CURRICULUM VITAE
PINGWEI LI
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Texas A&M University
Bio/Bio 236A, 2128 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2128
Phone: (979) 845-1469
E-mail: pingwei@tamu.edu
Fax: (979) 845-9274
Date prepared March 4, 2011
Educational Background
1992-1996
1989-1992
1986-1989
Department of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing, China
Major: Protein Crystallography
Degree: Ph.D.
Department of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing, China
Major: Structural Chemistry and Biochemistry
Degree. M. Sc.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
Major: Organic Chemical Engineering.
Professional Experiences
Employment
1996-1998
1998-2001
2001-2003
2003-2005
2005-present
2010-present
Research Associate, Department of Protein Engineering, Institute of
Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Post-doctoral Research Associate, Division of Basic Sciences, Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
Staff X-ray Crystallographer, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton
University, Princeton, New Jersey
Post-doctoral Scholar, Division of Biology, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, California
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas
A&M University, College Station, Texas
Faculty of the Chemistry and Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program
Professional Affiliation
Member of the American Chemical Society (ACS, 2008-2009)
Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, from 2010)
Member of the American Crystallographic Association (ACA, from 2010)
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Professional Activities
Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer for NIH, Study Section MSFC
Grant reviewer for Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
Reviewer for Trends in Biological Sciences (TiBS)
Reviewer for Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Reviewer for Nature Structural and Molecular Biology
Service Activities at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Graduate Recruiting and Admissions Committee (GRAC), member, since 2007
Undergraduate Advisor, since 2008
Courses Taught
BICH 410, Fundamentals of Biochemistry. Credit 3. A comprehensive course on the structures
and functions of proteins, enzymes, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Fall 2007 (107
students), Spring 2008 (97), Fall 2008 (116), Spring 2009 (1/3 taught, 150 students), Fall 2009
(102 students), Spring 2010 (1/3 taught, 151 students), Fall 2010 (121 students).
BICH 689, Protein Structure and Function. Credit 1. Major topics include: primary structure
analysis, protein expression and purification, protein characterization, protein/protein
interactions, crystallization, structure determination, and structural analysis. Fall 2006 (5
students, 4 auditors), Spring 2011 (6 students, 2 auditors).
Current Graduate Students Supervised
1. Cheng Lu, from May 2008, Ph.D. Student.
2. Tylan Watts, from May 2010, Ph.D. Student.
Past Graduate Student and Thesis
Zhuyu Liu, from May 2006 to December 2008. Graduated with Master Degree.
Thesis: Structural study of polyglutamine and molecular mechanism of Toll-like receptor
signaling.
Graduate Advisory Committees
Current
1. Wei Tian (Since 2006, Patricia LiWang Lab, Biochemistry), member
2. Joseph Mire (Since 2006, Sacchettini Lab, Biochemistry), member
3. Taylor Weiss (Since 2007, Devarenne Lab, Biochemistry), member
4. Giridhar Sekar (Since 2007, Christian Hilty lab, Biochemistry), member
5. Scott Hoose (Since 2008, Polymenis lab, Biochemistry), member
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6. Anna Nelson (Since 2008, Devarenne lab, Biochemistry), member
7. Cheng Lu (Since 2008, Li lab, Biochemistry), Chair
8. Tylan Watts (Since 2010, Li lab, Biochemistry), Chair
9. Cheng Cheng (Since 2010, He lab, Biochemistry), member
10. Fuqu Hu (Since 2011, Zhang lab, Biochemistry), member
Completed
1. Ravi Ramireddy (2008, Sacchettini Lab, Biochemistry), quit the program
2. Yong Ick Kim (2007, Andy LiWang lab, Biochemistry), graduated in 2009 with Ph.D.
3. Xuebin Fu (2006, Gao Lab, Chemistry), graduated in 2008 with Master degree
4. Ting Pang (2005, Young lab, Biochemistry), graduated with in 2010 with Ph.D.
5. Zhuyun Liu (2006, Li lab, Biochemistry), graduated in 2008 with Master degree
6. James Totem (2006, Polymenis lab, Biochemistry), quit the program
7. Joshua Wagner (2008, Chemistry), graduated in 2008 with Master degree
8. Yuan Chen (2008, Sacchettini Lab, Biochemistry), quit the program
9. Qiang Shao (2006, Gao Lab, Chemistry), graduated in 2009 with Ph.D.
10. Nicole Naiwei Kuo (Since 2006, Andew LiWang lab, Biochemistry), member
11. Bo Zhao (Since 2005, Patricia LiWang Lab, Biochemistry), member
Undergraduate Research Supervised/Sponsored
a. NSF REU program students
1. Suselina Acosta, Department of Biology, Columbia University. Summer 2006
2. Virginia Smith, Bethune Cookman Unversity. Summer 2007
b. Texas A&M Undergraduate Students
1. Yimin Zhang, Department of Biochemistry, work-study student 2006-2006
2. Pei Zhou, Department of Biology, work-study student, summer 2007
3. Carleigh Knight, Department of Biochemistry, 2006-2007, BICH491 student
4. Clark Bigler, Department of Biochemistry, work-study student 2007-2009
5. John Jeremy Grace, BMCB, work-study student, summer of 2008
6. Ilya Norikov, Department of Biochemistry, Spring 2009, BICH491 student
7. Matthew Davenport, Department of Biology, Spring 2009, BICH491 student
8. Zhe Song, Department of Biology, Fall 2009, undergraduate lab assistance (volunteer)
9. Long Hoang Nguyen, Department of Biology, Fall 2009, work-study student
10. Long Hoang Nguyen, Department of Biology, Spring 2010, GENE491 student
11. Mariane Martinez, Department of Biology, Spring 2011, work-study student
Post-docs and Visiting Scholars Sponsored/Hosted
1. Dr. Xiaojun Li, post-doc, from November 2005 to August 15, 2009. Completed training with
five publications.
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2. Dr. Tiyu Gao, post-doc, from May 2006 to May 2007. Completed training with one
publication.
3. Dr. Lujiang Hao, visiting scholar, associate professor of food and biotechnology, Shandong
Institute of Light Industry, China. From December 1st, 2009 to November 30, 2010.
Completed visit with one publication.
4. Dr. Sujuan Xu, assistant research scientist, from October 2011.
5. Dr. Chang Shu, post-doctorial research associate, from October 2011.
6. Dr. Xiangshi Tan, visiting professor from the Department of Chemistry, Fudan University,
Shanghai, China, January to March 2011.
Funded Research Projects
2. Pingwei Li, PI: The Structural Basis of Viral RNA Sensing by the RIG-I like Receptors.
$1,556,295, National Institute of Health (NIH), Grant No. R01AI087741; from 4/1/2010 to
3/31/2015.
1. Pingwei Li, PI: Structural Biology of Viral RNA Sensing by RIG-I Family RNA Helicases.
$150,000, The Welch Foundation, Grant No. A-1687; from 6/1/2008 to 5/31/2011.
Publications (co-authors underlined are graduate students)
27. Yi Liu, Xiaofei Zhu, Feng Wang, Tianlei Ying, Pingwei Li, Zhong-Xian Huang, and
Xiangshi Tan (2011). Probing the role of the bridging C509 between the [Fe(4)S(4)] cubane
and the [Ni(p)Ni(d)] centre in the A-cluster of acetyl-coenzyme A synthase. Chem Commun
47, 1291-1293.
26. Cheng Lu, C. T. Ranjith-Kumar, Lujiang Hao, C. Cheng Kao, Pingwei Li* (2011) Crystal
structure of RIG-I C-terminal domain bound to blunt-ended double-strand RNA without 5
triphosphate. Nucleic Acids Research 39, 1565-1575.
25. Cheolho Cheong, Ines Matos, Jae-Hoon Choi, Joseph D. Schauer, Durga Bhavani
Dandamudi, Elina Shrestha, Jessy A. Makeyeva, Xiaojun Li, Pingwei Li, Ralph M.
Steinman, and Chae Gyu Park (2010). New monoclonal anti-mouse DC-SIGN antibodies
reactive with acetone-fixed cells. J Immunol Methods 360, 66-75.
24. Cheng Lu, Hengyu Xu, C. T. Ranjith-Kumar, Monica T. Brooks, Tim Y. Hou, Fuqu Hu,
Andrew B. Herr, Roland K. Strong, C. Cheng Kao, and Pingwei Li* (2010). The structural
basis of 5 triphosphate double-stranded RNA recognition by RIG-I C-terminal domain.
Structure 18, 1032-1043. (*Corresponding author)
23. Hongjun Jin, Ioannis Kagiampakis, Pingwei Li and Patricia J. LiWang (2009).
Structural and functional studies of the potent anti-HIV chemokine variant P2RANTES. Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics 78, 295-308.
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22. Xiaojun Li, Cheng Lu, Mikaela Stewart, Hengyu Xu, Roland K. Strong, Tatyana Igumenova
and Pingwei Li* (2009). Structural basis of dsRNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptor
MDA5. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 488, 23-33. (*Corresponding author)
21. Xiaojun Li, Monica T. Brooks, C. T. Ranjith-Kumar, Andrew B. Herr, C. Cheng Kao, and
Pingwei Li* (2009). The RIG-I like receptor LGP2 recognizes the termini of doublestranded RNA. Journal of Biological Chemistry 284, 13881-91. (*Corresponding author)
20. C. T. Ranjith-Kumar, Ayaluru Murali, Wen Dong, D. Srisathiyanarayanan, Robert Vaughan,
J. Ortiz-Alacantar, Kanchan Bhardwaj, Xiaojun Li, Pingwei Li, and C. Cheng Kao (2009).
Agonist and antagonist regulation of RIG-I, a cytoplasmic innate immunity receptor. Journal
of Biological Chemistry 284, 1155-65.
19. Ayaluru Murali, Xiaojun Li, C. T. Ranjith Kumar, Kanchan Bhardwaj, Andreas Holzenburg,
Pingwei Li, and C. Cheng Kao (2008). Structure and function of LGP2, a DExD/H helicase
that regulates the innate immunity response. Journal of Biological Chemistry 283, 1582533.
18. Tony E Reeves, Melinda E Wales, Janet K G Grimsley, Pingwei Li, D. M. Cerasoli and Jim
R Wild (2008). Balancing the stability and the catalytic specificities of OP hydrolases with
Enhanced V-agent activities. Protein Engineering, Design, and Selection 21, 405-412.
17. Pingwei Li*, Kathryn E Huey Tubman, Tiyu Gao, Xiaojun Li, Athony P West, Melanie J
Bennett, and Pamela Bjorkman (2007). The structure of a polyQ-anti-polyQ complex reveals
binding according to a linear lattice model. Nature Structural and Molecular Biology 14,
381-387. (*Corresponding author)
16. Min Hu*, Pingwei Li*, Ling Song, Philip D Jeffery, Tatiana A Chenova, Keith D
Wilkinson, Robert Cohen, and Yigong Shi (2005). Structure and Mechanism of the
proteasome associated deubquitinating enzyme USP14. EMBO J. 24. 3747-3756. (*These
authors contributed equally to the work)
15. Eric Shiozaki, Jijie Chai, Daniel Rigotti, Stefan Riedl, Pingwei Li, Srinivasa Srinivasula,
Emad Alnemri, Robert Fairman, and Yigong Shi. (2003). Mechanism f XIAP-mediated
inhibition of caspase-9. Molecular Cell 11, 519-527.
14. Min Hu, Pingwei Li, Muyang Li, Tingting Yao, Jiawei Wu, Wei Gu, Robert Cohen, and
Yigong Shi (2002). Crystal structure of an UBP-family deubiquiting enzyme: in isolation and
in complex with ubiquitin aldehyde. Cell 111. 1041-1054.
13. Roland Strong, Margaret Holmes, Pingwei Li, Laura Braun, Ni Lee, and Daniel Geraghty
(2003). HLA-E allelic variants: correlating differential expression, peptide affinities, crystal
structures and thermal stablilities. Journal of Biological Chemistry 278, 5082-5090.
12. Margaret Holmes*, Pingwei Li*, Effie Petersdorf, and Roland Strong (2002). Structure
studies of allelic diversity of the MHC class I homolog MIC-B, a stress-inducible ligand for
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the activating immunoreceptor NKG2D. Journal of Immunology 169. 1395-1400. (* These
authors make equal contribution to the work).
11. Wenyu Li, Srinivasa Sriniasula, Jijie Chai, Pingwei Li, Jiawei Wu, Zhijia Zhang, Emad
Alnemri, and Yigong Shi (2002). Structure insight into the pro-apoptotic function of
mitochondrial serine protease HtrA2/Omi. Nature Structural Biology 9, 436-441.
10. Pingwei Li, Gerry McDermott, and Roland Strong (2002). Crystal structures of RAE-1 and
its complex with activating immunoreceptor NKG2D. Immunity 16, 77-86.
9. Wei Liu, Pingwei Li, Genpei Li, Ronghuan Zhu, and Dacheng Wang (2001). Overexpression, purification, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of Cu, Zn
superoxide dismutase from Peking duck. Acta Crystallography, Section D. D57, 1646-1649.
8. Alexander Steinle, Pingwei Li, Daniel L. Morris, Veronika Groh, Lewis L. Lanier, Roland
Strong, and Thomas Spies (2001). Interactions of human NKG2D with its ligands MICA,
MICB and homologs of the mouse RAE-1 protein family. Immunogenetics 51, 246-248.
7. Pingwei Li, Daniel Morris, Benjamin Willcox, Alexander Steinle, Thomas Spies, and Roland
Strong (2001). Complex structure of the activating immunoreceptor NKG2D and its MHC
class I-like ligand MICA. Nature Immunology 2, 443-451.
6. Pingwei Li, Sirrku T Willie, Stefan Bauer, Daniel Morris, Thomas Spies, and Roland K
Strong (1999). Crystal structure of the MHC class I homolog MIC-A, a  T cell ligand.
Immunity 10, 577-584.
5. Pingwei Li and Ruchang Bi (1998). Applications of polycapilary x-ray optics in protein
crystallography. J. Appl. Cryst. 31, 806-811.
4. Yongmei Ji, Pingwei Li, Liuqin Zhu, and Ruchang Bi (1997). Crystallization and preliminary
crystallographic studies of the thermostable and oxidation resisitant subtilisin E mutant
(M222A, N186S). Acta. Biophysica Sinica. 13. 541-544.
3. Pingwei Li, Yu Luo, Genpei Li, and Meicheng Shao (1996). Copper and zinc superoxide
dismutase from Peking duck erythrocytes forms a supramolecular double helix in the crystal.
Chinese Chemical Letters 7, 939-941.
2. Pingwei Li, Changfa Xu, Nan Wang, and Genpei Li (1995). Purification and some properties
of charge isomers of copper and zinc superoxide dismutase from Peking duck erythrocytes.
Chinese Biochemical Journal 11, 276-280.
1. Genpei Li, Lihong Jiang, Pingwei Li, Haitao Wu, and Sheng Jin (1994). Structure
comparison of benzothiazepine derivatives. Chinese J. Struct. Chem. 13, 293-299.
Meeting Presentations and Invited Talks
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10. The structural basis of viral RNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptors. Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, March 11, 2011
Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Hosted by Dr. Junpeng Deng).
9.
The structural basis of viral RNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptors. Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University. September 17, 2010
Bloomington, Indiana. (Hosted by Dr. Cheng Kao).
8. Structural basis of viral RNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptors. Department of
Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, Northwestern University Medical
School. July 28, 2010. Chicago, Illinois. (Hosted by Dr. Xiaolin He).
7. The structural basis of 5 triphosphate double-stranded RNA recognition by RIG-I CTD.
Annual Meeting of the American Crystallographic Association (ACA). July 24, 2010.
Chicago, Illinois. (Poster presentation).
6. Structural basis of 5 triphosphate double-stranded RNA recognition by RIG-I. The 18th
Annual Texas Protein Folders Meeting. April 9, 2010, Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas.
(Poster presentation).
5. The structural basis of viral RNA recognition by RIG-I. Keystone Symposia on Structural
Biology. January 8, 2010, Breckenridge, Colorado. (Short talk and poster presentation).
4. Structural basis of dsRNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptors. The 17th Annual Texas
Protein Folders Meeting. April 24, 2009, Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas. (Talk).
3. The structural basis of dsRNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptors. The 14th Annual
Structural Biology Symposium. March 27, 2009, Galveston, Texas. (Poster presentation)
2. The RIG-I like receptor recognizes the termini of double-stranded RNA. Keystone Symposia
on Pattern Recognition Molecules and Immune Sensors of Pathogens. March 29, 2009,
Banff, Alberta, Canada. (Short talk and poster presentation).
1. The structural basis of dsRNA recognition by the RIG-I like receptors. Division of Basic
Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. February 9, 2009, Seattle,
Washington. (Hosted by Dr. Roland Strong)
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