Member Biography

Lei Li, Ph.D.
402 N Blackford Street
LD 326
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone: (317) 278-2202
Research Program Membership
Full member:
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
School of Science at IUPUI
Adjunct Associate Professor of Dermatology
Department of Dermatology
IU School of Medicine
Dr. Li's research interests include:
My laboratory uses the combination of synthetic chemistry, mass spectrometry, mechanistic enzymology, and immunoassays to understand the formation and repair of various DNA lesions in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, we study DNA photoreactions in solar/UV irradiated skin cells to shed light on the molecular mechanisms behind photolesion-induced skin cancer. We also investigate the chemical properties of DNA lesions with an aim of discovering lesion-specific reactions. Such reactions may enable us to selectively label a DNA lesion and subsequently map its distribution in the genome.

Post-doctoral Fellowship - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 2005-2009
Ph.D. - The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 1999-2005