I am Vanessa YiRan Li. I was born in Nagoya, Japan, and raised in Shanghai, China.  I completed my undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Sociology at Wellesley College and master's in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. Furthermore, I received the MIT-Gordon Certificate in Engineering Leadership from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Currently, I am pursuing my Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University under the co-adivsement of Professor Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic and Professor Ke Cheng.

Growing up at the intersection of three cultures, I was exposed to ideas and experiences that informed me of my desire to build bridges between people. Thus, I am passionate about conducting research and creating innovations that lead to a healthier, more equitable world.

My research interest lies in tissue engineering, biomaterials, and regenerative medicine. As a master's student, I worked alongside Dr. Sharon Felischer to study autoantibody-mediated myocardial injury in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) using a human cardiac tissue model. In this process, I characterized mitochondria injury in cardiac tissues upon exposure to SLE autoantibodies as well as used existing databases to identify potential surface targets.

Currently, as a Ph.D. student, I am continuing to study the heart with engineered cardiac tissue models. My current studies revolve around the therapeutic potential of miRNA as a therapy for cardiac regeneration. Specifically, I am using CRISPR to knockdown harmful miRNAs in  exosomes as well as exploring sex-linked miRNA in the context of myocardial infarction.

For my research and projects, I have been selected for Outstanding Achievement Award in Biomedical Engineering in Master's Studies, BostInno's 25 Under 25, Madeleine K. Albright fellowship, Davis Project for Peace grant, and the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society.

I am also a 2024 Quad fellow representing Japan.

Moving forward, I hope to continue to learn, research, and design to uncover medical technologies that make a difference in the world.