DrJia Li

Dr. Jia Li is a Reader in Biological Chemistry at Imperial College and a Co-Lead of the Section of Nutrition in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction. She is a Chair for Chinese Life Scientists Society in the UK (CLSS-UK). Jia has co-led Imperial NIHR BRC Gut Health Theme (2018-2022) and was the Deputy Director of Imperial International Phenome Training Centre (IIPTC) (2013-2020).

Jia obtained BSc in Chemistry at Nankai University, China, and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of London in 2009. Dr. Li has been awarded several prestigious fellowships, including the Imperial College Research Fellowship, the Medical Research Council New Investigator Grant, the European Research Council Starting Grant, the Wang-Kuan-Cheng Research Fellowship, and the Elsie Widdowson Fellowship Award. Jia is a Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and a member of the Biochemical Society and the Metabolomics Society. Dr. Li obtained a Master’s degree in Education in 2022 and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has enhanced the microbiome education across BSc, MRes, and PhD levels, by establishing and leading an MRes stream and a BSc module in Microbiome in Health and Disease at Imperial. She is a Champion for Mentoring in the People and Culture Committee of her department. 

Research 

Please visit Host-Microbes-Diet Interactomics Lab. 

Honours and Awards
Elsie Widdowson Fellowship (2020, 2017); “40 World Young Scientists” at the World Summer Davos Conference (2015); Wang-Kuan-Cheng Research Fellowship (2012); Bioanalysis Young Investigator Award (2011, runner up); Imperial College Research Fellowship (2010-2013); Imperial College Deputy Rector’s Award (2005-2008); PhD scholarship from Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (2005-2009); Tianjin City Science and Technology Award (2004); Nankai University Scholarship (2002-2004).