Bio:

Dr. Lai received his B.Sc. in Microbiology from University of Queensland and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York. After obtaining his Ph.D., Dr. Lai had worked at several academic institutions, including Australian National University and University of Kentucky as postdoctoral fellow and research specialist, and as a faculty member at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Lai’s research interests include molecular virology and vaccine development. In 2004, he was recruited to the newly established Center for Health Protection (CHP) in Hong Kong. CHP was created after the SARS epidemic in 2003. He was involved in developing rapid diagnostic tests and in drafting public health contingency plans for emerging viruses, including avian influenza virus H5N1 and SARS-coronavirus. While in Hong Kong, he also held several adjunct positions and taught at University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University. Dr. Lai holds a patent on DNA vaccine. Prior to joining Kentucky State University, he was the chief scientific officer of a biotech company.
Dr. Lai teaches Biology, Microbiology, Virology, and Advanced Topics in Biology. He engages his students in active learning. He emphasizes understanding concepts and applying critical thinking.
Dr. Lai lives with his family in Lexington where his son attends middle school. His hobbies include photography, swimming, and amateur astronomy.