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Yan Li, Ph.D.

Photo of Yan Li
Program Director: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases
Key regulators of intermediary metabolism; drug discovery; pharmacogenetics and precision medicine.
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Responsibilities & Activities

I am director of the Diabetes and Endocrine Disease Translational Research program. This portfolio supports a variety of research relevant to the development of therapies for diabetes, endocrine, and metabolic diseases. This includes research on physiological and pathophysiological processes, molecular structures or biological pathways, and the bioavailability of compounds. Studies in this portfolio examine the ability to selectively modulate the function of drug discovery targets and the ability to translate biological endpoints of preclinical research to the clinic.

I am also the Program Director for K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Awards and R13 Conference Grants. My other professional activities include participating in several NIDDK working groups, including ones that focus on type 2 diabetes, obesity, and clinical studies, as well as the NIDDK Translational Sciences Working Group.

Research Programs

Bioengineering, Biotechnology, and Imaging as applied to Diabetes, Metabolic, and Endocrine Diseases
Cutting-edge technologies and integrated approaches that treat and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of endocrine and metabolic diseases, including diabetes.

Diabetes Genetics & Genomics
Genetic mechanisms underlying type 1 and type 2 diabetes and how genetic and epigenetic variation influences the metabolism of therapeutics.

Diabetes, Endocrine, & Metabolic Disease Translational Research
Studies that translate scientific findings into practice to enhance human health of those with, or at risk for, metabolic disease.

Committees & Working Groups

  • NIH Training Advisory Committee, Member
  • NIDDK Minority Affairs Advisory Committee, Member
  • NIDDK Obesity Research Working Group, Member
  • NIDDK Translational Sciences Working Group, Member
  • DEM Clinical Sciences Working Group, Member

Select Experience

Health Specialist, NIDDK, NIH, 2013-2016

CRTA Fellow, NCI, NIH, 2008-2013

Young Investigator, Department of Food Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany, 2004-2005

Ph.D., Center for Research in Molecular Endocrinology, University of Oulu, Finland, 2004