X. Li Lab
Major areas of interest in the X. Li Lab are sexual dimorphism in development and sex differences in cancer. Our goal is to uncover the mechanistic basis behind observed clinical phenomena—such as higher bladder cancer incidence in males—that can be leveraged by precision medicine to improve patient outcomes. We have extensive experience using genomic mice models, organoids and tumoroids, human tissues, as well as single-cell multiome ATAC and gene expression technologies. Funded by multiple NIH and national level grants, in affiliation with Cedars-Sinai Cancer and in collaboration with other leading labs of complementary expertise, we are pioneering research on sex differences in bladder cancer. Active areas of research include sex hormones, sex chromosomes, sex epigenome, immunity, metabolism and microbiome.
Personal Statement
I earned my doctorate degree at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and completed my postdoctorate training at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in developmental biology. My work involved defining transcriptional networks that control the balance between states of self-renewal and differentiation in organ-specific progenitors.
Xue (Sean) Li, PhD
Cancer disproportionately affects the male sex across racial, geographic and socioeconomic spectra, as exemplified in bladder cancer in which more than 75% of patients are males. Many attributed this male bias to extrinsic factors such as environmental hazards and tobacco smoking, however, studies have shown that intrinsic biological factors such as sex hormones and sex chromosomes must also be playing a role.
Internal Collaborations
Meet Our Team
Learn more about the scientists, faculty members, investigators and other healthcare professionals of the X. Li Laboratory, whose dedicated efforts lead to groundbreaking discoveries.
Job Openings
The X. Li Laboratory has open positions for postdoctoral fellows and research associates. If interested, please send a cover letter and updated curriculum vitae to sean.li@cshs.org.
Theodorescu D, Li Z, Li X.
Nat Rev Urol. 2022 Aug;19(8):447-449.
Kwon H, Schafer JM, Song NJ, Kaneko S, Li A, Xiao T, Ma A, Allen C, Das K, Zhou L, Riesenberg B, Chang Y, Weltge P, Velegraki M, Oh DY, Fong L, Ma Q, Sundi D, Chung D, Li X, Li Z.
Sci Immunol. 2022 Jul;7(73):eabq2630.
Kaneko S, Li X.
Sci Adv. 2018 Jun 13;4(6):eaar5598.
Contact the X. Li Lab
8700 Beverly Blvd.
Davis Building, Suite 3090
Los Angeles, CA 90048