Rate My Professor Chaofu Lu

Chaofu Lu is a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology at Montana State University. He earned his PhD in plant molecular genetics from the Institute of Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1998. He conducted postdoctoral studies at the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom and Washington State University, specializing in plant lipid metabolism, particularly seed storage oils. Lu joined Montana State University as an associate professor in 2005 and advanced to full professor. His research focuses on the biosynthesis and regulation of plant lipids, including seed triacylglycerol and fatty acid composition. He leads efforts in developing Camelina sativa as a sustainable source of bioenergy and renewable chemicals. The Lu lab has established plant transformation protocols and developed genetic and genomic resources for camelina to enable metabolic engineering, elucidating mechanisms of seed development, oil accumulation, fatty acid metabolism, and responses to abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, and nutrient limitations. His work supports cultivar development and genetic improvement of camelina for Montana agriculture, with projects highlighted by the U.S. Department of Energy.