Lingjun Li

My laboratory is focused on developing and implementing an array of novel mass spectrometry (MS)-based methodologies to tackle fundamental questions in islet biology in human and mouse pancreas tissue. We are developing a multi-faceted and innovative MS strategy for deeper analysis of the human pancreatic islet in both healthy and diseased states. We are using laser-capture microdissection coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem MS (LC-MS/MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MS imaging to examine changes in the proteome, peptidome, and post-translational modification-omes in the pancreas and islets with deep biomolecular coverage and high spatial resolution. The long-term research goal of this research is to develop a multifaceted toolbox for diabetes research by improving current MS-based strategies and enabling multiomic characterization of human pancreatic islets. Our team is positioned to dramatically increase our understanding of the human islet and ultimately to discover novel targets for therapeutic intervention in T2D and in transplant of islet or stem-cell derived islet cells in T1D.