Personal Profile

Dr. Li Weiqiang, a professor at the Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, and a doctoral supervisor. He graduated from Sun Yat-sen University for his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. He obtained his Ph.D. in Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering in 2009. As the corresponding author or first author (including co-author), he has published 20 SCI papers in journals such as Cell Res, Cell Rep Med, and Nat Commun. He has successively presided over 6 National Natural Science Foundation projects, 3 key projects in Guangdong Province and major collaborative innovation projects in Guangzhou. He has obtained 4 authorized international invention patents and 8 authorized domestic invention patents. He has been selected for talent training programs such as the "Young Top-notch Talents in the 'Hundred, Thousand and Million Talents Project'" of the Guangdong Special Support Program and the "Pearl River Science and Technology New Star" in Guangzhou.

Mentor

Doctoral Supervisor

Discipline and Specialty

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Important Academic Achievements and Contributions

The neural crest can differentiate into peripheral nerve tissues of the ectoderm, melanocytes, and mesodermal tissues such as bone/cartilage and pericytes. It plays an important role in the development, maturation, functional maintenance, and regenerative repair of different tissues and organs. However, the mechanisms involved are far from being fully understood. Dr. Li Weiqiang has long been engaged in molecular mechanism research and translational studies on the induction of pluripotent stem cells into neural crest cells. Using human pluripotent stem cells as an in vitro cell model, he has revealed the regulatory mechanisms related to the early development and migration of the neural crest. He has established efficient induction systems for neural crest-derived intestinal neurons, sympathetic neurons, pericytes, etc., and conducted evaluations of transplantation efficacy. He has also proposed new pathogenic mechanisms for neural crest-related diseases (such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Down syndrome). The relevant research findings help to gain a deeper understanding of the role of the neural crest in tissue and organ development and the pathogenesis of diseases. They also provide new ideas for promoting the translational application of the neural crest in tissue injury repair.

Academic Works and Textbooks

Published papers (only listing papers as the corresponding author and first author, *co-corresponding author, #co-first author):

  1. Fan Y#, Huang S#, Li S#, Wu B, Zhao Q, Huang L, Zheng Z, Xie X, Liu J, Huang W, Sun J, Zhu X*, Zhu J*, Xiang AP*, Li W*. The adipose-neural axis is involved in epicardial adipose tissue-related cardiac arrhythmias. Cell Rep Med. 2024 May 21;5(5):101559.
  2. Liu H#, Huang S#, Wang W#, Wang H, Huang W, Zhai Z, Wang D, Fan Y, Sun J, Li D, Chiu W, Lai X, Zeng J, Ke Q, Wang T, Xiang AP, Yuan Y*, Zhang X*, Li W*. Migration deficits of the neural crest caused by CXADR triplication in a human Down syndrome stem cell model. Cell Death Dis. 2022 Dec 5;13(12):1018.
  3. Wei Y#, Wang B#, Jia L#, Huang W, Xiang AP, Fang C*, Liang X*, Li W*. Lateral mesoderm-derived mesenchymal stem cells with robust osteochondrogenic potential and hematopoiesis-supporting ability. Front Mol Biosci. 2022 Apr 28;9:767536. 
  4. Sun J#, Huang Y#, Gong J#, Wang J, Fan Y, Cai J, Wang Y, Qiu Y, Wei Y, Xiong C, Chen J, Wang B, Ma Y, Huang L, Chen X, Zheng S, Huang W, Ke Q, Wang T, Li X, Zhang W, Xiang AP*, Li W*. Transplantation of hPSC-derived pericyte-like cells promotes functional recovery in ischemic stroke mice. Nat Commun. 2020 Oct 15;11(1):5196. 
  5. Wang H#, Li D#, Zhai Z#, Zhang X, Huang W, Chen X, Huang L, Liu H, Sun J, Zou Z, Fan Y, Ke Q, Lai X, Wang T, Li X, Shen H, Xiang AP*, Li W*. Characterization and Therapeutic Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Neuromesodermal Origin from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Theranostics. 2019; 9(6):1683-1697.
  6. Li W#, Huang L#, Zeng J#, Lin W, Li K, Sun J, Huang W, Chen J, Wang G, Ke Q, Duan J, Lai X, Chen R, Liu M, Liu Y, Wang T, Yang X, Chen Y, Xia H*, Xiang AP*. Characterization and transplantation of enteric neural crest cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;23(3):499-508.
  7. Xiang Q#, Liao Y#, Chao H#, Huang W, Liu J, Chen H, Hong D, Zou Z, Xiang AP, Li W. ISL1 overexpression enhances the survival of transplanted human mesenchymal stem cells in a murine myocardial infarction model. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2018 Feb 26;9(1):51.
  8. Shi L#, Huang L#, He R#, Huang W, Wang H, Lai X, Zou Z, Sun J, Ke Q, Zheng M, Lu X, Pei Z, Su H, Xiang AP, Li W*, Yao X. Modeling the Pathogenesis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A Using Patient-Specific iPSCs. Stem Cell Reports. 2018 Jan 9; 10(1):1-14. 
  9. Ke Q#, Li L#, Yao X#, Lai X, Cai B, Chen H, Chen R, Zhai Z, Huang L, Li K, Hu A, Mao FF, Xiang AP, Tao L*, Li W*. Enhanced generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells by ectopic expression of Connexin 45. Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 28;7(1):458. 
  10. Ke Q#, Li W#, Lai X#, Chen H, Huang L, Kang Z, Li K, Ren J, Lin X, Zheng H, Huang W, Ma Y, Xu D, Chen Z, Song X, Lin X, Zhuang M, Wang T, Zhuang F, Xi J, Mao FF, Xia H, Lahn BT, Zhou Q*, Yang S*, Xiang AP*. TALEN-based generation of a cynomolgus monkey disease model for human microcephaly. Cell Res. 2016 Sep;26(9):1048-61. 
  11. Hu X#, Xie P#, Li W#, Li Z, Shan H*. Direct induction of hepatocyte-like cells from immortalized human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by overexpression of HNF4α. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Sep 16;478(2):791-7. 
  12. Yan S#, Li P#, Wang Y#, Yu W, Qin A, Liu M, Xiang AP, Zhang W*, Li W*. Nestin regulates neural stem cell migration via controlling the cell contractility. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2016 Sep;78:349-60. 
  13. Li W#, Huang LH#, Lin WY#, Ke Q, Chen R, Lai XQ, Wang XY, Zhang JF, Jiang MH, Huang WJ, Wang T, Yang XS, Chen Y, Song W, Xiang AP*. Engraftable neural crest stem cells derived from cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cells. Biomaterials, 2015 Jan;39:75-84. 
  14. Liu J#, Li W, Wang Y, Fan W, Li P, Lin W, Yang D, Fang R, Feng M, Hu C, Du Z, Wu G*, Xiang AP*. Islet-1 overexpression in human mesenchymal stem cells promotes vascularization through monocyte chemoattractant protein-3. Stem Cells. 2014 Jul;32(7):1843-54.
  15. Li W*, Xiang AP*. Safeguarding clinical translation of pluripotent stem cells with suicide genes. Organogenesis. 2013 Jan-Mar;9(1):34-9. （第一作者、共同通讯作者）IF2.316
  16. Cheng F#, Ke Q#, Chen F#, Cai B, Gao Y, Ye C, Wang D, Zhang L, Lahn BT, Li W*, Xiang AP*. Protecting against wayward human induced pluripotent stem cells with a suicide gene. Biomaterials. 2012 Apr;33(11):3195-204. 
  17. Yao XL#*, Liu Q#, Ye CH, Li ZP, Lu XL, Li PL, Li XB, Li W*. Neuronal differentiation potential of mouse induced pluripotent stem cells. Neuroreport. 2011 Oct 5; 22(14):689-95. 
  18. Qin J#, Li W#, Zhang L, Chen F, Liang WH, Mao FF, Zhang XM, Lahn BT, Yu WH*, Xiang AP*. A stem cell-based tool for small molecule screening in adipogenesis. PLoS One. 2010 Sep27; 5 (9): e13014.
  19. Li W#, Liu C#, Qin J, Zhang L, Chen R, Chen J, Yu X, Wu G, Lahn BT, Fu Y, Xiang AP. Efficient genetic modification of cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cells with lentiviral vectors. Cell transplant. 2010; 19(9):1181-93.
  20. Li W#, Wang D#, Qin J, Liu C, Zhang Q, Zhang X, Yu X, Lahn BT, Mao FF, Xiang AP. Generation of functional hepatocytes from mouse induced pluripotent stem cells. J Cell Physiol. 2010 Mar; 222(3): 492-501.

Awards and Honors

  • 2021: First Prize of Guangdong Natural Science, Second Completer.
  • 2021: First Prize of Guangdong Medical Science and Technology Award, Second Completer.
  • 2018: Young Scientists Award of Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award, Second Completer.

Academic Part-time Positions

  • Member and Secretary of the Cell Therapy Branch of Guangdong Medical Association.
  • Deputy Director of Guangdong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine.
  • Standing Committee Member of the Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Branch of the Chinese Stroke Association.
  • Young Committee Member of the Sixth Committee of the Chinese Society of Medical Cell Biology.

Research Projects Presided over

  • National Natural Science Foundation General Project, 2025 - 2028.
  • National Natural Science Foundation General Project, 2023 - 2026.
  • National Natural Science Foundation General Project, 2020 - 2023.
  • National Natural Science Foundation General Project, 2016 - 2019.
  • National Key R & D Program, 2021 - 2026, Project Backbone.
  • National Key R & D Program, 2017 - 2021, Project Backbone.
  • Guangdong Key Area R & D Program Project, 2019 - 2021.