibility.
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Plant Tissue Culture
Optimize tissue culture system for transformation and genome editing. Optimize and establish the phenotype-independent tissue culture system.
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Biofuel
Increase total sugar content and improve plant biomass for biofuel in sorghum.
Research impacts
Highly efficient sorghum tissue culture and particle bombardment transformation system.
Works
Search Professor Guoquan Liu’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Book Chapter
Genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9 in sorghum through biolistic bombardment
Liu, Guoquan, Li, Jieqing and Godwin, Ian D. (2019). Genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9 in sorghum through biolistic bombardment. Methods in molecular biology. (pp. 169-183) New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9039-9_12
2019
Conference Publication
Sterile leucaena becomes a reality?
Mcmillan, Hayley E., Liu, Guoquan, Shelton, H. Max, Dalzell, Scott A., Godwin, Ian D., Gamage, Harshi, Sharman, Cleo and Lambrides, Christopher J. (2019). Sterile leucaena becomes a reality?. International Leucaena Conference (ILC), Brisbane, Australia, 29 October-3 November 2018. Cali, Colombia: Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT). doi: 10.17138/TGFT(7)74-79
2019
Conference Publication
Canopy and root plasticity for drought adaptation in cereals
Borrell, Andrew, George-Jaeggli, Barbara, van Oosterom, Erik, Hammer, Graeme, Mace, Emma, Godwin, Ian, Liu, G., Wong, Albert, Temesgen, M., Kassahun, B., Christopher, Jack, Hickey, Lee, Richard, Cecile, Robinson, Hannah and Jordan, David (2019). Canopy and root plasticity for drought adaptation in cereals. Climate Change Linked Stress Tolerance in Plants (M4) (Keystone Symposia), Herrenhausen Palace, Hannover, Germany, 13-16 May 2019.
2018
Journal Article
High-throughput detection and screening of plants modified by gene editing using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction
Peng, Cheng, Wang, Hua, Xu, Xiaoli, Wang, Xiaofu, Chen, Xiaoyun, Wei, Wei, Lai, Yongmin, Liu, Guoquan, Godwin, Ian Douglas, Li, Jieqin, Zhang, Ling and Xu, Junfeng (2018). High-throughput detection and screening of plants modified by gene editing using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The Plant Journal, 95 (3), 557-567. doi: 10.1111/tpj.13961
2018
Journal Article
Up-regulation of lipid biosynthesis pathway increases the oil content in leaves of Sorghum bicolor
Vanhercke, Thomas, Belide, Srinivas, Taylor, Matthew C, El Tahchy, Anna, Okada, Shoko, Rolland, Vivien, Liu, Qing, Mitchell, Madeline, Shrestha, Pushkar, Venables, Ingrid, Ma, Lina, Blundell, Cheryl, Mathew, Anu, Ziolkowski, Lisa, Niesner, Nathalie, Hussain, Dawar, Dong, Bei, Liu, Guoquan, Godwin, Ian D, Lee, Jiwon, Rug, Melanie, Zhou, Xue-Rong, Singh, Surinder P and Petrie, James R (2018). Up-regulation of lipid biosynthesis pathway increases the oil content in leaves of Sorghum bicolor. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 17 (1), 220-232. doi: 10.1111/pbi.12959
2017
Journal Article
The wheat Lr34 multipathogen resistance gene confers resistance to anthracnose and rust in sorghum
Schnippenkoetter, Wendelin, Lo, Clive, Liu, Guoquan, Dibley, Katherine, Chan, Wai Lung, White, Jodie, Milne, Ricky, Zwart, Alexander, Kwong, Eunjung, Keller, Beat, Godwin, Ian, Krattinger, Simon G. and Lagudah, Evans (2017). The wheat Lr34 multipathogen resistance gene confers resistance to anthracnose and rust in sorghum. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 15 (11), 1387-1396. doi: 10.1111/pbi.12723
2017
Journal Article
Expression patterns of the native shrunken-2 promoter in sorghum bicolor visualised through use of the GFP reporter gene
Lamont, Kyle C., Mudge, Stephen R., Liu, Guoquan and Godwin, Ian D. (2017). Expression patterns of the native shrunken-2 promoter in sorghum bicolor visualised through use of the GFP reporter gene. Plant Cell Reports, 36 (11), 1689-1700. doi: 10.1007/s00299-017-2182-4
2016
Other Outputs
Manipulating seed storage proteins to enhance sorghum digestibility
Liu, Guoquan (2016). Manipulating seed storage proteins to enhance sorghum digestibility. PhD Thesis, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.497
2015
Journal Article
Characterization of the time evolution of starch structure from rice callus
Li, Cheng, Liu, Guoquan, Liu, Qiaoquan, Godwin, Ian D and Gilbert, Robert G (2015). Characterization of the time evolution of starch structure from rice callus. Carbohydrate Polymers, 127, 116-123. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.03.046
2015
Journal Article
A robust tissue culture system for sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]
Liu, Guoquan, Gilding, Edward K and Godwin, Ian D (2015). A robust tissue culture system for sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. South African Journal of Botany, 98, 157-160. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.179
2014
Book Chapter
Sorghum genetic transformation by particle bombardment
Liu, Guoquan, Campbell, Bradley C. and Godwin, Ian D. (2014). Sorghum genetic transformation by particle bombardment. Cereal genomics: methods and protocols. (pp. 219-234) edited by Robert J. Henry and Agnelo Furtado. New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-715-0-18
2014
Book Chapter
Genetic Transformation and Breeding
Liu, Guoquan, Gilding, Edward and Godwin, Ian D. (2014). Genetic Transformation and Breeding. Genetics, Genomics and Breeding of Sorghum. (pp. 251-283) edited by Yi-Hong Wang and Chittaranjan Kole. Boca Raton: CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/b17153
2013
Journal Article
Additive effects of three auxins and copper on sorghum in vitro root induction
Liu, Guoquan, Gilding, Edward K. and Godwin, Ian D. (2013). Additive effects of three auxins and copper on sorghum in vitro root induction. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Plant, 49 (2), 191-197. doi: 10.1007/s11627-012-9488-2
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Guoquan Liu is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Sorghum as a biofuel crop
Increase sorghum sugar content and sorghum biomass through genetic engineering.
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Capture heterosis
Investigate genes involved in mitosis and meiosis pathway.
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Sorghum genome editing
Optimze CRISPR/Cas9 system on sorghum.
Improve sorghum grain yield and grain quality through genome-editing.
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Sorghum transformation
Investigate genes to improve sorghum grain quality and grain yeild.
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Super sorghum to increase grain yield and biomass
Super sorghum to increase grain yield and biomass
Supervision history
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Maximizing Pineapple Production by Controlling Flowering Time Using CRISPR/Cas9
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yuri Trusov, Professor Jimmy Botella
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Guoquan Liu directly for media enquiries about:
- Apomixis sorghum
- Biomass for biofuel
- Plant genetic transformation
- Plant genome editing
- Plant tissue culture
- Super sorghum
- Synthetic biology
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