Yuanpei Li, Ph.D.

Professor
Suite 2405
Oak Park Research Building
Sacramento Campus
Ph: 916-734-4420
e-mail

Research Interests

1. Development of novel nano-medicine platforms, biomaterials and microfluidic devices

The Nanomedicine and Biomaterials Laboratory aims to 1) develop next generation nano-medicine platforms, biomaterials and microfluidic devices by learning from nature and clinical practice, 2) obtain fundamental knowledge on how these subjects interact with biological systems, and 3) apply them to solve complex medical problems that are associated with cancer and other diseases. Our research projects integrate recent advances in interdisciplinary fields, such as nanotechnology, material sciences, chemistry, engineering and biology, to create innovative technologies and therapeutics. Significant efforts have also been devoted to the rapid “bench to bed side” translation of these innovative technologies and therapeutics that can tremendously benefit the health of human and companion animals. We are particularly interested in the following research area:

  1. Targeting and programmable drug/gene delivery
  2. Theranostics
  3. New biomaterials/bio-inspired materials
  4. Enabling technology for immunoengineering
  5. Integration of nanotechnology/biomaterials in microfluidics
2. Exosomes/oncosomes and stem cells

We are interested in new isolation, drug discovery and development, targeting delivery and engineering technologies that are related to stem cells and exosomes/oncosomes from clinical patients.

Graduate Group Affiliations

Wang Z, Xue X, Lu H , He Y, Lu Z, Chen Z, Yuan Y, Tang N, Dreyer CA, Quigley L, Currov N, Lam KS, Walton JH, Lin T, Louie A, Gilbert DA, Liu K, Ferrara KW, Li Y*(corresponding author), “Two-way magnetic resonance tuning and enhanced subtraction imaging for non-invasive and quantitative biological imaging”, Nature Nanotechnology, 2020
*F1000 Prime expert recommended research articles (Rated Exceptional)

Ma Z, Li J, Lin K, Ramachandran M, Zhang D, Showalter M, De Souza C, Lindstrom AR, Solano LN, Jia B, Urayama S, Duan Y, Fiehn O, Lin T, Li M, Li Y*(corresponding author), “Pharmacophore hybridisation and nanoscale assembly to discover self-delivering lysosomotropic new-chemical entities for cancer therapy,Nature Communications, 2020, 11: 4615.

Wu H , Zhang L, Yang J, Bo R, Du H, Lin K, Zhang D, Ramachandran M, Shen Y, Xu Y, Xue X, Ma Z, Lindstrom AR, Carney R, Lin T, Li Y*(corresponding author), “Rotatable Aggregation-Induced-Emission/Aggregation-Caused-Quenching Ratio Strategy for Real-Time Tracking Nanoparticle Dynamics”, Advanced Functional Materials, 2020, 1910348

Wu H, Lu H, Xiao W, Yang J, Du H, Shen Y, Qu H, Jia B, Manna SK, Ramachandran M, Xue X, Ma Z, Xu X, Wang Z, He Y, Lam KS, Zawadzki RJ, Li Y* (corresponding author), Lin T*, “Sequential Targeting in Crosslinking Nano-theranostics for Tackling the Multi-barriers of Brain Tumors”, Advanced Materials, 2020, 1903759

Ma Z, Li J, Lin K, Li Y*(corresponding author), “Heterocyclic N-Oxides as Small-Molecule Fluorogenic Scaffolds: Rational Design and Applications of Their “On-Off” Fluorescence”", Analytical Chemistry, 2020, 92, 18, 12282–12289.

Xue X, Bo R, Qu H, Jia B, Wen W, Yuan Y, Vapniarsky N, Lindstrom AR, Hao W, Zhang D, Li L, Marina R, Zhao M, Zhu Z, Lin T, Louie A, Li Y*(Corresponding author), “A nephrotoxicity-free, iron-based contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging of tumors”, Biomaterials, 2020, 257: 120234.

Jiang M, Liu R, Liu L, Kot A, Liu X, Xiao W, Jia J, Li Y, Lam K, Yao W, “Identification of osteogenic progenitor cell-targeted peptides that augment bone formation”. Nature Communications, 2020, 11, 4278.

Huang Y, Xue X, Li X, Jia B, Pan C, Li Y *(corresponding author), Lin T*, “Novel nanococktail of a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor and cabazitaxel for castration-resistant prostate cancer”". Advanced Therapeutics, 2020, 202000075

Yu W, Xue X, Ma A, Ruan Y, Zhang H, Cheng F, Li Y*(corresponding author), Pan C*, Lin T* “Self-Assembled Nanoparticle-Mediated Chemophototherapy Reverses the Drug Resistance of Bladder Cancers through Dual AKT/ERK Inhibition”". Advanced Therapeutics, 2020, 202000032

Yuan Y, Bo R, Jing D, Ma Z, Wang Z, Lin T, Dong L, Xue X*, Li Y* (corresponding author), “Excipient-free porphyrin/SN-38 based nanotheranostics for drug delivery and cell imaging”, Nano Research, 2020, In press

Zhang L, JingD, Jiang N, Rojalin T, Baehr CM, Zhang D, Xiao W, Wu Y, Cong Z, Li JJ, Li Y, Wang L, Lam KS. “Transformable peptide nanoparticles arrest HER2 signaling and cause cancer cell death in vivo”. Nature Nanotechnology, 2020, 15, 145–153

Zhang L, Huang Y, Lindstrom AR, Lin T, Lam KS, Li Y* (corresponding author), “Peptide-based materials for cancer immunotherapy”, Theranostics 2019; 9(25):7807-7825

Xue X, Lindstrom AR, Qu H, Li Y* (corresponding author), “Recent advances on smallā€molecule nanomedicines for cancer treatment”, WIREs: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology, 2019, e1607

Lin T, Li Y, Zhang H, Ma A, Pan C, Jonas B. “Daunorubicin-containing CLL1-targeting nanomicelles have anti-leukemia stem cell activity in acute myeloid leukemia”. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 2019, 20(102004).

Xue X, Lindstrom AR, Li Y* (corresponding author), “Porphyrin-based nanomedicines for cancer treatment”, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2019, 30 (6), 1585-1603

Goswami M, Wang X, Zhang P, Xiao W, Karlen SJ, Li Y, Zawadzki RJ, Burns ME, Lam KS, Pugh EN, Jr.. “Novel window for cancer nanotheranostics: non-invasive ocular assessments of tumor growth and nanotherapeutic treatment efficacy in vivo”". Biomedical Optics Express, 2018,10(1): 151-66.

Li J, Tan W, Xiao W, Carney RP, Men Y, Li Y, Quon G, Ajena Y, Lam KS, Pan T. “A Plug-and-Play, Drug-on-Pillar Platform for Combination Drug Screening Implemented by Microfluidic Adaptive Printing”. Analytical Chemistry, 2018 90(23): 13969-13977.

Xue X, Huang Y, Bo R, Jia B, Wu H, Yuan Y, Wang Z, Ma Z, Jing D, Xu X, Yu W, Lin T, Li Y* (Corresponding author), “Trojan Horse Nanotheranostics with Dual Transformability and Multifunctionality for Highly Effective Cancer Treatment”, Nature Communications, 2018, 9, 3653.

Xue X, Huang Y, Wang X, Wang Z, Carney RP, Li X, He Y, Lin T, Li Y*(corresponding author), “Self-indicating, fully active pharmaceutical ingredients nanoparticles (FAPIN) for multimodal imaging guided trimodality cancer therapy”, Biomaterials, 2018, 161, 203–215.

Wang Z, Xue X, He Y, Lu Z, Jia B, Wu H, Yuan Y, Wang H, Lu H, Lam K, Lin T, Li Y* (corresponding author). “Novel redox-responsive polymeric magnetosomes with tunable magnetic resonance property for in vivo drug release visualization and dual-modal cancer therapy”. Advanced Functional Materials, 2018, 28(33), 1802159.

Xiao K, Liu Q, Al Awwad N, Zhang H, Lai L, Luo Y, Lee JS, Li Y*(corresponding author), Lam KS*, “Reversibly disulfide cross-linked micelles improve the pharmacokinetics and facilitate the targeted, on-demand delivery of doxorubicin in the treatment of B-cell lymphoma”, Nanoscale, 2018, 10(17), 8207-8216.

Wang X, Ding X, Li X, He Y, Kong D, Zhang L, Hu X, Yang J, Zhao M, Gao S, Lin T, Li Y*(corresponding author), “A highly integrated precision nanomedicine strategy to target esophageal squamous cell cancer molecularly and physically”, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 2018, 14 (7), 2103-2114.

Wang X, Zhang L, Li X, Kong D, Hu X, Ding X, Yang J, Zhao M, He Y, Lam KS, Gao S, Lin T, Li Y* (Corresponding author). “Nanoformulated paclitaxel and AZD9291 synergistically eradicate non-small-cell lung cancers in vivo”. Nanomedicine, 2018, 13(10), 1107-1120.

Long Q, Lin T, Huang Y, Ma A, Zhang H, Carney RP, Airhart S, Lam KS, deVere White RW, Chong-xian Pan C, Li Y*(corresponding author), “Imaging-guided photo-therapeutic nanoporphyrin synergized HSP90 inhibitor in patient-derived xenograft bladder cancer model”, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 2018, 14, 789-799.

Luo Y, Wu H, Feng C, Xiao K, Yang X, Liu Q, Lin T, Zhang H, Walton JH, Ajena Y, Hu Y, Lam KS, Li Y*(corresponding author), ““One-Pot” Fabrication of Highly Versatile and Biocompatible Poly(vinyl alcohol)-porphyrin-based Nanotheranostics””. Theranostics, 2017, 7(16): 3901-3914.

  • U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) PCRP Fellowship Award
  • Dr. Xiangdong Xue (Postdoctoral Scholar)
  • Dr. Hao Wu (Postdoctoral Scholar)
  • Dr. Zhao Ma (Postdoctoral Scholar)
  • Dr. Dalin Zhang (Postdoctoral Scholar)
  • Mythili Ramachandran (Graduate Student)
  • Dr. Reng Qiu (Visiting Professor)
  • Dr. Jichao Chen (Visiting Scholar)
  • Ye Yuan (Graduate Student)
  • Marina Ricci (Graduate Student)
  • Ruonan Bo (Graduate Student)
  • Xiaobao Xu (Graduate Student)
  • Bei Jia (Graduate Student)
  • Lisa Chou (Undergraduate Student)
  • Yinuo Zhang (Undergraduate Student)