Associate Professor

Email Dr. Yong Li
Phone Number: 502-852-7551
Fax: 502-852-3659

Address: 319 Abraham Flexner Way, Rm 713
Louisville, KY 40202

PhD, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry

Research Interests: MicroRNAs

 The focus of Dr. Li’s laboratory is to investigate the biological and pathological functions of MicroRNAs. MicroRNAs are short 20-25 nucleotide RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression in animals and plants by targeting 3'-UTRs of mRNAs. Over 1,000 human microRNA genes have been identified, rendering the microRNA genes one of the most abundant classes of regulatory genes. Recent computational methods have predicted that up to 92% of human genes may be regulated by microRNAs. We have concentrated on three projects to elucidate the pathophysiological functions of human microRNAs since 2006: first, a microRNA-mediated NF-κB activation mechanism in pancreatic cancer; second, microRNAs that target the tumor suppressor TP53 gene in multiple myeloma, B-cell lymphoma, and lung cancer; third, microRNAs that are critical to UV-induced skin carcinogenesis.

Recent Publications:
1. Lu, Z., Liu, M., Stribinskis, V., Klinge, C., Ramos, K., Colburn, N., Li, Y. MicroRNA-21 Promotes Cell Transformation by Targeting the Programmed Cell Death Protein 4 Gene, Oncogene 2008  27 (31) : 4373-9.
2. Takwi A., Li, Y.  (2009) The p53 Pathway Encounters the MicroRNA World. Current Genomics. 10: 194-197
3. Zhu, Y., Kalbfleisch, T., Brennan, M., Li, Y.  A MicroRNA Gene is Hosted in an Intron of a Schizophrenia-susceptibility Gene. Schizophrenia Research, 2009 Mar 4, PMID: 19264453.
4. Wickramasinghe NS, Manavalan TT, Dougherty SM, Riggs KA, Li Y, Klinge CM.  Estradiol downregulates miR-21 expression and increases miR-21 target gene expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 2009 Mar 5.  PMID: 19264808.
5. Jiang, S., Zhang, HW., Lu, MH., He, XH., Li Y., Gu, H., Liu, MF, Wang, ED. (2010) MicroRNA-155 functions as an oncomiR in breast cancer by targeting the suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 gene.  Cancer Research. 2010 Mar 30.  PMID: 20354188
6. Liu, M., Lu, Z., Jiang, S., Young, K.H., Li, Y. (2010) Physiological and Pathological Functions of Mammalian MicroRNAs, in Comprehensive Toxicology, II : Molecular and Cellular Toxicology.  Elsevier B. V., Amsterdam, Netherlands  (As the advertising Chapter)
7. Kumar M, Lu Z, Takwi AA, Chen W, Callander NS, Ramos KS, Young KH, Li Y. (2011) Negative regulation of the tumor suppressor p53 gene by microRNAs. Oncogene, 30(7):843-53.  PMID: 20935678
8. Lu, Z., Li, Y., Takwi, A., Li, B., Zhang, J., Conklin, D. J., Young, K. H., Martin, R., Li, Y.  (2011) miR-301a as a NF-B Activator in Pancreatic Cancer Cells, EMBO J, 30(1):57-67.  PMID: 21113131.  Highlighted by EMBO J and Nature Review Cancer, Jan 2011.
9. Gordon, M. Li, Y. (2011) Messenger Made for Micro-Destruction, Cell Cycle, 10(5):725-6.
10. Ma, X., Buscaglia, L. E. B., Barker, J. R., Li, Y. (2011) MicroRNAs in NF-B Signaling. J. Mol. Cell. Biol., 3(3) 159-166 PMID: 21502305. (Appeared on the cover of the Journal).
11. Buscaglia, L. E. B., Li, Y. (2011) Apoptosis and the Target Genes of miR-21. Chin. J. Cancer., 30: 371-380
12. Ma, X., Kumar, M., Choudhury, S.N., Buscaglia, L.E.B., Barker J.R., Kanakamedala, K., Liu, M., Li, Y. (2011) Loss of the miR-21 Allele Elevates the Expression of its Target Genes and Reduces Tumorigenesis.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 108(25):10144-9. PubMed: 21646541
13. Manavalan TT, Teng Y, Appana SN, Datta S, Kalbfleisch TS, Li Y, Klinge CM. (2011) Differential expression of microRNA expression in tamoxifen-sensitive MCF-7 versus tamoxifen-resistant LY2 human breast cancer cells. Cancer Lett. 313(1):26-43.