Liang Oscar Qiang, PhD profile page

Dr. Liang Oscar Qiang is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine, where he leads a research program focused on uncovering disease mechanisms and developing therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. With over 15 years of expertise in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology, his laboratory pioneers the use of brain and spinal cord organoid systems to model various neurological diseases and test innovative interventions His group has made significant contributions to understanding hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG4), tauopathies, and Alzheimer’s disease. His team recently identified biphasic microtubule defects in tau mutant human organoids and has defined novel roles for M1-spastin isoforms and HDAC6 hyperactivation in SPG4 pathogenesis. Through integrating single-cell transcriptomics, advanced imaging, and electrophysiological recordings, his research bridges mechanistic insights with translational potential. His long-term vision is to establish robust, human-relevant stem cell and organoid platforms that drive discovery and therapeutic innovation for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.