Lu Bai

Dr. Lu Bai is the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Professor of Physics at Pennsylvania State University's Eberly College of Science. She holds dual appointments in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Department of Physics. Her research focuses on chromatin structure and gene regulation, employing single-cell imaging, genetics, genomics, and computational methods. Dr. Bai's lab investigates pioneer factors and long-distance chromosomal interactions, using budding yeast and mammalian systems to study gene expression dynamics and noise. She is affiliated with the Penn State Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation and serves on the editorial board of Current Opinion in Genetics & Development.

Dr. Bai received her PhD in Biophysics from Cornell University and conducted postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University. She joined Penn State in 2012, advancing to full professor in 2023. Her work integrates multidisciplinary approaches to uncover mechanisms underlying chromatin-mediated gene regulation, including nucleosome displacement and 3D genome organization. The Bai Lab develops innovative tools like the Chemically-Induced Chromosomal Interaction (CICI) method to perturb and study chromosomal conformation.

Her research has been published in top journals such as Molecular Cell, Nature Communications, and eLife. While no explicit awards are listed, her endowed chair reflects recognition of her scholarly contributions. She mentors students in the BMMB Graduate Program and collaborates across departments to advance understanding of epigenetic and chromosomal processes.