Sin-Jin Li

Position : Assistant Professor
Office : +886-2-3366-9312
E-mail : sinjinli@ntu.edu.tw
Research Expertise: Mitochondrial Biology / Lipid Metabolism / Animal Nutrition / Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity is associated with many diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM), hepatic steatosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mitochondrial dynamics, a process of biogenesis, fusion, fission and mitophagy determines mitochondrial morphology, quality and functions. These mitochondrial properties are essential for maintaining healthy mitochondrial networks. Latest studies suggest that these alterations in mitochondrial fission and mitophagy result in the release of damaged extracellular mitochondria (exMito) and associated byproducts that have been shown to induce an inflammatory response in neurodegeneration diseases and sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy models. Furthermore, inhibition of DRP1/Fis1 dependent mitochondrial fission by a rationally designed peptide (P110) may have neuroprotective impact by decreasing the amount of damaged extracellular mitochondria (exMito) released. However, the exact role of this mechanism on metabolic diseases has not been adequately explored.


My current research focus on
1. Regulation of mitochondrial dynamics in the progression of obesity cardiomyopathy
2. Investigating the role of extracellular mitochondria in the progression of obesity induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
3. Comparison of the composition of gut microbiota in obese and non-obese Lee-Sung minipigs
Year Awards Awarding Unit
2023-2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship American Heart Association
2021 Postdoctoral Research Abroad Program Scholarship Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
2020 The Award of Academic Research Thesis in Doctor National Taiwan University
2019 Award of Veterinary Elite, Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship Award Dr. Robert Chong-Dao Lee Foundation
2019 Postdoctoral Fellow Higher Education Sprout Project
2019 The Award of Academic Research Thesis in Doctor National Taiwan University
2018 Mr. G. X. Liu Outstanding Research Award National Taiwan University
2018 Graduate Students Study Abroad Program Scholarship Ministry of Science and Technology
2017 The Award of Academic Research Thesis in Doctor National Taiwan University
2017 2016 – 2017 Novus International Graduate Scholarship Novus International, Inc.
2016 Mr. Y. S. Yu scholarship the Agricultural Association of Taiwan
2016 Honorable Mention, National biotechnology innovative entrepreneurship competition Ministry of Education
2016 Animal science research scholarship National Taiwan University
2016 The Award of Academic Research Thesis in Doctor National Taiwan University
2015 The Award of Academic Research Thesis in Master National Taiwan University
2012 Young Scientist Oral Presentation Award of the Chinese Society of Animal Science Chinese Society of Animal Science
Education
Ph.D.  Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University 2019
M.S.  Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University 2013
B.S.,  Department of Animal Science, National Chiayi University 2011


Experience
Assistant Professor, Bachelor Program of Biotechnology and Food NutritionNational Taiwan University 2023-Present
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, School of Medicine, Stanford University 2021-2023
Stanford Scientific Teaching Summer Institute, Stanford 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica 2020-2021
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University 2019-2020
Visiting ScholarDepartment of Chemical and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University 2018-2019
Years
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