Wei Li, PhD

Professor of Dermatology

Director, MSS Graduate Program

Websites

Mentor Profile on Programs in the Biomedical and Biological Sciences at USC

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Overview

Dr. Li research focuses on the following topics: 1) Identification of the “driver genes” for wound healing, 2) Identification of tumor-secreted molecules as drug targets for TNBCs (triple negative breast cancers). 3) Signal transduction to understand the cell motility signaling, which initiates at the cell surface, propagates via cytosolic signaling networks and executes by newly expressed and secreted gene products.

His experimental model systems are less manipulated primary human skin cells, whose migration is essential for both physiological processes, such as skin wound healing, and pathological occurrence, such as skin cancer, PDX models for TNBCs and pig models for wound healing.

Awards

USC Stevens Center for Innovation: Technology Commercialization Award, 2017
– 2017
USC Stevens Center for Innovation: Technology Commercialization Award, 2018
– 2018
USA: Elected Member, National Academy of Inventors, 2017
– pre.

Education and Training

Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China — B.S. — 1982 — General Biology
CUSBEA, Guangzhou, China — English Certificate — 1984 — English
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY — Ph.D. — 1991 — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
New York University Medical Center, New York City, NY — Postdoctoral Research — 1993 — Signal Transduction

Research Funding

Development of Extracellular Heat Shock Protein-90 as a Novel Topical Wound Healing
NIH · R01AR059853 · Jul 1, 2011 – Apr 30, 2018 · Role: Principal Investigator
Mechanisms of Human Dermal Fibroblast Migration
NIH · R01GM067100 · Jan 1, 2003 – Apr 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
Signal Transduction of Human Keratinocyte Migration
NIH · R01GM066193 · Jul 1, 2002 – May 31, 2013 · Role: Principal Investigator
STUDIES OF A NOVEL SH2/SH3-CONTAINING CELLULAR ONCOGENE
NIH · R01CA065567 · Aug 15, 1995 – Apr 30, 2001 · Role: Principal Investigator

Research Keywords

big molecule drug development, wound healing, breast cancer

Media

Scientist breaks through the body's intricate healing process (04/23/2014)

Publications

Extracellular Heat Shock Protein-90 (eHsp90): Everything You Need to Know. Biomolecules. 2022 06 29; 12(7).. View in PubMed
Extracellular Hsp90α, which participates in vascular inflammation, is a novel serum predictor of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2022 01; 10(1).. View in PubMed
Heterogeneous Responses and Isoform Compensation the Dim Therapeutic Window of Hsp90 ATP-Binding Inhibitors in Cancer. Mol Cell Biol. 2022 02 17; 42(2):e0045921.. View in PubMed
Correction to: Heat shock protein-90alpha (Hsp90α) stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in support of spermatogenesis and tumorigenesis. Cancer Gene Ther. 2021 Sep; 28(9):1071-1072.. View in PubMed
Publisher Correction: Heat shock protein-90alpha (Hsp90α) stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in support of spermatogenesis and tumorigenesis. Cancer Gene Ther. 2021 Sep; 28(9):1073.. View in PubMed
Heat shock protein-90alpha (Hsp90α) stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in support of spermatogenesis and tumorigenesis. Cancer Gene Ther. 2021 09; 28(9):1058-1070.. View in PubMed
Wound Healing Driver Gene and Therapeutic Development: Political and Scientific Hurdles. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2021 08; 10(8):415-435.. View in PubMed
Tumour-Secreted Hsp90α on External Surface of Exosomes Mediates Tumour – Stromal Cell Communication via Autocrine and Paracrine Mechanisms. Sci Rep. 2019 10 22; 9(1):15108.. View in PubMed
Extracellular and Non-Chaperone Function of Heat Shock Protein-90α Is Required for Skin Wound Healing. J Invest Dermatol. 2018 02; 138(2):423-433.. View in PubMed
PRAS40 Connects Microenvironmental Stress Signaling to Exosome-Mediated Secretion. Mol Cell Biol. 2017 Oct 01; 37(19).. View in PubMed