Biography
I am a urologic surgeon specializing in the treatment of genitourinary cancers, including cancers of the bladder, kidney, prostate, penis, and testis. My goal is to provide effective cancer control while preserving function and quality of life. For every patient, I strive to achieve the best possible outcome: a cure. My surgical expertise includes open, endoscopic, and minimally invasive techniques. I work closely with specialists in medical oncology, radiation oncology, and pathology to provide up-to-date, multidisciplinary care tailored to each patient’s individual needs.
I currently serve as the Roswell Park Principal Investigator for several clinical trials—including EA8212, GAIN-BCG, EG-70, SWOG S1602, and SWOG S1605—evaluating novel treatments for BCG-unresponsive or BCG-naïve non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. These approaches include intravesical immunotherapy, gene therapy, and combination chemotherapy.
As the Principal Investigator of an NIH-funded translational research program, I lead a laboratory investigating the molecular mechanisms that drive bladder cancer progression and developing novel intravesical and systemic therapies. I also contribute to the broader research community by reviewing grant applications for national study sections, including panels convened by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.
Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Associate Professor of Oncology
- Department of Urology
Background
Education and Training
- MD - Hunan Medical University, China
- PhD - MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston
Residency
- 2010-2015 - Section of Urology, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Health Sciences University (now Augusta University), Augusta, GA
Fellowship
- 2015-2017 - Urology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Professional Memberships
- American Urological Association
- Society of Urologic Oncology
- American Association for Cancer Research
Research Overview
The Li Laboratory is an NIH-funded translational research program (K08CA252161, R01CA308972, R01CA315503, and R21CA315103) dedicated to understanding bladder cancer biology and developing more effective intravesical and systemic therapies. The Li Laboratory seeks to bridge the gap between basic science and patient care. Our multidisciplinary research integrates molecular and cellular biology, bladder cancer pharmacology, genetically engineered and patient-derived models, bioinformatics, and translational investigation. Promising findings are expected to advance through a structured translational process from mechanistic investigation and preclinical validation and clinical evaluation. The overarching goal is to convert laboratory discoveries into clinically relevant biomarkers, therapeutic strategies, and early-phase clinical trials that improve outcomes for patients with bladder cancer.
We have established genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models that reproduce important biological and clinical features of bladder cancer. These models, together with bladder cancer cell lines and other preclinical platforms, allow us to investigate disease mechanisms and evaluate novel therapeutic approaches in biologically relevant settings. We have also developed in vivo systems for testing both intravesical and systemic treatments, including studies of drug activity, treatment response, toxicity, pharmacodynamic effects, and mechanisms of resistance. Our work includes identifying new therapeutic agents, testing rational drug combinations, and investigating advanced drug-delivery systems designed to improve local drug exposure and the durability of antitumor activity while minimizing systemic toxicity.
Clinical Trials
Featured on CancerTalk
Publications
1. Jacobi JJ, Xu D, Wieczorek K, Wang L, Zhang Y, Wang J, Singh PK, Xu B, Yu H, Hussein AA, Goodrich DW, Li Q. Single-cell profiling uncovers a rare mesenchymal-like urothelial state associated with sarcomatoid bladder cancer. Cell Death & Disease. 2026 Aug 4. doi: 10.1038/s41419-026-09136-8.
2. Xu D, Jacob JJ, Wieczorek K, Wang L, Yu H, Wang J, Xu B, Hussein AA, Guru K, Goodrich DW, Li Q. Modeling primary immunotherapy resistance in metastatic bladder cancer: a syngeneic, bioluminescent mouse model. Cancer Cell Int. 2026 Jan 8;26(1):73.
3. Xu D, Cao Q, Wang Li, Wang J, Xu B, Attwood K, Wei L, Wu Y, Smith G, Katsuta E, Takabe K, Chatta G, Guru K, Goodrich DW, Li Q. A Preclinical Study to Repurpose Spironolactone for Enhancing Chemotherapy Response in Bladder Cancer. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2022 May 4;21(5):786-798
4. Xu D, Wang Li, Wang J, Xu B, Attwood K, Wei L, Wu Y, Smith G, Katsuta E, Takabe K, Chatta G, Guru K, Goodrich DW, Li Q. Single‐Cell Analyses of a Novel Mouse Urothelial Carcinoma Model Reveal a Role of Tumor‐Associated Macrophages in Response to Anti‐PD‐1 Therapy. Cancers. May 19, 2022.
5. Li Q, Damish A, Frazier ZJ, Liu D, Reznichenko E, Kamburov A, Bell A, Zhao H, Jordan EJ, Gao SP, Ma J, Abbosh PH, Bellmunt J, Plimack ER, Lazaro JB, Solit DB, Bajorin DF, Rosenberg JE, D'Andrea AD, Riaz N, Van Allen EM, Iyer G, Mouw KW. ERCC2 Helicase Domain Mutations Confer Nucleotide Excision Repair Deficiency and Drive Cisplatin Sensitivity in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer. Clin Cancer Res.2019 Feb 1;25(3):977-988.