Dr. Huiyan Li

Meet Dr. Huiyan Li

PhD

Profile: University of Guelph School of Engineering, Research Laboratory Page

Keywords: Biological Engineering; Biomedical Engineering

Current Positions:

  • Assistant Professor – Biomedical Engineering Program, School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph ON
  • Member – Interdepartmental Biophysics Program, University of Guelph, Guelph ON

Education and Employment Background:

  • Postdoctorate (Biomedical Engineering) – Harvard Medical School; Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA, USA; 2019)
  • PhD (Biomedical Engineering) – McGill University (Montréal, QC, Canada; 2014)

Research Themes & Interests:

Dr. Huiyan Li’s research focuses on developing innovative micro and nanoscale biosensors and lab-on-a-chip technologies for the study of diseases, including cancer. Dr. Li’s multidisciplinary research integrates biosensing, micro/nanofabrication, bio-optics/electronics, computational tools with biomedicine to decipher the molecular complexity and heterogeneity of cancer progression, promoting improved diagnostics, prognosis, and treatment, eventually contributing to personalized medicine. Major focuses center on enabling biotechnologies for:

  • The discovery and validation of molecular biomarkers for health care and disease management in biofluids, cells, extracellular vesicles, and tissue samples;
  • The translation of these molecular biomarkers to clinical practices, for both laboratory tests and point-of-care applications. 

Recent Research Focuses & Partnerships:

  • Biochips for the quantification of circulating biomarkers
  • Protein detection in tissues and cells
  • Assay development for laboratory and point-of-care testing
  • Hydrogel-based biochemical assays

Select Publications:

  • J. V. Deun, A. Jo, H. Li, H. Lin, R. Weissleder, H. Im, H. Lee. Integrated dual-mode chromatography to enrich extracellular vesicles from plasma. Advanced Biosystems. Accepted, 2020.
  • R. Popp, H. Li, C. Borchers. Immuno-MALDI (iMALDI) mass spectrometry for the analysis of proteins in signalling-pathways. Expert Review of Proteomics. 15, 701-708, 2018.
  • H. Li, G. Brewer, G. Ongo, F. Normandeau, A. Omeroglu, D. Juncker. Immunohistochemistry microarrays. Analytical Chemistry, 89, 8620-8625, 2017. (Featured in 360 DX published by GenomeWeb LLC)
  • H. Li, R. Popp, C. Borchers. Affinity-mass spectrometric technologies for quantitative proteomics in biological samples. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 90, 80-88, 2017. (Cover Image for Journal)
  • R. Popp, H. Li, Y. Mohammed, A. Aguilar-Mahecha, A. Chambers, C. Lan, O. Potz, M. Basik, G. Batist, C. Borchers. Immuno-Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization assays for quantifying AKT1 and AKT2 in breast and colorectal cancer cell lines and tumors. Analytical Chemistry, 89, 10592-10600.
  • H. Li, R. Popp, D. Juncker, C. Borchers. Bead-Extractor Assisted Ready-to-use reagent System (BEARS) for immunoprecipitation coupled to MALDI-MS. Analytical Chemistry, 893834-3839, 2017.
  • H. Li, S. Bergeron, D. Juncker. Snap chip for cross-reactivity-free and spotter-free multiplexed sandwich immunoassays. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 129, 2017.
  • R D. Pedde, H. Li, C. Borchers, M. Akbari. Microfluidic-mass spectrometry interfaces for translational proteomics. Trends in Biotechnology, 35, 954-970, 2017 
  • H. Li, J. Han, J. Pan, T. Liu, C. Parker, C. Borchers. Current trends in quantitative proteomics – an update. Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 52, 319-341, 2017. (Featured Article and Cover Image for Journal)
  • H. Li, R. Popp, B. Frohlich, M. Chen, C. Borchers. Protein quantification using automated immuno-MALDI (iMALDI). Journal of Visualized Experiments, 126, e55933, 2017.
  • H. Li, J. Munzar, A. Ng, D. Juncker. A versatile snap chip for high-density sub-nanoliter chip-to-chip reagent transfer. Scientific Reports 5, 11688, 2015.
  • S. Bergeron, V. Laforte, P. Lo, H.Li, D. Juncker. Evaluating mixtures of 14 hygroscopic additives to improve antibody microarray performance. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 407, 8451-8462, 2015.
  • H. Li, S. Bergeron, M. Annis, P. Siegel, D. Juncker. Serial analysis of 38 proteins during the progression of human breast tumor in mice using an antibody colocalization microarray. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics M114.046516, 2015.
  • D. Juncker, S. Bergeron, V. Laforte, H. Li. Cross-reactivity in antibody microarrays and multiplexed sandwich assays: shedding light on the dark side of multiplexing. Current Opinion In Chemical Biology 18, 29037, 2014.
  • H. Li, S. Bergeron, D. Juncker. Microarray-to-microarray transfer of reagents by snapping of two chips for cross-reactivity-free multiplex immunoassays. Analytical Chemistry 84, 4776-4783, 2012. (Featured in Chemical & Engineering News)
  • H. Li, R.F. Leulmi, D. Juncker. Hydrogel droplet microarrays with trapped antibody-functionalized beads for multiplexed protein analysis. Lab on a Chip 11, 528-534, 2011. (Ranked as the 3rd most accessed article in December 2010 from the online version of Lab on a Chip)
  • M. Mirzaei, M. Pla-Roca, R. Safavieh, E. Nazarova, M. Safavieh, H. Li, J. Vogel, D. Juncker. Microfluidic perfusion system for culturing and imaging yeast cell microarrays and rapidly exchanging media. Lab on a Chip 10, 2449-2457, 2010.

Highlights:

  • CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2018
  • FRQNT Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2016
  • NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2015
  • NSERC CREATE PhD Scholarship, 2011

Contact:

Email: huiyanli@uoguelph.ca

Phone: 519-824-4120 ext: 54699

Office: Thornbrough Building Room 1333

Thornbrough Building
School of Engineering
University of Guelph
50 Stone Rd E
Guelph, ON, Canada
N1G 2W1