Xiaochun Li

Xiaochun Li is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), where he holds the Eugene McDermott Distinguished Chair in Molecular Genetics. He joined UTSW in 2017 under the leadership of Nobel Laureates Drs. Joseph Goldstein and Michael Brown, and was promoted to Professor in 2025. His laboratory focuses on structural mechanisms of membrane proteins with particular emphasis on cholesterol metabolism and signaling pathways.

Dr. Li received his B.S. in 2008 from Tsinghua University in China and completed his Ph.D. training in Structural Biology under Dr. Yigong Shi in 2012. His postdoctoral studies were conducted with Dr. Günter Blobel, 1999 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, at the Rockefeller University as a Life Science Research Foundation Fellow.

Dr. Li's research centers on structural biology of membrane proteins involved in lipid transport and signaling pathways. His laboratory employs cryo-EM and other structural techniques to investigate mechanisms of cholesterol efflux, Hedgehog signaling, Wnt biogenesis, and lysosomal transport processes. Recent work has revealed molecular insights into phosphatidylserine synthases, Spns transporters, and TRPML channels, demonstrating how structural information can inform therapeutic development for metabolic and genetic disorders.

Analysis of his recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a consistent focus on membrane protein structure-function relationships, particularly in lipid transport and signaling pathways. His work spans structural characterization of transporters (ABCA1, cystinosin, Sialin), signaling receptors (Patched, Smoothened), and regulatory complexes (V-ATPase). The research demonstrates increasing sophistication in connecting structural mechanisms to physiological functions and therapeutic opportunities, with growing emphasis on human proteins and disease relevance.

• Life Science Research Foundation Fellow
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Research Center, the Rockefeller University, and Weill Cornell Medicine Breakout Prize for Junior Investigators
• Damon Runyon–Rachleff Innovation Award
• American Heart Association Established Investigator Award
• Eugene McDermott Distinguished Chair in Molecular Genetics

Dr. Li's research is supported by the NIH and several private foundations. His laboratory has established itself as a leader in structural studies of membrane proteins relevant to human disease, with particular strength in cholesterol metabolism and developmental signaling pathways. The lab maintains strong collaborative relationships with investigators at UTSW and other institutions, including those working on lipid metabolism and immune cell signaling.

The Xiaochun Li Lab at UTSW operates at the intersection of structural biology and cellular physiology, employing cryo-EM as its primary technique to investigate membrane protein mechanisms. The lab has developed expertise in studying challenging membrane protein targets, particularly those involved in lipid transport and signaling, with numerous high-impact publications in journals including Nature, Cell, and PNAS. Current research directions include structural mechanisms of lipid transporters, signaling receptors, and their regulation in health and disease.