Jinyuan Liu, Ph.D. 

I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics (primary) and the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences (secondary) at Vanderbilt University. My research develops statistical methods for high-dimensional data arising from multi-omics studies, neuroimaging, and wearable devices, with a unifying focus on distance-based semiparametric modeling, causal inference, and psychometrics.

My work spans three interconnected methodological programs: (1) a distance-based semiparametric framework for between-subject attributes with applications to microbiome, neuroimaging, and actigraphy data; (2) causal and mediation inference for high-dimensional non-sparse data; and (3) psychometric methods bridging classical item response theory with modern network approaches. Across all three programs, I aim to develop methods that are statistically rigorous, computationally tractable, and directly motivated by open scientific questions in psychiatry, mental health, and precision medicine.