Wen-Hong Li

Wen-Hong Li, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where he holds the endowed title of Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Medical Research. He leads the Wen-Hong Li Lab, specializing in islet biology and diabetes research. Dr. Li’s lab focuses on innovative drug delivery systems for pancreatic beta cells, molecular imaging probes, and the functional analysis of zinc transporters (e.g., ZnT8) in diabetes pathogenesis.

Research Interests: His work integrates molecular engineering, chemical synthesis, and physiology to study islet cell function. Key areas include:

• Targeted drug delivery to enhance beta cell robustness against diabetes
• Development of fluorescent/radioactive probes for in vivo islet imaging
• Mechanistic studies of ZnT8 in insulin secretion and diabetes susceptibility
• Novel therapeutic strategies to counteract beta cell stress (ER stress, inflammation)

Scientific Awards:

• Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Medical Research

Lab & Team: Dr. Li directs a compact team (<8 members) including postdoctoral researchers, technicians, and a lab manager. His leadership emphasizes frequent collaboration and independent problem-solving. Current projects span probe engineering, beta cell-targeted therapeutics, and molecular imaging.