2000 - 2004  Bachelor, South China Agricultural University

2004 - 2007  Master, South China University of Technology

2008 - 2009  Exchange Ph.D.student, National Cancer Centre Singapore

2007 - 2011  Ph.D., Sun Yat-sen University

2011 - 2016  Postdoctoral fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

2016 - 2019  Instructor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

2019 -           Professor, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2018  USCACA&AFCR Scholar Awards

2016  Caroline Ross Endowed Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

2016  The Harold C. and Mary L. Daily Endowment Fund Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

2015  The Anne Eastland Spears Fellowship in GI Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

2013 - 2016  Odyssey Fellow,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

1. Research in immunometabolism direction

Human body fights against the microbial invasion depending on the immune system, during this process, immune cells are activated and adjust their metabolic pathways to meet the requirement of immune defense. Immune cells can synthesize a wide variety of metabolites, however, the functions of the most of metabolites in immune response remain unknown. Our study demonstrate that TFEB is alkylated and activated by itaconate, itaconate-mediated TFEB activation induces lysosomal biogenesis, thereby promoting macrophagic antibacterial innate immunity (Mol Cell 2022). Moreover, we developed a genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor BioITA for detecting itaconate with subcellular resolution in living macrophages (Nat Commun 2022a). Leveraging BioITA as a powerful tool, we identified ABCG2 and SLC13A3 as the exporter and importer of itaconate, respectively. Further investigations revealed that ABCG2-mediated itaconate export is a key regulatory mechanism that limits TFEB-dependent lysosomal biogenesis and antibacterial innate immunity in inflammatory macrophages (Cell Metab 2024) and SLC13A3-mediated itaconate uptake improves hepatic antibacterial innate immunity (Dev Cell 2024). These findings decipher the mechanism of itaconate intercellular transport and provide evidences to strongly support that itaconate functions as an immune messenger in host antibacterial immune defense (Cell Insight 2025, invited review).

In addition, we discovered that isocyanic acid-mediated NLRP3 carbamoylation disrupts the interaction between NLRP3 and NEK7 to limit pyroptosis triggered by NLRP3 inflammasome activation (Sci Adv 2025). Thus, this study demonstrates that isocyanic acid is an anti-inflammatory metabolite.

2. Research in cancer metabolism direction

DHHC9-mediated GLUT1 palmitoylation (Nat Commun 2021) and ATF4 activation induced by glucose deprivation (Nat Commun 2022b) coordinate to promote cancerous malignance. These findings imply that high-fructose diet may be detrimental for anticancer therapy.

(# First author, * corresponding author)

1. Zhang ZX^#, Chen C^#, Liu CY, Sun PK, Liu P, Fang S, Li XJ*. Isocyanic acid-mediated NLRP3 carbamoylation reduces NLRP3-NEK7 interaction and limits inflammasome activation. Science Advances 2025; 11(10): eadq4266

2. Chen C^#, Liu CY^#, Sun PK^#, Zhang ZX, Wang ZM, Liu P, Li XJ*. Itaconate uptake via SLC13A3 improves hepatic antibacterial innate immunity. Developmental Cell 2024; 59(21): 2807-2817

3. Chen C^#, Zhang ZX^#, Liu CY^#, Sun PK, Liu P, Li XJ*. ABCG2 is an itaconate exporter that limits antibacterial innate immunity by alleviating TFEB-dependent lysosomal biogenesis. Cell Metabolism 2024; 36(3): 498-510

4. Li X, Wang ZX, Chen C, Yang F, Liu P, Fang S, Wang B, Chen S*, Li XJ*. A small-molecule degrader selectively inhibits the growth of ALK-rearranged lung cancer with ceritinib resistance. iScience 2024; 27(2): 109015

5. Sun PK^#, Zhang ZX^#, Wang B, Liu CY, Chen C, Liu P, Li XJ*. A genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor for detecting itaconate with subcellular resolution in living macrophages. Nature Communications 2022; 13(1): 6562

6. Chen C^#, Zhang ZX^#, Liu CY, Wang B, Liu P, Fang S, Yang F, You YP, Li XJ*. ATF4-dependent fructolysis fuels growth of glioblastoma multiforme. Nature Communications 2022; 13(1): 6108

7. Zhang ZX^#, Chen C^#, Yang F, Zeng Y-X, Sun PK, Liu P, Li XJ*. Itaconate is a lysosomal inducer that promotes antibacterial innate immunity. Molecular Cell 2022; 82(15): 2844-2857

8. Zhang ZX^#, Li X^#, Yang F^#, Chen C^#, Liu P, Ren Y, Sun PK, Wang ZX, You YP, Zeng Y-X, Li XJ*. DHHC9-mediated GLUT1 S-palmitoylation promotes glioblastoma glycolysis and tumorigenesis. Nature Communications 2021; 12(1): 5872

Invited Review

1. Chen C^#, Li XJ*. The cell autonomous and non-autonomous roles of itaconate in immune response. Cell Insight 2025; 4(1): 100224.

(From Xinjian Li, March 20, 2025)