Laboratory Scientists & Students
Yuqi Guo, MD, MS, Research Assistant Professor, received her medical degree from Southern Medical University in 2008 and trained as a pathologist in China. Yuqi’s academic journey led her to NYU, where she joined Dr. Li’s lab as a Graduate Assistant. Over the past decade, she became a researcher with a comprehensive research background in pathology, oral disease, neurodegeneration, cancer, and pain studies. Yuqi’s research interests focus on succinate signaling and exploring its role in inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cancer progression and aims to offer a novel treatment for these diseases using our patented succinate signaling antagonist. She moved to Charlottesville from New York City with her husband and their 11-year-old cat. When she is not working, she likes to play Animal Crossing on Switch, and is looking forward to getting more involved with the outdoor activities this beautiful place has to offer.
Xin-Yuan Liu, PhD, Research Associate, grew up in Shaanxi Province, locating in the north-central China and famous all over the world for its amazing Terracotta Soldiers. In 2017, she received her Bachelor degree in Biology Sciences from Lanzhou University, China. In 2022, she received her PhD degree in Botany, focusing on the link between post-transcriptional process in mitochondria or plastid and maize embryogenesis, from Shandong University, China. Xin-Yuan joined Dr. Li’s team in 2023 and her current research focuses on the succinate signaling in periodontitis induced neuroinflammation and investigate the succinate signaling in nociception. Outside the lab, Xin-Yuan likes listening to music, playing with her lovely cats, Umi and Hani, and enjoy the slow pace of life.
Frocie Wang, MD, Research Scientist, received her medical degree in 2015 and then studied metabolic diseases for her master’s degree at Dalian Medical University. She worked on cancer metabolic/immune therapy research at Scripps Research in San Diego, where she met her husband, Zi, for two years starting in 2021. She then joined Dr. Xin Li’s team in New York and moved to Charlottesville in 2024. She focuses on the inflammatory interaction between the host and oral/gut microbiome related to metabolic diseases and cancers. She enjoys playing badminton after work and spending time with Zi and their two sweet Ragdolls, baby girl Neko and baby boy Kenji. All three of them fulfill her heart with love, comfort, and inspiration every day.
Zi Wang, PhD, Research Associate, focused on anti-aging compound development during his undergraduate and Ph.D. studies at Waseda University in Japan. After receiving his Ph.D. degree, he moved to San Diego and joined The Scripps Research Institute for a postdoctoral program on DNA repair pathways. He joined the Li Lab with his wife Frocie in 2023 and moved from New York University to the University of Virginia with the whole lab. In Li Lab, he is working on exciting projects related to aging and the immune system. He is an energetic person and enjoys badminton and outdoor exercise. Mount Hotaka in Japan is one of his favorite places on Earth, offering amazing views in all four seasons. Zi and Frocie are welcomed by their two lovely cats Neko and Kenji every day when they go back home, and they both love life in Charlottesville.
Jerry Hou, PhD candidate, grew up in Potomac, Maryland and graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience. His undergraduate research focused on the effects of the immediate early gene NPAS4 on the endocannabanoid pathway and its implications in spatial memory. Jerry joined the Li lab in 2025 and is excited to study the role of succinate in neuroinflammatory pathways. Outside of the lab, Jerry likes to play pickleball, hit the heavy bag, and spend time exploring the trails of Charlottesville.
Thomas Basta, UVA Undergraduate Student, is currently majoring in chemistry with a specialization in biochemistry on the pre-dental track. In the lab, he assists with researching the role of E. faecalis with elevated succinate levels, with a focus on gene expression. Outside of academics, he enjoys spending time with friends and playing any sport.