Renfeng Li, PhD

  • Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Education & Training

  • Postdoc Training, Johns Hopkins Univeristy, 2014
  • PhD in Biology, Tsinghua University (China), 2008
  • BE in Analytical Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology (China), 2001

Research Interests

The Li lab is focusing on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which viral and host factors control the transition of EBV from latency to reactivation with a goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies to cure EBV-associated cancer.

Publications

Zhang K, Zhang Y, Maharjan Y, Sugiokto FG, Wan J, and Li R. (2021) Caspases Switch off the m6A RNA Modification Pathway to Foster the Replication of a Ubiquitous Human Tumor Virus mBio. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01706-21

Saiada, F, Zhang K, and Li R. (2021) PIAS1 potentiates the anti-EBV activity of SAMHD1 through SUMOylation. Cell & Biosciences. Cell Biosci 11, 127

Zhang K, Lv DW and Li R. (2019) Conserved Herpesvirus Protein Kinases Target SAMHD1 to Facilitate Virus Replication. Cell Reports. 2019; 28:449-459.

Lv DW, Zhang K and Li R. (2018) Interferon Regulatory Factor 8 Regulates Caspase-1 Expression to Facilitate Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation in Response to B Cell Receptor Stimulation and Chemical Induction. PLOS Pathogens. 2018 Jan 22;14(1):e1006868. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006868.

Zhang K, Lv DW and Li R. (2017). B Cell Receptor Activation and Chemical Induction Trigger Caspase-Mediated Cleavage of PIAS1 to Facilitate Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation. Cell Reports. 21: 3445-3457.

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