2013年12月至今 中国农业科学院生物技术研究所，研究员、博士生导师；
2010年10月至2013年8月 美国俄克拉荷马州立大学，博士后；
2010年3月至2010年10月 美国哥伦比亚大学，博士后；
2009年 中国科学院遗传与发育生物学研究所，获博士学位；
2002年 河北师范大学，获学士学位。

研究领域为苜蓿等饲草作物功能基因组学与育种技术研发。

围绕国家“大食物观”战略和草种业科技创新需求，系统开展苜蓿功能基因组与遗传改良研究，在苜蓿重要性状遗传基础解析、关键生物育种技术研发和优异新种质创制等方面取得系列重要进展。相关研究成果在PNAS、Plant Biotechnol J、J Integr Plant Biol、Sci China Life Sci、New Phytol、Plant Cell Environ、Plant J和Plant Physiol等国际主流学术期刊上发表，并获得多项授权国家发明专利；主持承担多项国家自然科学基金面上项目、农业生物育种重大专项子课题等。先后入选中国农科院“青年英才计划”A类，获人社部“海外高层次留学人才回国资助”、北京市科学技术奖二等奖等奖励；现任中国草学会草业生物技术专业委员会副理事长、中国植物学会饲草植物学分会理事、Grass Research期刊副主编等职务，以及J Integr Plant Biol、aBIOTECH、The Crop Journal等杂志审稿人。

实验室常年招生博士后、客座研究生和实习生，欢迎优秀科研青年加入。

近期发表论文：

41. Li S, Xia X, Wei Z, Wang N, Lin H*, Niu L*. Generation of Herbicide-Resistant Alfalfa Germplasm via Prime Editing. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 2026 Sep. doi: 10.1111/pbi.70752. Epub ahead of print.

40. Xing J, Li W, Cao J, Xia Z, Li K, Meng X, Wen J, Mysore KS, Wang G, Lin H, Niu L*, Zhou C*, Yin P*. The F-Box Protein DWARF1 Controls Plant Height by Modulating MtSMXL6 and MtSMXL7 Stability in Medicago truncatula. Plant, Cell & Environment. 2026 Aug;49(8):5160-5163.

39. Wang N^#, Feng Y^#, Cao J, Gao Y, Pei Y, Wen J, Mysore KS, Lin H*, Niu L*. In vivo maternal haploid induction via KPL disruption in Medicago truncatula. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 2026 Jun;24(6):4041-4043.

38. Liu T, Li L, Lin H*, Niu L*. Creating inbred lines for heterosis utilization in alfalfa. Sci China Life Sci. 2026 Jan;69(1):297-299.

37. Wang N, Niu L*, Lin H*. Developing doubled haploid technology for alfalfa breeding. Fundamental Research. 2025 Mar 25;6(3):1480-1483.

36. Xia X^#, Li S^#, Wang N, Cheng P, Zhu B, Zhang P, Yang D*, Lin H*, Niu L*. Convenient, high-efficiency multiplex genome editing in autotetraploid alfalfa using endogenous U6 promoters and visual reporters. aBIOTECH. 2025 Feb 10;6(1):81-90.  

35. Li W^†, Li X^†, Li W, Yang H, Guo D, Guo T, Meng Y, He Q, Lin H*, Du H*, Niu L*. A haplotype-resolved genome assembly of tetraploid Medicago sativa ssp. falcata. CIENCE CHINA Life Sciences. 2025 Apr;68(4):1186-1189.

34. Li L^#, Liu S^#, Wang Y, hang Y, Qi Z, Lin H*, Niu L*. Transcriptomic Analysis of Self-Incompatibility in Alfalfa. Plants (Basel). 2024 Mar 19;13(6):875.

33. Meng Y^#, Zhang W^#, Wang Z, Yuan F, Guo S*, Lin H*, Niu L*. Co-expression of GR79 EPSPS and GAT generates high glyphosate-resistant alfalfa with low glyphosate residues. aBIOTECH. 2023 Oct 19;4(4):352-358.

32. Yang H^#, Zhang P^#, Guo D, Wang N, Lin H, Wang X*, Niu L*. Transcriptional repressor AGL79 positively regulates flowering time in Arabidopsis. Journal of Plant Physiology. 2023 Jun:285:153985.

31. Meng Y^#, Wang C^#, Li Q^#, Ji W, Wen J, Mysore KS, Pei Y, Niu L*, Lin H*. DPB3 and DPB4 proteins regulate Medicago flowering and leaf anthocyanin biosynthesis, Journal of Genetics and Genomics. 2023 Jun;50(6):450-453.

30. Wang N, Xia X, Jiang T, Li L, Zhang P, Niu L, Cheng H, Wang K, Lin H*. In planta haploid induction by genome editing of DMP in the model legume Medicago truncatula. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 2022 Jan;20(1):22-24.

29. Li W^#, Ma Q^#, Yin P^#, Wen J, Pei Y, Niu L*, Lin H*. The GA 20-Oxidase Encoding Gene MSD1 Controls the Main Stem Elongation in Medicago truncatula. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2021 Aug 4;12:709625.

28. Pathak PK^#, Zhang F^#, Peng S^#, Niu L, Chaturvedi J, Elliott J, Xiang Y, Tadege M, Deng J*. Structure of the unique tetrameric STENOFOLIA homeodomain bound with target promoter DNA. Acta Crystallogra D Structural Biology. 2021 Aug 1;77(Pt 8):1050-1063.

27. Zhang P, Liu H, Mysore KS, Wen J, Meng Y, Lin H, Niu L*. MtFDa is essential for flowering control and inflorescence development in Medicago truncatula. Journal of Plant Physiology. 2021 May;260:153412.

26. Wang C^#, Ji W^#, Liu Y, Zhou P, Meng Y, Zhang P, Wen J, Mysore KS, Zhai J, Young ND, Tian Z, Niu L, Lin H*. The antagonistic MYB paralogs RH1 and RH2 govern anthocyanin leaf markings in Medicago truncatula. New Phytologist. 2021 Mar;229(6):3330-3344.

25. Zhang P, Wang R, Wang X, Mysore KS, Wen J, Meng Y, Gu X, Niu L, Lin H*.  MtFULc controls inflorescence development by directly repressing MtTFL1 in Medicago truncatula. Journal of Plant Physiology. 2021 Jan;256:153329.

24. Zhu B^#, Li H^#, Xia X^#, Meng Y, Wang N, Li L, Shi J, Pei Y, Lin M, Niu L, Lin H*. ATP binding cassette G transporters SGE1 and MtABCG13 control stigma exsertion. Plant Physiology. 2020 Sep;184(1):223-235.

23. Yin P, Ma Q, Wang H, Feng D, Wang X, Pei Y, Wen J, Tadege M, Niu L* and Lin H*. SMALL LEAF AND BUSHY1 controls organ size and lateral branching by modulating the stability of BIG SEEDS1 in Medicago truncatula. New Phytologist. 2020 Jun;226(5):1399-1412.

22. Meng Y, Wang C, Yin P, Zhu B, Zhang P, Niu L*, Lin H*. “Targeted mutagenesis by an optimized agrobacterium-delivered CRISPR/Cas 9 system in the model legume Medicago truncatula,” in The Model Legume Medicago truncatula, ed. F. D. Bruijn (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley), (2019). 1015–1018. doi: 10.1002/9781119409144.ch130.

21. Meng Y^#, Wang Z^#, Wang Y, Wang C, Zhu B, Liu H, Ji W, Wen J, Chu C, Tadege M, Niu L, Lin H*. The MYB Activator WHITE PETAL1 Associates with MtTT8 and MtWD40-1 to Regulate Carotenoid-Derived Flower Pigmentation in Medicago truncatula. The Plant Cell. 2019 Nov;31(11):2751-2767.

20. Zhu B^#, Li H^#, Hou Y^#, Zhang P, Xia X, Wang N, Wang H, Mysore KS, Wen J, Pei Y, Niu L*, Lin H*. AGAMOUS AND TERMINAL FLOWER controls floral organ identity and inflorescence development in Medicago truncatula. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 2019 Aug;61(8):917-923.

19. Meng Y^#, Liu H^#, Wang H^#, Liu Y, Zhu B, Wang Z, Hou Y, Zhang P, Wen J, Yang H, Mysore KS, Chen J, Tadege M, Niu L*, Lin H*. HEADLESS, a WUSCHEL homolog, uncovers novel aspects of shoot meristem regulation and leaf blade development in Medicago truncatula. Journal of Experimental Botany. 2019 Jan 1;70(1):149-163.

18. Zhu B^#, Li H^#, Wen J, Mysore KS, Wang X, Pei Y, Niu L*, Lin H*. Functional specialization of duplicated AGAMOUS homologs in regulating floral organ development of Medicago truncatula. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2018 Jul 31;9:854.

17. Zhang SR, Wang H, Wang Z, Ren Y, Niu L, Liu J*, Liu B*. Photoperiodism dynamics during the domestication and improvement of soybean. SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences. 2017 Dec;60(12):1416-1427.

16. Wang H^#, Niu L^#, Fu C^#, Meng Y, Sang D, Yin P, Wu J, Tang Y, Lu T, Wang ZY, Tadege M*, Lin H*. Overexpression of the WOX gene STENOFOLIA improves biomass yield and sugar release in transgenic grasses and display altered cytokinin homeostasis. PLoS Genetics. 2017 Mar 6;13(3):e1006649.

15. Meng Y, Hou Y, Wang H, Ji R, Liu B, Wen J, Niu L*, Lin H*. Targeted mutagenesis by CRISPR/Cas9 system in the model legume Medicago truncatula. Plant Cell Reports. 2017 Feb;36(2):371-374.

14. Liu H, Meng Y, Niu L, Lin H*. Genome editing technology and its application in forage legumes. Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao. 2017, 33(10): 1733–1743.

13. Niu L^#, Fu C^#, Lin H^#, Wolabu TW, Wu Y, Wang ZY, Tadege M*. Control of floral transition in the bioenergy crop switchgrass. Plant, Cell & Environment. 2016 Oct;39(10):2158-71.

12. Niu L^#, Lin H^#, Zhang F, Wolabu TW, Li G, Tang Y, Wen J, Ratet P, Mysore KS, Tadege M*. LOOSE FLOWER, a WUSCHEL-like Homeobox gene, is required for lateral fusion of floral organs in Medicago truncatula. Plant Journal. 2015 Feb;81(3):480-92.

11. Lin H, Niu L, Tadege M*. STENOFOLIA acts as a repressor in regulating leaf blade outgrowth. Plant Signaling & Behavior. 2013, 8, e24464.

10. Lin H^#, Niu L^#, McHale NA, Ohme-Takagi M, Mysore KS, Tadege M*. Evolutionarily conserved repressive activity of WOX proteins mediates leaf blade outgrowth and floral organ development in plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jan; 2; 110(1):366-71.

9. Niu L^#, Lu F^#, Zhao T^#, Liu C, Cao X*. The enzymatic activity of Arabidopsis protein arginine methyltransferase 10 is essential for flowering time regulation. Protein Cell. 2012 Jun; 3(6):450-9.

8. Tadege M*, Lin H, Niu L, Mysore KS. Control of dicot leaf blade expansion by a WOX gene, STF. Plant Signaling & Behavior. 2011, 6, 1861-1864.

7. Tadege M*, Lin H, Bedair M, Berbel A, Wen J, Rojas CM, Niu L, Tang Y, Sumner L, Ratet P, McHale NA, Madueno F, Mysore KS. STENOFOLIA regulates blade outgrowth and leaf vascular patterning in Medicago truncatula and Nicotiana sylvestris. The Plant Cell. 2011 Jun; 23: 2125-42.

6. Reddy BD, Wang Y, Niu L, Higuchi EC, Marguerat SB, Bahler J, Smith GR, Jia S*. Elimination of a specific histone H3K14 acetyltransferase complex bypasses the RNAi pathway to regulate pericentric heterochromatin functions. Genes & Development. 2011 Feb; 1; 25(3):214-9.

5. Niu L^#, Zhang Y^#, Pei Y, Liu C, Cao X*. Redundant requirement for a pair of protein arginine methyltransferase 4 homologs for the proper regulation of Arabidopsis flowering time. Plant Physiology. 2008 Sep; 148(1): 490-503.

4. Niu L^#, Lu F^#, Pei Y, Liu C, Cao X*. Regulation of flowering time by a protein arginine methyltransferase AtPRMT10. EMBO Report. 2007 Dec; 8(12):1190-5.

3. Pei Y^#, Niu L^#, Lu F^#, Liu C^#, Zhai J, Kong X, Cao X*. Mutations in the Type II protein arginine methyltransferase AtPRMT5 result in pleiotropic developmental defects in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiology. 2007 Aug; 144(4):1913-23.

2. Yan D^#, Zhang Y^#, Niu L, Yuan Y, Cao X*. Identification and characterization of two closely related histone H4 arginine 3 methyltransferases in Arabidopsis thaliana. Biochemical Journal. 2007 Nov; 408(1):113-21.

1. Deng W^#, Liu C^#, Pei Y, Deng X, Niu L, Cao X*. Involvement of the histone acetyltransferase AtHAC1 in the regulation of flowering time via repression of FLOWERING LOCUS C in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology. 2007 Apr; 143(4):1660-8.