Dr. Heming Li | Molecular Biology | Research Excellence Award

Doctor | The first hospital of China Medical University | China

Dr. Heming Li is an oncology clinician-scientist whose research has generated 1,045 citations across 37 scientific documents with an h-index of 17, reflecting a sustained impact on translational cancer science. His work centers on liquid biopsy innovations, particularly circulating tumor cells (CTCs), tumor invasion and metastasis, and immunotherapy biomarkers in lung, gastric, and hepatobiliary cancers. Dr. Li is recognized for pioneering one of China’s earliest and most sensitive cell-surface vimentin (CSV)–based CTC detection platforms, integrating negative and positive enrichment to enhance diagnostic accuracy, reduce costs, and enable real-time monitoring of tumor evolution. His research spans EMT regulation, immune escape, metabolic reprogramming, and multi-omics characterization of metastatic pathways, leading to first-author and corresponding-author publications in high-impact journals such as The Lancet, Journal of Hematology & Oncology, Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, Molecular Cancer, Cancer Letters, and Cell Death & Disease. He has elucidated mechanisms including IGF-IR signaling, KDM4A/STAT3-driven tumor progression, ICAM-1-mediated microenvironmental adaptation, and PD-L1 expression on CSV⁺ CTCs as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer. His recent studies have also advanced understanding of FGL1 as an immune checkpoint target and the biological significance of TROP2 in cancer therapeutics. As principal investigator, he has secured major national and provincial funding, including NSFC General and Young Programs, to study CTC-based biomarkers, immunotherapy prediction models, and metastasis-driving pathways. Through sustained contributions across liquid biopsy technology, molecular oncology, and clinically actionable biomarker development, Dr. Li has established a leading research profile shaping the future of precision cancer care.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

1. Li, H., Yan, J., & Han, T. (2024). Combination strategies in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: The CARES-310 trial. The Lancet, 404, 1403–1404.

2. Li, H., Zhu, Y., Xu, L., Han, T., Luan, J., Li, X., Liu, Y., Wang, Z., Liu, Q., Kong, X., Zou, C., Su, L., Hou, Y., Chen, X., Chen, L., Wang, R., Xu, Z., & Zhao, M. (2024). Cell surface vimentin as an emerging marker for CTCs and therapeutic target in advanced gastric cancer. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, 43, 129.

3. Qian, W., Zhao, M., Wang, R., & Li, H. (2021). Fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1): The next immune checkpoint target. Journal of Hematology & Oncology, 14, 147.

4. Liu, M., Wang, R., Sun, X., Liu, Y., Wang, Z., Yan, J., Sun, M., & Li, H. (2020). PD-L1 expression on CSV⁺ CTCs predicts prognosis in gastric cancer. Molecular Oncology, 14, 865–881.

5. Li, H., Batth, I. S., Qu, X., Xu, L., Song, N., Wang, R., & Liu, Y. (2017). IGF-IR signaling in EMT and therapeutic targeting. Molecular Cancer, 16, 6.

Dr. Deyin Zhang | Biochemistry | Editorial Board Member

Post Doctor | Lanzhou University | China

Dr. De-yin Zhang is an emerging scholar whose scientific contributions encompass 790 citations, 72 documents, and an h-index of 16, reflecting significant impact in the fields of animal genomics and functional regulatory biology. His work spans comprehensive epigenome mapping, structural genomic analysis, and molecular mechanisms underlying economically important traits in sheep, including feed efficiency, tail-fat deposition, growth performance, and rib number variation. As a doctoral and postdoctoral researcher at Lanzhou University, he has developed expertise in multi-tissue epigenetic atlas construction, genome-wide association studies, whole-genome resequencing, and the characterization of non-coding RNAs, contributing to major publications in high-quality journals such as iMeta, Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Zoological Research, BMC Genomics, and Frontiers in Veterinary Science. His research has revealed novel loci, regulatory elements, and functional mutations associated with key production traits, advancing understanding of both domestication processes and targeted breeding strategies. Dr. Zhang also serves as an ad hoc reviewer for several international journals and has co-led a Frontiers research topic on livestock epigenetics and multi-omics. His scientific excellence has been recognized through competitive grants, including provincial innovation awards and roles in national R&D and NSFC-funded projects focused on feed conversion biology and tail-fat regulatory mechanisms. Through integrative omics approaches and sustained scholarly productivity, Dr. Zhang continues to contribute valuable resources and insights to modern animal genetics and precision livestock breeding.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

Zhang, D., Cheng, J., Li, X., Huang, K., Yuan, L., Zhao, Y., Xu, D., Zhang, Y., Zhao, L., Yang, X., Ma, Z., Xu, Q., Li, C., Wang, X., Zheng, C., Tang, D., Nian, F., Yue, X., Li, W., Tian, H., Weng, X., Hu, P., Feng, Y., Kalds, P., Jiang, Z., Zhao, Y., Zhang, X., Li, F., & Wang, W. (2024). Comprehensive multi-tissue epigenome atlas in sheep: A resource for complex traits, domestication, and breeding. iMeta, 3(6), e254.
Zhang, D., Li, X., Li, F., Zhang, X., Zhao, Y., Zhang, Y., Ma, Z., Tian, H., Weng, X., & Wang, W. (2025). Genome-wide association study identifies novel loci associated with feed efficiency traits in Hu lambs. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 24(4), 1259–1269.
Zhang, D., Zhang, X., Li, F., Yuan, L., Li, X., Zhang, Y., Zhao, Y., Zhao, L., Wang, J., Xu, D., Cheng, J., Yang, X., Li, W., Lin, C., Zhou, B., & Wang, W. (2022). Whole-genome resequencing reveals molecular imprints of anthropogenic and natural selection in wild and domesticated sheep. Zoological Research, 43(5), 695–705.
Zhang, D., Zhang, X., Li, F., Yuan, L., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Zhao, Y., Zhao, L., Xu, D., Song, Q., Cheng, J., & Wang, W. (2022). Identification and characterization of circular RNAs associated with feed efficiency in Hu lambs. BMC Genomics, 23(1), 288.
Zhang, D., Zhang, X., Li, F., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Zhao, Y., Song, Q., & Wang, W. (2021). Polymorphisms in ovine ME1 and CA1 genes and their association with feed efficiency in Hu sheep. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 138(5), 589–599.

Heming Li | Molecular Biology | Research Excellence Award

Dr. Heming Li | Molecular Biology | Research Excellence Award

Featured Publications

Deyin Zhang | Genetics | Editorial Board Member

Dr. Deyin Zhang | Biochemistry | Editorial Board Member

Featured Publications

RECOMMENDED

Mail us