Li Li
Adjunct Professor, Plant Breeding and Genetics

Li is an adjunct professor in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics at Cornell University. She is also a USDA-ARS Research Molecular Biologist at the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health on the Cornell campus. Li Li received her Ph.D. degree in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry from the University of Reading in England. Her research program focuses mainly on gene discovery and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying phytonutrient biosynthesis and micronutrient metabolism, as well as plant biotechnology and biofortification of food crops. The ultimate goal of her research is to improve the nutritional quality and health-promoting properties of food crops.

Research Focus

We are interested in using molecular and genetic approaches to enhance the nutritional quality and health-promoting properties of food crops. Our research program concentrates on discovering new genetic elements that control phytonutrient and micronutrient levels in crops, investigating the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms, biofortifying nutrients in crops, and plant biotechnology to metabolically engineer them in crops. Current research projects focus primarily on carotenoids, flavonoids, glucosinolates, selenium, and zinc in plants.

We use vegetables and fruits as model systems to study how the biosynthesis and accumulation of carotenoids, flavonoids, and glucosinolates are controlled in plants. An integration of genetic, molecular, physiological and omics approaches is employed to investigate the quality traits in crops as well as to discover and functional characterize genes and proteins important for these phytonutrient metabolism. We also use Brassica and staple crops as model systems to study selenium and zinc nutrition and examine the factors affecting their uptake and accumulation to provide information for biofortification of them in crops. It is our goal to identify novel genetic tools and reveal new strategies for improving crop nutritional quality.

Teaching Focus

Nutritional Quality Improvement of Food Crops

Additional Links

• Li Research Program