Xinhui Li

Dr. Xinhui Li is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, specializing in food microbiology with research focused on antibiotic resistance in food chains and inactivation of foodborne viruses. She holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University (2011) and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Delaware.

Research areas include:

• Antibiotic resistance transmission in food systems
• Inactivation methods for noroviruses and other pathogens
• Emerging food safety technologies
• Microbial contamination in fresh produce
• Industrial fermentation microbiology

Current projects investigate antibacterial/antiviral nanocomposites and hybrid training for small-scale food processors, supported by WiSys-Ignite and USDA grants. Her laboratory employs molecular, genomic, and biochemical approaches to address food safety challenges.

Dr. Li teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including Fundamentals of Microbiology, Food Microbiology, and Industrial Fermentation. She has been recognized as a Wisconsin Teaching Fellow (2024) and received USDA-NIFA funding for assessing antibiotic resistance in vegetable supply chains.