Hua Bai

Hua Bai is an Associate Professor at Iowa State University's Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology. His research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying aging, particularly inter-organelle communication (e.g., peroxisome-mitochondria interactions) and stress responses. He joined ISU in 2016 after postdoctoral training at Brown University and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky (2009).

Education includes a B.S. in Biology (East China Normal University, 1997), M.S. in Aquatic Biology (Shanghai Ocean University, 2000), and postdoc at Brown University (2009-2015). His lab investigates aging-related topics such as cardiac aging, metabolic networking, and systemic signals between tissues. Recent work highlights peroxisome dysfunction’s role in neuroinflammation and cardiac health, using Drosophila as a model.

Publications emphasize aging mechanisms, organelle stress responses, and metabolic switches. His team’s recent findings include NF-κB’s role in lifespan regulation and peroxisomal import stress’s impact on ribosome biogenesis. The Bai Lab actively mentors students in aging biology and collaborates with the Midwest Aging Consortium.

Current research areas include: 1) Cardiac aging mechanisms, 2) Organ communication via systemic signals, and 3) Peroxisome biology in aging. Lab members have published in PNAS Nexus, G3, and other journals, with notable recent work on glial peroxisome dysfunction and peroxisomal import stress.