Seminar Overview: Tumor micr oenvir onment r egulates cancer cell sur vival, metastasis, inflammation,
and immune surveillance. There is growing evidence that the lymph node (LN) microenvironment, especially
lymph node stromal cells (LNSCs), play a significant role in solid tumor growth, drug resistance,
and subsequent extra-nodal metastasis of many types of cancer. A comprehensive understanding of the associated
molecular mechanisms and pathways that are involved in tumor progression and metastasis would
have substantial benefits for high-risk cancer patients. In this seminar, I will discuss the crucial roles of
cancer stem cell and tumor microenvironment especially LNSC-derived microvesicels played in colon cancer
progression. I will also discuss a patient–derived orthotopic xenograft model used in translational colon
cancer studies.

Bio: A/Professor Li Li received her MD and Master’s Degree in Immunology from the Shanghai Second
Medical University, PhD from the Lübeck Medical University, and her postdoctoral studies at Ochsner
Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. She is a Director of Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, and a
Director of Flow Cytometry and In Vivo Imaging Core Laboratory, Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Dr. Li Li’s
research interests include the mechanisms driving tumorigenesis, drug resistance, metastasis, and the development
of personalized targeted therapies and precision medicine to treat both drug resistant and metastatic
cancers.

A/Professor Li Li is visiting the Exosome Biology Laboratory within the Centre for Clinical Diagnostics
at UQCCR as part of her current collaboration with Dr Carlos Salomon.

About UQCCR Seminar Series

UQCCR Seminar Series

The UQ Centre of Clinical Research (UQCCR) Seminars are held fortnightly on Wednesdays from 12 pm - 1 pm (except during school holidays) currently on Zoom. The series features topics in multiple research fields, presented by invited international, interstate and local researchers.