Nu-Chu Liang

Nu-Chu Liang is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the Department of Psychology and Division of Nutritional Sciences. They also hold an affiliation with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology through the Personalized Nutrition Initiative.

• Postdoctoral Training: Johns Hopkins University
• Ph.D.: Pennsylvania State University

Research Focus: Liang's work explores the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ingestive behaviors, obesity, eating disorders, and polydrug use, with additional interests in cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Their research integrates homeostatic systems, endocrine regulation, and genomic approaches to study energy metabolism and behavior.

Publication Trends: Recent work examines alcohol and THC interactions in adolescent rodent models, social isolation effects on decision-making, and synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex under drug exposure. These studies bridge behavioral neuroscience, metabolic research, and neuropharmacology.

Advising Opportunities: Liang invites graduate students through affiliated programs like Psychology, Neuroscience Program, and Nutritional Sciences to join their lab. Undergraduates can gain experience via PSYC 290 or MCB 290.

Laboratory Location: Based at the Beckman Institute, the lab employs animal models to investigate the interplay between genetics, environment, and behavior in clinical conditions like obesity, diabetes, and cognitive decline.