Research Focus
The research in my laboratory uses zebrafish to uncover mechanisms that control development of the vertebrate nervous system. One of our goals is to understand how the neural tube is formed during development. The neural tube starts as a flat layer of cells that then folds or rolls to form the neural tube, the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. We have identified a new signaling pathway that is essential for neural tube closure, which may ultimately give insights into the causes of neural tube closure defects, such as spina bifida, in humans. Other projects in the laboratory include uncovering the role of the Alzheimer’s Disease-associated protein Amyloid Precursor Protein in patterning the embryo, and identifying mechanisms that control the onset of circadian rhythms during development.
Visit the Zebrafish in the Classroom website.
Courses Taught
BIOL 4361 Developmental Biology
BIOL 2202 Genetics Laboratory
Recent Publications
- Barresi, M. J., S. A. Farber, L. D. Hutson, D. R. Hyde, J. O. Liang, and J. K. Morris. 2008. Zebrafish in the Classroom: A Meeting Report. Zebrafish v. 5, in press.
- "Zebrafish in the Classroom" web site: Jennifer O. Liang, Shabnam Ahmed, Chiazor Akusoba, Sharon Amacher, Arielle Bell, Jessica Brick, Arene Butto, Rachael Byrne, Heather Carson, Emily Chau, James Chen, Erik Connor, Kimberly Deininger, John Erickson, Edward Freeman, Brigette Friedenson, Yevgenya Grinblat, Mary Halloran, Vance Holt, Kristine Ilagan, Rebecca Ionescu, Djuro Karanovic, Nikki Kong, Heather Kramek, Jung-Hyun Lee, Angela Manieri, Poorni Manohar, Andrew Michelson, Jacqueline Morris, Anna Neyman, Kristin Noon, Stephanie Nothelle, Jennifer Ohtola, Lain Pierce, Stephanie Pierce, Jason Robinson, Michael Romero, Benjamin Schiller, Andrew Schreiner, Jamie Shuda, Samantha Stubblefield-Park, Michelle Xia, Amir Yeganeh, (2007-present) Zebrafish in the Classroom. Direct Website Submission (http://www.zfic.org).
- Pierce, L. X., R. R. Noche, O. Ponomareva, C. Chang, J. O. Liang. 2008. Novel functions for Period 3 and Exo-rhodopsin in rhythmic transcription and melatonin biosynthesis within the zebrafish pineal organ. Brain Res., 1223:11-24.
- Aquilina-Beck, A., Q. Liu, K. Ilagan, J. O. Liang. 2007. Nodal signaling is required for closure of the anterior neural tube in zebrafish. BMC Dev. Biol. 7: 126. Listed as a “highly accessed” article.
- Pierce, L. X., D. Harrison, J. O. Liang. 2007. The Time Reaper 5-channel automatic liquid dispenser: a new tool for the study of embryonic and larval zebrafish. Zebrafish 4: 179-186.
- Nakamura, Y., G. Weidinger, J. O. Liang, A. Aquilina-Beck, K. Tamai, and M. L. Warman. 2007. Wnt inducible signaling protein 3 (Wisp3) modulates Wnt signaling in zebrafish. J. Clin. Inv., 117: 3075-3086.
- Plata, C., C. R. Sussman, A. Sinoic, J. O. Liang, D. B. Mount, Z. M. Josephs, M.-H. Chang, M. F. Romero. 2007. A novel electroneutral sodium monocaboxylate transport (SMCTn) is present in zebrafish: A comparison to the electrogenic SMCT (SMCTe/Slc5a8). J. Biol. Chem., 282: 11996-12009.
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