Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
Education:
| B.S. | 1993 | Biology | Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China |
| M.S. | 1996 | Physiology | Nanjing University, Nanjing, China |
| Ph.D. | 2000 | Cell & Molecular Biology | Inst. of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China |
| Post-Doc | 2005 | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Dept. of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA |
| Post-Doc | 2009 | Cell and Cancer Biology | Dept. of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA |
Research Interests:
Our current research interests and projects
1. Influence of bone microenvironment on prostate cancer bone metastases and drug
resistance
Over 80% prostate cancer deaths are involved with bone metastases. Second-line hormonal therapies such as enzalutamide improve overall patient survival only by several months in about 50% of the patients, and almost all patients develop drug resistance. There is an urgent need to determine the mechanisms of drug resistance and to develop new approaches for overcoming such resistance and for better treatment of prostate cancer bone metastasis. We have been focused on TGFbeta/TGFBR2 and PTHrP/PTH1R signaling in osteoblasts in metastasis context.
2. Influence of bone microenvironment on tumor dormancy and reactivation
It has been proposed that the early disseminated tumor cells are the cells of origin for cancer recurrence. Up to 70% of prostate cancer patients have disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow at the time of initial diagnosis. These cells remain dormant initially but proliferate later to overt metastases that eventually kill patients. Understanding the mechanisms of dormancy and reactivation will provide novel avenues for metastases prevention and inhibition.
3. Novel drug development and testing
Our basic biology research revealed novel potential drug targets. PTH1R is one of the targets identified in our studies. In collaboration with experts in the field, we are currently developing and testing blocking PTH1R, including small-molecule inhibitors and PROTAC.
Funding:
Current Active
Project Title: Novel selective allosteric modulators of PTHrP/PTH receptor to inhibit prostate cancer metastases
- Project Number: R21CA292033
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li & Jean-Pierre Vilardaga, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: Contact PI
- Source of Funding: National Cancer Institute
- Duration of Project: 05/01/2026-04/30/2028
Project Title: Dormancy Mimicking to Inhibit Prostate Cancer Metastasis and Recurrence
- Project Number: PC230155
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration of Project: 2/15/2024 - 2/14/2027
Project Title: Develop PTH1R PROTAC degraders for lethal prostate cancer
- Project Number: PC230104
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration of Project: 1/1/2024-12/31/2026 NCE
Project Title: A migrasome-based novel tracer for studying early-stage prostate cancer bone metastases at the single cell level
- Project Number: PC240281
- Principal Investigator: Shang Su
- Role in Project: Co-I
- Source of Support: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration: 03/01/2025-02/29/2027
Project Title: Novel drug to treat prostate cancer bone metastases
- Project Number: 208284
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Source of Funding: The Medical Research Society (MRS) of The University of Toledo Foundation
- Duration of Project: 1/1/2025-12/31/2026 NCE
Completed
Project Title: Influence of bone microenvironment on drug resistance in prostate cancer bone metastasis
- Project Number: R01CA230744
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: National Cancer Institute
- Duration of Project: 04/19/2019-12/31/2025
Project Title: Dormancy Mimicking to Inhibit Prostate Cancer Metastasis Progression and Recurrence
- Project Number: R01CA286189
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: National Cancer Institute
- Duration of Project: 02/01/2025 - 01/31/2030 (Rescind)
Project Title: Dabber: D-type peptide grabber for degradation of undruggable transcription factors in lethal prostate cancer
- Project Number: PC230068
- Principal Investigator: Shang Su, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: Mentor
- Source of Funding: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration of Project: 1/1/2024-12/31/2025
Project Title: A CLOUD (CRISPR-mediated LOci-specific Unbiased Discovery) atlas of regulatory binding proteins for driver genes in prostate cancer bone metastases
- Project Number: PC220043
- Principal Investigator: Shang Su, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: Co-I
- Source of Funding: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration of Project: 1/1/2023-12/31/2024
Project Title: Influence of bone microenvironment on drug resistance in prostate cancer bone metastasis (Instrument Supplement)
- Project Number: R01CA2307441143750
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: National Cancer Institute
- Duration of Project: 09/2020
Project Title: Influence of Primary Microenvironment on Prostate Cancer Osteoblastic Bone Lesion Development
- Project Number: W81XWH-12-1-0271
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: Principal Investigator
- Source of Funding: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration of Project: 07/15/2012 – 08/31/2016
Project Title: Notch Signaling in Prostate Cancer Cells Promotes Osteoblastic Metastasis
- Project Number: W81XWH-16-1-0136
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: Mentor
- Source of Funding: Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program
- Duration of Project: 06/01/2016 – 05/31/2018
Project Title: Epigenetic Regulation of Lung Cancer Bone Metastasis
- Project Number: 53010PL2
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: Employee Impact Award
- Duration of Project: 2015 – 2019
Project Title: Develop Tools to Keep Prostate Cancer Cells Dormant in the Bone Microenvironment
- Project Number: 53010UPL2
- Principal Investigator: Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: PI
- Source of Funding: Faculty Innovation Award
- Duration of Project: 2018 – 2020
Project Title: I-Corps: An artificial intelligence-based toolkit to design drug candidates for target proteins
- Project Number: F22-029
- Principal Investigator: Shang Su & Xiaohong Li, Ph.D.
- Role in Project: Academic leader
- Source of Funding: National Science Foundation
- Duration of Project: 10/1/2022-09/30/2023
PUBLICATIONS:
STUDENT OPENINGS: Currently accepting Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or M.S.M.D. students
Updated 7/2026