Liang Liang, PhD, BS
Assistant ProfessorCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience
Contact Info
About
Titles
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor, NeuroscienceBiography
Liang Liang received her B.S. in Mathematics and Physics from Tsinghua University in China. She then moved to the United States and completed her M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Physics at Stanford University under the supervision of Drs. Liqun Luo and Mark Schnitzer. During her graduate work, Liang identified a novel circuit motif that recruited excitatory and inhibitory channels in parallel to shape odor processing in the fruit fly, using two-photon imaging, laser dissection and optogenetics. She was supported by a Stanford Graduate Fellowship and a Lubert Stryer Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship. Liang joined the groups of Drs. Chinfei Chen and Mark Andermann at Harvard Medical School for her postdoctoral training, where she studied functional organization and state-dependent modulation of retinal axons in the early visual system of awake behaving mice. She was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB). Liang joined the Department of Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in 2020. Her laboratory studies the computation of information selectivity along the visual hierarchy with a primary focus on the visual thalamic circuitry, taking a combination of in vivo imaging, genetic, behavioral, and computational approaches.
Appointments
Neuroscience
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Research Fellow
- Boston Children's Hospital (2019)
- PhD
- Stanford University, Applied Physics (2013)
- BS
- Tsinghua University, Mathematics and Physics (2006)
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
ORCID
0000-0001-5718-0717- View Lab Website
Liang Lab
Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Visual Pathways
Visual Perception
Publications
2022
Brainstem serotonin neurons selectively gate retinal information flow to thalamus
Reggiani J, Jiang Q, Barbini M, Lutas A, Liang L, Fernando J, Deng F, Wan J, Li Y, Chen C, Andermann M. Brainstem serotonin neurons selectively gate retinal information flow to thalamus. Neuron 2022, 111: 711-726.e11. PMID: 36584680, PMCID: PMC10131437, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsVisual information streamsRetinal ganglion cell typesBrainstem serotonin neuronsFiber photometry recordingsGanglion cell typesTwo-photon calcium imagingSerotonin neuronsVisual thalamusGlutamate releaseSerotonergic axonsRGC axonsSerotonin axonsThalamocortical neuronsAxon stimulationAwake micePresynaptic terminalsCalcium imagingOptogenetic stimulationCalcium activityLocal visual stimuliAxonsThalamusBoutonsVisual stimuliNeuronsMating-driven variability in olfactory local interneuron wiring
Chou YH, Yang CJ, Huang HW, Liou NF, Panganiban MR, Luginbuhl D, Yin Y, Taisz I, Liang L, Jefferis GSXE, Luo L. Mating-driven variability in olfactory local interneuron wiring. Science Advances 2022, 8: eabm7723. PMID: 35179957, PMCID: PMC8856614, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm7723.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2020
Organization, Function, and Development of the Mouse Retinogeniculate Synapse
Liang L, Chen C. Organization, Function, and Development of the Mouse Retinogeniculate Synapse. Annual Review Of Vision Science 2020, 6: 261-285. PMID: 32936733, DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-121219-081753.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsRetinogeniculate synapseDistinct retinal ganglion cell typesRetinal ganglion cell typesGanglion cell typesImage-forming pathwayVisual thalamusThalamocortical neuronsVisual pathwayExperimental modelCircuit organizationThalamusSynapseMiceCell typesFunctional organizationRecent studiesPowerful experimental modelCurrent understandingVisual spaceVisual experiencePathwayNeuronsRGCsRetinal Inputs to the Thalamus Are Selectively Gated by Arousal
Liang L, Fratzl A, Reggiani JDS, El Mansour O, Chen C, Andermann ML. Retinal Inputs to the Thalamus Are Selectively Gated by Arousal. Current Biology 2020, 30: 3923-3934.e9. PMID: 32795442, PMCID: PMC7665906, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.07.065.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsVisual thalamusVisual responsesMajority of boutonsTwo-photon calciumCentral visual processingArousal stateIntermediate spatial frequenciesEnhancement of responsesAxonal boutonsRetinal axonsRetinal inputDifferent pupil sizesVisual pathwayThalamusBoutonsMouse thalamusVisual processingMagnitude of responseVisual information channelsDistinct subsetsEarly stagesPupil sizeNeural activityDifferential modulationBehavioral states
2018
A Fine-Scale Functional Logic to Convergence from Retina to Thalamus
Liang L, Fratzl A, Goldey G, Ramesh RN, Sugden AU, Morgan JL, Chen C, Andermann ML. A Fine-Scale Functional Logic to Convergence from Retina to Thalamus. Cell 2018, 173: 1343-1355.e24. PMID: 29856953, PMCID: PMC6003778, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.04.041.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAxonal boutonsRetinal ganglion cellsTwo-photon calciumImage-forming visionClusters of boutonsVisual thalamusGanglion cellsRetinal axonsBouton clustersThalamusMouse thalamusIndividual axonsDifferent axonsFeature selectivityBoutonsFine-scale organizationAxonsDendritic domainsUltrastructural analysisRetina
2017
In Vivo Imaging of CNS Injury and Disease
Akassoglou K, Merlini M, Rafalski VA, Real R, Liang L, Jin Y, Dougherty SE, De Paola V, Linden DJ, Misgeld T, Zheng B. In Vivo Imaging of CNS Injury and Disease. Journal Of Neuroscience 2017, 37: 10808-10816. PMID: 29118209, PMCID: PMC5678013, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1826-17.2017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCNS injuryNeural transplantationGlial responseNeurovascular unitAxonal degenerationSpinal cordMammalian CNSRodent brainCellular responsesInjuryDiseaseVivo imagingImagingOptical imagingNeuroinflammationResponseMini-SymposiumTransplantationGlialCordTherapyCNSDegenerationImportant new insightsBrain
2013
High-speed laser microsurgery of alert fruit flies for fluorescence imaging of neural activity
Sinha S, Liang L, Ho ET, Urbanek KE, Luo L, Baer TM, Schnitzer MJ. High-speed laser microsurgery of alert fruit flies for fluorescence imaging of neural activity. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2013, 110: 18374-18379. PMID: 24167298, PMCID: PMC3832030, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1216287110.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLive animalsCellular functionsFruit flySmall organismsMushroom bodiesKenyon cellsFliesAntennal lobeLive organismsOrganismsNeuronal plasticityHigh-throughput preparationMouse craniumExperimental throughputFluorescence imagingMicrosurgical openingLaser microsurgeryAntsVivo microscopy studiesNematodesAnimalsTwo-photon microscopySpeciesPhototaxisOptical experimentationGABAergic Projection Neurons Route Selective Olfactory Inputs to Specific Higher-Order Neurons
Liang L, Li Y, Potter CJ, Yizhar O, Deisseroth K, Tsien RW, Luo L. GABAergic Projection Neurons Route Selective Olfactory Inputs to Specific Higher-Order Neurons. Neuron 2013, 79: 917-931. PMID: 24012005, PMCID: PMC3838762, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.06.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLateral horn neuronsInhibitory projection neuronsInnate olfactory behaviorsInhibitory tonePresynaptic inhibitionDrosophila olfactory systemHigher-order neuronsProjection neuronsAxon terminalsAntennal lobe glomeruliLateral hornConnection specificityDetectable suppressionOlfactory inputOdor responsesNeuronsOlfactory informationOlfactory systemHigher centersParallel inhibitionDifferential effectsDownstream circuitsInhibition motifCircuit motifsInhibitionLinking Cell Fate, Trajectory Choice, and Target Selection: Genetic Analysis of Sema-2b in Olfactory Axon Targeting
Joo WJ, Sweeney LB, Liang L, Luo L. Linking Cell Fate, Trajectory Choice, and Target Selection: Genetic Analysis of Sema-2b in Olfactory Axon Targeting. Neuron 2013, 78: 673-686. PMID: 23719164, PMCID: PMC3727417, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.03.022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNeural circuit assemblySema-2bCell fateSpecific cell fatesCircuit assemblyORN classesTemporal regulationTrajectory choiceSema-2aAxon bundle formationGenetic analysisAxon targetingAxon-axon interactionsNeuron developmentCellular mechanismsGuidance moleculesORN axonsSemaphorinsSynaptic targetsFateAssemblyTarget selectionPostsynaptic target neuronsAxonal trajectoriesRegulation
2010
The Q System: A Repressible Binary System for Transgene Expression, Lineage Tracing, and Mosaic Analysis
Potter CJ, Tasic B, Russler EV, Liang L, Luo L. The Q System: A Repressible Binary System for Transgene Expression, Lineage Tracing, and Mosaic Analysis. Cell 2010, 141: 536-548. PMID: 20434990, PMCID: PMC2883883, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.02.025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMARCM analysisQa gene clusterCell division patternsBinary expression systemTransgene expression patternsTransgene expressionGAL4 systemGene functionMosaic analysisGene clusterRegulatory genesMammalian cellsCell divisionDivision patternsLow basal expressionLineage tracingExpression systemExpression patternsNeuronal lineageOlfactory attractionCell growthBasal expressionDrosophilaRepressionExpression
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
honor The E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation for the Blind research award
National AwardThe E. Matilda Ziegler FoundationDetails04/01/2022United Stateshonor Whitehall Foundation Research Grant
National AwardWhitehall FoundationDetails08/01/2021United Stateshonor Kavli Innovative Research Award
Yale University AwardKavli Institute for NeuroscienceDetails06/01/2021United Stateshonor Smith Family Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research
Regional AwardRichard and Susan Smith Family FoundationDetails04/01/2021United Stateshonor Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Awards in Neuroscience
National AwardThe Klingenstein Fund and the Simons FoundationDetails07/01/2020United States