Ruoyan Li
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Systems Biology
My lab is interested in understanding how cancer develops from early normal cells and evolves into complex clonal architectures and multicellular ecosystems. We seek to address this question by applying and developing cutting edge genomics, single-cell multiomics and spatial genomics technologies. The overarching goal is to use the new knowledge from our research to facilitate the development of strategies for the prevention, detection and interception of cancer before it progresses to an intractable stage.
Current research directions include:
- Studying somatic mutations in normal tissues and their impact on cancer development.
- Understanding premalignant progression and mutant clonal evolution.
- Resolving the microenvironment of premalignancy and cancer in space and time.
In my laboratory tutorial, students would have the opportunity to acquire expertise in state-of-the-art experimental methods such as single-cell transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics, laser-capture microdissection, and next-generation sequencing. They would apply these advanced methods to investigate questions such as premalignancy evolution and somatic mosaicism. Additionally, students would receive training in bioinformatics and computational analysis as integral components of their experience.
Education & Training
PhD, Peking University, 2017