The research interest in the Liao laboratory includes (1) cancer cell biology with a focus on understanding lipid metabolism in cancer, (2) epigenetic regulation by histone deacetylases (HDACs) and acetyltransferases (HATs), and (3) discovery and development of novel chemical probes for HDACs and HATs. Recent studies in our laboratory have implicated the chromatin regulator DAXX in regulating oncogenic lipid metabolism. Approaches based on molecular cell biology and metabolic analysis are used to understand how DAXX regulates lipid metabolism in cancer cells. We have also discovered a novel class of HDAC inhibitors and Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) that degrade specific HDAC isozymes. These probes are used to understand biological functions of HDAC isozymes in epigenetic regulation. These compounds have also been assessed as potential cancer therapeutics.