Wenjun Li, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
Section of Thoracic Surgery
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Director, Microsurgery Core, Thoracic Immunology Laboratory
- Phone: 314-747-2174
Specialties
- Microsurgical transplant research
- Microscopic imaging
- Cellular and molecular research
- Transplant immunology
Meet Dr. Li
Dr. Wenjun Li is a trained cardiothoracic surgeon with extensive expertise in microsurgical models.
He has performed thousands of microsurgical procedures in murine models including orthotopic lung transplants, heterotopic heart transplants and aortic transplants. He has developed microsurgical procedures including right lung transplants and two separate left lung re-transplant procedures.
Dr. Li has also developed novel techniques to image murine lungs, hearts and aortic arch transplants intravitally with two-photon microscopy. Employing these techniques has yielded new insights into cellular and molecular cues that regulate the trafficking of immune cells in pulmonary and cardiac grafts. Dr. Li has helped develop a model of antibody-mediated rejection of transplanted murine lungs.
Dr. Li earned his medical degree from Guangdong Medical University in China. He completed surgical residency training at the First People’s Hospital of Foshan Sun Yat-sen University School of Medicine.
“Our research aims to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in lung transplantation—immune rejection. Through detailed molecular and cellular analysis, we hope to develop strategies that can help lung transplant patients lead longer and healthier lives.”
Dr. Li
Degrees
Medical Degree
Guangdong Medical University, Guangdong, China
1991
Residency
Surgery Residency
First People’s Hospital of Foshan Sun Yat-sen University School of Medicine, Guangdong, China
1996
Fellowship
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
WashU Medicine
2007
Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship
First People’s Hospital of Foshan Sun Yat-sen University School of Medicine, Guangdong, China
2001
Research interests
Microsurgical transplant research, microscopic imaging, cellular and molecular research, transplant immunology
Dr. Li in the news
- Study identifies factors necessary for lung transplant tolerance
- Tackling lung ischemia-reperfusion injury: Resolvin D1 proves potential
- Identifying causes of vascular damage in lung transplantation
- Understanding innate immunity in lung transplantation
- $7.3 million grant funds study of lung transplant rejection