Education
- PhD, 2012, Chemical Biology, Harvard University
- BS, 2006, Life Sciences, Peking University
Research Summary
We are fascinated by how and why cells organize into spatial patterns within tissues, aiming to uncover the fundamental design principles that govern tissue form and function. To explore this, we adopt a bottom-up approach to reconstitute multicellular patterns in vitro using synthetic biology tools, guided by mathematical modeling. In parallel, we study how patterns emerge in natural tissues and investigate their functional roles, using a combination of quantitative imaging, mouse genetics, machine learning, and stem cell engineering. Our current focus is on the patterning of the embryonic and adult lung. Through these complementary efforts, we strive to achieve a quantitative, multi-scale understanding of tissue development and to create new strategies for tissue engineering.Awards
- Teaching Prize for Undergraduate Education, MIT School of Science, 2023
- Allen Distinguished Investigator, The Paul Alen Frontiers Group, 2021
- New Innovator Award, National Institutes of Health Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program, 2021
- R.R. Bensley Award in Cell Biology, American Association for Anatomy, 2021
- Santa Cruz Developmental Biology Young Investigator Award, 2016
- NIH Pathway to Independence Award K99/R00 (NICHD), 2016
- American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2015
Recent Publications
- Synthetically programming natural cell-cell communication pathways for tissue engineering. Wallach, LA, Thomas, CD, Li, P. 2024. Curr Opin Biomed Eng 32, .
doi: 10.1016/j.cobme.2024.100554PMID:40655075 - A tissue-scale strategy for sensing threats in barrier organs. Nguyen, DH, Tian, J, Shanahan, SL, Wang, CK, Jacks, T, Wang, X, Li, P. 2025. bioRxiv , .
doi: 10.1101/2025.03.19.644134PMID:40166266 - Reconstructing signaling histories of single cells via perturbation screens and transfer learning. Hutchins, NT, Meziane, M, Lu, C, Mitalipova, M, Fischer, D, Li, P. 2025. bioRxiv , .
doi: 10.1101/2025.03.16.643448PMID:40166200 - Biomedical data and AI. Xu, H, Zhou, S, Zhu, Z, Vitelli, V, Chen, L, Dai, Z, Yang, N, Lai, L, Yang, S, Ovchinnikov, S et al.. 2025. Sci China Life Sci 68, 1536-1540.
doi: 10.1007/s11427-024-2859-1PMID:40100542 - Diffusion barriers imposed by tissue topology shape Hedgehog morphogen gradients. Schlissel, G, Meziane, M, Narducci, D, Hansen, AS, Li, P. 2024. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 121, e2400677121.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.2400677121PMID:39190357 - Lhx2 is a progenitor-intrinsic modulator of Sonic Hedgehog signaling during early retinal neurogenesis. Li, X, Gordon, PJ, Gaynes, JA, Fuller, AW, Ringuette, R, Santiago, CP, Wallace, V, Blackshaw, S, Li, P, Levine, EM et al.. 2022. Elife 11, .
doi: 10.7554/eLife.78342PMID:36459481 - Reconstitution of Morphogen Signaling Gradients in Cultured Cells. Kim, JS, Pineda, M, Li, P. 2021. Methods Mol Biol 2258, 43-56.
doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1174-6_4PMID:33340353 - Synthetic Developmental Biology: Understanding Through Reconstitution. Schlissel, G, Li, P. 2020. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 36, 339-357.
doi: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-020620-090650PMID:33021822 - Communication codes in developmental signaling pathways. Li, P, Elowitz, MB. 2019. Development 146, .
doi: 10.1242/dev.170977PMID:31249008 - Specific oxylipins enhance vertebrate hematopoiesis via the receptor GPR132. Lahvic, JL, Ammerman, M, Li, P, Blair, MC, Stillman, ER, Fast, EM, Robertson, AL, Christodoulou, C, Perlin, JR, Yang, S et al.. 2018. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115, 9252-9257.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1806077115PMID:30139917 - Synthetically programming natural cell–cell communication pathways for tissue engineering. Wallach, L. A., Thomas, C. D., and Li, P. 2024. Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering 32, 100554.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobme.2024.100554
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