Dr. Du is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where she leads a nationally recognized research program focused on defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive hematologic diseases, with particular emphasis on bone marrow (BM) failure and leukemia. Her work is organized around three tightly integrated and highly impactful themes: (1) elucidating the dynamic and reciprocal interactions between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the BM niche in both homeostatic and stress conditions; (2) dissecting the mechanistic interplay between DNA damage signaling and immune activation in leukemogenesis; and (3) defining how the tumor microenvironment shapes leukemia initiation, evolution, and therapeutic resistance.

Dr. Du brings deep and comprehensive expertise in hematopoiesis, stem cell biology, aging, and DNA damage response pathways. Her laboratory has uncovered previously unrecognized mechanisms by which extrinsic stressors impair HSC function and destabilize niche integrity, fundamentally advancing our understanding of how hematopoietic homeostasis is maintained and disrupted. She has identified critical regulators of cell polarity, adhesion, migration, and metabolic control that are essential for preserving HSC quiescence, self-renewal, and regenerative capacity. Collectively, these discoveries establish a unifying mechanistic framework linking microenvironmental cues and intrinsic cellular programs to hematopoietic dysfunction and malignant transformation.

As Principal Investigator on multiple NIH- and foundation-funded awards, Dr. Du has built a highly innovative and technically sophisticated research platform, encompassing advanced in vivo models, cutting-edge in vitro systems, and rigorous functional and mechanistic assays. Her scholarship includes 57 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as Blood, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Communications, and Leukemia, and has directly reshaped current concepts of stressed hematopoiesis and the molecular pathogenesis of disorders including Fanconi anemia. In recognition of her scientific leadership and sustained contributions to the field, she was selected as a Scholar by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (now Blood Cancer United).

With a sustained record of innovation, scientific rigor, and high-impact productivity, Dr. Du leads a dynamic and forward-looking research enterprise. Her work continues to define new paradigms in hematology and positions her as a driving force in advancing both fundamental discovery and translational progress in blood disorders.