Education

1995, B.S. Med., Lanzhou Medical College

1998, M. Med. (Clinical Hematology), Lanzhou Medical College;

2001, Ph.D., Lanzhou University

Professional Experience

2001-2004, Assistant Professor, Xiamen University

2003-2005, Visiting Scholar, Hongkong University of Science and Technology

2004-2009, Associate Professor, Xiamen University

2009-present, Professor, Xiamen University

2010-2011, Postdoc fellow, University of Toronto

2017-present, vice dean, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University

Research Area

To investigate the features and molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolic reprogramming of tumors such as colorectal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, glioma and breast cancer, uncover the regulatory roles of metabolic reprogramming in the growth, proliferation, death, and immune evasion of these tumors, identify tumor diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets based on abnormal metabolism, and eventually collaborate with enterprises to develop corresponding novel methods and products for tumor diagnosis and treatment. Detailed research interests are as follows.
1. Mechanism of Pirin Protein in Promoting Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapy Strategies with Pirin as a Target.
2. Identification of Novel Therapeutic Targets and Development of Treatment Strategies against IDH1/2 Mutant Tumors.
3. Mechanism of GLS1 Structural Remodeling and Development of Antitumor Drugs Targeting GLS1.
4. The Roles of Metabolic Alterations Caused by Proto-oncogene c-Src in Tumorigenesis and Metastasis.
5. The Roles and Molecular Mechanisms of Acetate Metabolism in Metabolic Diseases Including Tumor, Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Selected Publications (*Corresponding author)

1. Wang J#, Wang Z#, Feng J#, Zhang Y, Yao L, Zhang Y, Zhang R, Cai J, Yu H, Deng S, Chen X, Liang R, Huang C, Li J, Li X*, Li Q*, Shi X*. Maltol induces diabetic fragility fractures by disrupting the balance of bone remodeling. Cell Metab. 2026 Jun 2;38(6):1187-1200.e7

2. Ma H#, Cao T#, Zhang F#, Sun D, Chen L, Lin Y, Lai S, Jiang B, Zhou Y, You J, Liu X, Wang Y, Lin F, Liu Y, Wang J, He W*, Li Q*. Nuclear Pirin promotes HCC by acting as a key inflammation-facilitating factor. Gut. 2025 Apr 7;75(5):1016-1029.
3. Zhao W#, Ouyang C#, Zhang L#, Wang J#, Zhang J#, Zhang Y, Huang C, Xiao Q, Jiang B, Lin F, Zhang C, Zhu M, Xie C, Huang X, Zhang B, Zhao W, He J, Chen S, Liu X, Lin D, Li Q*, Wang Z*. The proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase c-SRC facilitates glioblastoma progression by remodeling fatty acid synthesis. Nat Commun. 2024 Aug 28;15(1):7455.
4. Ma H#, Suleman M#, Zhang F#, Cao T, Wen S, Sun D, Chen L, Jiang B, Wang Y, Lin F, Wang J, Li B*, Li Q*. Pirin Inhibits FAS-Mediated Apoptosis to Support Colorectal Cancer Survival. Adv Sci (Weinh) . 2024 Mar; 11(10): e2301476.
5. Wang J#, Wen Y#, Zhao W#, Zhang Y, Lin F, Ouyang C, Wang H, Yao L, Ma H, Zhuo Y, Huang H, Shi X, Feng L, Lin D*, Jiang B*, Li Q*. Hepatic conversion of acetyl-CoA to acetate plays crucial roles in energy stress. Elife. 2023 Oct 30; 12: RP87419.
6. Zhao W#, Ouyang C#, Huang C, Zhang J, Xiao Q, Zhang F, Wang H, Lin F, Wang J, Wang Z*, Jiang B*, Li Q*. ELP3 stabilizes c-myc to promote tumorigenesis. J Mol Cell Biol. 2023 Sep 28: mjad059.
7. Wang H#, Lin F#, Xu Z#, Yu S, Li G, Liao S, Zhao W, Zhang F, Wang J, Wang S, Ouyang C, Zhang C, Xia H, Wu Y, Jiang B*, Li Q*. ZEB1 Transcriptionally Activates PHGDH to Facilitate Carcinogenesis and Progression of HCC. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Jun 17; 16(4): 541-556.
8. Jiang B#, Zhang J#, Zhao G#, Liu M, Hu J, Lin F, Wang J, Zhao W, Ma H, Zhang C, Wu C, Yao L, Liu Q, Chen X, Cao Y, Zheng Y, Zhang C, Han A, Lin D, Li Q*. Filamentous GLS1 promotes ROS-induced apoptosis upon glutamine deprivation via insufficient asparagine synthesis. Molecular Cell 2022 May 19; 82(10):1821-1835.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.03.016
9. Zhou Y#, Lin F#, Wan T#, Chen Ai#, Wang H, Jiang B, Zhao W, Liao S, Wang S, Li G, Xu Z, Wang J, Zhang J, Ma H, Lin D, Li Q*. ZEB1 enhances Warburg effect to facilitate tumorigenesis and metastasis of HCC by transcriptionally activating PFKM. Theranostics 2021 April 03; 11(12):5926-5938.
10. Ma H#, Zhang F#, Zhou L, Cao T, Sun D, Wen S, Zhu J, Xiong Z, Tsau M-T, Cheng M-L, Hung L-M, Zhou Y, Li Q*. c-Src facilitates tumorigenesis by phosphorylating and activating G6PD. Oncogene 2021 March 08; 40:2567–2580.
11. Ma H#, Zhang J, Zhou L, Wen S, Tang HY, Jiang B, Zhang F, Suleman M, Sun D, Chen A, Zhao W, Lin F, Tsau MT, Shih LM, Xie C, Li X, Lin D, Hung LM*, Cheng ML*, Li Q*. c-Src Promotes Tumorigenesis and Tumor Progression by Activating PFKFB3. Cell Rep. 2020 Mar 24; 30(12):4235-4249.e6.
12. Suleman M#, Chen A#, Ma H#, Wen S, Zhao W, Lin D, Wu G*, Li Q*. PIR promotes tumorigenesis of breast cancer by upregulating cell cycle activator E2F1. Cell Cycle. 2019 Nov; 18(21):2914-2927.
13. Jiang B#, Zhao W#, Shi M#, Zhang J, Chen A, Ma H, Suleman M, Lin F, Zhou L, Wang J, Zhang Y, Liu M, Wen S, Ouyang C, Wang H, Huang X*, Zhou H*, Li Q*. IDH1 R132 mutant promotes tumor formation through downregulating p53. J. Biol. Chem. 2018 Jun 22; 293(25):9747-9758
14. Yang Z#, Jiang B#, Wang Y#, Ni H, Zhang J, Xia J, Shi M, Hung L-M, Ruan J, Mak TW, Li Q* and Han J*. 2-HG Inhibits Necroptosis by Stimulating DNMT1-Dependent Hypermethylation of the RIP3 Promoter. Cell Reports. 2017 May 30; 19(9): 1846-1857.
15. Jiang B#, Zhang J#, Xia J#, Zhao W, Wu Y, Shi M, Luo L, Zhou H, Chen A, Ma H, Zhao Q, Suleman M, Lin F, Zhou L, Wang J, Zhang Y, He Y, Li X, Hung LM, Mak TW, Li Q*. IDH1 Mutation Promotes Tumorigenesis by Inhibiting JNK Activation and Apoptosis Induced by Serum Starvation. Cell Reports. 2017 Apr 11; 19(2): 389-400.
16. Zhang J#, Wang S#, Jiang B#, Huang L, Ji Z, Li X, Zhou H, Han A, Chen A, Wu Y, Ma H, Zhao W, Zhao Q, Xie C, Sun X, Zhou Y, Huang H, Suleman M, Lin F, Zhou L, Tian F, Jin M, Cai Y, Zhang N, Li Q*. c-Src phosphorylation and activation of hexokinase promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis. Nature Communications. 2017 Jan 5; 8:13732.
17. Liu Q, Cheng Z, Luo L, Yang Y, Zhang Z, Ma H, Chen T, Huang X, Lin S-Y, Jin M, Li Q*, Li X*. C-terminus of MUC16 activates Wnt signaling pathway through its interaction with β-catenin to promote tumorigenesis and metastasis. Oncotarget. 14; 7(24): 36800-36813. 2016, May 5.
18. Xu M#, Cai C#, Sun X, Chen W, Li Q*, Zhou H*. Clnk plays a role in TNF-alpha-induced cell death in murine fibrosarcoma cell line. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 463(3): 275-9. 2015, Jul 31.
19. Ying He#, Guili Lian#, Shuyong Lin, Zhiyun Ye, Qinxi Li*. MDM2 Inhibits Axin-induced p53 Activation Independently of Its E3 Ligase Activity. PLOS ONE, 8(6): e67529. 2013, Jun 27.
20. Lin SY#, Li TY#, Liu Q, Zhang C, Li X, Chen Y, Zhang SM, Lian G, Liu Q, Ruan K, Wang Z, Zhang CS, Chien KY, Wu J, Li Q, Han J, Lin SC*. GSK3-TIP60-ULK1 signaling pathway links growth factor deprivation to autophagy. Science. 336(6080): 477-81, 2012, Apr 27.
21. Li Q#, He Y#, Wei L, Wu X, Wu D, Lin S, Wang Z, Ye Z, Lin SC*., AXIN is an essential co-activator for the promyelocytic leukemia protein in p53 activation. Oncogene. 30(10): 1194-1204, 2011.
22. Li Q#, Lin S#, Wang X#, Lian G, Lu Z, Guo H, Ruan K, Wang Y, Ye Z, Han J and Lin S-C, Axin determines cell fates by controlling p53 activation threshold upon DNA damage. Nature Cell Biology. 11(9): 1128-1134, 2009.
23. Li Q#*, Ye Z#, Wen J, Ma L, He Y, Lian G, Wang Z, Wei L, Wu D and Jiang B, Gelsolin, but not its cleavage, is required for TNF-induced ROS generation and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 385(2): 284-289, 2009.
24. Li Q#, Zhang N#, Zhang D, Wang Y, Lin T, Wang Y, Zhou H, Ye Z, Zhang F, Lin SC. and Han J*, Determinants that control the distinct subcellular localization of p38α-PRAK and p38β-PRAK complexes. J. Biol. Chem. 283(16): 11014-23, 2008
25. Li Q, Wang X, Wu X, Rui Y, Liu W, Wang J, Wang X, Liou Y-C, Ye Z and Lin SC*, Daxx Cooperates with the Axin/HIPK2/p53 Complex to Induce Cell Death. Cancer Res. 67(1): 66-74, 2007
26. Zou, H., Li, Q.*, Lin, S.C., Wu, Z., Han, J. and Ye, Z.*, Differential requirement of MKK4 and MKK7 in JNK activation by distinct scaffold proteins. FEBS Letters 581(2): 196–202, 2007.
27. Li J, Li Q*, Xie C, Zhou H, Wang Y, Zhang N, Shao H, Chan SC, Peng X, Lin SC and Han J*, beta-actin is required for mitochondria clustering and ROS generation in TNF-induced, caspase-independent cell death. Journal of Cell Science 117: 4673-4680, 2004.