Dr Jingjing Li | UNSW Research

Keywords

pluripotent stem cells

haematopoietic stem cell

haematopoiesis

stem cell therapy

microfluidic model

cardiovascular development

Fields of Research (FoR)

Regenerative medicine (incl. stem cells), Haematology, Cardiovascular medicine and haematology, Biomedical engineering, Human biophysics, Microfluidics and nanofluidics

Biography

Dr Jingjing Li is a Research Scientist at the St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research (AMR), a Conjoint Lecturer in the School of Clinical Medicine, and an affiliate of the School of...view more

Trained in biomedical engineering, she brings expertise in microfluidics, stem cell biology and bioinformatics. She completed her PhD and postdoctoral training under A/Prof Robert Nordon, where she investigated how pulsatile fluid shear stress modulates human blood development using microfluidic model mimicking foetal circulation, live cell imaging of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation and single-cell analysis of developing blood and cardiovascular niches. During her postdoctoral research, she contributed to a CRCP project and led the development of microbioreactor-based stem cell engineering processes for cell and gene therapy applications. She also led the work of bioengineered iPSC-based on-chip models of human haematopoietic and cardiovascular development.

She currently works within the Blood, Stem Cell and Cancer Research Program led by Professor David Ma, developing stem cell models to investigate the regulation and function of human haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Her research focuses on ageing-associated clonal haematopoiesis, aiming to define how somatic mutations alter stem cell function and drive progression to pre-malignant states and haematological malignancies. She also examines how extrinsic stress signals modulate these processes and seeks to identify mechanisms that could be targeted to control mutant clonal expansion.

My Grants

CIA, Early Career Researcher Seed Grant ,UNSW Engineering Faculty (2021)

CIA, International Seed Grant, UNSW Engineering Faculty (2022)

CIA, "Mechano-regulation of inflammatory signals in embryonic aorta for blood development", Cellular Genomics Incubator Research Funding, Cellular Genomics Futures Institute UNSW (2024)

Co-PI, "A novel strategy for preventing heart failure in myocardial infarction survivors", The Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine Theme Collaborative (CVMM) Grant Award (2025)

Contributor for

Scaling microfluidics for cell manufacture. Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP160100570 (2016-2019)

Manufacturing 3D microstructures for the medical device industry. Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP160100573 (2016-2019)

CRC-P "Making cell and gene therapy affordable with a microbioreactor" UNSW, Genesys, CSL (2021-2024)

My Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering) (2015 – 2019), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Master of Biomedical Engineering (by research) (2009-2011), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering (2003 – 2007), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

My Awards

Travel Grants

2022 The Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) and the Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society (AGCTS) Joint Scientific Meeting / National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia (NSCFA) Travel Award

2019 The Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) and the Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society (AGCTS) Joint Scientific Meeting / National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia (NSCFA) Travel Award

2019 International Society of Experimental Hematology Conference Award

2018 International Society of Stem Cell Research ECR and student Conference Award

2017 Australian Society for Stem Cell Research ECR and student Conference Award

2015-2017 Stem Cell Australia (SCA) Meeting Travel Grant

Scholarship, Awards and Fellowship:

2019 Best Poster Presentation Award, UNSW Cross Faculty Research Symposium

2018-2019 Postdoctoral Writing Fellow Award, UNSW

2015-2019 Women in Engineering Award, UNSW

2015-2019 Faculty Top-up Scholarship, UNSW, Engineering

2015-2019 Australia Postgraduate Award

My Research Activities

1. Modelling human cardiovascular and haematopoietic development using stem cell bioengineering platforms

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based biomimetic platforms are used to model human heart, vascular and blood development. This includes lab-on-chip systems that recapitulate foetal circulation and the niche microenvironment. These models enable investigation of how environmental and biophysical stressors regulate early human development and haematopoiesis.

2. Stem cell-based modelling of clonal haematopoiesis and blood malignancy

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models of genetically defined haematopoiesis are developed to investigate how ageing-associated changes and the accumulation of somatic mutations drive clonal haematopoiesis. These models support the study of disease progression in cytopenia and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), and provide platforms for mechanistic investigation and therapeutic testing.

3. Engineering of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells for functional and therapeutic applications

Human CD34⁺ haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells derived from cord blood and mobilised peripheral blood are expanded and genetically engineered in ex vivo cutlure with the aim to improve stem cell fitness and enhance their application in haematopoietic stem cell gene therapy and immunotherapy.

4. The role of kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in immune modulation

The functional role of the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in regulating immune responses is investigated using stem cell–derived and primary human immune cell systems. These studies aim to elucidate how KOR signalling regulates inflammatory pathways, immune and stem cell function with potential implications for therapeutic modulation in immune-related disorders.