Yong Li, MD, PhD

Yong Li, MD, PhD photo

Yong Li, MD, PhD

Division Chief, Medical Engineering

Biosketch

Dr. Yong Li completed his medical education with both MD and Ph.D. degrees in China. He went to the Imperial College in London for his visiting fellow scholarship, and then he started his postdoc associated job in the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and later, he was appointed as a research assistant professor and promoted to director of the molecular pathology laboratory and a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Orthopedics, Pathology, and Bioengineering of the University of Pittsburgh in 2005. Then he was appointed a laboratory director and Associate Professor of Center Stem Cell for Regenerative Medicine and Pediatric, Orthopedic and Internal Medicine of University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 2011. In the later 2017, he was invited to be a Senior Scientist and deputy director for Center for Regenerative Sports Medicine at Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI) at Vail, Colorado. Dr. Li has a lead on studies of stem cell regulations and applications, fibrosis prevention, genetic and epigenetic modifications and translational studies in the field of musculoskeletal regenerative medicine, and he has more than one hundred peer-reviewed publications and his team is well-founded through DOD and NIH grants. He owns thirty national and international awards, including the Michael Miller Young Investigator Award from UPMC. His laboratory has trained and is training more than fifty students, postdoctoral research fellows, and resident research fellows. He also was a student mentor of National Goldwater scholarship.

  • Education and Training
    • Postdoctoral Fellowship 2002, Stem Cell, Fibrosis, and Tissue Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
    • Clinical Fellowship 1999, Liver Surgery and Fibrosis, Imperial College, School of Medicine of London, Hammersmith Hospital
    • PhD 1996, Gene Therapy, Cellular Biology, and Pathology, Medical School, Third Military Medical University at Chongqing, China
    • MD 1993, Applied Human Anatomy, Medical School, Shanghai Second Medical University

  • Research
    • stem cells
    • genetic regulations
    • Physical exercise
    • Orthopedic regenerative medicine
    • Fibrosis
    • Cancer prevation

  • Presentations
    • Blood clots: A novel biomaterial for the eradication of Staphylococcal biofilms. Grooters K, Ku J, Richter D, Abd G, Kim A, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Advancements in blood clot studies and their therapeutic applications. Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Hypoxia-induced senescence in pancreatic cancer. Sriram S, Beckmeyer J, Abd G, Ku J, Hayes S, Patel H, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Blood clots used as natural biomaterials for antibiotic delivery. Ku J, Pan H, Pham J, Minor A, Abd G, Sawyer R, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Hypoxia-mediated reprogramming of injured muscle cells is due to early expression of MSX1. Chen K, Lee J, West S, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Application of artificial intelligence and three-dimensional modelling in the planning and execution of aortic aneurysm repair - a mini-review. Patel H, Choi P, Ku J, Malgor R, Patel D, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Autologous blood clots as a novel treatment for post-traumatic arthritis. Richter D, Hayes S, Moore M, Bailey K, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Understanding how deferoxamine regulates autophagic pathways in muscle cells. Moore M, Hayes S, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Impact of tranexamic acid exposure on osteocytes and chondrocytes. Kim A, Keckler K, Richter D, Wassink J, Ayoola A, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Autologous blood clots as a therapeutic vehicle for treatment of femoral defects in a rat model. Richter D, Moore M, Bailey K, Hayes S, Pink C, Li Y, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Blood Clots as Biologically Active Scaffolds for Chondrogenesis and Osteogenesis. Richter D, Keckler K, Hung V, Morrey L, Abd G, Bailey K, Kenter M, Akkouch A, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical & Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Damaged Peripheral Nerves Attenuate Myogenic Differentiation. Liu L, Scholl B, Chiang I, Lichomski M, Abd G, Pan H, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical & Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Autologous Blood Clots Improve Wound Healing. Ku J, Elhaj S, Haj D, Nguyen L, Sawyer R, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Myogenic and Vasculogenic Responses to Hypoxia in a Novel Coculture Model of Muscle Cells and Endothelial Cells. Chen K, Lee J, West S, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Hypoxia-Induced Reprogramming of Breast Cancer Cells. Laird M, Abd G, Bovio N, Ku J, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Mitochondria as a Key Player in Stress-Induced Tolerance of Muscle Stem Cells. Parsons A, Li Y, Pan H, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Effects of Pirfenidone on Coculturing Fibroblast and Myoblast Model in Vitro. Jacus N, Scholl B, Naqvi K, Overbey J, Tran S, Chiang I, Pan H, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical & Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Investigation of Key Mediators of Cell Survival in Hypoxia and Chemically Induced Hypoxia. Preziosi J, Schott M, Ruvina M, DeKloe J, Abd G, Parsons A, Li Y, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical & Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023
    • Hypoxia and HIF-Induction Increase Expression of Anti-Apoptosis Protein XIAP. DeKloe J, Preziosi J, Pan H, Li Y, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Arthrofibrosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty. Ksajikian A, Overbey J, Tran S, Patel S, Li Y, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Effects of Pirfenidone on Fibroblast Proliferation and Gene Expression. Ksajikian A, Overbey J, Tran S, Patel S, Li Y, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Use of Allograft Bone Matrix in Clinical Orthopaedics. Myrick E, Awad P, Hung V, Manawar S, Li Y, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Preconditioning with Hypoxia stimulates PD-L1 Expression in Myoblasts. Overbey J, Haj D, Chen K, Lee J, Li Y, Pan H, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Risk Factors for Manipulation Under Anesthesia Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Tran S, Overbey J, Ksajikian A, Patel S, Li Y, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Blood Clots Formed In Vitro as a Therapeutic Vehicle During Bone Healing. Hung V, Awad P, Myrick E, Bailey K, Cornelison J, Pink C, Pan H, Li Y, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Risk factors for manipulation under anesthesia following total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Tran S, Overbey J, Ksajikian A, Patel S, Li Y, Inaugural Orthopedic Surgery Research Symposium for Medical Students in Michigan, Online, Virtual, 12/2021
    • Blood clots as a vehicle to deliver therapeutics during bone healing. Hung VT, Awad P, Myrick E, Pan H, Li Y, Inaugural Orthopedic Surgery Research Symposium for Medical Students in Michigan, Virtual, Online, 12/2021
    • Effects of pirfenidone on fibroblast proliferation and gene expression. Ksajikian A, Overbey J, Tran S, Patel S, Li Y, Inaugural Orthopedic Surgery Research Symposium for Medical Students in Michigan, Online, Virtual, 12/2021
    • Damaged neurons secrete factors that influence myogenic differentiation. Liu L, Pan H, Vojnits K, Jing DX, Li Y, Inaugural Orthopedic Surgery Research Symposium for Medical Students in Michigan, Virtual, Online, 12/2021
    • Low oxygen culture induction of increased PD-L1 expression in C2C12 myoblasts. Overbey J, Pan H, Li Y, Inaugural Orthopedic Surgery Research Symposium for Medical Students in Michigan, Online, Virtual, 12/2021
    • A Study of Neuronal Differentiation of Hypoxia-Induced Reprogramming Muscle Cells In Vitro. Tolsma R, Pan H, Nakamura N, Li Y, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Hypoxia Stimulated Exosome Release and the Regulation of Muscle Cell Differentiation: A Pilot Study. Harris L, Pan H, Li Y, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Low Oxygen Culture Upregulates PD-L1 Expression in C2C12 Myoblasts. Overbey J, Li Y, Pan H, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Damaged Motor Neurons Secrete Factors That Influence Myogenic Differentiation. Liu L, Pan H, Li Y, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Hypoxia Initiates the Reprogramming of Muscle Cells into Multipotent Like Cells. Nakamura N, Pan H, Kenter K, Li Y, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Epigenetic Regulations Implicate Muscle Healing Processes After Injuries. Pan H, Nakamura N, Kenter K, Li Y, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021