Dr. Yunhao Bai from the Broad Institute Delivers Two Inspiring Lectures on Spatial Biology at Jilin University

On December 20 and 21, Dr. Yunhao Bai, a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute and the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University, visited Jilin University’s College of Chemistry and delivered two thought-provoking lectures on spatial biology.

Dr. Bai holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Tsinghua University and earned his PhD in chemistry from Stanford University under the guidance of Professor Garry Nolan. His current research focuses on leveraging spatial biology techniques for medical sample analysis under the mentorship of Professor Fei Chen.

Pioneering Imaging Techniques for Pathological Samples

On the afternoon of December 20, Dr. Bai presented a lecture titled “Combining Expansion Microscopy and Mass Spectrometry Imaging: High-Dimensional, High-Resolution Imaging of Pathological Samples” in the circular lecture hall of the Inorganic-Supramolecular Chemistry Building.

Dr. Bai introduced groundbreaking advancements in tissue biology, specifically in combining two cutting-edge technologies: Expansion Microscopy (ExM) and Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS). ExM has emerged as a transformative approach for surpassing the optical diffraction limit, enabling ultra-high spatial resolution imaging. Meanwhile, IMS is widely recognized for its capability to profile biomolecules in biological samples. Dr. Bai and coworkers have developed a novel ExM methodology that overcomes a major limitation of IMS—the need for dehydrated samples—by removing water from hydrogel-expanded specimens while preserving biomolecular integrity. This counterintuitive yet ingenious integration of ExM and IMS has opened new avenues for studying tissue biology across multiple scales.

The presentation sparked lively discussions, with attendees raising nearly 20 questions on topics ranging from technical challenges to future applications.

An Accessible Introduction to Spatial Biology

On the evening of December 21, Dr. Bai delivered a second lecture titled “An Introduction to Spatial Biology: Imaging Techniques and Applications” in Room A409 of Tang Au-Chin Building. Tailored for undergraduate and graduate students, the lecture provided a clear and engaging overview of spatial biology, a burgeoning field focused on understanding the spatial organization of biomolecules, cells, and tissues.

Dr. Bai traced the rapid development of spatial biology over the past decade, emphasizing its integration of traditional molecular biology, advanced imaging technologies, and computational tools. Through vivid examples and simplified explanations, he demonstrated how spatial biology reveals molecular spatial patterns within tissues and cells, offering insights that traditional approaches cannot.

The interactive Q&A session was met with enthusiasm, as students and faculty alike posed questions that deepened their understanding of the field.

（Drafted by Zhaolin Zhu，reviewed by Guanglu）