​Jian Li, Ph.D.

Education

​Postdoctoral 2017,  ​Northwestern University

​PhD 2012, ​​Pennsylvania State University

​BS 2005, ​Peking University, China

​Research Review

​The health of proteome is essential for cellular and organismal functions, but is constantly challenged by environmental and genetic perturbations. Loss of proteostasis is a hallmark of aging and age-related diseases. Cells have evolved robust stress responses controlled by conserved stress-responsive transcription factors (TFs) to cope with protein damage and misfolding. These stress-responsive TFs are prominent suppressors of age-related decline of proteostasis. Our lab is interested in understanding the roles of stress-responsive TFs in diverse physiological conditions, and their relevance in human diseases.

Our studies have been focusing on the heat shock transcriptional factor 1 (HSF1), the central regulator of the heat shock response (HSR). Our work and others have indicated that HSF1 is able to drive transcription to regulate development, reproduction, longevity and energy metabolism in manners that are different from the HSR. Conversely, dysregulation of HSF1 underlies age-related neurodegenerative disorders and malignancy. Our current investigations combine genetics and genomics to understand HSF1 in these physiological and pathological conditions in addition to its canonical roles in the HSR. We aim to establish a framework for future studies to ultimately unravel the fundamental mechanisms linking transcription control of proteostasis and other important cellular processes through regulation of master stress-responsive TFs.

​Li Lab

​Contact

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation

Aging & Metabolism Research Program, MS21

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry

​Oklahoma University Health Science Center

​825 NE 13th Street

Oklahoma City OK 73104

Phone: (405) 271-2050

​Fax: (405) 271-3765