Xiaorong Liu

Xiaorong Liu is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Biology and Psychology at the University of Virginia (UVA). She holds tenured status and leads the Xiaorong Liu Lab, focusing on retinal neurobiology and glaucoma research. Her academic journey includes a B.S. from Peking University (1996), a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (2002), and postdoctoral training at The Scripps Research Institute and the University of California San Francisco (2002–2007).

Her research explores retinal ganglion cell (RGC) development, degeneration in glaucoma, and neuroprotection strategies. Key techniques include mouse models of glaucoma, visible-light optical coherence tomography (vis-OCT), and in vivo imaging. Her lab’s innovations in vis-OCT fibergraphy enable non-invasive monitoring of RGC axon bundles and early glaucoma detection. Collaborations span ophthalmology, neuroscience, and engineering.

Recent work emphasizes translational applications, such as drug delivery systems for glaucoma therapy and cross-species retinal comparisons (tree shrews, mice, humans). Funding includes grants from the Glaucoma Research Foundation, NIH, and Knights Templar Eye Foundation. Liu advises students and postdocs, fostering a collaborative environment to bridge basic science and clinical outcomes.