Simone Li

Simone Li is a Research Fellow and heads the Microbiome Systems research group at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (Monash University), while serving as a Research Leader at the Centre to Impact Antimicrobial Resistance. She holds a PhD from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and a Bioinformatics Engineering degree from UNSW. Her work focuses on microbial responses to human interventions, antimicrobial resistance, and microbiome-based therapies. Key awards include the NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship and recognition as a Superstar of STEM.

Education:

• PhD in Biotechnology (Metagenomics), European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Germany)
• B.Eng. (Bioinformatics, First-Class Honours), UNSW
• Bachelor of Arts (Japanese Studies), UNSW
• Diploma in Innovation Management

Research Interests:

Simone’s team investigates how microbial communities respond to antimicrobial use and develops data-driven strategies for sustainable microbiome-based therapies. They work at the intersection of computational biology, clinical science, and antimicrobial resistance research, emphasizing open science and equity in research culture.

Key Projects:

Primary Investigator for the TARGuT project (2023–2026), aimed at identifying therapeutic targets to combat antibiotic resistance in the gut microbiome.

Awards & Recognition:

• NHMRC Australia CJ Martin Early Career Research Fellowship
• Superstars of STEM (Science & Technology Australia)
• EMBO & NHMRC Australia Postdoctoral Fellowships
• EMBL Australia PhD Scholarship

Grants & Advising:

Accepts PhD students and leads a team funded by NHMRC and European Molecular Biology Organisation grants. Her work has been featured in Science and Nature Medicine.

Labs & Collaborations:

Collaborates internationally with clinicians, microbiologists, and bioinformaticians. Her team promotes interdisciplinary research at Monash University’s Department of Microbiology.