Professor

My research goal is to understand the mechanisms of initiation and progression of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and identify new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. 

The research in my laboratory has been continuously supported by the National Natural Science Foundation in China (NSFC), General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong, and grants from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Department since 2014.  I have published 71 papers in the cancer research field in various peer-reviewed international journals (H-Index 25). I have obtained two China patents and have been awarded the Overseas High-level Talents and Pengcheng Scholar Distinguish Professorship by the Shenzhen Government. I am currently mentoring two postdoctoral fellows, one PhD and four MSc candidates.

Research Interests:

•Prognostic and predictive tumor biomarker discovery and development;

•Molecular mechanism of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment; 

•Tumor stroma and cancer stem cell-targeted novel immunotherapeutic strategies.

Research Projects:

1.NSFC (China) general project (81772957)

Li FU, PI

Significance of MAPK10-mediated antioxidant defense in hepatocarcinogenesis.

01/01/2018 to 12/31/2021, 500,000

2. Shenzhen STIC Peacock project (KQTD20140630100658078)

Li FU, Co-PI  

Development of immunotherapy approach targeting cancer stem cell.

02/01/2015 to 01/01/2020, 15,000,000

3.NSFC (China) general project (81372583)

Li FU, PI   

Tumor fibroblasts secreted WNT2 as a novel therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

01/01/2014 to 12/31/2017, 700,000

4. GRF (Hong Kong)general project (CUHK766613) 

Li FU, PI   

Characterization of WNT2 in the esophageal cancer microenvironment: prognostic and therapeutic implications.

01/01/2014 to 12/31/2017, HK$ 736,128

5. Shenzhen STIC key project (CXZZ20150430092951135)

Li FU, PI

Pre-clinical investigation of novel anti-tumor vaccines by targeting breast cancer stem cell.

08/15/2015-12/31/2017, 1,500,000

6. CRF (Hong Kong) project (C7038-14G)

Li FU, Co-PI

Investigation of effects and molecular mechanisms of FGFR2-positive cancer-associate fibroblasts on tumor microenvironment in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

04/01/2015 to 06/31/2018, HK$ 3,000,000

Selected Peer-reviewed Publications: (*corresponding author)

1.Huang TX, Tan XY, Huang HS, Li YT, Liu BL, Liu KS, Chen XC, Chen Z, Guan XY, Zou C, Fu L*. Targeting cancer-associated fibroblast-secreted WNT2 restores dendritic cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Gut 2022 Feb;71(2):333-344 .

2.Xie N, She GB, Gao W, Huang Z, Huang CH, Fu L*. Neoantigens: promising targets for cancer therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023 Jan 6;8(1):9.

3.Jin P, Jiang JW, Zou L, Huang Z, Nice EC, Huang CH, Fu L*. Mitochondrial adaptation in cancer drug resistance: prevalence, mechanisms, and management. Journal of Hematology & Oncology 2022 Jul 18;15(1):97. 

4.Cui C, Lan PL, Fu L*. The role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in gastrointestinal cancer. Cancer Communications 2021 Jun;41(6):442-471.

5.Huang TX, Yang J, Liu BL, Fu L*. A new mouse esophageal cancer cell line (mEC25)-derived pre-clinical syngeneic tumor model for immunotherapy. Cancer Communications 2020 Jun 08;40(7):316-320.

6.Huang TX,  Fu L*. The immune landscape of esophageal cancer. Cancer Communications 2019 Nov 26;39(1):79.

7.Fu L*, Qin YR, Ming XY, Zuo X, Diao YW, Zhang LY, Ai J, Liu BL, Huang TX, Cao TT, Tan BB, Xiang D, Zeng CM, Gong J, Zhang Q, Dong SS, Chen J, Liu H, Wu JL, Qi RZ, Xie D, Wang LD, Guan XY. RNA editing of SLC22A3 drives early tumor invasion and metastasis in familial esophageal cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114(23):E4631-40. 

8.Qin YR, Tang H, Xie FJ, Liu HB, Zhu YH, Chen L, Li Y, Kwong DL, Fu L*, Guan XY. Characterization of tumor-suppressive function of SOX6 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2011;17(1):1-10.

9.Fu L, Zhang C, Zhang LY, Dong SS, Lu LH, Chen J, Dai YD, Li Y, Kwong DL, Guan XY. Wnt2 secreted by tumour fibroblasts promotes tumour progression in oesophageal cancer via the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Gut 2011;60(12):1635-43.

10.Fu L, Dong SS, Xie YW, Tai LS, Chen L, Kong KL, Man K, Xie D, Li Y, Cheng Y, Tao Q, Guan XY. Down-regulation of tyrosine aminotransferase at a frequently deleted region 16q22 contributes to the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.Hepatology 2010;51(5):1624-34.