Susie Dai

Susie Dai is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Missouri, with a laboratory located at the Bond Life Sciences Center. Her research bridges chemistry, biology, and engineering to address critical environmental and sustainability challenges.

• Education: PhD in Chemistry from Duke University; Certificate in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University; Certificate in Regulatory Science from Texas A&M University; BS in Chemistry from Fudan University

Dr. Dai specializes in biological and material engineering, carbon waste conversion, contaminant remediation, and synthetic biology. She is developing RAPIMER, a lignin-based fungal scaffold for PFAS removal, and pioneering electro-microbial systems to convert CO2 into bioplastics and biofuels. Her work focuses on scalable, sustainable solutions for environmental pollutants and carbon utilization.

Recent research trends include creating biomimetic materials for sustainable packaging, optimizing lignocellulosic biorefineries, and designing lignin-derived photocatalysts. She leads projects funded by Tito's Handmade Vodka's philanthropic arm for PFAS remediation and collaborates with the NSF Engineering Research Center CURB at Washington University in St. Louis.

At Mizzou, Dai integrates engineering and life sciences, leveraging both Mizzou Engineering and Bond Life Sciences Center's resources. Her interdisciplinary approach combines electrochemistry, microbial engineering, and social impact analysis to advance circular bioeconomy solutions.