Yi-Ping Li, Ph.D., Jay M. McDonald Endowed Professor in Bone Pathobiology, was recently awarded an R01 award from the National Institute of Arthiritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases titled, "Characterizing the Negative Signaling in Dendritic Cells and Macrophages to Attenuate Inflammation and Bone Destruction in Rheumatoid Arthritis." The award starts in February and runs through the end of 2024.

Dr. Li's aims for the grant were to "provide important insights into the negative regulation of the cells of the immune system to effectively target inflammation and bone destruction in Rheumatoid arthritis. Knowledge gained from this study may bring forth potential superior therapeutic means for treating Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory bone diseases."

This is Dr. Li's fourth concurrent R01 award. He joined the Division of Molecular & Cellular Pathology in 2010, and holds a joint appointment in the School of Dentistry's Periodontology Division as professor. He is a senior scientist of cancer cell biology in the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a senior scientist in the Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone and Autoimmunity Center (CAMBAC) since 2015.