Heming Li | Molecular Biology | Research Excellence Award

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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  

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