Ronald Li, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
650 Shriners Hospital, Sacramento Campus
(916) 453-2225
e-mail

Recent/Current
Research Funding

National Institute of Health

California Institute of Regenerative Medicine

Research Grant Council

Croucher Foundation

C.A.R.E. Foundation

Shriners Hospital

UC Davis School of Medicine

Graduate Group Affiliations

Biomedical Engineering

Biophysics

Cell and Developmental Biology

Research Interests

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), isolated from the inner cell mass of human blastocysts, can propagate indefinitely in culture while maintaining their pluripotency, including the ability to differentiate into human heart cells that do not otherwise regenerate once damaged; therefore, hESCs may provide an unlimited ex vivo source of such specialized cells as cardiomyocytes and neurons for transplantation and other cell-based heart therapies.

In combination with recent advances in biomedical engineering techniques, hESCs have enabled researchers to pursue the revolutionary paradigm of regenerative medicine for repairing, replacing or enhancing organ function in irreversible diseases (e.g. heart failure, spinal cord injury).

Our laboratory has three major areas of interest:

1. Stem cell biology
2. The basis of cellular excitability
3. Structure-function of ion channels

We seek to understand what underlie cellular excitability and various electrical disorders (e.g. arrhythmias), and how the associated electrical defects can be corrected. Our structure-function analysis of ion channels serves as a platform to create a better understanding of the basic biology of these critical signaling proteins. We then apply the knowledge gained from these basic studies to design and create custom-tailored cells and tissues (such as heart, neuronal and insulin-secreting cells from genetically-engineered human embryonic stem cells) for various gene- and cell-based therapies, and to develop tissue-specific drugs and high-throughput biosensors.

Several in vitro and in vivo gene transfer and transplantation models are employed to test the functional efficacy of our approaches. Techniques that we commonly employ include:

• Electrophysiology
• Imaging
• Lentiviral and adenoviral gene transfer
• Mathematical modeling
• Computational modeling of 3D protein structure
• Various protein- and tissue-engineering approaches

Overall, our research goal is to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of various human diseases, and to translate experimental concepts into potential therapies.

Representative Publications

Xue T, Cho HC, Akar FG, Tsang SY, Jones SP, Marban E, Tomaselli GF, Li RA. 2005. Functional integration of electrically-active cardiac derivatives from genetically-engineered human embryonic stem cells with quiescent recipient ventricular cardiomyocytes: Insights into the development of cell-based pacemakers. Circulation. 111(1):11-20. BEST PAPER OF THE YEAR 2005 AWARD.

Tse HF, Xue T, Lau CP, Siu CW, Wang K, Zhang QY, Tomaselli GF, Akar FG, Li RA. 2006. A bio-artificial sinus node constructed via in vivo gene transfer of an engineered pacemaker (HCN) channel reduces the dependence on electronic pacemaker in a sick sinus syndrome model. Circulation. 114 (10):1000-11. See Editorial Comments “Change in Pacing Paradigm” in the same issue 114(10):986-8.

Liu J, Fu JD, Siu CW, Li RA. 2007. Functional Sarcoplasmic Reticulum for Calcium-Handling of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes: Insights for Driven Maturation. Stem Cells. In press.

Recent/Current Teaching

CHA402, Human Microscopic Anatomy

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Integrating Medicine into Basic Science 

Teaching and Research Awards

• A Ground-breaking Study for Clinical Practice of 2006 by Circulation, American Heart Association
• A Late-breaking Study (1 of 5 chosen, Stem Cells) by American Heart Association, 2007
• BEST BASIC SCIENCE PAPER of 2005 by Circulation, American Heart Association
• First Prize, Basic Research Faculty Award, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, 2004
• A Late-breaking Study (1 of 5 chosen) by American Heart Association, 2003, 2004
• First Prize, Young Investigator Award, North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology, 2002
• First Prize, Basic Research Junior Faculty Award, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, 2002
• Research Career Development Award, Cardiac Arrhythmias Research & Education Foundation, 2001
• Top Prize for Basic Research, Young Investigator (Helen B. Taussig) Award, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2001
• First Prize, Basic Research Fellow Award, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 2001