Education

1990, B.Sc., Nanjing University;

1999, Ph.D., University of South Florida.

Professional Experience

2000-2001, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Pennsylvania ;

2001-2002, Postdoctoral Associate, Fox Chase Cancer Center;

2003-2006, Research Scientist, Van Andel Research Institute;

2007-2010, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh;

2009-Present, Professor of School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University.

Research Area

We are focusing on studying protein structure and function, as well as its implications in drug development. We intend to take advantage of the drug repositioning strategy, combined with our research experience and strength in the study of structure-activity relationship (SAR) of nuclear receptors, in developing new drugs targeting metabolic diseases with improved potency and efficacy but reduced side effects. Our investigations of structure-activity relationship with drugs and their targets, as well as with their respective signaling pathways, are revealing clinically-significant mechanisms of drug signaling in diverse disease processes and also novel strategies for therapeutic purpose.

Selected Publications

1.Zheng W, Lu Y, Tian S, Ma F, Wei Y, Xu S, Li Y^*. Structural insights into the heterodimeric complex of the nuclear receptors FXR and RXR. J Biol Chem. 2018 Aug 10;293(32):12535-12541.
2.Wei Y, Lu Y, Zhu Y, Zheng W, Guo F, Yao B, Xu S, Wang Y, Jin L^*, Li Y^*. Structural basis for the hepatoprotective effects of antihypertensive 1,4-dihydropyridine drugs. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2018 Jul 23;1862(10):2261-2270.
3.Lu Y, Zheng W, Lin S, Guo F, Zhu Y, Wei Y, Liu X, Jin S, Jin L^*, Li Y^*. Identification of an Oleanane-type Triterpene Hedragonic Acid as a Novel Farnesoid X Receptor Ligand with Liver Protective Effects and Anti-inflammatory Activity. Mol Pharmacol. 2018 Feb;93(2):63-72.
4.Zheng W, Wang R, Liu X, Tian S, Yao B, Chen A, Jin S, Li Y^*. Structural insights into the nuclear import of the histone acetyltransferase males-absent-on-the-first by importin α1. Traffic. 2018;19(1): 19-28.
5.Zheng W, Lu Y, Lin S, Wang R, Qiu L, Zhu Y, Yao B, Guo F, Jin S, Jin L, Li Y^*. A Novel Class of Natural FXR Modulators with a Unique Mode of Selective Co-regulator Assembly. Chembiochem. 2017 Apr 18;18(8):721-725.
6.Jin L, Wang R, Zhu Y, Zheng W, Han Y, Guo F, Ye F.B. & Li Y^*. Selective targeting of nuclear receptor FXR by avermectin analogues with therapeutic effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Sci Rep. 2015 5: 17288. doi: 10.1038/srep17288.
7.Yang C, Li Q, Li Y^*. Targeting nuclear receptors with marine natural products. Mar Drugs. 2014 Jan 27;12(2):601-35.
8.Jin L, Feng X, Pan Z, Inaba Y, Qiu L, Zheng W, Lin S, Wang R, Rong H, Wang Z, Li S, Xie W, and Li Y^*. The antiparasitic drug ivermectin is a novel FXR ligand that regulates metabolism. Nature Communications. 2013 Jun 3; 4: 1937. doi: 10.1038/ncomms2924.
9.Zheng W, Feng X, Qiu L, Pan Z, Wang R, Lin S, Hou D, Jin L^*, and Li Y^*. Identification of the antibiotic ionomycin as an unexpected PPARγ ligand with a unique binding mode and effective glucose-lowering activity in a mouse model of diabetes. Diabetologia. 2013 Feb; 56(2):401-11.10.Wang S, Wang Z, Lin S, Zheng W, Wang R, Jin S, Chen J, Jin L, and Li Y^*. Revealing a natural marine product as a novel agonist for retinoic acid receptors with a unique binding mode and inhibitory effects on cancer cells. 2012, Biochem J. 446(1):79-87.
11.Lin S, Han Y, Shi Y, Rong H, Zheng S, Jin S, Lin SY, Lin SC^*, Li Y^*. Revealing a steroid receptor ligand as a unique PPARγ agonist. 2012, Cell Res. 22(4):746-56, 2012.
12.Jin L, Lin S, Rong H, Zheng S, Jin S, Wang R, Li Y^*. Structural basis for iloprost as a dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha/delta agonist. J Biol Chem. 2011, 286(36):31473-9.
13.Jin L, Li Y^*. Structural and functional insights into nuclear receptor signaling. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2010, 62: 1218–1226.
14.Jin L, Martynowski D, Zheng S, Wada T, Xie W, and Li Y^*. Structural basis for hydroxycholesterols as natural ligands of orphan nuclear receptor RORγ. Molecular Endocrinology, 2010, 24(5): 923-929.
15.Xu HE^* and Li Y^*. Ligand-dependent and -independent regulation of PPAR gamma and orphan nuclear receptors. Sci. Signal 2008, 1(48), pe52.
16.Li Y^*, Zhang J, Schopfer F, Martynowski D, Garcia-Barrio M, Kovach A, Suino-Powell K, Baker P, Freeman B, Chen Y, and Xu HE^*. Molecular recognition of nitro-fatty acids by PPARγ. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 2008. 15(8):865-7.
17.Li Y^*, Kovach A, Suino-Powell K, Martynowski D, and Xu HE^*. Structural and Biochemical Basis for the Binding Selectivity of PPARγ to PGC1α. J Biol Chem. 2008. 283(27):19132-9. (IF: 5.581)
18.Motola D, Cummins L, Rottiers V, Sharma K, Li T, Li Y, Powell K, Xu HE, Auchus RJ, Antebi A, and Mangelsdorf DJ. Identification of Ligands for DAF-12 that Govern Dauer Formation and Reproduction in C. elegans. Cell 2006.124(6):1209-1223.