Yiping Li (Yi-Ping Li), Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Virology, Institute of Human Virology and Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), Guangzhou, China.

Dr. Yiping Li’s research interests are primarily in the molecular virology, reverse genetics, antiviral immunity, and drug resistance of the Flaviviridae viruses, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), dengue virus (DENV), and Zika virus (ZIKV). Additionally, Dr. Li works on the broad neutralizing antibody for coronaviruses. Dr. Li has made important contributions in the development of recombinant chimeras and novel full-length infectious culture systems for HCV genotypes 1-6, infectious clones for DENV-1 to DENV-4, and ZIKV (Asian lineage), and demonstrated novel mechanisms of virus-host interactions and pathogenesis. Dr. Li’s works have led to publications on well-known journals, including PNAS, The EMBO Journal, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, EMBO Reports, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of Virology, Antiviral Research, etc.. Dr. Li have received 5 US and EU patents and filed 9 Chinese patents.

Currently, Dr. Li serves as an Editorial Board member for J Clin Virol, Virol J, Eur J Med Res, Front Microbiol, Tumor Virus Res, and The Chinese Journal of Viral Diseases, as well as a guest editor for Viruses. Previously, he served as the editorial board member for the Chinese Journal of Virology.

Dr. Li received Bachelor and Master in Biochemistry from Guangxi Normal University (Guilin, China) and Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from China Agricultural University (Beijing, China). From 2003 to 2004 and 2006 to 2007, Dr. Li worked as a visiting scholar, project researcher, and postdoctoral researcher in the Royal Veterinary Institute and National Veterinary Institute of Technical University of Denmark, respectively. In 2005, Dr. Li pursued hepatitis C virus (HCV) research in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, Canada. To continue HCV research, in February 2008 Dr. Li joined the Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Hvidovre Hospital and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, as a senior investigator. In January 2014, Dr. Li took a professor position in Zhongshan School of Medicine, SYSU.

Positions openings and postgraduates: We are recruiting research associates, postdoc, research assistant and trainees. Candidates who pursue their Master and PhD studies are welcome to contact. Please send your cover letter, CV and applications to lyiping@mail.sysu.edu.cn

Academic Achievements

Research Papers:

Communications and First-author Papers (*, corresponding author; #, co-first author)

1. Zhou Q#, Yang Y#, Xu Z, Deng K, Zhang Z, Hao J, Li N, Wang Y, Wang Z, Chen H, Yang Y, Xiao F, Zhang X, Gao S, Li YP*. ATAD1 inhibits hepatitis C virus infection by removing the viral TA-protein NS5B from mitochondria. EMBO Reports. 2023 Nov 6;24(11):e56614. doi: 10.15252/embr.202256614. Epub 2023 Oct 3. (PubMed)
2. He R#, Zheng X#, Zhang J#, Liu B#, Wang Q#, Wu Q, Liu Z, Chang F, Hu Y, Xie T, Liu Y, Chen J, Yang J, Teng S, Lu R, Pan D, Wang Y, Peng L, Huang W, Terzieva V, Liu W*, Wang Y*, Li YP*, Qu X*. SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific TFH cells exhibit unique responses in infected and vaccinated individuals. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2023 Oct 6;8(1):393. doi: 10.1038/s41392-023-01650-x. (PubMed)
3. Hu M#, Li WF#, Wu T, Yang Y, Chen G, Chen T, Liu Y, Mei Y, Wu D, Wei Y, Luo T, Zhang HJ*, Li YP*. Identification of an arylnaphthalene lignan derivative as an inhibitor against dengue virus serotypes 1 to 4 (DENV-1 to -4) using a newly developed DENV-3 infectious clone and replicon. Microbiology Spectrum. 2023 Jun 28:e0042323. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00423-23. (PubMed)
4. Deng K#, Zhou Q#, Xu Z#, Yang Y, Liu X, Li C, Chen M, Zhang Z, Chen H, Ma L, Anwar MI, Zheng C, Rong L, Huang M, Xia J, Zhou Y, Li YP*. Hepatitis C virus hypervariable region 1 antibodies interrupt E2-SR-B1 interaction to suppress viral infection. iScience. 2023 Mar 16;26(4):106421. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106421. (PubMed)
5. Peng Y#, Liu Y#, Hu Y#, Chang F, Wu Q, Yang J, Chen J, Teng S, Zhang J, He R, Wei Y, Bostina M, Luo T, Liu W, Qu X*, Li YP*. Monoclonal antibodies constructed from COVID-19 convalescent memory B cells exhibit potent binding activity to MERS-CoV spike S2 subunit and other human coronaviruses. Frontiers in Immunology. 2022 Dec 22;13:1056272. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1056272.(PubMed)
6. Chen J#, Yang J#, Chang F#, Hu Y#, Wu Q#, Teng S, Liu Y, Zhang J, He R, Liu B, Zheng X, Liu Z, Peng Y, Xie Z, Zhang Y, Lu R, Pan D, Wang Y, Peng L, Liu W*, Li YP*, Qu X*. Identification of broad neutralizing antibodies against Omicron subvariants from COVID-19 convalescents and vaccine recipients. Virologica Sinica. 2023 Jan 19:S1995-820X(23)00005-6. doi: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.01.005. (PubMed)
7. Hao J, Li J, Zhang Z, Yang Y, Zhou Q, Wu T, Chen T, Wu Z, Zhang P, Cui J, Li YP*. NLRC5 restricts dengue virus infection by promoting the autophagic degradation of viral NS3 through E3 ligase CUL2 (cullin 2). Autophagy. 2023 Apr;19(4):1332-1347. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2126614. (PubMed)
8. Hu M, Wu T, Yang Y, Chen T, Hao J, Wei Y, Luo T, Wu D, Li YP*. Development and Characterization of a Genetically Stable Infectious Clone for a Genotype I Isolate of Dengue Virus Serotype 1. Viruses. 2022 Sep 18;14(9):2073. doi: 10.3390/v14092073. (PubMed)
9. Anwar MI, Li N, Zhou Q, Chen M, Hu C, Wu T, Chen H, Li YP*, Zhou Y*. PPP2R5D promotes hepatitis C virus infection by binding to viral NS5B and enhancing viral RNA replication. Virology Journal. 2022 Jul 14;19(1):118. doi: 10.1186/s12985-022-01848-5. (PubMed)
10. Chen M#, Xu Y#, Li N, Yin P, Zhou Q, Feng S, Wu T, Wei L, Wang H, Fu Y, Li YP*. Development of full-length cell culture infectious clone and subgenomic replicon for a genotype 3a isolate of hepatitis C virus. Journal of General Virology, 2021 Dec;102(12). doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.001704. (PubMed)
11. Li J, Zhou Q, Rong L, Rong D, Yang Y, Hao J, Zhang Z, Ma L, Rao G, Zhou Y, Xiao F, Li C, Wang H, Li YP*. Development of cell culture infectious clones for hepatitis C virus genotype 1b and transcription analysis of 1b-infected hepatoma cells. Antiviral Research. 2021 Jul 9:105136. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105136. (PubMed).
12. Wu T, Wu Z, Li YP*. Dengue fever and dengue virus in the People's Republic of China. Reviews in Medical Virology. 2021 May 19:e2245. doi: 10.1002/rmv.2245. (PubMed)
13. Zheng F, Li N, Xu Y, Zhou Y, Li YP*. Adaptive mutations promote hepatitis C virus assembly by accelerating Core translocation to the endoplasmic reticulum. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2021 Jan-Jun;296:100018. (PubMed)
14. Zhang J#, Wu Q#, Liu Z#, Wang Q#, Wu J#, Hu Y#, Bai T, Xie T, Huang M, Wu T, Peng D, Huang W, Jin K, Niu L, Guo W, Luo D, Lei D, Wu Z, Li G, Huang R, Lin Y, Xie X, He S, Deng Y, Liu J, Li W, Lu Z, Chen H, Zeng T, Luo Q, Li YP*, Wang Y*, Liu W*, Qu X*. Spike-specific circulating T follicular helper cell and cross-neutralizing antibody responses in COVID-19-convalescent individuals. Nature Microbiology. 2021 Jan;6(1):51-58. (PubMed)  
15. Zhou L, Zhou J, Chen T, Chi X, Liu X, Pan S, Chen W, Wu T, Lin T, Zhang X, Li YP*, Yang W*. Identification of Ascomycin against Zika virus infection through screening of natural product library. Antiviral Research. 2021 Dec;196:105210. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.20 21.105210. (PubMed)
16. Mishra BK, Yadav UN, Khatiwada S, Tamang MK, Dahal S, Li YP*. Hepatitis C virus genotype and its correlation with viral load in patients from Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 2020;14(12):1470-1474. (PubMed)
17. Li YP*. Antigen glycosylation broadens the immunogenicity of E2 subunit HCV vaccines. Annals of Blood 2020;5:17 doi: 10.21037/aob-19-77. (Invited Editorial Commentary)
18. Li X, Li J, Feng Y, Cai H, Li YP*, Peng T*. Long-chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A suppresses hepatitis C virus infection by targeting virion-bound lipoproteins. Antiviral Research 2020;177:104734. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104734. (PubMed)
19. Zhang Z, Rong L, Li YP*. Flaviviridae Viruses and Oxidative Stress: Implications for Viral Pathogenesis. Oxidative Medicine and Cell Longevity 2019 Aug 19;2019:1409582. doi: 10.1155/2019/1409582. PMID: 31531178 (PubMed)
20. Chen M, Zheng F，Yuan G, Duan X, Rong L, Liu J, Feng S, Wang Z, Wang M, Feng Y, Zhou Q, Li J, Deng K, Li C, Xia J, Rao G, Zhou Y, Fu Y, Li YP*. Development of an infectious cell culture system for hepatitis C virus genotype 6a clinical isolate using a novel strategy and its sensitivity to direct-acting antivirals. Frontiers in Microbiology 2018 Dec 4;9:2950. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2018.02950. PMID: 30564209 (PubMed).
21. Zheng Y#, Liu Q#, Wu Y#, Ma L, Zhang Z, Liu T, Jin S, She Y, Li YP*, Cui J*. Zika virus elicits inflammation to evade antiviral response by cleaving cGAS via NS1-caspase-1 axis. The EMBO Journal 2018;37(18). pii: e99347. PMID: 30065070 (PubMed)
22. Chen Y, Liu T, Zhang Z, Chen M, Rong L, Ma L, Yu B, Wu, Zhang P, Zhu X, Huang X, Zhang H, Li YP*. Novel genetically stable infectious clone for a Zika virus clinical isolate and identification of RNA elements essential for virus production. Virus Research. 2018;257:14-24. PMID: 30144463 (PubMed)
23. Duan X, Anwar MI, Xu Z, Ma L, Yuan G, Chen Y, Liu X, Xia J, Zhou Y, Li YP*. Adaptive Mutation F772S-enhanced p7-NS4A Cooperation Facilitated the Assembly and Release of Hepatitis C Virus and Associated with Enlargement of Lipid Droplets. Emerging Microbes & Infections 2018 Aug 8;7(1):143. PMID: 30087320 (PubMed)
24. Li J, Feng S, Liu X, Guo M, Chen M, Chen Y, Rong L, Xia J, Zhou Y, Zhong J, Li YP*. Identification of nucleotides in the 5'UTR and amino acids substitutions that are essential for the infectivity of 5'UTR-NS5A recombinant of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b (strain Con1). Virology 2018;518:253-263. PMID: 29549787 (PubMed)
25. Li YP#, Van Pham L#, Uzcategui N, Bukh J. Functional analysis of microRNA-122 binding sequences of hepatitis C virus and identification of variants with high resistance against a specific antagomir. Journal of General Virology 2016;97(6):1381-94. PMID:26935756 (PubMed)
26. Li YP#, Ramirez S#, Mikkelsen L, Bukh J*. Efficient Infectious Cell Culture Systems of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Prototype Strains HCV-1 and H77. Journal of Virology 2015;89(1):811-23. PMID: 25355880 (PubMed)
27. Li YP, Ramirez S, Humes D, Jensen SB, Gottwein JM, Bukh J*. Differential Sensitivity of 5'UTR-NS5A Recombinants of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes 1-6 to Protease and NS5A Inhibitors. Gastroenterology 2014;146(3):812-821. PMID:24262279 (PubMed)
28. Li YP, Ramirez S, Jensen SB, Purcell RH, Gottwein JM, Bukh J*. Highly efficient full-length hepatitisC virus genotype 1 (strain TN) infectious culture system. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2012;109(48):19757-19762. PMID:23151512 (PubMed)
29. Li YP, Ramirez S, Gottwein JM, Scheel TK, Mikkelsen L, Purcell RH, Bukh J*. Robust full-length HCV genotype 2a and 2b infectious cultures using mutations identified by a systematic approach applicable to patient strains. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2012;109(18):E1101-1110. PMID:22467829 (PubMed)
30. Li YP, Ramirez S, Gottwein JM, Bukh J*. Non-genotype-specific role of the hepatitis C virus 5' untranslated region in virus production and in inhibition by interferon. Virology 2011;421(2):222-234. PMID:22029937 (PubMed)
31. Li YP, Gottwein JM, Scheel TK, Jensen TB, Bukh J*. MicroRNA-122 antagonism against hepatitis C virus genotype 1-6 and reduced efficacy by host RNA insertion or mutations in the HCV 5'UTR. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2011;108(12):4991-4996. PMID:21383155 (PubMed)
32. Li YP*, Vegge CS, Brondsted L, Madsen M, Ingmer H, Bang DD. Campylobacter jejuni induces an anti-inflammatory response in human intestinal epithelial cells through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Veterinary Microbiology 2011;148(1):75-83. PMID:20863633 (PubMed)
33. Li YP*, Ingmer H, Madsen M, Bang DD. Cytokine responses in primary chicken embryo intestinal cells infected with Campylobacter jejuni strains of human and chicken origin and the expression of bacterial virulence-associated genes. BMC Microbiology 2008;8:107. PMID:18588667 (PubMed)
34. Li YP*, Handberg KJ, Juul-Madsen HR, Zhang MF, Jorgensen PH. Transcriptional profiles of chicken embryo cell cultures following infection with infectious bursal disease virus. Archives of Virology 2007;152(3):463-478. PMID:17143781 (PubMed)
35. Li YP, Handberg KJ*, Kabell S, Kusk M, Zhang MF, Jorgensen PH. Relative quantification and detection of different types of infectious bursal disease virus in bursa of Fabricius and cloacal swabs using real time RT-PCR SYBR green technology. Research in Veterinary Sciences 2007;82(1):126-133. PMID:16678230 (PubMed)
36. Li YP, Kang HN, Babiuk LA, Liu Q*. Elicitation of strong immune responses by a DNA vaccine expressing a secreted form of hepatitis C virus envelope protein E2 in murine and porcine animal models. World Journal of Gastroenterology 2006;12(44):7126-7135. PMID:17131474 (PubMed)
37. Li YP, Bang DD, Handberg KJ*, Jorgensen PH, Zhang MF. Evaluation of the suitability of six host genes as internal control in real-time RT-PCR assays in chicken embryo cell cultures infected with infectious bursal disease virus. Veterinary Microbiology 2005;110(3-4):155-165. PMID:16159698 (PubMed)
38. Li YP, Zhang MF*. Rapid pathotyping of Newcastle disease virus from allantoic fluid and organs of experimentally infected chickens using two novel probes. Archives of Virology 2004;149(6):1231-1243. PMID:15168209 (PubMed).

Textbooks and Monographs

1. Translations. Book Chapters

1). Li Yiping, Zheng Fuxiang and Xu Zhuanxue. Viral Infection and Human Tumors - From Basic Science to Clinical Prevention (Chapter 9), ISBN 978-7-03-047942-6, p146-p155, Beijing: No. 16, Donghuangchenggen North Street, Science Press. (One of the three chief translators of the whole book).
2). Li Yiping, Xu Zhuanxue and Zheng Fuxiang. Viral Infection and Human Tumors - From Basic Science to Clinical Prevention (Chapter 10), ISBN 978-7-03-047942-6, p161-p173, Beijing: No. 16, Donghuangchenggen North Street, Science Press. (One of the three chief translators of the whole book).

2. Invited Expert Forum. Reviews

1). Li Yiping. Advances in HCV Cell Infection Models and Their Applications in Drug Research. Journal of Clinical Hepatology, 2015, 31(11); 1825-1830.

Issued U.S. Patents:

• Li YP, Ramirez S, Gottwein JM, Scheel TKH, and Bukh J, HCV full-length infectious cell culture systems and applications thereof. Patent #: US9382517 B2 (issued date: July 5, 2016).
• Li YP, Ramirez S, Humes D, Gottwein JM, and Bukh J, Novel HCV culture systems and direct-acting antiviral sensitivity. Patent #: US10106783 B2 (issued date: October 23, 2018).
• AlmeidaRS, Li YP, Gottwein JM, and Bukh J, High-titer HCV full-length genotype 2B infectious cell culture systems and applications thereof. Patent #: US10106782 B2 (issued date:     October 23, 2018).
• Bukh J, Li YP, AlmeidaRS, Optimized HCV full-length infectious cell culture systems and applications thereof. Patent #: US10280404 B2 (issued date: May 7, 2019).
• Gottwen JM, Lademann JB, Scheel TKH, Jensen TB, Li YP, Prentoe JC, and Bukh J, Hepatitis C virus expressing reporter tagged NS5A protein. Patent #: 8,772,022 (issued date: July 8, 2014)
• Issued European Patents：
• Li YP, Ramirez S, Gottwein JM, Scheel TKH, and Bukh JHCV full-length infectious cell structure system and applications thereof. EP2828382 (issued date: October 26, 2016).

Filed Patent applications- not yet issued：

Pham VL, Ramirez S, Gottwein J, Li YP, Pedersen J, and Bukh J.Robust Infectious Full-Length HCV Genotype 6a Cell-Culture Models. Denmark 63797DK01,  Application date: February 9, 2018)  

Awards and Honors

Grants and Awards

• 2020: EU Horizon 2020 COVID-19 Research Project (EU Horison 2020, H2020-SC1-PHE-CORONAVIRUS-2020)
• 2020: National Natural Science Foundation of China
• 2020: National Key R & D Program Project "Key Technologies for Biosafety" Special Project
• 2017: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Project in Guangdong Province
• 2016: Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Development Fund
• 2015: National Natural Science Foundation of China
• 2015: National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program)
• 2014: Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation
• January 2014: Selected for the Young Talents Project of the National High-level Talent Introduction Program
• 2014: Danish Novo Nordisk Research Grant
• 2012 - 2015: Danish National Science, Technology and Innovation Foundation - Independent Research Fund in Medical Sciences
• 2012 - 2014: Danish Lundbeck Research Grant
• 2012: Danish Novo Nordisk Research Grant
• 2011 - 2014: Danish National Science, Technology and Innovation Foundation - Independent Research Fund in Medical Sciences
• 2006: The Houghton Trust Fund in the UK
• 2003: The Houghton Trust Fund in the UK

Academic Part-time Positions

• Journal of Clinical Virology (Editorial Board Member)
• Virology Journal
• European Journal of Medical Research
• Tumor Virus Research (Editorial Board Member)
• Frontiers in Microbiology (Associate Editor, Virology Section)
• Frontiers in Immunology (Review Editor)
• Viruses (Guest Editor)
• Chinese Journal of Viral Diseases
• Acta Virologica (2016 - 2021)
• Danish Society for Virology
• Guangdong Translational Medicine Society