Ming Li

Ming Li, PhD, holds the David H. Koch Chair in Immunological Studies at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is affiliated with the Immunology Program and the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, where he leads groundbreaking research in cancer immunology and immune regulation.

• Education: PhD from Columbia University

Dr. Li’s research focuses on deciphering the cellular and molecular basis of tumor-elicited immune responses, including the roles of tumor-associated macrophages, innate-like T cells, and regulatory T cells in cancer. His work explores metabolic signaling pathways like PI3K-Akt-Foxo1 and TGF-beta to develop mechanism-based immunotherapies.

His recent publications highlight innovations in macrophage reprogramming (Nature, 2023), innate-like T cell immunity (Nature, 2022), and immunometabolism (Science, 2021). These studies span cell competition, IL-15 signaling, and glycolysis in T cell immunity.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2022)
  • AAAS Fellow (2021)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Scholar (2016)
  • Rita Allen Foundation Scholar (2008)

Dr. Li has mentored numerous graduate students, including Mytrang Do, Ruth Franklin, and Ke Xu, and collaborates with institutions like Westlake University. His lab’s long-term goal is to mobilize the immune system to eliminate cancer through translational research.