Dr. Li is the Director and a senior investigator in the Program in Molecular Medicine, holds the Benning Endowed Chair in Medicine, and is an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Oncological Sciences and Human Genetics. Dr. Li co-directs the MD/PhD program. His research defining the role of elastin in arterial morphogenesis and the pathogenesis of human vascular dysplasia was recognized by his election to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation.
Dr. Li is currently working on the convergence of vascular neuroguidance mechanisms and exploring their therapeutic potential. He is funded by two R01 awards, a K02 award, a FAMRI Clinical Innovator Award and an American Heart Association Established Investigator Award. In addition he is the recipient of a Burrows Welcome Clinical Scientist Award in translational sciences and is the principal investigator of a CATALYST grant from the Vice-President of Health Sciences. He also serves as the Co-PI for the University of Utah's Heart Failure Clinical Network. This is the flagship clinical network responsible for identifying and testing novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods for the treatment of congestive heart failure in the United States.
Dr. Li has extensive experience in moving basic science discoveries from the bench to the bedside and then to commercialization. He is founding CSO of two privately held biotech companies (Hydra Biosciences and Navigen).
