Jennifer Liang

Dr. Jennifer Liang is a Professor in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Her research leverages zebrafish as a model organism to investigate neural tube development and circadian rhythm regulation in vertebrates.

• University of Wisconsin, Madison (B.S., 1990)
• Washington University, St. Louis (Ph.D., 1997)

Her laboratory focuses on:

• Neural tube closure mechanisms and their implications for human birth defects like spina bifida
• Circadian rhythm onset and maintenance during development
• Transdisciplinary educational outreach using zebrafish models

Recent publications highlight her dual emphasis on developmental biology and science education, including studies on zebrafish pigmentation patterns, neural tube defects, and innovative pedagogical approaches. She has advised multiple graduate students in Integrated Biosciences and actively promotes hands-on undergraduate research experiences.

Dr. Liang teaches courses such as:

• Genetics Laboratory
• Developmental Biology
• Writing for the Duluth Journal of Undergraduate Biology
• K-12 Science Outreach