Minghua Li, PhD
Assistant Professor

Department of Pathology

Phone: (409) 747-9884
Email: minli@utmb.edu

  • The Li Laboratory focuses on virus-host interactions for emerging and re-emerging viruses. Viruses are small intracellular pathogens that rely on host cell machinery for replication. For efficient spread, viruses must also evade cellular immunity including antiviral type I interferons and other antiviral effectors. We are interested in understanding this interface to define host proteins that both promote and restrict viral infection and determine how viruses manipulate host cellular pathway for productive replication. To identify and characterize such virus-host interactions, we use a variety of experimental approaches including genetic screen and mass spectrometry. The goal of our research is to investigate the mechanisms by which viruses and host cells interact and inform the development of novel host-directed therapeutics.
  • B.Med Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, ChinaMedicine2005
    M.S. Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, ChinaVirology2009
    Ph.D.University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USAVirology2016
    PostdocUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USAVirology2022
  • Appointment to “Training in Emerging Infectious Diseases” T32 Program 2020
    American Society for Virology Postdoctoral Scholar Travel Award2020
    First Place poster presentation, Missouri Life Science Week2014
  • American Society for Virology 2019-present

  • 1. Li, M., Ferretti, M., Ying, B., Descamps, H., Lee, E., Dittmar, M., Lee, J.S., Whig, K., Kamalia, B., Dohnalová, L., Uhr, G., Zarkoob, H., Chen,Y.-C., Ramage, H., Ferrer, M., Lynch, K., Schultz, D.C., Thaiss, C.A., Diamond, M.S., and Cherry, S. (2021) Pharmacological activation of STING blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection. Science Immunology 18;6(59):eabi9007.

    2. Li M, Ramage H, Cherry S. (2020) Deciphering flavivirus-host interactions using quantitative proteomics. Current Opinion in Immunology 66:90-97.

    3. Li M, Johnson JR, Truong B, Kim G, Weinbren N, Dittmar M, Shah PS, Von Dollen J, Newton BW, Jang GM, Krogan NJ, Cherry S, Ramage H. (2019) Identification of antiviral roles for the exon-junction complex and nonsense-mediated decay in flaviviral infection. Nature Microbiology 4(6):985-995.

    4. Li M*, Waheed AA*, Yu J*, Zeng C, Chen HY, Zheng YM, Feizpour A, Reinhard BM, Gummuluru S, Lin S, Freed EO, Liu SL. (2019) TIM-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 release is antagonized by Nef but potentiated by SERINC proteins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 19;116(12):5705-5714. (*Authors contributed equally).

    5. Yu J*, Li M*, Wilkins J, Ding S, Swartz TH, Esposito AM, Zheng YM, Freed EO, Liang C, Chen BK, Liu SL. (2015) IFITM Proteins Restrict HIV-1 Infection by Antagonizing the Envelope Glycoprotein. Cell reports 13(1):145-156. (*Authors contributed equally).

    6. Li M, Ablan SD, Miao C, Zheng YM, Fuller MS, Rennert PD, Maury W, Johnson MC, Freed EO, Liu SL. (2014) TIM-family proteins inhibit HIV-1 release. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 111(35):E3699-E3707.

    7. Li M, Zheng Y, Zhao G, Fu S, Wang D, Wang Z, Liang G. (2014) Tibet Orbivirus, a novel Orbivirus species isolated from Anopheles maculatus mosquitoes in Tibet, China. PLOS ONE 9(2):e88738.

    8. Li MH, Fu SH, Chen WX, Wang HY, Cao YX, Liang GD. (2014) Molecular characterization of full-length Genome of Japanese encephalitis virus genotype V isolated from Tibet, China. Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 27(4):231-239.

    9. Li MH, Fu SH, Chen WX, Wang HY, Guo YH, Liu QY, Li YX, Luo HM, Da W, Duo Ji DZ, Ye XM, Liang GD. (2011) Genotype V Japanese encephalitis virus is emerging. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 5(7):e1231.

    10. Li YX*, Li MH*, Fu SH, Chen WX, Liu QY, Zhang HL, Da W, Hu SL, Mu SD, Bai J, Yin ZD, Jiang HY, Guo YH, Ji DZ, Xu HM, Li G, Mu GG, Luo HM, Wang JL, Wang J, Ye XM, Jin ZM, Zhang W, Nin GJ, Wang HY, Li GC, Yong J, Liang XF, Liang GD. (2011) Japanese encephalitis, Tibet, China. Emerging Infectious Diseases 17(5):934-936. (*Authors contributed equally).