Alumni Professor
Associate Dean Research
Assistant Director AAES
334-844-4054
liuzhan@auburn.edu

Field of Specialization
Genetics







  • Professional Affiliations
  • Special Honors & Awards
  • Research
  • Publications
  1. Associate Editor, BMC Genomics, 2010 - Present
  2. Associate Editor, BMC Genetics, 2009 - Present
  3. Honorary International Director, Applied Genomics Center, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Beijing, China, 2009 - Present
  4. Editorial Board, Reviews in Aquaculture, 2008 - Present
  5. Editorial Board, Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2007 - Present
  6. Editorial Board, Reviews in Aquaculture, 2007
  7. Editorial Board, Animal Biotechnology, 2007 - Present
  8. North American Editor, Marine Biotechnology, 2004 - Present
  9. Editorial Board, Aquaculture, 2004 - Present
  10. Aquaculture Coordinator, National Animal Genome Project NRSP-8, 2003-2008
  11. Scientific Advisory Board, Oceans and Human Health Initiative, NOAA.
  12. Steering Committee, International Network on Genetics in Aquaculture
  13. Panel Chair, Porcine Genome Sequencing
  14. Adviser, National Agricultural Hi-tech Industries, China.
  15. Adjunct professor, Shanghai Fisheries University, Shanghai, China.I
  16. International Director, Aquaculture Education Center of Ministry of Education, China.
  17. International Director, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Systems and Molecular Ecology of the Ministry of Agriculture, China.
  18. International Scientific Advisor, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences.
  19. Director, Sino-American Functional Genomics Laboratory, Qingdao, China.
  20. Advisory Panel Member, Genome Research on All Salmonids (cGRASP), Canada.
  21. Reviews for over 40 professional Journals.
  22. Grant Review Panel members for numerous USDA, NIH, NOAA, and SeaGrant.
  23. Panel members for numerous national and international functions.
  24. Conference organizers for Plant and Animal Genome, and World Aquaculture Society sessions.
  • USDA Recognition for significant contribution to "National Animal Genome Program" as Coordinator of Aquaculture, USDA CSREES, 2009.
  • AAAS Fellow, 2007.
  • Creative Research and Scholarship Award, Auburn University, 2007
  • Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Director's Outstanding Research Award, 2007.
  • Director's Outstanding Senior Research Award, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, 2006.
  • Golden Summit Award from the Governor, Sichuan Province, China in recognition of “enthusiastic support to economic construction and social progress in Sichuan Province, and prominent contributions to international exchange and friendly cooperation between Sichuan and foreign countries, 2003.
  • Alumni Professorship, Auburn University, 2002-2007.
  • "Catfish Genome Research" exhibited on Capitol Hill, sponsored by NASULGC, 2000.
  • Distinguished Research Award by Alabama Catfish Producers in recognition of outstanding research contributions and dedication to Alabama’s catfish industry, 1999.

    • My major research interests are in genome research of catfish including major projects of:

    1.  Development of molecular markers;
    2.  Genetic linkage mapping;
    3 . QTL mapping;
    4 .  Transcriptome analysis including gene discovery of 25,000 catfish genes, EST sequencing, gene indexing, and gene ontology studies;
    5.  Physical mapping;
    6.  Development of microarray technologies;
    7.  Comparative mapping; and
    8.  Bioinformatics.

    Title Journal Year
    Alternative complement pathway of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus): Molecular characterization, mapping and expression analysis of factors Bf/C2 and Df Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2012
    Molecular characterization of three L-type lectin genes from channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus and their responses to Edwardsiella ictaluri challenge Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2012
    Characterization of a mannose-binding lectin from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Research in Veterinary Science 2012
    Pathogen recognition receptors in channel catfish: I. Identification, phylogeny and expression of NOD-like receptors Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2012
    Susceptibility of channel catfish, blue catfish and channel×blue catfish hybrid to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Aquaculture 2011
    Microarray analysis of gene expression in eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reveals a novel combination of antimicrobial and oxidative stress host responses after dermo (Perkinsus marinus) challenge Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2011
    Molecular responses of ceruloplasmin to Edwardsiella ictaluri infection and iron overload in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2011
    Molecular characterization and expression analysis of the channel catfish cathepsin D genes Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2011
    Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) genes in catfish play a novel role in innate immune responses Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2011
    Proliferating cells in suborbital tissue drive eye migration in flatfish Developmental Biology 2011
    Gene expression profiling of a fish parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis: Insights into development and senescence-associated avirulence Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part D 2011
    Development of genomic resources in support of sequencing, assembly, and annotation of the catfish genome Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part D 2011
    Molecular responses of calreticulin genes to iron overload and bacterial challenge in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2011
    Structure and expression of transferrin gene of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2010
    Identification and characterization of matrix metalloproteinase-13 sequence structure and expression during embryogenesis and infection in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2010
    GENERATION AND ANALYSIS OF ESTs FROM THE GRASS CARP, CTENOPHARYNGODON IDELLUS Animal Biotechnology, 2010
    Molecular characterization of complement factor I reveals constitutive expression in channel catfish Fish & Shellfish Immunology 2009
    NOD-like subfamily of the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing family receptors and their expression in channel catfish Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2009
    Transcriptomic profiling of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis reveals polyadenylation of the large subunit ribosomal RNA Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part D 2009
    Microarray analysis of gene expression in the blue catfish liver reveals early activation of the MHC class I pathway after infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri Molecular Immunology 2008
    The warm temperature acclimation protein Wap65 as an immune response gene: Its duplicates are differentially regulated by temperature and bacterial infections Molecular Immunology 2008
    Characterization, polymorphism assessment, and database construction for microsatellites from BAC end sequences of channel catfish (Ictalurus
    punctatus): A resource for integration of linkage and physical maps    		 Aquaculture 2008
    The two channel catfish intelectin genes exhibit highly differential patterns of tissue expression and regulation after infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2008
    Assessing genetic diversity of populations of topmouth culter (Culter alburnus) in China using AFLP markers Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 2007
    Generation and analysis of ESTs from the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica Gmelin and identification of microsatellite and
    SNP markers    		 BMC Genomics 2007
    Repeat structure of the catfish genome: a genomic
    and transcriptomic assessment of Tc1-like transposon elements in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)    		 Genetica 2007
    Towards the ictalurid catfish transcriptome: generation and analysis of 31,215 catfish ESTs BMC Genomics 2007
    Structural characterisation and expression analysis of Toll-like receptor 2 gene from catfish Fish and Shellfish Immunology 2007
    A BAC-based physical map of the channel catfish genome Genomics 2007
    Evolution of CC chemokines in teleost fish: a case study in gene duplication and implications for immune diversity Immunogenetics 2007
    Divergent Toll-like receptors in catfish (Ictalurus punctatus): TLR5S, TLR20, TLR21
    		 Fish and Shellfish Immunology 2007
    Expression analysis of the acute phase response
    in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) after
    infection with a Gram-negative bacterium    		 Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2007
    A cDNA Microarray for Crassostrea virginica and C. gigas Marine Biotechnology 2007
    Aquaculture Genome Technologies Book ( editied ) 2007
    Characterization of a BAC Library from Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus : Indications of High Levels of Chromosomal Reshuffling Among Teleost Genomes
    		 Marine Biotechnology 2007
    Towards the ictalurid catfish transcriptome: generation and analysis of 31,215 catfish ESTs BMC Genomics 2007
    Characterization of a NK-lysin antimicrobial Fish and Shellfish Immunology 2006
    Major Histocompatibility Complex Class IIB Allele Polymorphism and Its Association with Resistance/Susceptibility to Vibrio anguillarum in Japanese Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) Marine Biotechnology 2006
    Transgenic Fish - Where We Are and Where Do We Go? The Israeli Journal of Aquaculture Bamidgeh 2006
    Transcriptome Characterization Through the Generation and Analysis of Expressed Sequence Tags: Factors to Consider for a Successful EST Project The Israeli Journal of Aqaculture Bamidgeh 2006
    Characterization of 23 CC chemokine genes and analysis of their
    expression in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)    		 Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2006
    Combined use of 16S ribosomal DNA and automated
    ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis to study the bacterial
    community in catfish ponds    		 Letters in Applied Microbiology 2006
    The catfish liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide
    2 (LEAP-2) gene is expressed in a wide range of
    tissues and developmentally regulated    		 Molecular Immunology 2006
    Molecular systematics of bisexual Artemia populations Aquacultural Research 2006
    Catfish CC chemokines: genomic clustering, duplications, and expression
    after bacterial infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri    		 Molecular Genetic Genomics 2006
    Comparison of domestic and wild channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) populations provides no evidence for genetic impact Aquaculture 2006
    Toll-like receptor 3 and TICAM genes in catfish:
    species-specific expression profiles following infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri    		 Immunogenetics 2006
    NK-lysin of channel catfish: Gene triplication, sequence variation, and expression analysis Molecular Immunology 2006
    Genomic organization, gene duplication, and expression analysis of
    interleukin-1B in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)    		 Molecular Immunology 2006
    Channel catfish BAC-end sequences for marker development and
    assessment of syntenic conservation with other fish species    		 Animal Genetics 2006
    CC chemokines in zebrafish: Evidence for extensive intrachromosomal
    gene duplications    		 Genomics 2006
    Analysis of a catfish gene resembling interleukin-8: cDNA cloning, Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2005
    Catfish hepcidin gene is expressed in a wide range of tissues Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2005
    Characterization and expression analysis of bactericidal Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2005
    Analysis of genetic variation in selected stocks Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 2005
    Constitutive expression of three novel catfish CXC chemokines: Molecular Immunology 2005
    Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) ( Book Chapt. ) Stock Identification Methods 2005
    Chemokines in Fish: A Rapidly Expanding Repertoire Focus on Immunology Research 2005
    Isolation of SFRS3 gene and its differential expression during
    metamorphosis involving eye migration of Japanese
    flounder Paralichthys olivaceus    		 Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 2005
    In silico identification and expression analysis of 12 novel CC chemokines in catfish Immunogenetics 2005
    DNA marker technologies and their applications Aquaculture 2004
    Molecular cloning of proopiomelanocortin cDNA and multi-tissue General and Comparative Endocrinology 2004
    Sequence analysis and expression of a CXC chemokine in resistant Developmental and Comparative Immunology 2004
    Purification of vitellin from the ovary of Chinese mitten-handed crab (Eriocheir sinensis) and development of an antivitellin ELISA Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 2004
    Multiple CC chemokines in channel catfish and blue catfish as revealed by analysis of expressed sequence tags Immunogenetics 2004
    Bioinformatic Mining of Type I Microsatellites from Expressed Sequence Tags of Channel Catfish
    (Ictalurus punctatus)    		 Marine Biotechnology 2004
    Development of Expressed Sequence Tags from
    Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica): Lessons Learned from Previous Efforts    		 Marine Biotechnology 2004
    Development of Expressed Sequence Tags from
    Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica): Lessons Learned from Previous Efforts    		 Marine Biotechnology 2004
    Alterations in Gene Expression in the Brain of White Catfish (Ameiurus catus) in Response to Cold
    Acclimation    		 Marine Biotechnology 2004
    Identification of
    mariner elements from house flies
    ( Musca domestica )and German cockroaches
    ( Blattella germanica )    		 Insect Molecular Biology 2004
    Development of type I markers in channel
    catfish through intron sequencing    		 Animal Genetics 2004
    Assessing genetic diversity of domestic Aquaculture 2003
    Dress-out and fillet yields of channel catfish, blue catfish, and their F1, F2 and backcross hybrids Aquaculture 2003
    A review of catfish genomics: progress and Comparative and Functional Genomics 2003
    Translational machinery of channel catfish: II. Complementary DNA and Gene 2003
    An AFLP-Based Genetic Linkage Map of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Genetics 2003
    Gene Mapping,lsolation and Genetic Improvement in Catfish ( Book Chapter ) Aquatic Genomics - Steps Toward a Great Future 2003
    Genomics revolution: great - expectations 50 Years of DNA 2003
    Putative SNP discovery in interspecific hybrids of catfish
    by comparative EST analysis    		 Animal Genetics 2003
    Molecular characterization and differential expression of the myostatin Biochimica et Biophysica 2002
    Translational machinery of channel catfish: I. A transcriptomic approach Gene 2002
    Expression Profile of the Channel Catfish Spleen: Analysis of Genes Involved in Immune Functions Marine Biotechnology 2002
    Differential gene expression in the brain of channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus) in response to cold acclimation Molecular Genetic Genomics 2002
    Transcriptome analysis of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus): initial analysis of gene expression and microsatellite-containing cDNAs in the skin Gene 2002
    Biochemical Genetics of Brook Trout: Management Implications in Georgia Annual conference of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Agencies 2002
    Microsatellite-Containing Genes from the Channel Catfish Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2001
    Multiple isoforms and an unusual cathodic isoform of creatine kinase from Gene 2001
    Channel Catfish Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone: Complementary DNA Cloning and Expression During Ovulation Marine Biotechnology 2001
    Effects of Insert Size on Transposition Efficiency of the Sleeping Beauty Transposon in Mouse Cells Marine Biotechnology 2001
    Detection ofYersinia ruckeri in rainbow trout
    blood by use of the polymerase chain reaction    		 Disease if Aquatic Organisms 2001
    Transcriptome of channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus): initial
    analysis of genes and expression profiles of the head kidney    		 Animal Genetics 2001
    Genetic Analysis of Ozark Hellbenders Utilizing RAPD Markers Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 2001
    Biochemical Genetics of BrookTrout in Georgia:
    Management Implications    		 Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 2001
    Gene Mapping and Marker-assisted Selection in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Acta Agriculturae Boreali-occidentalis Sinica 2001
    Review of the Status of Aquaculture Genetics Technical Proceedings of the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millenium 2001
    The skeletal muscle a-actin gene of channel catfish (Ictalurus Gene 2000
    Transcriptome analysis of channel cat Gene 2000
    Comparison of Manual Stripping and Pen Spawning for Production of Channel Catfish 3 Blue Catfish Hybrids and Aquarium Spawning of Channel Catfish North American Journal of Aquaculture 2000
    Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers: Aquaculture 1999
    Transcribed Dinucleotide Microsatellites and Their Biochemical and Biophysical Research communications 1999
    Characterization of nonautonomous Tc1-like transposable elements of Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 1999
    High levels of conservation at microsatellite loci among Ictalurid catfishes Journal of Heredity 1999
    Development of Polymorphic EST Markers Suitable for Genetic Linkage Mapping of Catfish Marine Biotechnology 1999
    Development of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) Markers Suitable for Genetic Linkage Mapping of Catfish Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 1999
    Effects of Seasonal Variations, Thyroid and Steroid Hormones, and Carp Pituitary Extract on the Artificial Production of Channel Catfish Zctalurus punctatus X Blue Catfish I. furcatus Hybrids Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 1999
    Polymorphic microsatellite markers
    in Ictalurus punctatus and related
    catfish species    		 Molecular Ecology 1999
    Inheritance and usefulness of AFLP markers in channel cat Molecular and General Genetics 1998
    Characterization of an A/T-rich family of sequences from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology 1998
    The Effect of the Absence or Presence of Channel Catfish Males on Induced Ovulation of Channel Catfish Females for Artificial Fertilization with Blue Catfish Sperm Progressive Fish Culturist 1998
    Inheritance of RAPD markers in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (I. furcatus), and their F1, F2 and backcross hybrids Animal Genetics 1998
    Transcriptional activities in the pituitaries of channel catfish before and after induced ovulation by injection of carp pituitary extract as revealed by expressed sequence
    tag analysis    		 Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 1998
    Genetic linkage and QTL mapping of ictalurid catfish Circular 1998
    REVIEW OF PROGRESS IN CATFISH GENE MAPPING Proceedings of the Aquaculture Species Genome Mapping Workshop 1997
    Hetero-stagger cloning: efficient and rapid cloning of PCR products Nucleic Acids Research 1996
    The E5 gene product of rhesus papillomavirus is an activator of endogenous Ras and phosphatidylinositol-3'-kinase
    in NIH 3T3 cells    		 Proceedings of the National Academy of Science-Biochemistry 1996
    The expression levels of the human papillomavirus type 16 E7 correlate with its transforming potential Virology 1995
    Incompatibility conditioned by the Mla gene in powdery mildew of barley" timing of the effect of cordycepin on hypersensitive cell death Physiology and Molecular Plant Pathology 1994
    The E6 gene of human papillomavirus type 16 is sufficient for transformation of baby rat kidney cells in cotransfection with activated Ha-ras Virology 1994
    Folic Acid and Pteroic Acid Related to
    Anemia of Cultured Channel Catfish,
    Ictalurus punctatus    		 Journal of Applied Aquaculture 1993
    Molecular Cloning and Analysis of Abundant
    and Stage-Specific mRNAs from Puccinia graminis    		 Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 1993
    The products of the E5, E6, or E7 open reading frames of RhPV 1 Can individually transform NIH 3T3 cells or in cotransfections with activated Ras Can transform primary rodent epithelial cells Virology 1993
    Folate-Degrading Bacteria
    in Channel Catfish Feeds    		 Journal of Applied Aquaculture 1991
    Development of Expression Vectors for Transgenic Fish Biotechnology 1990
    Functional Analysis of Elements Affecting Expression of the B-Actin Gene of Carp Molecular and Cellular Biology 1990
    Effect of megalevels of dietary vitamin C on the
    immune response of channel catfish Ictalurus
    punctatus in ponds    		 Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 1989