Dr. Jingqiu Liao
FACULTY AFFILIATE | Global Change Center
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Lab Website • Google Scholar • Dept. Page
(540) 231-7863 • liaoj@vt.edu
Dr. Jingqiu Liao is a faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She is leading a research group, Liao Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Lab (LEAPH), studying the ecology and evolution of microbiomes, foodborne pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance in the settings of natural, agricultural, and food ecosystems.
Dr. Liao’s research aims to advance a mechanistic and predictive understanding of microbial diversity, composition, functioning, and environment-microbe interactions in these ecosystems by leveraging the power of multi-omics, computational biology, population genetics, machine learning, and data science. The intricate relationships between microbes and the environment hold significant potential solutions to many of the challenges posed by global changes, such as soil health, water quality, food safety, and disease spread. By understanding, harnessing, and potentially manipulating these relationships, Dr. Liao hopes to develop ecological-informed tools and strategies to mitigate and adapt to these challenges and ultimately improve ecological resilience, agricultural sustainability, and public health.
Prior to joining Virginia Tech, Dr. Liao trained as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She received her Ph.D. in microbiology from Cornell University in 2020. Dr. Liao holds a bachelor’s degree in ecology and a master’s degree in environmental science.
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