Liang Li
Associate Research ScientistDownloadHi-Res Photo
About
Titles
Associate Research Scientist
Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral fellow
- University of California, San Francisco (2024)
- PhD
- Peking Union Medical College, Biochemistry& Molecular Biology (2018)
Research
Overview
Adipose tissue has important implications for metabolism and general health. Enhancing energy utilization by increasing the number and activity of beige adipocytes, an inducible form of thermogenic fat cells, can be of therapeutic benefit for a broad range of metabolic disorders.
My research focuses on understanding how thermogenic fat cells are created in vivo and what determines their metabolic phenotypes under physiological and pathological conditions. I'm also interested in exploring the application and utility of adipose tissue preclinical model in anti-obesity drug discovery.
In the long term, the goal is to use our understanding of the thermogenic fat cells development to guide strategies for expanding metabolically beneficial adipocyte phenotypes for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disease.
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Liang Li's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Liang Li's research output by year.
Brian Feldman, MD, PhD
9Publications
21Citations
Publications
2025
Characterization and lineage tracing of a mouse adipose depot reveal properties conserved with human supraclavicular brown adipose tissue.
Li L, Feldman BJ. Characterization and lineage tracing of a mouse adipose depot reveal properties conserved with human supraclavicular brown adipose tissue. Stem Cell Reports 2025, 102509. PMID: 40409261, DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2025.102509.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
White adipocytes in subcutaneous fat depots require KLF15 for maintenance in preclinical models
Li L, Feldman B. White adipocytes in subcutaneous fat depots require KLF15 for maintenance in preclinical models. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2024, 134: e172360. PMID: 38949025, PMCID: PMC11213504, DOI: 10.1172/jci172360.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsWhite adipose tissueSubcutaneous white adipose tissueBrown adipose tissueDeletion of KLF15Transcription factor KLF15Visceral white adipose tissueHuman adipose cellsWhite adipocytesAdipose tissueMolecular mechanismsKLF15Adipose cellsDepot-specificAdipocytesNormal physiologySubcutaneous fat depotsCell-specific propertiesAdipose tissue depotsHealthy adipose tissueDirectional regulationMetabolic diseasesDevelopment of therapiesPathwayCellsMouse model
2023
Quantification of cell energetics in human subcutaneous adipose progenitor cells after target gene knockdown
Li L, Gunewardena A, Nyima T, Feldman B. Quantification of cell energetics in human subcutaneous adipose progenitor cells after target gene knockdown. STAR Protocols 2023, 4: 102607. PMID: 37742183, PMCID: PMC10751552, DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102607.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsIdentification of an adipose tissue-resident pro-preadipocyte population
Chen M, Kim S, Li L, Chattopadhyay S, Rando T, Feldman B. Identification of an adipose tissue-resident pro-preadipocyte population. Cell Reports 2023, 42: 112440. PMID: 37119138, PMCID: PMC10370484, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112440.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDeconvolution of cell typesSingle-cell RNA sequencingCell typesScRNA-seqRNA sequencingRegulate adipogenesisPopulation of cellsHeterogeneous population of cellsExpression profilesStromal vascular fractionAdipocyte lineagePreadipocyte populationPathwayProgenitor cellsTherapeutic opportunitiesCellsPhysiological mechanismsAdipose tissueHeterogeneous populationLineagesStem cellsFunctional propertiesPreadipocytesProgenitorsSequence
2021
MYH9 facilitates autoregulation of adipose tissue depot development
Cheung S, Sayeed M, Nakuluri K, Li L, Feldman B. MYH9 facilitates autoregulation of adipose tissue depot development. JCI Insight 2021, 6: e136233. PMID: 33986190, PMCID: PMC8262332, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.136233.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMature adipocytesProgenitor cellsModulate systemic metabolismAdipogenesis in vivoPostnatal lifeExtracellular inputsWhite adipose tissueHormone signalingAdipose tissueEarly postnatal lifeDifferentiation of progenitor cellsTissue formation in vivoFormation in vivoEnergy storageSystemic metabolismAdipose depotsAdipocytesMYH9CellsDepot formationTissueAdipose
2019
PTB-AS, a Novel Natural Antisense Transcript, Promotes Glioma Progression by Improving PTBP1 mRNA Stability with SND1.
Zhu L, Wei Q, Qi Y, Ruan X, Wu F, Li L, Zhou J, Liu W, Jiang T, Zhang J, Yin B, Yuan J, Qiang B, Han W, Peng X. PTB-AS, a Novel Natural Antisense Transcript, Promotes Glioma Progression by Improving PTBP1 mRNA Stability with SND1. Mol Ther 2019, 27: 1621-1637. PMID: 31253583, DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2019.05.023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThe COMPASS Family Protein ASH2L Mediates Corticogenesis via Transcriptional Regulation of Wnt Signaling.
Li L, Ruan X, Wen C, Chen P, Liu W, Zhu L, Xiang P, Zhang X, Wei Q, Hou L, Yin B, Yuan J, Qiang B, Shu P, Peng X. The COMPASS Family Protein ASH2L Mediates Corticogenesis via Transcriptional Regulation of Wnt Signaling. Cell Rep 2019, 28: 698-711.e5. PMID: 31315048, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.06.055.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2018
Generating a reporter mouse line marking medium spiny neurons in the developing striatum driven by Arpp21 cis-regulatory elements.
Chen P, Ruan X, Chen Y, Chu S, Mo K, Wu C, Liu W, Yin B, Zhou J, Li L, Hou L, Yuan J, Qiang B, Chen J, Shu P, Peng X. Generating a reporter mouse line marking medium spiny neurons in the developing striatum driven by Arpp21 cis-regulatory elements. J Genet Genomics 2018, 45: 673-676. PMID: 30595471, DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2018.09.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMutation of the cellular adhesion molecule NECL2 is associated with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
Xu Y, Li L, Ren HT, Yin B, Yuan JG, Peng XZ, Qiang BQ, Cui LY. Mutation of the cellular adhesion molecule NECL2 is associated with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. J Neurol Sci 2018, 388: 133-138. PMID: 29627007, DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2017.10.023.Peer-Reviewed Original Research