Xiang Li
Specialization: quantitative PCR, Bacterial Genetics, Microbiome, and Bioinformatics
My research focuses on applying molecular microbiology (especially PCR techniques), metagenomics, microbial source tracking, statistics, and bioinformatics to improve food safety and microbial management in animal production systems. I have led and contributed to projects involving foodborne pathogen surveillance (Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter), antimicrobial resistance monitoring, and microbiome-based risk assessment in poultry environments. Through the development and application of novel duplex qPCR assays, machine learning models, and high-throughput sequencing tools, I work to understand pathogen ecology, evaluate interventions, and enhance microbial diagnostics. I am particularly interested in: (1) How microbiomes, resistomes, and environmental factors shape pathogen dynamics in animal production. (2) Developing metagenomic or molecular proxies for complex traits like health, productivity, or disease resistance. (3) Using microbial and host-associated data to inform precision interventions and reduce zoonotic risk. (4) Exploring microbial indicators of antimicrobial use, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. Ultimately, my goal is to leverage microbiome science, bioinformatics, and molecular tools to improve animal health, food safety, and environmental resilience in agricultural systems.
Computational Biology and Clinical Diagnostics
2506 River Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
- PhD, Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, 2015
Xiang Li
2506 River Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
- PhD, Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, 2015
My research focuses on applying molecular microbiology (especially PCR techniques), metagenomics, microbial source tracking, statistics, and bioinformatics to improve food safety and microbial management in animal production systems. I have led and contributed to projects involving foodborne pathogen surveillance (Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter), antimicrobial resistance monitoring, and microbiome-based risk assessment in poultry environments. Through the development and application of novel duplex qPCR assays, machine learning models, and high-throughput sequencing tools, I work to understand pathogen ecology, evaluate interventions, and enhance microbial diagnostics. I am particularly interested in: (1) How microbiomes, resistomes, and environmental factors shape pathogen dynamics in animal production. (2) Developing metagenomic or molecular proxies for complex traits like health, productivity, or disease resistance. (3) Using microbial and host-associated data to inform precision interventions and reduce zoonotic risk. (4) Exploring microbial indicators of antimicrobial use, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. Ultimately, my goal is to leverage microbiome science, bioinformatics, and molecular tools to improve animal health, food safety, and environmental resilience in agricultural systems.
Computational Biology and Clinical Diagnostics