CIMR-Kai Li

Research Group

Kai Li

likai(at)cimrbj.ac.cn

Assistant Investigator

likai(at)cimrbj.ac.cn

B.S. in Life Science, Northwest Normal University, China

Ph.D. in Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Work Experience

2025.1-Present

Assistant Investigator, Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Beijing, China

2023.12-2024.12

Associate Specialist, Howard Hughes Medical Institute & University of California at San Francisco, USA

2018.7-2023.7

Postdoctoral Researcher, Howard Hughes Medical Institute & University of California at San Francisco, USA

2017.8-2018.6

Assistant Research Scientist, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Research Direction

The Li laboratory at CIMR works on the mechanisms and functions of organellar physiology and homeostasis, aiming to reveal their implications in pathogenesis of human diseases, such as neurodegeneration, tissue damage and metabolic disorders.

Major Research Projects

1. The mechanism and function of lysosomal mechanosensation and osmosensation.

2. The roles of organellar ion channels in neurodegeneration, tissue damage and metabolic disorders.

3. Development of organelle-based therapeutics for human diseases.

Major Contributions

1. Identification of mechanosensitive ion channels in lysosomes (Nature Cell Biology, 2024; Trends in Cell Biology, 2025)

2. Identification of a novel lysosomal chloride channel and elucidate its roles in neurodegeneration (Neuron, 2026)

3. Revealing the molecular mechanisms of channel assembly in the ER (Molecular Cell, 2017; Journal of General Physiology, 2018)

4. Screening chemical compounds for correcting ion channel dysfunctions (Nature Communications, 2018)

Representative Publications *：Co-first author; #：Co-corresponding author

Wang, Y*, Li, K*, Chen, W, Chen, C, Yong, A.J.H, Zhang, X, Tynan-La Fontaine, M, Jan, Y.N, and Jan, L.Y. CLN3 mediates chloride efflux from lysosomes. Neuron, 2026, 114: 868-883. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.11.013

Li K, Jan YN. Experimental tools and emerging principles of organellar mechanotransduction. Trends in Cell Biology, 2025, 35: 944-954. DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.12.011

Li K*, Guo Y*, Wang Y*, Zhu R, Chen W, Cheng T, Zhang X, Jia Y, Liu T, Zhang W, Jan LY, Jan YN. Drosophila TMEM63 and mouse TMEM63A are lysosomal mechanosensory ion channels. Nature Cell Biology, 2024, 26: 393–403. DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01353-7

Li K^#, Cai S-Q^#. The Biosynthesis and Folding of Oily Peptide Chains. Advances in Membrane Proteins, 2019, Springer, Chapter 5: 85-109. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-9077-7

Bai X*, Li K*, Yao L, Kang XL, Cai S-Q. A forward genetic screen identifies chaperone CNX-1 as a conserved biogenesis regulator of ERG K+ channels. Journal of General Physiology, 2018, 150: 1189-1201. DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812025

Jiang Q*, Li K*, Lu W-J, Li S, Chen X, Liu X-J, Yuan J, Ding Q, Lan F, Cai S-Q. Identification of small-molecule ion channel modulators in C. elegans channelopathy models. Nature Communications, 2018, 9: 3941. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06514-5

Li K*, Jiang Q*, Bai X, Yang Y-F, Ruan M-Y, Cai S-Q. Tetrameric Assembly of K⁺ Channels Requires ER-Located Chaperone Proteins. Molecular Cell, 2017, 65: 52-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.10.027

Yin J-A, Gao G, Liu X-J, Hao Z-Q, Li K, Kang X-L, Li H, Shan Y-H, Li H-P, Cai S-Q. Genetic variation in glia–neuron signaling modulates ageing rate. Nature, 2017, 551: 198-203. DOI: 10.1038/nature24463

Full List of Publications Can Be Found Here