Meet Our Team
Bowen Li
Principle Investigator
Assistant Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy & Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Affiliate Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - University Health Network
Canada Research Chair in RNA Vaccines and Therapeutics
POSITIONS
University of Toronto
Assistant Professor, 02/2022-present
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Institute of Biomedical Engineering (cross-appointed)
Department of Chemistry (cross-appointed)
Faculty Member, PRiME - Precision Medicine initiative
Faculty Member, Emerging & Pandemic Infections Consortium (EPIC)
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - UHN
Affiliate Scientist, 01/2023-present
EDUCATION
2022, Postdoc, Chemical Engineering, MIT, Bob Langer & Daniel Anderson labs
2019, Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of Washington-Seattle, Shaoyi Jiang lab
SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
2022 Canada Research Chair in RNA Vaccines & Therapeutics (Tier 2), CIHR
2022 Gairdner Early Career Investigator Award (selected by Pieter Cullis, Drew Weissman, Katalin Karikó)
2022 Emerging Investigator Award, Journal of Materials Chemistry B
2022 J. P. Bickell Foundation Medical Research Award
2022 Emerging Voice in Drug Delivery, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
2022 Connaught New Researcher Award
2022 New Initiative and Innovation Award, University of Toronto
2021 BMES Career Development Award
2019 Baxter Young Investigator Award
2019 Schmidt Science Fellowship, Finalist
2019 College of Engineering Student Award for Outstanding Research
2019 Bioengineering Departmental Award for Excellence in Research and Translation
2018 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad
2017 RSC Soft Matter Award
2017 Graduate School Fund for Excellence and Innovation
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2022-present Canada Graduate Scholarships-Doctoral (CGS D) Program Review Committee, CIHR
2022-present Scientific Advisory Board, mRNA-Based Therapeutics Searchlight Network
2022-present Associate Editor, Journal of Gene Medicine
2021-present Editorial Board, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology
Rick Lu
Acceleration Consortium Postdoctoral Fellow
xrick.lu@mail.utoronto.ca
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 2023
Rick earned his doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Toronto, supervised by Dr. Milica Radisic. During his doctoral studies, he specialized in replicating heart attacks using heart-on-a-chip models, investigating factors like air pollution and SARS-CoV-2. Moving forward in his postdoctoral research, Rick will focus on building data=centered computational models and gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms that enhance the effectiveness of mRNA therapeutics. In his free time, Rick enjoys photography, exploring new beer and coffee, and expanding his collection of cutting edge tech gadgets.
Yue (York) Xu
PRiME-UHN Postdoctoral Fellow
york.xu@utoronto.ca
Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 2022
Yue Xu received his Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Engineering at China Pharmaceutical University. His research interests focus on Medicinal Chemistry and Biomedical Imaging. He has published first-author papers in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Journal of Advanced Research, Small, and ACS Sensors. In the Li lab, Yue is working on the de novo design of LNPs for RNA delivery.
Kevin Wang
PharmSci Graduate Student
kevinchang.wang@mail.utoronto.ca
M.S., Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 2022
I am interested in engineering novel RNA molecular therapies using synthetic biology. I completed my BSc in biological sciences at the University of Alberta and my MSc in molecular genetics at the University of Toronto. My diverse research experiences include DNA poxvirus genetics, neuropsychology data acquisition, high-throughput DNA multiplexing technologies, and microfluidic device design and fabrication. In my free time, I enjoy cooking for my family, improving my fitness level, playing video games, and exploring the great outdoors.
Tiana Young
PharmSci Graduate Student
B.S., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Toronto, 2022
I'm very passionate about research and enjoy learning new things, especially in the field of novel therapeutic solutions. I earned my HBSc at the University of Toronto with a specialization in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and a minor in Immunology. My research experience includes studying the role of the immune system in mediating idiosyncratic drug reactions in the Uetrecht Lab and working on the development of electrochemical biosensors in the Kelley Lab. In my free time, I'm a tech enthusiast and hobby artist who loves to play video games, watch documentaries, and read a good book.
Shannon Tsai
PharmSci Graduate Student, NSERC CGS-M Fellow
sntsai@uwaterloo.ca
B.S., Nanotechnology Engineering, University of Waterloo, 2022
I recently earned my BASc in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo, where I developed an interest in pursuing further research in nanomedicine. My undergraduate research experiences focused on developing plasmonic nanoparticles for biomedical applications and optimizing new methods of measuring the surface energy of micro- and nanoparticles. I also gained industry experience at Precision Nanosystems working on customized GMP systems for manufacturing RNA therapeutics and optimizing lipid nanoparticle formulations for mRNA vaccines. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, drawing, spending time at my cottage, and learning how to bake new desserts.
Alex Golubovic
PharmSci Graduate Student, NSERC CGS-M Fellow
a.golubovic@mail.utoronto.ca
B.S., Nanotechnology Engineering, University of Waterloo, 2022
Alex is passionate about the targeted delivery of drugs using nanomedicine. He understands that when one’s health falters, it can be extremely debilitating and all-consuming. Thus, he hopes to pave the way for more effective disease treatments with his research. Alex recently graduated with a BASc in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo, primarily working on synthesizing and testing new polymer formulations for thermoplastic applications during his co-ops. He was also a nuclear engineering consultant at NPX. In his free time, Alex loves going to the gym, hiking, watching sports, and listening to psychology podcasts.
Jingan (Charles) Chen
BME Graduate Student
charless.chen@mail.utoronto.ca
B.S., Neuroscience, University of Toronto, 2021
Fanglin Gong
BME Graduate Student
fanglin.gong@mail.utoronto.ca
M.S., Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, 2023
I am interested in designing novel LNPs for delivering gene editing tools and gene therapy. I earned my master’s degree in Pharmaceutics from China Pharmaceutical University. My research experience is designing novel liposomes for small molecular delivery. Before joining the Li lab, I published two first-author papers in the Journal of Controlled Release and Nano Letters. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, cooking and going to the gym.
Nick Solek
BME Graduate Student
n.solek@mail.utoronto.ca
M.S., Biotechnology, Northeastern University of Waterloo, 2023
I am dedicated to developing technologies that enable us to overcome the obstacles that impede human health and well-being. My expertise primarily encompasses nucleic acids and lipid nanoparticles, and I am investigating their potential for pharmaceutical applications. In my approach to research, I maintain an open mind and conduct science with integrity, pursuing knowledge that can fulfill an unmet need. For leisure, I enjoy hiking, reading, writing, and – of course – learning new things.
Muye Zhou
Visiting Student
muye.zhou@mail.utoronto.ca
Ph.D. candidate, China Pharmaceutical University
I am a Ph.D. candidate in Pharmaceutics from China Pharmaceutical University. I am interested in the application of Gene Therapy in different disease models. My previous research focused on the efficacy of 'living cell' drugs and nano-formulations in autoimmune diseases. In my spare time, I enjoy travelling, taking photos and swimming.
Lab Alumni
Name
Andrew Varley
Anni Pan
Justin Keung
Kidus Estifanos Biru
Former Position
Postdoc Fellow
Research technician
NSERC-USRA summer student
Visiting student
Current Position
Director, RNA & Formulation Core at UBC
Technician, Princess Margaret RNA Medicine Core
UofT PharmD student
MPharm Student, University College London
Hooka
Lab mascot
Bothell Kindergarten, 2021-present
Favorite: Puppuccino, flirt pole
A furry mascot lab visit day - Woof! _Apr 2023 🐕
Christmas potluck- Happy holiday! _Dec 2022 🍲
Farewell to Kidus - Good luck with your new Journey! _Dec 2022 🇬🇧
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! _Sept 2022 🥮
First Li lab retreat in Toronto island! _Sept 2022 🏝️
Li lab started from here! _Feb 2022 🔬