Ling Li, Ph.D.

626-245-4673
Assistant Professor, Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science
Associate Professor, Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science
Research Area
Leukemia Stem Cells
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Research Teams
Hematologic Malignancies Program (CCC)
Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science
Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Leukemia Research
Stem Cell Transplantation Research

Location

Education & Experience

Degrees

  • 2008, Cancer Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, Ph.D. in Medical Oncology

  • 2003, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, B.S. in Biotechnology

Fellowship

  • 2008-2013, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Division of Hematopoietic Stem Cell and Leukemia Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

Professional Experience

  • 2020-Present, Associate Professor, Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2017-2020, Assistant Professor, Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2015-2017, Assistant Professor, Division of Stem Cell and Leukemia Research, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2013 - 2014, Staff scientist, Division of Stem Cell and Leukemia Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2019, American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award

  • 2014, National Cancer Institute's K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award

  • 2013, ASH Abstract Achievement Award

  • 2011, ASH Abstract Achievement Award

  • 2007-2008, National Competition for National Best Doctoral Thesis, Zhejiang University

Memberships

  • American Society of Hematology

  • American Association of Cancer Research

Publications

  1. Wang H, He X, Zhang L, Dong H, Huang F, Xian J, Li M, Chen W, Lu X, Pathak KV, Huang W, Li Z, Zhang L, Nguyen LXT, Yang L, Feng L, Gordon D, Zhang J, Pirrotte P, Chen CW, Salhotra A, Kuo YH, Horne DA, Marcucci G, Sykes DB, Tiziani S, Jin H, Wang X, Li L. Disruption of dNTPs Homeostasis by Ribonucleotide Reductase Hyperactivation Overcomes AML Differentiation Blockade. Blood. 2022 Apr 19;. doi: 10.1182/blood.2021015108. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 35439288.
  2. Y Zhu, X He, S Li, …, L Li. Phosphoproteomics Profiling Reveals a Kinase Network Conferring AML Intrinsic Chemoresistance and Indicates HMGA1 Phosphorylation as a Potential Influencer. Clin Transl Med. 2022. Accepted in Feb. CTM2-2021-11-2269.R1. 
  3. Wang H, He X, Li Z, Jin H, Wang X, Li L. Guanosine primes acute myeloid leukemia for differentiation via guanine nucleotide salvage synthesis. Am J Cancer Res. 2022 Jan 15;12(1):427-444. PMID: 35141027; PMCID: PMC8822274.
  4. Zhang L, Nguyen LXT, Chen YC, Wu D, Cook GJ, Hoang DH, Brewer CJ, He X, Dong H, Li S, Li M, Zhao D, Qi J, Hua WK, Cai Q, Carnahan E, Chen W, Wu X, Swiderski P, Rockne RC, Kortylewski M, Li L, Zhang B, Marcucci G, Kuo YH. Targeting miR-126 in inv(16) acute myeloid leukemia inhibits leukemia development and leukemia stem cell maintenance. Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 22;12(1):6154. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26420-7. PMID: 34686664; PMCID: PMC8536759.
  5. Wang H, Sun J, Zhang B, Zhao D, Tong H, Wu H, Li X, Luo Y, Dong D, Yao Y, McDonald T, Stein AS, Al Malki MM, Pichiorri F, Carlesso N, Kuo YH, Marcucci G, Li L, Jin J. Targeting miR-126 disrupts maintenance of myelodysplastic syndrome stem and progenitor cells. Clin Transl Med. 2021 Oct;11(10):e610. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.610. PMID: 34709739; PMCID: PMC8516361.
  6. Huang F, Sun J, Chen W, He X, Zhu Y, Dong H, Wang H, Li Z, Zhang L, Khaled S, Marcucci G, Huang J, Li L. HDAC4 inhibition disrupts TET2 function in high-risk MDS and AML. Aging (Albany NY). 2020 Jul 29;12(17):16759-16774. doi: 10.18632/aging.103605. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32726753; PMCID: PMC7521497.
  7. Su R, Dong L, Li Y, Gao M, Han L, Wunderlich M, Deng X, Li H, Huang Y, Gao L, Li C, Zhao Z, Robinson S, Tan B, Qing Y, Qin X, Prince E, Xie J, Qin H, Li W, Shen C, Sun J, Kulkarni P, Weng H, Huang H, Chen Z, Zhang B, Wu X, Olsen MJ, Müschen M, Marcucci G, Salgia R, Li L, Fathi AT, Li Z, Mulloy JC, Wei M, Horne D, Chen J. Targeting FTO Suppresses Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance and Immune Evasion. Cancer Cell. 2020 Jul 13;38(1):79-96.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.04.017. Epub 2020 Jun 11. PubMed PMID: 32531268.
  8. Su YL, Wang X, Mann M, Adamus TP, Wang D, Moreira DF, Zhang Z, Ouyang C, He X, Zhang B, Swiderski PM, Forman SJ, Baltimore D, Li L, Marcucci G, Boldin MP, Kortylewski M. Myeloid cell-targeted miR-146a mimic inhibits NF-κB-driven inflammation and leukemia progression in vivo. Blood. 2020 Jan 16;135(3):167-180. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019002045. PubMed PMID: 31805184; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6966933.
  9. Wang H, Zhao D, Nguyen LX, Wu H, Li L, Dong D, Troadec E, Zhu Y, Hoang DH, Stein AS, Al Malki M, Aldoss I, Lin A, Ghoda LY, McDonald T, Pichiorri F, Carlesso N, Kuo YH, Zhang B, Jin J, Marcucci G. Targeting cell membrane HDM2: A novel therapeutic approach for acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia. 2020 Jan;34(1):75-86. doi: 10.1038/s41375-019-0522-9. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PubMed PMID: 31337857.
  10. Huang J, Li X, Shi X, Zhu M, Wang J, Huang S, Huang X, Wang H, Li L, Deng H, Zhou Y, Mao J, Long Z, Ma Z, Ye W, Pan J, Xi X, Jin J. Platelet integrin αIIbβ3: signal transduction, regulation, and its therapeutic targeting. J Hematol Oncol. 2019 Mar 7;12(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s13045-019-0709-6. Review. PubMed PMID: 30845955; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6407232.
  11. Buettner R, Nguyen LXT, Kumar B, Morales C, Liu C, Chen LS, Pemovska T, Synold TW, Palmer J, Thompson R, Li L, Hoang DH, Zhang B, Ghoda L, Kowolik C, Kontro M, Leitch C, Wennerberg K, Yu X, Chen CC, Horne D, Gandhi V, Pullarkat V, Marcucci G, Rosen ST. 8-chloro-adenosine activity in FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Feb 15;. doi: 10.1002/jcp.28294. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30770553; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6697246.
  12. Su H, Sun CW, Liu SM, He X, Hu H, Pawlik KM, Townes TM, Han X, Klug CA, Henary M, Chen Y, Li L, Zheng YG, Zhao X. Defining the epigenetic status of blood cells using a cyanine-based fluorescent probe for PRMT1. Blood Adv. 2018 Nov 13;2(21):2829-2836. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2018020727. PubMed PMID: 30373889; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6234380.
  13. Zhu L, He X, Dong H, Sun J, Wang H, Zhu Y, Huang F, Zou J, Chen Z, Zhao X, Li L. Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 is required for maintenance of normal adult hematopoiesis. Int J Biol Sci. 2019;15(13):2763-2773. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.38859. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 31853216; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6909962.
  14. Zhu Y, He X, Lin YC, Dong H, Zhang L, Chen X, Wang Z, Shen Y, Li M, Wang H, Sun J, Nguyen LX, Zhang H, Jiang W, Yang Y, Chen J, Müschen M, Chen CW, Konopleva MY, Sun W, Jin J, Carlesso N, Marcucci G, Luo Y, Li L. Targeting PRMT1-mediated FLT3 methylation disrupts maintenance of MLL-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. 2019 Oct 10;134(15):1257-1268. PMID: 31395602; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6788006.
  15. He X, Zhu Y, Yi-Chun Lin,…, Li L*. (2019). PRMT1-mediated FLT3 arginine methylation promotes maintenance of FLT3-ITD+ Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Blood. 2019 Aug 8;134(6):548-560. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019001282. Epub 2019 Jun 19. PubMed PMID: 31217189; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6688430.
  16. Jie Sun, Xin He, Yinghui Zhu, Zonghui Ding, Haojie Dong, Yimei Feng, Juan Du, Hanying Wang, Xiwei Wu, Lei Zhang, Xiaochun Yu, Allen Lin, Tinisha McDonald, Dandan Zhao, Herman Wu, Wei-Kai Hua, Bin Zhang, Lifeng Feng, Kaoru Tohyama, Ravi Bhatia, Philipp Oberdoerffer, Yang Jo Chung, Peter D. Aplan, Jacqueline Boultwood, Andrea Pellagatti, Samer Khaled, Marcin Kortylewski, Flavia Pichiorri, Ya-Huei Kuo, Nadia Carlesso, Guido Marcucci, Hongchuan Jin, Ling Li*.( lead contact). SIRT1 Activation Disrupts Maintenance of Myelodysplastic Syndrome Stem and Progenitor Cells by Restoring TET2 Function. Cell Stem Cell. 23(3),355-369. Featured article. 
  17. Song-Bai Liu, Hao-Jie Dong, Xie-Bing Bao, Qiao-Cheng Qiu, Hong-Zhi Li, Hong-Jie Shen, Zi-Xuan Ding, Chao Wang, Xiao-Ling Chu, Jing-Qiu Yu, Tao Tao Zheng Li, Xiao-Wen Tang, Su-Ning Chen, De-Pei Wu, Ling Li*, Sheng-Li Xue. (co-correspondence author). Impact Of FLT3-ITD Length On Prognosis Of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Haematologica. 2019; 104(1):e9-e12. PMID: 30076182.
  18. Zhang B, Nguyen LXT, Li L, Zhao D, Kumar B, Wu H, Lin A, Pellicano F, Hopcroft L, Su YL, Copland M, Holyoake TL, Kuo CJ, Bhatia R, Snyder DS, Ali H, Stein AS, Brewer C, Wang H, McDonald T, Swiderski P, Troadec E, Chen CC, Dorrance A, Pullarkat V, Yuan YC, Perrotti D, Carlesso N, Forman SJ, Kortylewski M, Kuo YH, Marcucci G. Bone marrow niche trafficking of miR-126 controls the self-renewal of leukemia stem cells in chronic myelogenous leukemia. Nature medicine. 2018; PMID: 29505034.
  19. Hua WK, Qi J, Cai Q, Carnahan E, Ayala Ramirez M, Li L, Marcucci G, Kuo YH. HDAC8 regulates long-term hematopoietic stem-cell maintenance under stress by modulating p53 activity. Blood. 2017; 130(24):2619-2630.
  20. Gu Y, Zhang J, Ma X, Kim BW, Wang H, Li J, Pan Y, Xu Y, Ding L, Yang L, Guo C, Wu X, Wu J, Wu K, Gan X, Li G, Li L, Forman SJ, Chan WC, Xu R, Huang W. Stabilization of the c-Myc Protein by CAMKIIγ Promotes T Cell Lymphoma. Cancer Cell. 2017; 32(1):115-128.PMID: 28697340 PMCID: PMC5552197.
  21. Agarwal P, Zhang B, Ho Y, Cook A, Li L, Mikhail FM, Wang Y, McLaughlin ME, Bhatia R. Enhanced targeting of CML stem and progenitor cells by inhibition of porcupine acyltransferase in combination with TKI. Blood. 2017; 129(8):1008-1020.
  22. Narayanan N, Wang Z, Li L, Yang Y. Arginine methylation of USP9X promotes its interaction with TDRD3 and its anti-apoptotic activities in breast cancer cells. Cell Discovery. 2017; 3:16048.
  23. Cai Q, Jeannet R, Hua WK, Cook GJ, Zhang B, Qi J, Liu H, Li L, et al. CBFβ-SMMHC creates aberrant megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors prone to leukemia-initiation in mice. Blood. 2016. 128(11):1503-15.
  24. Qi J, Singh S, Hua WK, Cai Q, Chao SW, Li L, Liu H, Ho Y, McDonald T, Lin A, Marcucci G, Bhatia R, Huang WJ, Chang CI, Kuo YH. Cell Stem Cell. HDAC8 Inhibition Specifically Targets Inv(16) Acute Myeloid Leukemic Stem Cells by Restoring p53 Acetylation. Cell Stem Cell. 2015. Nov 5;17(5):597-610. PMCID:PMC4636961
  25. Zhang B, Li L, Ho Y, Li M, Marcucci G, Tong W, Bhatia R. Heterogeneity of leukemia-initiating capacity of chronic myelogenous leukemia stem cells. J Clin Invest. 2016 Mar 1;126(3):975-91. doi: 10.1172/JCI79196. Epub 2016 Feb 15. PMID: 26878174
  26. Tarighat SS, Santhanam R, Frankhouser D, Radomska HS, Lai H, Anghelina M, Wang H, Huang X, Alinari L, Walker A, Caligiuri MA, Croce CM, Li L, Garzon R, Li C, Baiocchi R, Marcucci G. The dual epigenetic role of PRMT5 in acute myeloid leukemia: gene activation and repression via histone arginine methylation. Leukemia. 2015:Nov 5. doi: 10.1038/leu.2015.308.Epub ahead of print.
  27. Sun J, Shen Q, Lu H, Jiang Z, Xu W, Feng L, Li L, et al. Oncogenic Ras suppresses ING4-TDG-Fas axis to promote apoptosis resistance. Oncotarget. 2015 Oct 24. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.6015. [Epub ahead of print].
  28. Wang L, Li L, et al. MicroRNA-486 regulates normal erythropoiesis and enhances growth and modulates drug response in CML progenitors. Blood.2015;125(8):1302-13.
  29. Han W, Fu X, Xie J, Meng Z, Gu Y, Wang X, Li L, Pan H, Huang W. MiR-26a enhances autophagy to protect against ethanol-induced acute liver injury. Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2015; 93(9):1045-55.
  30. L Li, Osdal T, Ho Y , et al. SIRT1 activation by a c-MYC Oncogenic Network Promotes the Maintenance and Drug Resistance of Human FLT3-ITD Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells. Cell Stem Cell. 2014;15(4), 431-446.
  31. Cook AM, Li L, Ho Y, Lin A, Li L, et al. Role of altered growth factor receptor-mediated JAK2 signaling in growth and maintenance of human acute myeloid leukemia stem cells. Blood. 2014;123:2826-37.
  32. Tian W, Deng Y, L Li, et al. Honokiol synergizes chemotherapy drugs in multidrug resistant breast cancer cells via enhanced apoptosis and additional programmed necrotic death. Int J Oncol. 2013;42:721-32.
  33. L Li, L Wang, L Li, et al. Activation of p53 by SIRT1 inhibition enhances elimination of CML leukemia stem cells in combination with imatinib. Cancer Cell. 2012; 21(2), 266–281.(Featured Article).
  34. H Yuan*, Z Wang*, L Li*, et al. Activation of stress response gene SIRT1 by BCR-ABL promotes leukemogenesis. Blood. 2012; 119(8), 1904-1914  (*equal contribution, co-first author)
  35. Han W, Xie J, Li L, Liu Z, Hu X. Necrostatin-1 reverts shikonin-induced necroptosis to apoptosis. Apoptosis. 2009; 14(5), 674-686.
  36. W Chen, Z Zhao, L Li, et al. Hispolon induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway. Free Radical Biology & Medicine. 2008; 45(1), 60–72.
  37. L Li, Q Pan, W Han, Z Liu, L Li, X Hu. Schisandrin B Prevents Doxorubicin-induced Cardiotoxicity via Enhancing Glutathione Redox Cycling. Clin Cancer Res. 2007; 13(22 Pt 1), 6753-6760.
  38. W Han, L Li, S Qiu, Q Lu, Q Pan, Y Gu, J Luo, X Hu .Shikonin circumvents cancer drug resistance by induction of a necroptotic death. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007; 6(5), 1641-1649.
  39. L Li, W Han, Y Gu, S Qiu, Q Lu, J Jin, J Luo, X Hu. Honokiol Induces a Necrotic Cell Death through the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore. Cancer Research. 2007; 67(10), 4894-4903.
  40. Li L, Lu Q, Shen Y, Hu X. Schisandrin B enhances doxorubicin-induced apoptosis of cancer cells but not normal cells. Biochem Pharmacol. 2006; 71(5), 584-595. 

Peer-reviewed Publications (Selected List)

  • Li L, Bhatia R. Role of SIRT1 in the Growth and Regulation of Normal Hematopoietic and Leukemia Stem Cells. (2015). Current Opinion in Hematology. 22(4):324-329.
  • Wang L, Li L, et al. MicroRNA-486 regulates normal erythropoiesis and enhances growth and modulates drug response in CML progenitors.  Blood.2015;125(8):1302-13. PMID: 25515961
  • Li L, Osdal T, Ho Y, et al. SIRT1 activation by a c-MYC Oncogenic Network Promotes the Maintenance and Drug Resistance of Human FLT3-ITD Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells. (2014). Cell Stem Cell. 15(4), 431-446.
  • Cook AM, Li L, Ho Y, Lin A, Li L, et al. Role of altered growth factor receptor-mediated JAK2 signaling in growth and maintenance of human acute myeloid leukemia stem cells. Blood. 2014;123:2826-37.
  • Tian W, Deng Y, Li L, et al. Honokiol synergizes chemotherapy drugs in multidrug resistant breast cancer cells via enhanced apoptosis and additional programmed necrotic death. Int J Oncol. 2013;42:721-32.
  • Li L, Wang L, Li L, et al. Activation of p53 by SIRT1 inhibition enhances elimination of CML leukemia stem cells in combination with imatinib. Cancer Cell. 2012; 21(2), 266–281.(Featured Article)
  • Yuan H*, Wang Z*, Li L*, et al. Activation of stress response gene SIRT1 by BCR-ABL promotes leukemogenesis. Blood. 2012; 119(8), 1904-1914  (*equal contribution, co-first author)
  • Han W, Xie J, Li L, Liu Z, Hu X. Necrostatin-1 reverts shikonin-induced necroptosis to apoptosis. Apoptosis. 2009; 14(5), 674-686.
  • Chen W, Zhao Z, Li L, et al. Hispolon induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway. Free Radical Biology & Medicine. 2008; 45(1), 60–72.
  • Li L, Pan Q, Han W, Liu Z, Li L, Hu X. Schisandrin B Prevents Doxorubicin-induced Cardiotoxicity via Enhancing Glutathione Redox Cycling. Clin Cancer Res. 2007; 13(22 Pt 1), 6753-6760.
  • Han W, Li L, Qiu S, Lu Q, Pan Q, Gu Y, Luo J, Hu X. Shikonin circumvents cancer drug resistance by induction of a necroptotic death. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007; 6(5), 1641-1649.
  • Li L, Han W, Gu Y, Qiu S, Lu Q, Jin J, Luo J, Hu X. Honokiol Induces a Necrotic Cell Death through the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore. Cancer Research. 2007; 67(10), 4894-4903.
  • Li L, Lu Q, Shen Y, Hu X. Schisandrin B enhances doxorubicin-induced apoptosis of cancer cells but not normal cells. Biochem Pharmacol. 2006; 71(5), 584-595.

Invited Reviews

  • Li L, Bhatia R.The controversial role of Sirtuins in tumorigenesis - SIRT7 joins the debate. Cell Research. 2013; 23(1), 10–12.
  • Li L, Bhatia R. Stem Cell Quiescence. Clinical Cancer Research. 2011; 17(15), 4936-4941.
  • Hu X, Han W, Li L. Targeting the Weak Point of Cancer by Induction of Necroptosis. Autophagy. 2007; 3(5), 490-492.

Selected Conference Presentations

  • Oral Presentation in 2009 ASH (American Society of Hematology) annual meeting. Title: Role of the SIRT1 Deacetylase in Survival and Imatinib Resistance of CML CD34+ Progenitors. Blood. vol. 114, pp. A189, 2009.
  • Oral Presentation in 2010 ESH international conference Chronic Myeloid Leukemia-Biological Basis of Therapy. Title: SIRT1 inhibition induces apoptosis in human CML progenitors.
  • Oral Presentation in 2010 ASH  annual meeting. Title: SIRT1 inhibition induces apoptosis in human CML progenitors by enhancing p53 acetylation and activation. Blood. vol. 116, pp. A200, 2010.
  • Oral Presentation in 2011 ASH  annual meeting. Title: Pharmacological inhibition of the stress-related deacetylase SIRT1 with the small molecule inhibitor Tenovin-6 enhances eradication of CML LSC in combination with TKI treatment. Blood. vol.118, pp. A448, 2011.
  • Poster Presentation in 2012 ASH  annual meeting. Title: FLT3-ITD+ AML Stem/Progenitor Cells Demonstrate Increased SIRT1 Expression and Enhanced Sensitivity to SIRT1 Inhibition. Blood. vol.120, pp. A1368, 2012.
  • Poster Presentation in 2013 ASH  annual meeting. Title: Pharmacological Inhibition Of The SIRT1 Deacetylase With The Small Molecule Inhibitor Tenovin-6 Enhances Ablation Of FLT3-ITD+ LSC In Combination With TKI Treatment. Blood. vol.122, pp. A2685, 2013.
  • Poster Presentation in 2010 ASH  annual meeting. L Wang, L Li, et al.Title: MicroRNA-486-5p Targets Foxo1 and Regulates Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell Proliferation and Erythroid Differentiation. Blood. vol. 116, pp. A3871, 2010.
  • Poster Presentation in 2011 ASH  annual meeting. L Wang, L Li, et al.Title: Role of MicroRNA-486-5p Overexpression In CML CD34+ Cells In Modulating BCR-ABL Mediated Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Transformation and Imatinib Sensitivity. Blood. vol. 118, pp. A1667, 2011.
  • Poster Presentation in 2014 ASH annual meeting. Duchartre Y,  L Li, et al. Increased p53 Acetylation By SIRT1 Inhibition Is Required for Optimal Activation of p53 Activity and Significantly Enhances the Ability of HDM2 Inhibitors to Target CML LSC. Blood. 2014; vol.124.pp. A4521.

Complete list of work on published work at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1ZUMm9-Cb59Al/bibliography/public/