Dr. Liqun Luo stands as a preeminent figure in modern neuroscience whose work has reshaped our understanding of neural circuitry. He currently serves as the Ann and Bill Swindells Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences and Professor of Biology at Stanford University, with courtesy appointments in Neurobiology, while also holding the prestigious position of Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator since 2005. Liqun Luo, born in Shanghai, China in January 1966, entered the University of Science and Technology of China through the Special Class for the Gifted Young at age 15, earning his bachelor's degree in molecular biology in 1986 before pursuing his PhD at Brandeis University where he completed his doctoral studies in 1992. Following postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco, he started his own laboratory in the Department of Biology at Stanford University in December 1996, where he has maintained a distinguished research program for nearly three decades.
Dr. Luo's groundbreaking research has centered on elucidating the intricate mechanisms underlying neural circuit assembly during development and revealing how these complex architectures enable specific functions in the adult brain. Working extensively with both Drosophila (fruit flies) and mouse models, his laboratory has pioneered numerous genetic tools that have become essential for characterizing critical neural developmental processes including growth cone signaling, dendrite morphogenesis, axon pruning, and neural circuit wiring specificity. His innovative approach to neural circuit mapping has provided fundamental insights into brain organization that have transformed methodological approaches across the neuroscience community. The enduring impact of his work is further reflected in his widely adopted single-author textbook "Principles of Neurobiology," now in its second edition (2020), which serves as a cornerstone educational resource for undergraduate and graduate students worldwide.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Luo has significantly shaped the neuroscience field through extensive editorial leadership, having served on the boards of premier journals including Neuron, eLife, Annual Review of Neuroscience, Cell, and PNAS. He has been instrumental in advancing neuroscience education globally through his influential textbook and dedication to teaching neurobiology to Stanford students at all levels. His laboratory at Stanford continues to push the boundaries of neural circuit research with ongoing projects focused on the assembly of the fly olfactory circuit and neural circuits in the mouse brain, maintaining his position at the forefront of methodological innovation in neuroscience. Recognized with numerous prestigious honors including membership in the National Academy of Sciences, the Pradel Award, and the McKnight Technological Innovation in Neuroscience Award, Dr. Luo remains a driving force in shaping the future directions of neuroscience research and education.
