Biomaterials for drug/gene delivery and tissue engineering
Block copolymer and supramolecular hydrogels for drug/gene delivery and tissue engineering. Development of crosslinkable polyelectrolyte copolymers for advance cell encapsulation.
Supramolecular chemistry and molecular recognition
Studies of supramolecular and nano-structures of novel copolymers of special chemical structures and supramolecualr hydrogels, and their structure-function relationships.
Polymer synthesis and structural studies
Design, synthesis, and structural studies of novel biodegradable and biocompatible block copolymers and other copolymers with special chemical structures. Construction of polymer hydrogels with novel copolymers.
Specialised Expertise
Characterization of biomaterials.
Instrumental analysis and structural studies of polymers and supramolecular architectures.
Current Area of Research
Polymer hydrogel biomaterials for drug / gene delivery & tissue engineering.
Application of polymer-cyclodextrin supramolecular hydrogels to injectable drug delivery
Novel biomaterials design: Injectable hydrogels as tissue engineering scaffolds
Working Experience
2007 - Current
Associate Professor, Division of Bioengineering, National University of Singapore (NUS)
2002 - Current
Senior Scientist, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Singapore
2002 - 2006
Assistant Professor, Division of Bioengineering, National University of Singapore (NUS)
1998 - 2001
Research Scientist, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Singapore
Sept - Oct 1998
Visiting Scientist with Prof. Kam W. Leong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, USA
1995 - 1998
Special Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN Institute), Japan
1993 - 1995
Teaching Assistant, Department of Macromolecular Science, Osaka University, Japan
1985 - 1987
Chemical Engineer, Sichuan Provincial Institute of Chemical Industry, China
Academic Qualifications
Ph.D., Osaka University, Japan, 1995.
M.Sc., Osaka University, Japan, 1992.
B.Sc., Sichuan University, China, 1985.
Honours and Awards
1995 - 1998
RIKEN Special Postdoctoral Fellowship
1995
The Award of Osaka University International Exchange Program in Macromolecular Science
1990 - 1995
Japanese Government Graduate Scholarship
Selected Publications
Loh XJ, Goh SH, Li J, New Biodegradable Thermogelling Copolymers Having Very Low Gelation Concentrations. Biomacromolecules, 2007, 8, in press.
Li J, Yang C, Li H, Wang X, Goh SH, Ding JL, Wang DY, Leong KW, Cationic Supramolecules Composed of Multiple Oligoethylenimine-Grafted beta-Cyclodextrins Threaded on a Polymer Chain for Efficient Gene Delivery. Advanced Materials, 2006, 18, 2969-2974.
Li X, Liu KL, Li J, Tan PS, Chan LM, Lim CT, Goh SH, Synthesis, Characterization, and Morphology Studies of Biodegradable Amphiphilic Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]-alt-Poly(ethylene glycol) Multiblock Copolymers. Biomacromolecules, 2006, 7, 3112-3119.
Li J, Li X, Ni X, Wang X, Li H, Leong KW, Self-assembled supramolecular hydrogels formed by biodegradable PEO-PHB-PEO triblock copolymers and a-cyclodextrin for controlled drug delivery. Biomaterials, 2006, 27, 4132-4140.
Loh XJ, Tan KK, Li X, Li J, The in vitro hydrolysis of poly(ester urethane)s consisting of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] and poly(ethylene glycol). Biomaterials, 2006, 27, 1841-1850.
Li X, Loh XJ, Wang K, He C, Li J, Poly(ester urethane)s Consisting of Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] and Poly(ethylene glycol) as Candidate Biomaterials: Characterization and Mechanical Property Study. Biomacromolecules, 2005, 6, 2740-2747.
Li J, Ni X, Li X, Tan NK, Lim CT, Ramakrishna S, Leong KW, Micellization Phenomena of Biodegradable Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymers Consisting of Poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoic acid) and Poly(ethylene oxide). Langmuir, 2005, 21, 8681 - 8685.
Quek CH, Li J, Sun T, Chan MLH, Mao HQ, Gan LM, Leong KW, Yu H, Photo-Crosslinkable Microcapsules Formed by Polyelectrolyte Copolymer and Modified Collagen for Rat Hepatocyte Encapsulation. Biomaterials, 2004, 25, 3531-3540.
Li J, Li X, Ni X, Leong KW, Synthesis and Characterization of New Biodegradable Amphiphilic Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]-b-Poly(ethylene oxide) Triblock Copolymers. Macromolecules, 2003, 36, 2661-2667.
Li J, Ni X, Leong KW, Injectable Drug-Delivery Systems Based on Supramolecular Hydrogels Formed by Poly(ethylene oxide)s and Cyclodextrin. in press in J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 2003, 64.
Li J, Ni X, Leong KW, Block-Selected Molecular Recognition and Formation of Polypseudorotaxanes between Poly(propylene oxide)-Poly(ethylene oxide)-Poly(propylene oxide) Triblock Copolymers and Cyclodextrin. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2003, 42, 69-72.
Li J, Toh KC, Formation of Inclusion Complexes between Dimers of (R)-3-Hydroxybutanoic Acid and Cyclodextrin: Thermodynamic Study of the Complexation and Conformational Analysis of the Complexed Dimers. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2, 2002, 35-40.
Li J, Li X, Zhou Z, Ni X, Leong KW, Formation of Supramolecular Hydrogels Induced by Inclusion Complexation between Pluronics and Cyclodextrin. Macromolecules, 2001, 34, 7236-7237.
Chia SM, Leong KW, Li J, Xu X, Zeng K, Er PN, Gao S, Yu H, Hepatocyte Encapsulation for Enhanced Cellular Functions. Tissue Eng., 2000, 6, 481-495.
Li J, Uzawa J, Doi Y, Conformational Behavior of Methyl (3R)-3-{[(3'R)-3'-Hydroxybutanoyl]oxy}butanoate in Solutions: Effect of Intramolecular Hydrogen Bond. Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 1997, 70, 1887-1893.
Harada A, Li J, Kamachi M, Double-Stranded Inclusion Complexes of Cyclodextrin threaded on Poly(ethylene glycol). Nature (London), 1994, 370, 126-128.
Li J, Harada A, Kamachi M, Sol-Gel Transition during Inclusion Complex Formation between Cyclodextrin and High Molecular Weight Poly(ethylene glycol)s in Aqueous Solution. Polym. J., 1994, 26, 1019-1026.
Harada A, Li J, Kamachi M, The Molecular Necklace: A Rotaxane Containing Many Threaded Cyclodextrins. Nature (London), 1992, 356, 325-327.
Patents Filed
Li J, Yang C, Li H, Wang X, Goh SH, Leong KW, ID 200414 "Cationic supramolecular macromolecules for delivery of nucleic acids" US provisional filing on 03 Feb 2005, US official filing on 03 Feb 2006. (No. 11/347,001)
Li J, Quek CH, Yu H, Gan LM, Leong KW, “Microcapsules for Encapsulation of Bioactive Substances.” US Patent Application No. 10/796,902 (March 9, 2004).
Li J, Li X, Ni X, Leong KW, "Biodegradable Triblock Copolymers, Synthesis Methods Therefore, and Hydrogels and Biomaterials Made There From." US Patent Application No. 60/397,129 (July 19, 2002).
Li J, Yu H, Leong KW, "Injectable Drug Delivery Systems with Cyclodextrin-Polymer Based Hydrogels." Singapore Patent Application No. 200002754-0 (May 19, 2000). US Patent Application No. 09/861,182 (May 18, 2001).
