Dr. Albert Li - Human Hepatocyte Technologies for the Evaluation of Human Drug Properties: Metabolism, DDI, Drug Induced Liver Injuries, Gene Therapy

Albert P. Li, PhD, MBA

Dr. Li has devoted his scientific career to the development and advancement of scientific concepts and in vitro technologies to accurately predict human drug properties including metabolic fate, drug-drug interaction potential, and organ-specific toxicity. His research is focused on the development and application of human-based in vitro experimental models, especially primary cultured human hepatocytes and, most recently, enterocytes, in the accurate assessment of human drug properties including metabolic fate, drug-drug interactions and drug toxicity.  Dr. Li was one of the first scientists to successfully cryopreserve human hepatocytes and enterocytes/intestinal mucosa to retain properties of freshly isolated cells.  Dr. Li and his colleagues have developed numerous experimental approaches using cryopreserved hepatocytes and enteric systems to evaluate human specific drug properties including drug metabolism, drug-drug interactions, drug toxicity, and pharmacology.  Dr. Li has published 188 scientific papers/book chapters and edited 6 books in drug metabolism, drug-drug interactions, and toxicology.  He serves as Section Editor of Pharmacology of Drug Metabolism Letters; Associate Editor of Predictive Toxicology, Frontiers in Pharmacology; as well as a member of the editorial board for various scientific journals.  He is a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Washington State University, Spokane and a committee member of several work groups of the the Health and Environmental Science Institute.

Dr. Li is currently Chief Scientific Officer, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Discovery Life Sciences.  He was the President, CEO and co-founder of In Vitro ADMET Laboratories LLC, Columbia, MD and Malden, MA which was acquired by Discovery Life Sciences in November, 2021.  Previously, Dr. Li was President and CEO of Phase 1 Molecular Toxicology, Inc. in Santa Fe, New Mexico, U. S. A. (2002-2003), Chief Scientific Officer of In Vitro Technologies, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, U. S. A. (1995-2002); Research Professor and Director of the Surgical Research Institute, Department of Surgery, St. Louis University Medical School (1993-1995); Senior Fellow and Director, Liver Biology Department, Monsanto Company (1982 – 1993); Group Leader, Cellular and Genetic Toxicology, Lovelace Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute (1979 – 1982); Assistant Professor and Research Scientist, Cancer Research and Treatment Center and Department of Radiology, University of New Mexico (1976 – 1979).  Dr. Li obtained his B. Sc. (1972, Chemistry) from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, Ph. D. (1976, Biomedical Sciences) from the University of Tennessee, Oakridge Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.  His received his doctoral training and performed his dissertation research under Professor Abraham Hsie in the Biology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and MBA (2002) from the University of Maryland University College.