Since August 2020, Dr. Li has served as the Manager of the Functional Immunomics Core (FIC) supported by the NIH Center for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy (CCII) CoBRE at the Brown Cancer Center. In this role, she focuses on providing advanced research support and collaborating with investigators utilizing cutting-edge technologies, including the CyTOF Helios mass cytometry system and the Hyperion Imaging Mass Cytometry platform, along with downstream data analysis.

The mission of the FIC extends beyond simply processing samples and data acquisition. The major challenge lies in effective experimental design and data analysis and interpretation. Panel design represents the critical first step for successful CyTOF and Hyperion IMC experiments, and developing optimized panels tailored to specific research questions requires careful planning and expertise. Dr. Li is dedicated to addressing these challenges and continuously improving the core’s capabilities so that the FIC can provide intelligent, customized solutions that enhance experimental success and deliver high-quality, interpretable data for investigators.