Jin Billy Li

Jin Billy Li, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine 

Research Description: Dr. Li’s research has focused on the biological functions and mechanisms of RNA editing catalyzed by ADAR enzymes. His group, along with others, discovered that the major function of RNA editing is to evade the double-stranded RNA sensing in the innate immune pathway. His recent work has revealed that RNA editing plays a primary role in common autoimmune diseases, such as Type 1 diabetes. His team employs a plethora of experimental approaches, ranging from molecular genetics, genomics, biochemistry, cell biology, chemical biology, computational biology to technology development. The basic understanding of RNA editing biology has led to exciting therapeutic potential for treating human diseases including Type 1 diabetes. He received a SDRC P&F award in 2021 to apply these approaches to mouse and human pancreatic islets and investigate roles of RNA editing in islet cell autoimmunity. Prior to this award, Dr. Li did not study islets or have a focus on diabetes research.

Selected relevant publications or presentations (SDRC Members in BOLD): 

  1. Freund EC, Sapiro AL, Li Q, Linder S, Moresco JJ, Yates JR 3rd, Li JB (2020) Unbiased Identification of trans Regulators of ADAR and A-to-I RNA Editing. Cell Reports. 31(7):107656. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107656. PMID: 32433965; PMCID: PMC7306178. 

  2. Deng P, Khan A, Jacobson D, Sambrani N, McGurk L, Li X, Jayasree A, Hejatko J, Shohat-Ophir G, O’Connell MA, Li JB†, Keegan KP† (2020) Adar RNA editing-dependent and -independent effects are required for brain and innate immune functions in Drosophila. Nature Communications. 11(1):1580. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-15435-1 († co-corresponding author) 

  3. Tan MH, Li Q, Shanmugam R, Piskol R, Kohler J, Young AN, Liu KI, Zhang R, Ramaswami G, Ariyoshi K, Gupte A, Keegan LP, George CX, Huang N, Pollina EA, Leeman D, Rustighi A, Goh YPS, The GTEx Consortium, Chawla A, Del Sal G, Peltz G, Brunet A, Conrad DF, Samuel CE, O’Connell MA, Walkley CR, Nishikura K, Li JB (2017) Dynamic landscape and regulation of RNA editing in mammals. Nature. 550(7675):249-254. doi: 10.1038/nature24041. PMID: 29022589; PMCID: PMC5723435.