Sai LI

Sai LI is a Faculty member in the School of Life Sciences at Tsinghua University. His research interests include cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and its application in in-situ structural biology, particularly in the study of emerging enveloped viruses. His work focuses on bridging sub-nanometer resolution structures to micrometer-scale in-situ landscapes through the development of cryo-ET methods, including high throughput cryo-ET, cryogenic focused-ion beam milling, and correlative light and electron microscopy. He has contributed to studies on the assembly, infection, and immunization of viruses, with a goal of gaining insights into antibody and vaccine design. His research has been published in several high-impact journals, including Cell, PNAS, and Annual Review of Biophysics.

Sai Li is an Associate Professor at Tsinghua University, specializing in Cryo-Electron Tomography (cryo-ET), cryo-EM, and Virology. Their research focuses on elucidating the molecular architecture of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and Lassa virus, through high-resolution structural analysis. Li's work explores viral entry mechanisms, such as pH-induced conformational changes and membrane fusion processes, as well as the development of novel cell culture systems to model viral life cycles. Additionally, they investigate the structural dynamics of viral proteins and their interactions with host cells, contributing to the understanding of viral pathogenesis and therapeutic targets.