Jiuzhou Song

Dr. Jiuzhou Song is a Professor in the Department of Animal & Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. His research focuses on elucidating the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying complex diseases and quantitative traits in livestock and humans, with particular emphasis on genome-to-phenome interactions. He develops statistical approaches to study gene-environment interactions and their roles in biomarker discovery. His work also involves systems biology modeling, chicken stem cell reprogramming, and strategies for disease prevention and livestock performance enhancement.

Research interests include epigenetic regulation of germ cell development, sex determination pathways in chicken embryos, and the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for genetic editing. Dr. Song's lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of genes like HINTW and CYP19A1 in sexual differentiation, as well as the role of microRNAs in bovine mastitis. He also explores the impact of dietary factors on epigenetic programming and inflammation.

Dr. Song has extensive collaborations in genomic and transcriptomic analyses of livestock, including cattle and goats, focusing on traits like milk production, meat quality, and disease resistance. His work integrates multi-omics data to uncover genetic architectures underlying economically important traits. Recent studies include investigations into transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in chickens and microbiome-metabolism interactions in grass-fed cattle.

He currently oversees a lab with openings for students interested in statistical genomics and genetics, offering opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research at the intersection of molecular biology and agricultural science.