Dr. Li’s research focuses on the role of microglial heterogeneity in retinal degeneration during aging and diseases, with a particular emphasis on retinitis pigmentosa (RP)—the most prevalent inherited blinding disease. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the retina, undergo region-specific activation and functional state transitions during photoreceptor degeneration. However, how these spatially distinct microglial subpopulations differentially drive photoreceptor death remains largely unexplored.

Her research integrates single-cell transcriptomics, lineage tracing, spatial transcriptomics, and functional intervention to dissect the molecular mechanisms by which regionally heterogeneous microglia regulate photoreceptor survival.She has made several groundbreaking contributions:1)revealingthat TREM2 exhibits stage-dependent protective versus detrimental roles in RP; 2)identifyingTPM1 as a previously unrecognized cytoskeletal-immune regulator that orchestrates neuroinflammatory propagation via four interlocked axes; 3)identifyinga distinct CCL7-high microglial subpopulation as a pivotal orchestrator of neuroinflammation in RP; and 4)elucidatinghow CX3CR1 deficiency induces microglial transcriptional heterogeneity, providing the first evidence of how microglial subpopulations selectively target vulnerable neurons.

Currently,her lab is expanding research on regionally heterogeneous microglial subtypes in the retina and their contribution to the spatial pathology of retinal degenerationduring aging and diseases.Her goal istoidentify novel microglia-targeted therapeutic strategies that preserve retinal homeostasis while resolving chronic neuroinflammation, bridging fundamental neuroimmunology with translational ophthalmology.

Education

2018–2021: Ph.D. in Visual Neuroscience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR.

2015–2018: M.S. in Neurobiology, Shantou University Medical College, China.

2011–2015: B.S. inTraditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutics, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.

Professional Experience

2026–Present: Associate Professor, Bio-X International Institute, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology.

2024–2025: Postdoctoral Fellow, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR.

2021–2024: Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR.

Honors and Awards

2024: The National Young Talents Program

2021: Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Selected Publications

Li R, Fan JQ, Lin B. TPM1 drives cytoskeleton-immunometabolism coupling and LGALS9/CD45-mediated neuroinflammatory propagation in retinitis pigmentosa.Sci Adv.2026 May 29;12(22):eaea6467. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aea6467.

Li R, Zhang J, Fan JQ, Lin B. Targeting the CCL7-STAT1 axis attenuates microglial neurotoxicity and photoreceptor degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa.J Neuroinflammation.2026 Jan 16;23(1):62. doi: 10.1186/s12974-026-03692-8.

Li R, Zhang J, Wang Q, Fan JQ, Lin B. Microglial CX3CR1 deficiency regulates the selective vulnerability of cone photoreceptors via STAT3/CCL-ACKR1 signaling in the mouse retina.Exp Mol Med.2026 Feb;58(1):178-198. doi: 10.1038/s12276-025-01618-7.

Li R, Zhang J, Wu JM, Fan JQ, Lin B. Temporal biphasic regulation of photoreceptor degeneration by microglial TREM2: A metabolic-immune nexus in retinitis pigmentosa.Sci Adv.2025 Sep 12;11(37):eadw9299. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adw9299.

Li R, Zhang J, Wang Q, Cheng M, Lin B. TPM1 mediates inflammation downstream of TREM2 via the PKA/CREB signaling pathway.J Neuroinflammation.2022 Oct 14;19(1):257. doi: 10.1186/s12974-022-02619-3.

Li R, Liang Y, Lin B. Accumulation of systematic TPM1 mediates inflammation and neuronal remodeling by phosphorylating PKA and regulating the FABP5/NF-κB signaling pathway in the retina of aged mice. Aging Cell. 2022 Mar;21(3):e13566. doi: 10.1111/acel.13566.