Needhi Bhalla is an associate professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is interested in the mechanisms that ensure that chromosomes segregate correctly during cell division, particularly in meiosis. Bhalla is specifically interested in how chromosome structure and function contribute to meiotic chromosome segregation. Early in meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair, synapse and recombine with their unique partner. All of these events are required for the proper segregation of chromosomes during meiosis. Bhalla combines genetic and biochemical approaches with high-resolution microscopy and cytological techniques to gain a more informed view of how molecular events during meiosis govern and are governed by higher-order chromosome behavior.