Song Li
Chancellor Professor
Chair, Department of Bioengineering
Professor, Department of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles
Seminar Information
Cell reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells or into a completely different lineage has wide applications in regenerative medicine, disease modeling and drug screening. Although the roles of transcriptional factors and chemical compounds in direct reprogramming have been widely studied, the effects of biophysical factors on cell reprogramming are not well understood. We engineered micro-structured materials that modulated cell nucleus and epigenetic state, which in turn enhanced cell reprogramming efficiency. In addition, we identified chemical cocktails for cell reprogramming, and developed nanoparticles for a controlled release of these chemicals that selectively expanded and differentiated endogenous progenitors into functional cells for tissue regeneration in situ. Our work demonstrates that functionalized biomaterials can be tailored with desirable biophysical and biological properties and have tremendous potential for stem cell engineering, cell reprogramming and regenerative medicine applications.
Dr. Song Li got his B.S. and M.S. from Peking University, and had his Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at UC San Diego with Professor Shu Chien. Dr. Li was a professor in bioengineering at UC Berkeley between 2001 and 2015. In 2016, he moved to UC Los Angeles as a Chancellor Professor of Bioengineering and Medicine, and he serves as the Chair of the Department of Bioengineering. Dr. Li’s research is focused on stem cell engineering, mechanobiology and tissue engineering. The work from his laboratory has made significant contribution to the understanding of how biophysical factors regulate the vascular functions, stem cell differentiation and cell reprogramming. His laboratory also engineered biomimetic and functional micro/nanomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery. With the elucidation of how stem cells participate in the disease development, remodeling and regeneration of blood vessels, he developed an in situ tissue engineering approach for vascular regeneration. Dr. Li is also actively involved in the translation of research findings into products to benefit the society. Dr. Li has been elected as a Fellow of American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, a Fellow of Biomedical Engineering Society, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering.