Prof. Li is currently a Professor in the Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of the Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.  Research in Prof. Li lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms of lipid metabolism of marine microalgae and its potential in microalgal biofuel, also on metabolic engineering of microalgae and yeasts for producing high value-added bioactive compounds. He has published over 60 papers  and delivered over 10 oral presentations in international conferences. His lab has established efficient research platforms for investigations on the mechanisms of microalgal metabolism at cellular and molecular levels.

2003, PhD, The University of Hong Kong

1997, MPhil, Chinese Academy of Sciences

1993, BSc, Yangzhou University

Selected recently published papers:

Li DW, Balamurugan S, Yang YF, Zheng JW, Huang D, Zou LG, Yang WD, Liu JS, Guan YF, Li HY. Transcriptional regulation of microalgae for concurrent lipid overproduction and secretion. Science Advances. 2019, 5: eaau3795.

Wang X, Dong HP, Wei W, Balamurugan S, Yang WD, Liu JS, Li HY. Dual expression of plastidial GPAT1 and LPAT1 regulates triacylglycerol production and the fatty acid profile in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2018. 11:318.

Yang YF, Li DW, Chen TT, Hao TB, Balamurugan S, Yang WD, Liu JS, Li HY. Overproduction of Bioactive Algal Chrysolaminarin by the Critical Carbon Flux Regulator Phosphoglucomutase. Biotechnology Journal. 2018. e1800220.

Da-Wei Li, Wei-Hong Xie, Ting-Bin Hao, Jia-Xi Cai, Tian-Bao Zhou, Srinivasan Balamurugan, Wei-Dong Yang, Jie-Sheng Liu, Hong-Ye Li. Constitutive and Chloroplast Targeted Expression of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase in Oleaginous Microalgae Elevates Fatty Acid Biosynthesis. Marine Biotechnology. 2018. 20(5): 566-572.

Wang X, Wei W, Li NJ, Yuan W, Ding Y, Yang WD, Liu JS, Balamurugan S, Li HY. Heterogeneous expression of human PNPLA3 triggers algal lipid accumulation and lipid droplet enlargement. Algal Research. 2018, 31: 276-281.

Balamurugan S, Wang X, Wang HL, An CJ, Li H, Li DW, Yang WD, Liu JS, Li HY. Occurrence of plastidial triacylglycerol synthesis and the potential regulatory role of AGPAT in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Biotechnol Biofuels. 2017;10:97. 

Xue J, Balamurugan S, Li DW, Liu YH, Zeng H, Wang L, Yang WD, Liu JS, Li HY. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase as a target for highly efficient fatty acid biosynthesis in microalgae by enhancing NADPH supply. Metab Eng. 2017. 41, 212–221.

Zheng JW, Li DW, Lu Y, Chen J, Liang JJ, Zhang L, Yang WD, Liu JS, Lu SH, Li HY. Molecular exploration of algal interaction between the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense. Algal Research. 2016. 17: 132–141.

Niu YF, Wang X, Hu DX, Balamurugan S, Li DW, Yang WD, Liu JS, Li HY. Molecular characterization of a glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase reveals key features essential for triacylglycerol production in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2016. 9:60.

Xue J, Niu YF, Huang T, Yang WD, Liu JS, Li HY. Genetic improvement of a microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum for boosting neutral lipid accumulation. Metabolic Engineering. 2015. 27(1):1-9.