2006, Ph.D., Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, USA
1998, B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Peking University

Genomic Diversity and Evolution

Species adapt to the varying environment via their phenotypic diversity as determined by genomic diversity. Understanding the genomic basis of evolution and adaptation offers tremendous insights into the fundamental processes of life. Our research bridges the traditional field of wildlife biology to the cutting-edge advances in molecular genetics and the emerging field of genomics and bioinformatics. Employing these powerful tools we are aiming to describe the hierarchy of biodiversity, to reconstruct evolutionary and demographic patterns, and to answer basic and applied questions associated with mammalian adaptation, population structure, behavior, and systematic relationships. Specifically, our research covers three areas in both domestic and free-ranging animals:

1. Genetic basis of morphology and adaptation in Felidae and other mammalian species
2. Evolution and conservation genomics of endangered wildlife
3. Field ecology and conservation of wild felids in Asia

For more information, please visit us at http://luo-lab.org

1. Luo SJ*, Liu YC, Xu X (2019). Tigers of the world: genomics and conservation. Annual Review of Animal Biosciences 7: 521-548. [Invited Review]
2. Liu YC, Sun X, Driscoll C, Miquelle DG, Xu X, Martelli P, Uphyrkina O, Smith JLD, O’Brien SJ, Luo SJ* (2018). Genome-wide evolutionary analysis of natural history and adaptation in the world’s tigers. Current Biology 28(23):3840-3849. [Cover Story]
3. Gaubert P*, Antunes A*, Meng H, Miao L, Peigne S, Justy F, Njiokou F, Dufour S, Danquah E, Alahakoon J, Verheyen E, Stanley WT, O’Brien SJ, Johnson WE, Luo SJ* (2018). The complete phylogeny of pangolins: scaling up resources for the molecular tracing of the world’s most trafficked mammals on Earth. Journal of Heredity 109(4): 347-359. [Cover Story]
4. Yu H, Song S, Liu J, Li S, Zhang L, Wang D, Luo SJ* (2017). Effects of the Qinghai-Tibet railway on the landscape genetics of the endangered Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii). Scientific Reports 7:17983 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-18163-7
5. Xu X, Dong GX, Schmidt-Kuntzel A, Zhang XL, Zhuang Y, Fang R, Sun X, Hu XS, Zhang TY, Yang HD, Zhang DL, Marker L, Jiang ZF, Li R, Luo SJ* (2017). The genetics of tiger pelage color variations. Cell Research 27: 954-957.
6. Gaubert P, Njiokou F, Ngua G, Afiademanyo K, Dufour S, Malekani J, Bi SG, Tougard C, Olayemi A, Danquah E, Djagoun CAMS, Kaleme P, Mololo CN, Stanley W, Luo SJ, Antunes A (2016). Phylogeography of the heavily poached African common pangolin (Pholidota, Manis tricuspis) reveals six cryptic lineages as traceable signatures of Pleistocene diversification. Molecular Ecology 25: 5975-5993.
7. Choo SW, Rayko M, Tan TK, Hari R, Komissarov A, Wee WY, Yurchenko A, Kliver S, Tamazian G, Antunes A, Wilson RK, Warren WC, Koepfli KP, Minx P, Krasheninnikova K, Kotze A, Dalton DL, Vermaak E, Paterson IC, Dobrynin P, Sitam FT, Japning JRR, Johnson WE, Yusoff AM, Luo SJ, Karuppannan KV, Fang G, Zheng D, Gerstein MB, Lipovich L, O’Brien SJ, Wong GJ. (2016). Pangolin genomes and the evolution of mammalian scales and immunity. Genome Research 26: 1-12.
8. Xu X, Sun X, Hu XS, Zhuang Y, Liu YC, Meng H, Miao L, Yu H, Luo SJ* (2016). Whole genome sequencing identifies a missense mutation in HES7 associated with short tails in Asian domestic cats. Scientific Reports 6: 31583 | DOI: 10.1038/srep31583
9. Zou ZT, Uphyrkina O, Fomenko P, Luo SJ* (2015). The development and application of a multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) system for identifying subspecies, individuals and sex in tigers. Integrative Zoology 10: 376–388.
10. Xue HR, Yamaguchi N, Driscoll CA, Han Y, Bar-Gal GK, Zhuang Y, Mazak JH, Macdonald DW, O’Brien SJ, Luo SJ* (2015). Genetic ancestry of the extinct Javan and Bali tigers. Journal of Heredity 106(3): 247-257.
11. Zhang MQ, Xu X*, Luo SJ* (2014). The genetics of brown coat color and white spotting in domestic yaks (Bos grunniens). Animal Genetics 45(5): 652-659.
12. Luo SJ*, Zhang Y, Johnson WE, Miao L, Martelli P, Antunes A, Smith JLD, O’Brien SJ* (2014). Sympatric Asian felid phylogeography reveals a major Indochinese-Sundaic divergence. Molecular Ecology 23(8): 2072-2092.
13. Cho YS, Hu L, Hou H, Lee H, Xu J, Kwon S, Oh S, Kim HM, Jho S, Kim S, Shin YA, Kim BC, Kim H, Kim CU, Luo SJ, Johnson W, and 42 others (2013). The tiger genome and comparative analysis with lion and snow leopard genomes. Nature Communications 4: 2433.
14. Xu X, Dong GX, Hu XS, Miao L, Zhang XL, Zhang DL, Yang HD, Zhang TY, Zou ZT, Zhang TT, Zhuang Y, Bhak J, Cho YS, Dai WT, Jiang TJ, Xie C, Li R*, Luo SJ*(2013). The genetic basis of white tigers. Current Biology 23(11): 1031-1035. [Cover Story and Featured in Cell, 154: 257-259, Learning from Exotic Species]
15. Driscoll CA, Luo SJ, MacDonald D, Dinerstein E, Chestin I, Pereladova O, O`Brien SJ (2011). Restoring tigers to the Caspian region. Science 333: 822-823. [Letter to editor]
16. Luo SJ*, Johnson WE, O’Brien SJ (2010). Applying molecular genetic tools to tiger conservation. Integrative Zoology 5: 351-362. [Invited Review]
17. Driscoll CA, Yamaguchi N, Bar-Gal GK, Roca AL, Luo SJ, Macdonald DW, O’Brien SJ (2009). Mitochondrial phylogeography illuminates the origin of the extinct Caspian tiger and its relationship to the Amur tiger. PLoS One 4(1): e4125.
18. Luo SJ*, Johnson WE, Martenson J, Antunes A, Martelli P, Uphyrkina O, Traylor-Holzer K, Smith JLD, O’Brien SJ* (2008). Subspecies genetic assignments of worldwide captive tigers increase conservation value of captive populations. Current Biology 18(8): 592-596. [Cover Story]
19. Luo SJ*, Johnson WE, David VA, Menotti-Raymond M, Stanyon R, Cai QX, Beck T, Yuhki N, Pecon-Slattery J, Smith JLD, O’Brien SJ* (2007). Development of Y chromosome intraspecific polymorphic markers in the Felidae. Journal of Heredity 98(5): 400-413.
20. Luo SJ, Cai QX, David VA, Zhang L, Martelli P, Lim NTL, Ferrand N, Chin SC, Gaubert P, Joao Ramos M, O’Brien SJ, Antunes A, Johnson WE (2007). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in pangolins (Mammalia, Pholidota, Manis spp.). Molecular Ecology Notes 7(2): 269-272.
21. Luo SJ*, Kim JH, Johnson WE, Miquelle DG, Huang SQ, Pan WS, Smith JLD, O’Brien SJ (2006). Proceedings in phylogeography and genetic ancestry of tigers (Panthera tigris) in China and across their range. Zoological Research 27(4): 441-448. [in Chinese, Cover Story]
22. Luo SJ, Kim JH, Johnson WE, van der Walt J, Martenson J, Yuhki N, Miquelle DG, Uphyrkina O, Goodrich JM, Quigley HB, Tilson R, Brady G, Martelli P, Subramaniam V, McDougal C, Hean S, Huang SQ, Pan W, Karanth UK, Sunquist M, Smith JLD, O’Brien SJ (2004). Phylogeography and genetic ancestry of tigers (Panthera tigris). PLoS Biology 2 (12): 2275-2293/e442. [Cover Story]

General Biology-B (for non-majors)
Molecular Ecology

Laboratory Introduction