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. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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. Sci China Chem, 2020, 63: 1208–1213
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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
14. 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.
15. 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).
16. 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
17. 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
18. LM Kong, BY Mao, HJ Zhu*, Y Li*. Novel β-carbolines inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Cell Death Dis, 2015, 6, e1983
19. 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
20. 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
