Julia Li

Julia Li is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and an Investigator in the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital. She leads the Li Lab, which investigates mechanisms linking virus-like DNA repeats to genomic instability in cancer and genetic diseases.

Education

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Scripps Research Institute (2018)
• Postdoctoral training at University of California, San Diego (2018-2024)

Research Focus

Dr. Li's research centers on viral-like DNA repeat sequences in the human genome and their pathological consequences. Her lab studies:

• Breakage mechanisms of virus-like DNA repeats
• Formation of abnormal genomes in cancer/genetic disorders
• Viral infection triggers for DNA breakage
• Functional roles of repeats in viral pathogenesis

The ultimate goal is developing interventions for viral infection-associated diseases through fundamental discoveries about human-virus genomic interactions.

Publication Trends

Dr. Li's 10 most recent publications (2014-2023) demonstrate consistent focus on genome stability mechanisms. Early work examined telomere regulation and mitotic processes, while recent breakthroughs explore viral induction of chromosomal breakage (EBV) and catastrophic genomic rearrangements (chromothripsis). Her research bridges virology, cancer genetics, and DNA repair biology.

Laboratory

The Li Lab at Boston Children's Hospital investigates molecular connections between viral-like genomic elements, DNA damage responses, and disease pathogenesis using biochemical and cellular models.