About

Hi, my name is Jean! I am a scientist with 10 years of research experience in tissue engineering, neuroimaging, and neuropathology. Great communication and time management skills with high productivity. Love bears and golden retrievers!

PubMed

Google Scholar

ResearchGate

ORCID

LinkedIn

Experience

Research Experience

Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh (May 2018 - Dec 2020)

  • Established a porcine model to study optic nerve head mechanobiology
  • Manipulated gene expression using adeno-associated viruses in ocular cells
  • Investigated the effects of surface modification on endothelial cell growth
  • Co-authored an article of optic nerve head decellularization
  • Co-authored a book chapter of glaucoma and eye diseases
  • Co-authored an article of tissue-engineered vascular grafts

Graduate Student Researcher, University of Pittsburgh (Jul 2014 - Apr 2018)

  • Investigated the effects of platelet-rich plasma on stem cell chondrogenesis
  • Modeled impact-induced injury and osteoarthritic degeneration of articular cartilage
  • Co-authored a book chapter of musculoskeletal injury and repair
  • Co-authored an article of platelet-rich plasma for cartilage repair
  • Awarded International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER) Graduate Fellowship

Laboratory Technician, University of Pittsburgh (Sep 2013 - Apr 2014)

  • Modeled subtype-specific size-controlled microtumors in vitro
  • Investigated effect of size and subtype on epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related gene expression

Graduate Student Researcher, Cornell University (Aug 2012 - May 2013)

  • Studied roles of interstitial flows in breast cancer cell migration on a microfluidic device
  • Designed experiments and analyzed results by ImageJ, MATLAB, Prism, and JMP
  • Presented two posters at 5th Annual BEE Research Symposium and BioExpo 2013
  • Co-authored an article in Lab on a Chip

Undergraduate Student Researcher, National Taiwan University (Sep 2010 - Jun 2012)

  • Applied a zinc ion probe to image neuronal cells and examined effects of enhancer nitric oxide
  • Reduced silica nanoparticle size by 75% for enhancement of drug delivery
  • Co-authored a book chapter of immunosensors
  • Awarded Mao-Sheng Chang Scholarship

Volunteer Experience

Human Resources Officer, EternalOne Bioindustry Club (Jan 2021 - present)

  • Recruited and onboarded new core team members
  • Maintained team records

Officer, Engineering Graduate Student Organization (May 2017 - Apr 2018)

  • Maintained organization accounts and distributed information to 1000+ engineering graduate students
  • Coordinated with 5+ transcribers and editors

Consultant, Fourth River Solutions (Jan 2017 - Dec 2017)

  • Completed 4 projects for local start-up companies in eleven months
  • Researched on new start-ups and explored potential engagements
  • Conducted 20 interviews with prosthetists and physicians for a prosthetics company
  • Completed market and revenue analysis for a food recovery organization
  • Analyzed licensing models and licensees for a software start-up
  • Planned and recruited 12 different teams for Pittsburgh Health Innovation Case Competition

Transcriber, TED Conferences (Jan 2017 - Dec 2017)

  • Transcribed TEDx Talks and enabled the ideas to cross languages and borders
  • Transcribed TEDx Talks and enabled the ideas to cross languages and borders

Certifications

  • Project Management Foundations, Project Management Institute, 2021
  • Project Management Foundations: Risk, Project Management Institute, 2021
  • Project Management: Healthcare Projects, Project Management Institute, 2021
  • Comparing EMA and Health Canada CTA submission for Phase I trials to US FDA IND application, European Pharmaceutical Review, 2021

Education

  • PhD in Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 2018
  • MEng in Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 2013
  • BS in Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, 2012

Publications

  1. Liou JJ, Santini T, Li J, Gireud-Goss M, Patel V, Adeyemi OF, de Erausquin GA, Garbarino VR, Habes M, Himali JJ, Karmonik C, Snitz BE, Mettenburg JM, Wu M, Aizenstein HJ, Marsland AL, Gianaros PJ, Bowtell R, Mougin O, Vahidy FS, Girard TD, Jacobs HIL, Hosseini AA, Seshadri S, Ibrahim TS. Examining Brain Structures and Cognitive Functions in Patients with Recovered COVID-19 Infection: A Multicenter Study Using 7T MRI. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Nov 15:2024.11.13.24317121. doi: 10.1101/2024.11.13.24317121. PMID: 39606361; PMCID: PMC11601693. (revision under review)
  2. Farhat N, Li J, Berardinelli J, Stauffer M, Sajewski A, Alkhateeb S, Schweitzer N, Jin H, Wood S, Ikonomovic MD, Liou JJ, Aizenstein HJ, Mettenburg JM, Santini T, Wu M, Kofler JK, Ibrahim TS. Bridging Neuroimaging and Neuropathology: A Comprehensive Workflow for Targeted Sampling of White Matter Lesions. J Neuroimaging. 2025 Sep-Oct;35(5):e70094. doi: 10.1111/jon.70094. PMID: 41126483; PMCID: PMC12547080.
  3. Liou JJ, Li J, Berardinelli J, Jin H, Santini T, Noh J, Farhat N, Wu M, Aizenstein HJ, Mettenburg JM, Yong WH, Head E, Ikonomovic MD, Ibrahim TS, Kofler JK; Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium—Down Syndrome. Correlating hippocampal and amygdala volumes with neuropathological burden in Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative pathologies using 7T postmortem MRI. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2025 May 1;84(5):364-378. doi: 10.1093/jnen/nlaf010. PMID: 40063697; PMCID: PMC12012357.
  4. Chu C, Santini T, Liou JJ, Cohen AD, Maki PM, Marsland AL, Thurston RC, Gianaros PJ, Ibrahim TS. Brain Morphometrics Correlations With Age Among 350 Participants Imaged With Both 3T and 7T MRI: 7T Improves Statistical Power and Reduces Required Sample Size. Hum Brain Mapp. 2025 Mar;46(4):e70195. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70195. PMID: 40083197; PMCID: PMC11907059.
  5. Liou JJ, Lou J, Flores-Aguilar L, Nakagiri J, Yong W, Hom CL, Doran EW, Totoiu MO, Lott I, Mapstone M, Keator DB, Brickman AM, Wright ST, Nelson B, Lai F, Xicota L, Dang LT, Li J, Santini T, Mettenburg JM, Ikonomovic MD, Kofler J, Ibrahim T, Head E; Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium ‐ Down Syndrome. A neuropathology case report of a woman with Down syndrome who remained cognitively stable: Implications for resilience to neuropathology. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Feb;21(2):e14479. doi: 10.1002/alz.14479. Epub 2025 Jan 27. PMID: 39868632; PMCID: PMC11851131.
  6. Santini T, Shim A, Liou JJ, Rahman N, Varela-Mattatall G, Budde MD, Inoue W, Everling S, Baron CA. Investigating microstructural changes between in vivo and perfused ex vivo marmoset brains using oscillating gradient and b-tensor encoded diffusion MRI at 9.4 T. Magn Reson Med. 2025 Feb;93(2):788-802. doi: 10.1002/mrm.30298. Epub 2024 Sep 25. PMID: 39323069; PMCID: PMC11604852.
  7. Santini T, Chen C, Zhu W, Liou JJ, Walker E, Venkatesh S, Farhat N, Sajewski A, Alkhateeb S, Saranathan M, Xia Z, Ibrahim TS. Hippocampal subfields and thalamic nuclei associations with clinical outcomes in multiple sclerosis: An ultrahigh field MRI study. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2024 Jun;86:105520. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105520. Epub 2024 Feb 27. PMID: 38582026; PMCID: PMC11081814.
  8. Liou JJ, Drewry MD, Sweeney A, Brown BN, Vande Geest JP. Decellularizing the Porcine Optic Nerve Head: Toward a Model to Study the Mechanobiology of Glaucoma. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2020 Jul 13;9(8):17. doi: 10.1167/tvst.9.8.17. PMID: 32855864; PMCID: PMC7422887.
  9. Liou JJ, Shoemaker JE, Vande Geest JP. Mechanobiology of the Optic Nerve Head in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma, Mechanobiology. 2020. Chapter 1.3.
  10. Ardila DC, Liou JJ, Maestas D, Slepian MJ, Badowski M, Wagner WR, Harris D, Vande Geest JP. Surface Modification of Electrospun Scaffolds for Endothelialization of Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts Using Human Cord Blood-Derived Endothelial Cells. J Clin Med. 2019 Feb 4;8(2):185. doi: 10.3390/jcm8020185. PMID: 30720769; PMCID: PMC6416564.
  11. Liou JJ, Rothrauff BB, Alexander PG, Tuan RS. Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Chondrogenic Differentiation of Adipose- and Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Tissue Eng Part A. 2018 Oct;24(19-20):1432-1443. doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2018.0065. Epub 2018 Jul 23. PMID: 30036140.
  12. Liou JJ, Langhans MT, Gottardi R, Tuan RS. Injury and Repair of Tendon, Ligament, and Meniscus, Advances in Translational Medicine Regenerative Medicine. 2015. Chapter 6.
  13. Tung CK, Krupa O, Apaydin E, Liou JJ, Diaz-Santana A, Kim BJ, Wu M. A contact line pinning based microfluidic platform for modelling physiological flows. Lab Chip. 2013 Oct 7;13(19):3876-85. doi: 10.1039/c3lc50489a. PMID: 23917952; PMCID: PMC4505921.
  14. Ho JA, Lai YH, Wu LC, Liang SH, Wong SL, Liou JJ . Analysis of Biotin (Vitamin B7) and Folic Acid (Vitamin B9): A Focus on Immunosensor Development with Liposomal Amplification, B Vitamins and Folate. 2012. Chapter 23.

Presentations

Podium

  • Liou, J. J. (2025) 7T Postmortem MRI. Podium presentation at Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium – Down Syndrome Clinical Pathological Conference, virtual.
  • Liou, J. J. (2024) Clinical Applications of Brain MRI. Podium presentation at SEL5726 Lecture at the University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
  • Liou, J. J. (2024) 7 Tesla Postmortem Neuroimaging and Neuropathology in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Podium presentation at Bioengineering in Psychiatry Seminar at the University of Pittsburgh, virtual.
  • Liou, J. J. (2024) 7 Tesla Postmortem MRI and Pathology in Down Syndrome. Podium presentation at Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium – Down Syndrome General Meeting, virtual.
  • Liou, J. J. (2024) Neuroimaging and neuropathology in Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Podium presentation at Topics in Experimental Neuropathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Liou, J. J., Li, J., Berardinelli, J., Farhat, N., Jin, H., Santini, T., Noh, J., Wright, S., Yong, W., Head, E., Ikonomovic, M., Aizenstein, H., Kofler, J., and Ibrahim, T. (2024) Assessing the Correlations Between Pathology and Hippocampal Volume in Neurodegenerative Diseases Using 7T Postmortem MRI. Podium presentation at Human Amyloid Imaging Conference, Miami, FL.
  • Liou, J. J., Ikonomovic, M., Handen, B., Christian, B., Mapstone, M., Head, E., Tudorascu, D., Brickman, A. M., Price, J., Laymon, C., Rosas, D., Zaman, S., Hartley, S., Lai, F., Kofler, J., Ibrahim, T., Villemagne, V. L., and Cohen, A. (2023) Correlating in vivo Aβ levels with neuropathological burden: Insights from Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease cohorts. Podium presentation at Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Symposium, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Liou, J. J., Li, J., Berardinelli, J., Farhat, N., Jin, H., Santini, T., Noh, J., Wright, S., Yong, W., Head, E., Aizenstein, H., Ibrahim, T., and Kofler, J. (2023) Assessing the Correlations Between Pathology and Hippocampal Volume in Neurodegenerative Diseases Using 7T Postmortem MRI. Podium presentation at Topics in Experimental Neuropathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Li, J., Liou, J.-J. (presenting author), Santini, T., Alkateeb, S., Adeyemi, O.F., de Erausquin, G.A., Garbarino, V.R., Goss, M., Habes, M., Himali, J.J., Karmonik, C., Li, K., Masdeu, J.C., Nair, R.R., Patel, V.N., Snitz, B.E., Aizenstein, H.J., Wu, M., Bowtell, R., Penny, G., Roman, G.C., Ganguli, M., Vahidy, F.S., Girard, T.D., Jacobs, H.I.L., Hosseini, A.A., Seshadri, S. and Ibrahim, T. (2023), Investigating white matter hyperintensities in a multicenter COVID-19 study using 7T MRI. Alzheimer's Dement., 19: e083186. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.083186
  • Santini, T., Alkateeb, S., Liou, J.-J., Li, J., Adeyemi, O.F., de Erausquin, G.A., Garbarino, V.R., Goss, M., Habes, M., Himali, J.J., Karmonik, C., Li, K., Masdeu, J.C., Nair, R.R., Patel, V.N., Snitz, B.E., Bowtell, R., Penny, G., Roman, G.C., Ganguli, M., Vahidy, F.S., Girard, T.D., Jacobs, H.I.L., Hosseini, A.A., Seshadri, S. and Ibrahim, T. (2023), Hippocampal subfield volumes in COVID-19: a preliminary multicenter study using 7T MRI. Alzheimer's Dement., 19: e082651. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.082651
  • Ibrahim, T., Santini, T., Farhat, N., Alkateeb, S., Sajewski, A., Diniz, E., Berardinelli, J., Li, J., Jin, H., Chu, R., Liou, J.-J., de Almeida, B., DeFranco, A., Salmon, W. and Berardo, J. (2023), 7 Tesla Brain MRI: A Paradigm Shifting Technology for Clinical Research in Aging and Dementia Science. Alzheimer's Dement., 19: e083214. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.083214
  • Hosseini, A.A., Adeyemi, O.F., Bowtell, R., Penny, G., Ibrahim, T., Liou, J.-J., Santini, T., Li, J., Alkateeb, S., Habes, M., Goss, M., Vahidy, F.S., Jacobs, H.I.L., Girard, T.D., de Erausquin, G.A., Snyder, H.M. and Seshadri, S. (2023), Using 7T MRI to study hippocampal structures in Alzheimer’s disease and post-SARS-CoV2 infection. Alzheimer's Dement., 19: e083216. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.083216
  • Liou, J. J. (2021) Effect of Platelet-rich Plasma on Chondrogenesis of Adipose- and Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells. Podium presentation at Open Box Science Seminar, Virtual.
  • Liou, J. J. & Vande Geest, J. P. (2020) Mechanobiology of the Optic Nerve Head in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. Podium presentation at Bridgeside Seminar, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Liou, J. J. (2017) Engineering Graduate Student Organization Industry Career Preparation. Podium presentation at University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Liou, J. J. & Tuan, R. S. (2017) Application of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Combination with Cell-Based Therapy for Cartilage Repair. Podium presentation at Bridgeside Seminar, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Liou, J. J. & Tuan, R. S. (2017) Application of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Combination with Cell-Based Therapy for Cartilage Repair. Podium presentation at Bioengineering Day, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Liou, J. J. & Tuan, R. S. (2016) Regenerative Repair of Traumatic Articular Cartilage Injuries: Point-of-Care Applications of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Chondrocytes. Podium presentation at Bridgeside Seminar, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Tung, C. K., Krupa, O., Apaydin, E., Liou, J. J., Diaz-Santana, A., Stroock, A. D., and Wu, M. (2013) A contact line pinning based microfluidic device for modeling intramural and interstitial flows. Podium presentation at the American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting, Baltimore, MD.

Poster

Projects

Ongoing

  • BrightFocus A2025009F Neuroimaging and Neuropathology of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome
  • NIA P30AG066468 Alzheimer Disease Research Center
  • NIA U19AG068054 Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium - Down Syndrome
  • NINDS U24NS141780 Multimodal in Vivo and Postmortem Analysis of ARIA-Relevant Pathophysiology

Completed

  • SARS-CoV-2 and Precursors of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: An Ultrahigh Field (7T) MRI Study in a Diverse Multinational Cohort
  • Manipulating Gene Expression of Human Lamina Cribrosa Cells and Astrocytes
  • Development of an Ex Vivo Model to Study Optic Nerve Head Remodeling
  • Effects of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 2 on Retinal Ganglion Cell Health
  • Cord Blood-Derived Endothelialization of Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts
  • Application of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Combination with Cell-Based Therapy for Cartilage Repair
  • Effects of Mechanical Impacts and Inflammatory Cytokines on Cartilage Explants and Chondrocyte Hydrogels
  • Application of Human iPSC-derived Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells to Develop Osteochondral Microtissues for Osteoarthritis Drug Testing
  • Effects of Size and Subtype of Microtumors on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Roles of Physical Factors That Guide Sperm Migration in the Cervix and Uterotubal Junction
  • Roles of Interstitial Flows in Breast Cancer Cell Migration on a Microfluidic Device
  • Development of a Zinc Ion Probe to Image Neuronal Cells
  • Fabrication of Silica Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

Codes

my

public

  • SynthStrip: skull stripping
  • wmh_seg: white matter hyperintensity segmentation
  • SPM: statistical parametric mapping
  • VST: variance stablizing transformation for denoising
  • ASHS: automatic segmentation of hippocampal subfields
  • TractSeg: white matter tract segmentation

News

Contact