Polly Hsu

Polly Hsu is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, with faculty roles in the Molecular Plant Sciences Program, Genetics & Genome Sciences Program, and Cell & Molecular Biology Program. She previously served as an Assistant Professor at the BioMolecular Science Gateway.

• Ph.D., Plant Biology, University of California, Davis (2013)
• M.S., Genetics, National Yang-Ming University (2006)
• B.S., Botany, National Taiwan University (2004)

Her research focuses on translational regulation in plants, particularly under diurnal cycles and abiotic stress. Using ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) and computational tools like ggRibo and RiboPlotR, she investigates mRNA translation dynamics, upstream ORFs (uORFs), and small ORFs to uncover novel regulatory mechanisms controlled by the stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA). Her work aims to enhance plant resilience through gene expression control.

Recent publications highlight advancements in super-resolution Ribo-seq, uORF-mediated regulation, and tools for translatome analysis. Key contributions include systematic identification of noncanonical ORFs and insights into translational landscapes under stress conditions.

Scientific awards and recognitions:

• ASPB Centennial Celebration Review Compendium (2024)
• Trends in Plant Science Top 10 Article (2014)
• eLife Editors’ Choice and Featured Article (2013)
• F1000 Recommended Article (2013)

She actively recruits postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and technicians for projects involving RNA biology, translational regulation, and gene expression tools. Her lab provides a platform for interdisciplinary research combining molecular biology, genetics, and computational approaches.