Professor Bi was born in Lanzhou city, China. He received his B.S. in Biochemistry from Lanzhou University and his Ph.D. in Pathogen Biology from Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. After postdoctoral training in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA, he returned to Chinese Academy of Sciences to begin his independent career as a principal investigator in 2008. He currently is a tenured full professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Genetics. He also serves as the associate dean of College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chair of Biological Sciences at Dalian Medical University. 
His interdisciplinary research focuses on exploiting the mechanisms of self renewal and differentiation of stem cells, interactions among proteins and RNAs, and signaling pathways involved. His research combines tools from molecular and cell biology, genetics, toxicology, animal models, micro-fluidics.