长期从事昆虫发育遗传学研究,整合果蝇遗传发育和家蚕生理生化优势,在昆虫发育生物学研究领域的三项相辅相成的研究工作(JH和20E协同调控变态发育的分子机制;脂肪体重建的激素和营养调控;家蚕丝腺发育的遗传调控)中取得了一系列进展。作为通讯作者在Autophagy, Cell Research, Development,Journal of Biological Chemistry和PLoS Genetics等国际知名期刊上发表论文;作为第一作者在Annual Review of Entomology, Biochemical Journal和Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology等重要期刊上发表论文;多篇论文遴选为封面论文或者作为专题评论。组织和承担了多项基金委重点和面上、973、863、转基因专项等国家项目和课题。多次应邀在重大国际会议(如2011年在荷兰举行的第6届国际分子昆虫科学大会上)做主题和大会报告,多次担任国际大会(如2011年的国际昆虫生理生化和分子生物学会议、2010和2013年的国际蜕皮激素会议、2014年的国际保幼激素会议)主席和组委员成员 。近年代表性研究论文(*通讯作者)1. Wen, D., Rivera-Perez, C., Abdou, M., Jia, Q., He, Q., Liu, X., Zyann, O., Xu. J., Bendena, W.G., Tobe, S.S., Noriega, F.G., Palli, S.R., Wang, J., Li, S.*, 2015. Methyl farnesoate plays a dual role in regulating Drosophila metamorphosis. PLoS Genetics, 11:e1005038. (IF 8.167)2. Liu, X., Dai, F., Guo, E., Li, K., Ma, L., Tian, L., Cao, Y., Palli, S.R., Li, S.*, 2015. 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) primary-response gene E93 modulates 20E signaling to promote Bombyx larval-pupal metamorphosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 290:27370-27383. (IF 4.68)3. Li, K., Guo, E., Hossain, M., Li, Q., Cao, Y., Tian, L., Yang, W.Y., Li, S.*, 2015. Bombyx E75 isoforms display stage- and tissue-specific response to 20-hydroxyecdysone. Scientific Reports, 5:12114. (IF 5.578)4. Xie, K., Tian, L., Guo, X., Li, K., Li, J., Deng, X., Li, Q., Xia, Q., Zhong, Y., Huang, Z., Liu, J., Li, S.*, Yang, W., Cao, Y., 2015. BmATG5 and BmATG6 mediate the initiation of apoptosis in response to autophagy induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone or starvation. Autophagy, in press. (IF 11.423)5. He, Q., Cui, C., Wen, D., Wang, J., Palli, S.R., Li, S.*, 2014. Hsp83 facilitates Met nuclear import to modulate juvenile hormone signaling. Journal of Biological Chemistry 289:27874-27885. (IF 4.68)6. Jia, Q., Liu, Y., Liu, H., Li, S.*, 2014. MMP1 and MMP2 cooperatively induce Drosophila fat body cell dissociation with distinct roles. Scientific Reports, 4:7535. (IF 5.578)7. Xia, Q., Li, S., Feng, Q., 2014. Advances in silkworm studies accelerated by the Bombyx genome. Annual Review of Entomology, 59:213-236. (# equal contribution; * an invited review). (IF 13.021)8. Tian, L., Ma, L., Guo, E., Deng, X., Ma, S., Xia, Q., Cao, Y., Li, S.*, 2013. 20-hydroxyecdysone upregulates Atg genes to induce autophagy in the Bombyx fat body. Autophagy, 9:1167-1182. (IF 11.423)9. Ma, L., Shi, M., Chen, X-X., Li, S.*, 2013. Ras1 upregulates bcpi for inhibiting cathepsin activity to prevent tissue destruction of the Bombyx posterior silk gland. Journal of Proteome Research, 12:1924-1934. (IF 5.001)10. Wang, S., Wang, J., Sun, Y., Song, Q., Li, S.*, 2012. PKC-mediated USP phosphorylation at Ser35 modulates 20-hydroxyecdysone signaling in Drosophila. Journal of Proteome Research, 11:6187-6196. (IF 5.001)11. Ma, L., Xu, H., Zhu, J., Ma, S., Liu, Y., Jiang, R-J., Xia, Q, Li, S.*, 2011. Ras1 overexpression in the posterior silk gland improves silk yield. Cell Research, 21:934-943. (IF 11.981)(Highlighted by Belles, X. 2011 Cell Research 21:862-863)12. Huang, J., Tian, L., Abdou, M., Wen, D., Wang, Y.,Li, S.*, Wang, J., 2011. DPP-mediated TGF-β signaling regulates juvenile hormone biosynthesis by upregulating expression of JH acid methyltransferase.Development, 138:2283-2291. (IF 6.273)13. Li. S.*, 2010. Identification of iron-loaded ferritin as an essential mitogen for cell proliferation and postembryonic development in Drosophila. Cell Research, 20:1148-1157. (IF 11.981)14. Wang, S., Liu, S., Liu, H., Wang, J., Zhou, S., Liu, Y., Jiang, R-J., Bendena, W.G.,Li, S.*, 2010. The insect steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone reduces food consumption resulting in fat body lipolysis during molting and pupation. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, 2:128-138. Cover Story (IF 8.432)15. Tian, L., Guo, E., Diao, Y., Wang, S., Liu, S., Cao, Y., Jiang, R-J., Ling, E., Li, S.*,2010. Developmental regulation of glycolysis by 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone in fat body tissues of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, 2:255–263. (IF 8.432)16. Liu, Y., Sheng, Z., Liu, H., Wen, W., He, Q., Wang, S., Shao, W., Jiang, R-J., An, S., Sun, Y., Bendena, W.G., Wang, J., Gilbert, L.I., Wilson, T.G., Song, Q., Li, S.*, 2009. Juvenile hormone counteracts the bHLH-PAS transcriptional factor MET and GCE to prevent caspase-dependent programmed cell death in Drosophila. Development 136: 2015-2025. (IF 6.273)