Yan Li, PhD, Principle Investigator
Professor of Pharmacology
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural
Resource, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University
East Outer Ring Road, Chenggong District, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
Email: yan.li@ynu.edu.cn
Tel: 86-871-65936165
Education and training:
Bsc, Shandong University.
PhD, Shandong University/ German Cancer Research Center, 2001.
Postdoctoral, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany, 2002-2003.
Research fellow, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA, 2003-2007
Professor, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2008-2021
Research Interests:
We are interested in the mechanism study of new drug targets identification and drug discovery, particularly focusing on cancer related signaling pathways Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, cancer stem cells and tumor immunology, with Pharmacology and Chemical Biology.
Grants:
NSFC, Regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by OTUD7B deubiquitinating enzyme, 32260159, 2023.01-2026.12.
NSFC, Investigation of novel USP7 inhibitor and the activity against cancer stem cells, 81773783, 2018.01-2021.12.
NSFC and Yunnan Province Joint Funds, Investigation of novel antitumor inhibitors of mTOR signaling pathway, U1402227, 2015.01-2018.12.
The projects of science and technology of Yunnan Province, Chemical biology study of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and its correlation with tumor, 2013FA047, 2013.10 -2016.09.
NSFC, Anti-tumor activity evaluation and mechanism study of natural products targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling, 81173076, 2012.01-2015.12.
Sub-topic of the National "973" Key Basic Research Project, Discovery and mechanism study of natural products with antitumor activity, 2009CB522305, 2009.01-2013.08.
Honors:
Yunnan Top Talents of Science and Technology, 2009,
The 100 Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2010
The 100 Recruited Top Talent of Sciences and Technology of Yunnan Province, 2011
Research Team:
Staff:
Ling-Mei Kong, PhD, Associate Professor
Shao-Hua Zhang, Research Assistant
PhD students:
Qi-Hong Yang, Gui-Feng Su, Guang-Chao Ma, Yu-Yang Wang
Msc students:
Dan Wang, Gang Xu, Ming-Gao Xue, Shi-Yun Nie, Li-Zhong Chang
Previous members:
Xing-Yao Li (2013), Jia Su (2013), Ju-Ming Yan (2013), Ling-Mei Kong (2015), Jing Zhang (2014), Zhen-Nan Ye (2015), Min Wang (2016), Chun-Lei Yu (2017), Ya-Xiao Gong (2017), Tao An (2017), Hui-Fang Zhu (2019), Feng Yuan (2019), Dong-Mei Wu (2019), Ai-Zhu Duan (2020), Xue Li (2020), Lin Chen (2020), Hong-Yu Zhou (2020), Xiao-Man Ju (2021), Dong-Mei Fan (2021), Shao-Hua Zhang (2021), Yi-Ying Zhu (2021)
Selected Publications:
1. R Tang, QN Li, HY Zhou, Y Li, T Li, JX Jiang, ZY Chen, LM Kong*, Y Li,* YB Xiao*,HY Sun*. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Activators of Human Caseinolytic Protease P with a Pyrazololactam Scaffold, J. Med. Chem., 2025, 68(10):9984-10007
2. SQ Zhang#, SY Nie#, GC Ma, ML Shen, LM Kong, ZL Zuo*, Y Li*, Identification of novel GSPT1 degraders by virtual screening and bioassay, Eur. J. Med. Chem., 2024, 273:116524
3. YW Li#, HS Wang#, B Sun, GF Su, Y Cang, L Zhao, SH Zhao, Yan Li*, BY Mao*, PC Ma*, Smurf1 and Smurf2 mediated polyubiquitination and degradation of RNF220 suppresses Shh-group medulloblastoma, Cell. Death. Dis., 2023, 14(8):494
4. QH Yang#, T Qin#, T An, HN Wu, G X, J Xiang, KF Lei, SH Zhang, J Xia, GF Su, D Wang, MG X, LM Kong, WX Zhang*, S Wu*, Y Li*, Novel PORCN inhibitor WHN-88 targets Wnt/β-catenin pathway and prevents the growth of Wnt-driven cancers, Eur. J. Pharmacol., 2023, 945:175628
5. F Xiong#, LM Kong#, L Chen, MG Xue, F Cao, SQ Zhang, HM Li, H Yan, Y Li*, ZL Zuo*. Discovery of potential novel CRBN modulators by virtual screening and bioassay. Eur. J. Med. Chem., 2022, 236:114355
6. BC Cai, L Gong, YY Zhu, LM Kong, XM Ju, X Li, XD Yang, HY Zhou,* Y Li*. Identification of Gossypol Acetate as an Autophagy Modulator with Potent Anti-tumor Effect against Cancer Cells. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2022, 70:2589−2599
7. SH Zhang, XM Ju, QH Yang, YY Zhu, DM Fan, GF Su, LM Kong, Y Li*. USP47 maintains the stemness of colorectal cancer cells and is inhibited by parthenolide. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun, 2021, 562:21-28
8. X Li, LM Kong, QH Yang, AZ Duan, XM Ju, BC Cai, L Chen, T An*, Y Li*. Parthenolide inhibits ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7), Wnt signaling, and colorectal cancer cell growth. J. Biol. Chem, 2020, 295: 3576-3589
9. PC Ma #, T An #, L Zhu, LL Zhang, HS Wang, BY Ren, B Sun, X Zhou, Y Li*, BY Mao*. RNF220 is required for cerebellum development and regulates medulloblastoma progression through epigenetic modulation of Shh signaling. Development, 2020, 147, dev188078
10. XZ Su#, YY Zhu#, JW Tang, K Hu, XN Li, HD Sun,Y Li*, PT Puno*. Pestaloamides A and B, two spiro-heterocyclic alkaloid epimers from the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis sp. HS30. Science China Chemistry, 2020, 63: 1208–1213
11. L Chen, DM Fan, JW Tang, T An, X Li, LM Kong *, PT Puno*, Y Li*. Discovery of isopenicin A, a meroterpenoid as a novel inhibitor of tubulin polymerization. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun, 2020, 525:303-307
12. HF Zhu #, B Wang #, LM Kong, T An, GT Li, HY Zhou, L Gong, ZX Zhao, YX Gong, HD Sun, PT Puno*, Y Li*. Parvifoline AA Promotes Susceptibility of Hepatocarcinoma to Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cytolysis by Targeting Peroxiredoxin. Cell. Chem. Biol, 2019, 26(8):1122-1132
13. HY Zhou #, CL Yu #, LM Kong #, XL Xu, JM Yan, YC Li, T An, L Gong, YX Gong, HF Zhu, HB Zhang *, XD Yang*, Y Li*. B591, a novel specific pan-PI3K inhibitor, preferentially targets cancer stem cells. Oncogene, 2019, 38:3371-3386
14. JW Tang #, LM Kong #, WY Zu, K Hu, XZ Su, XN Li, BC Yan, WG Wang, HD Sun, Y Li*, PT Puno*. Isopenicins A–C: Two Types of Novel Antitumor Meroterpenoids from the Plant Endophytic Fungus Penicillium sp. sh18. Org. Lett, 2019, 21:771-775
15. LL Wang #, LM Kong #, H Liu, YQ Zhang, L Zhang, XY Liu, F Yuan, Y Li*, ZL Zuo*. Design and synthesis of novel artemisinin derivatives with potent activities against colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo. Eur. J. Med. Chem, 2019, 182:111665
16. ZH Gao#, KQ Chen#, Y Zhang, LM Kong, Y Li*, S Ye*. Enantioselective N‑Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Synthesis of Spirocyclic Oxindole-benzofuroazepinones. J. Org. Chem. 2018, 83:15225−15235
17. T An, YX Gong, X Li, LM Kong, PC Ma, L Gong, HF Zhu, CL Yu, JM Liu, HY Zhou, BY Mao, Y Li*. USP7 inhibitor P5091 inhibits Wnt signaling and coloreal tumor growth. Biochem. Pharmacol, 2017, 131(1):29-39
18. CL Yu, YX Gong, HY Zhou, M Wang, LM Kong, JM Liu, T An, HF Zhu, Y Li*. Star-PAP, a poly(A) polymerase, functions as a tumor suppressor in an orthpic humanbreast cancer model. Cell Death Dis, 2017, 8 (2): e2582.
19. LD Shao #, J Su #, BX Ye #, JX Liu #, ZL Zuo, Y Li, YY Wang*, CF Xia*, QS Zhao*. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activities of Vibsanin B Derivatives: A New Class of HSP90 C-Terminal Inhibitors. J. Med. Chem., 2017, 60 (21): 9053–9066 60(21).
20. HY Zhou #, CW Shang #, M Wang, T Shen, LM Kong, CL Yu, ZN Ye, Y Luo, L Liu, Y Li*, SL Huang*. Ciclopirox olamine inhibits mTORC1 signaling by activation of AMPK. Biochem. Pharmacol, 2016, 16:39-50
21. M Wang, AK Zhou, T An, LM Kong, CL Yu, JM Liu, CF Xia*, HY Zhou*, Y Li*. N-Hydroxyphthalimide exhibits antitumor activity by suppressing mTOR signaling pathway in BT-20 and LoVo cells. J Exp Clin Cancer Res, 2016, 35:41
22. LM Kong, BY Mao, HJ Zhu *, Y Li*. Novel β-carbolines inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Cell. Death. Dis., 2015, 6, e1983
23. XY Li, B Bai, L Liu, PC Ma, LM Kong, JM Yan, J Zhang, ZN Ye, HY Zhou, BY Mao, HJ Zhu*, Y Li*. Novel β-carbolines against colorectal cancer cell growth via inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Cell. Death. Discov., 2015, 1:15033
24. Y Li#, SA Rankin#, D Sinner, AP Kenny, PA Krieg, AM Zorn*. Sfrp5 coordinates foregut specification and morphogenesis by antagonizing both canonical and noncanonical Wnt11 signaling. Genes Dev, 2008, 22: 3050-3063
