Hong Li Laboratory
Structural Mechanisms and Therapeutics of RNA Biology
The lab of Dr. Hong Li employs cryo-EM and other leading-edge techniques to understand the mechanisms that drive RNA-centric processes such as translation, CRISPR-Cas immunity, pre-RNA splicing and RNA therapeutics. Our lab’s work has far-reaching implications for understanding the role of RNA in health and informing new diagnostic and treatment strategies for cancer and other diseases.
Ribosomes are megadalton “machines” made of RNA and proteins that synthesize proteins, the workhorses that sustain the lives of cells. Making ribosomes is a demanding process, consuming more than 70% of the cell’s energy and involving more than 200 factors. The centrality of ribosome production and its link to cancers makes it an attractive target for anti-cancer drugs. Our lab delves into the innerworkings of ribosomes and their production, aiming to unlock the fundamental mechanisms of this process and identify potential therapeutic targets.
CRISPR-Cas is a bacterial system, also powered by RNA, that promotes host survival and has recently revolutionized genome manipulation for both research and clinical purposes. Our lab investigates several parts of this remarkable system with current focuses on CRISPR-Cas9 and CRISPR-Csm/Cmr. Our goal is to develop next-generation genome manipulation tools that are sensitive to epigenetic marks and diagnosis strategies based on nucleic acids and their modifications.
News & Publications
Learn More
CRISPR variant selectively targets tumor DNA
The promise of gene editing with CRISPR
Van Andel Institute announces 2025 Public Lecture Series
Das A, Rai J, Roth MO, Shu Y, Medina ML, Barakat MR, Li H. 2023. Coupled catalytic states and the role of metal coordination in Cas9. Nat Catal 6:969–977.
Zhao Y, Rai J, Li H. 2023. Regulation of translation by ribosomal RNA pseudouridylation. Science Adv 9(33).
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- 141 peer-reviewed papers published in 2025, 74 of which were in high-impact journals
- 15 VAI-SU2C Epigenetics Dream Team clinical trials launched to date
- 10 clinical trials and related projects supported by VAI through the International Linked Clinical Trials Program
Hong Li, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Structural Biology
Areas of Expertise
Structural biology, CRISPR-Cas, ribosome synthesis, RNA processing
Biography
Dr. Hong Li leverages CRISPR, cryo-EM and other leading-edge technologies to explore the mechanisms underlying RNA-mediated processes.
She earned a B.S. in physics from Sichuan University and a Ph.D. in biophysics from University of Rochester. Following her graduate studies, Dr. Li completed postdoctoral fellowships at CalTech and Brookhaven Lab before establishing her independent lab at Florida State University in 1999. Since then, she has built a multi-faceted research program that has elucidated key details about RNA-mediated processes and informed new strategies for gene editing, cancer diagnosis and virus detection.
In 2021, Dr. Li was appointed the Director of the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University, a position she held until joining Van Andel Institute’s Department of Structural Biology in 2024.
Dr. Li is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and held the prestigious Pfeiffer Family Endowed Professorship for Cancer Research at Florida State. She currently is an associate editor for The CRISPR Journal.
Selected Publications
For a full list of Dr. Li’s publications, please visit PubMed.
Doreen Addo-Yobo, Ph.D.
Florida State University Graduate Student
Nancy Duchaine
Senior Administrative Assistant I, Department of Structural Biology
Renee Hoffman
Ph.D. Student, VAI Graduate School
Research focus to be determined.
Amelia Ni
Research Technician, Department of Structural Biology
Kyle Shutz
Research Technician, Department of Structural Biology
Bing Wang, Ph.D.
Research Scientist, Department of Structural Biology