Hongmin Li

Hongmin Li is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arizona, specializing in antiviral and antifungal drug discovery. His research focuses on enzyme inhibition mechanisms, particularly targeting viral proteases and fungal inteins. He has developed high-throughput screening assays for identifying novel inhibitors of pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 and flaviviruses. His work bridges structural biology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology to combat infections caused by viruses and fungi.

Research interests include: (1) Structure-based design of antiviral agents targeting viral methyltransferases and proteases, (2) Inhibition of fungal inteins for antifungal therapy, (3) Development of broad-spectrum inhibitors for emerging pathogens, (4) Mechanistic studies of host-pathogen interactions, and (5) Optimization of drug delivery systems for improved efficacy.

Notable trends in his publications show sustained focus on SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibition (2023-2025), flavivirus NS2B-NS3 protease targeting (2022-2023), and intein-based antifungal strategies (2022). His articles consistently emphasize translational research with in vitro/in vivo validation of compounds. Collaborative work includes structural biology studies (X-ray crystallography), biochemical assays, and pharmacokinetic analysis.

No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts. His research involves multidisciplinary teams with expertise in virology, medicinal chemistry, and computational biology. Current efforts prioritize developing clinically viable antiviral agents and understanding resistance mechanisms in pathogens.