Meet a New ASP Member: Dr. Jie Li

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Dr. Jie Li is our featured new member in this issue of the Newsletter. Dr. Li started his independent career as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina in January of 2019. He has co-authored more than 40 scientific papers and is a member of the planning committee for the 2022 ASP Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to the American Society of Pharmacognosy, he is also a member of the American Chemical Society. We thank Dr. Li for taking the time to talk with us and are pleased to officially welcome him to ASP.

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By James Fuchs, PhD

What are your research interests in pharmacognosy?

I have been fascinated with the sophisticated chemical structures of molecules made by nature as well as their biological activities. A major direction of my current research is to discover molecules produced by human microbiota. These microbes live in or on us, and their metabolites have been shown to have a significant impact on human health. However, these metabolites are produced in a very complicated environment and usually in trace quantities. In addition, many of these human microbes are not cultivable under laboratory settings. Facing these challenges, my research uses (meta)genomic and metabolomic approaches in combination with bioassays, aiming to link biosynthetic genes to molecules and further to biological functions.

What is your scientific and educational background?

I received both my BS and MS degrees in pharmaceutical sciences at Sichuan University, a medical university in China, studying natural products chemistry and pharmacology. Then I moved to the College of Pharmacy at The Ohio State University and obtained my PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences working with Dr. Doug Kinghorn to discover and assay anticancer and cancer chemopreventive natural products. During my almost five years of postdoctoral research with Dr. Bradley Moore at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, I received a systematic training in microbial genetics and enzymology to study the biosynthesis of bioactive natural products, including some intriguing human microbial metabolites. This scientific and educational background strengthened my interests in natural products. I was fortunate enough to have great advisors at each stage of my education, leading me to my current position where I can continue studying natural products.

 

A major direction of my current research is to discover molecules produced by human microbiota.

 

What is your scientific and educational background?

I received both my BS and MS degrees in pharmaceutical sciences at Sichuan University, a medical university in China, studying natural products chemistry and pharmacology. Then I moved to the College of Pharmacy at The Ohio State University and obtained my PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences working with Dr. Doug Kinghorn to discover and assay anticancer and cancer chemopreventive natural products. During my almost five years of postdoctoral research with Dr. Bradley Moore at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, I received a systematic training in microbial genetics and enzymology to study the biosynthesis of bioactive natural products, including some intriguing human microbial metabolites. This scientific and educational background strengthened my interests in natural products. I was fortunate enough to have great advisors at each stage of my education, leading me to my current position where I can continue studying natural products.

When did you first learn about the ASP?

My PhD advisor, Dr. Kinghorn, introduced me to ASP. The first ASP meeting I attended in Tampa, FL was an exciting and impressive experience. After that, I attended the ASP meeting every year during my PhD studies to present my research. I continued attending ASP meetings during my postdoctoral training and after I became an independent researcher.

 

Facing these challenges, my research uses (meta)genomic and metabolomic approaches in combination with bioassays, aiming to link biosynthetic genes to molecules and further to biological functions.

 

What would you like to achieve through your membership in ASP?

I am very glad to be a member of the ASP family. The membership provides me with more opportunities to learn from my peers and senior researchers in my field. ASP provides fellowships and small grants for young investigators and their students, some of which my students and I aim to win in the near future. ASP also organizes a lot of webinars, workshops, and symposiums that help members grow. I am currently serving on the ASP Younger Members Committee, which also provides opportunities for me to learn how to organize and chair younger member symposiums.

What is your involvement in the planning of the 2022 ASP Annual Meeting?

I am currently serving on the ASP 2022 Organizing Committee. My role on the organizing committee is to help organize the scientific topics, overall logistics and accommodations for the ASP 2022 Annual Meeting. This has included initial weekly and now biweekly discussions with committee members to plan the theme and time of different sessions and identify potential session chairs. I have also been involved with communications with chairs of the sessions within my research direction to help organize the sessions and invite speakers, as well as helping to organize workshops, transportations, and exhibitions. The ASP 2022 Annual Meeting will be held in Charleston, South Carolina, a beautiful and historical coastal city. So far, this meeting has been planned to have very diverse and inspiring topics related to natural products, and we have invited many session chairs and speakers who are the leaders in their respective fields. The past two ASP annual meetings were unfortunately cancelled due to COVID, and the ASP 2022 meeting is envisioned to be a great opportunity for re-gathering all scientists loving natural products and studying natural products worldwide. We heartily invite everyone to attend the ASP 2022 Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina!

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I enjoy spending my spare time with my family. My wife and I usually read books with our four-year-old daughter and play games with her. I used to play table tennis in a club and would attend competitions at different levels. I wish I had more spare time so that I could restart this hobby.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your research, teaching, or how you work with your lab group?

My teaching was online during the worst time of COVID but has changed back to in-person since this semester. I used emails and weekly virtual meetings to communicate with my students when our university was locked down. COVID actually also brought a project to me: my lab received a small grant to screen our over 1000 in-house microbial extracts to look for potential inhibitors of SARSCoV-2 main protease, an essential component for COVID virus’ replication.

What has been your biggest adjustment during the COVID-19 era?

Getting used to wearing a face mask during all personal and professional interactions with colleagues and students.

 

COVID actually also brought a project to me: my lab received a small grant to screen our over 1000 in-house microbial extracts to look for potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, an essential component for COVID virus’ replication.

 

 

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