yuanyli4@unc.edu
704-250-5069
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Dr. Yuan Li’s research interests focus on using nutritional approaches to prevent and manage metabolic syndromes, including obesity and diabetes and their complications. She employs cutting-edge “omics” methodologies, especially exposomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics, to reveal perturbations in biochemical profiles that are related to disease and treatment efficacy, and uses that knowledge to inform intervention strategies.  Before moving to the US, Dr. Li received comprehensive training in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCM) and conducted research under the Hong Kong Department of Health-funded projects to establish quality standards to ensure safety and efficacy of TCM herbs. After moving to UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. Li served as the manager of the Metabolomics and Exposome Laboratory In the Sumner Lab at the Nutrition Research Institute (NRI). She oversaw the development of the untargeted metabolomics workflow for the NIEHS-funded Children’s Health Exposure Analysis Resource (CHEAR) program, and led diabetes and metabolic syndromes investigations for the Eastern Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Core (ERCMRC). She is currently a co-investigator In the NIEHS-funded Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR) program. Dr. Li earned a BS degree from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, and a PhD in biochemistry from City University of Hong Kong.