Na Li (Ph.D.)

Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics

Department of Pharmaceutics

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Introduction

Dr. Na Li received her Bachelor of Engineering in Food Science and Engineering from South China University of Technology and Ph.D. degree in Food Chemistry at Purdue University. She completed her postdoctoral training in the Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy at Purdue University. Prior to joining UConn, she also worked in the pharmaceutical industry specializing in solid-state chemistry and crystal form selection of small molecule drugs. Her lab at UConn focuses on integrating biopharmaceutics, formulation sciences, and engineering principles to guide drug substance and formulation development.

Current Positions

• Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Associate Professor (graduate faculty), Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Education

• B.Eng. South China University of Technology
• Ph.D. Purdue University, Department of Food Science

Research Interests

• Biopharmaceutics
• Formulation strategies to address solubility and/or permeability challenges
• Processing of crystalline and amorphous materials
• Interactions with the gut microbiome

Selected Awards & Honors

• UConn-AAUP Faquir Jain Early Career Excellence Award
• Rising Star Scholarship Award, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology & Education (NIPTE)
• Faculty Starter Grant in Drug Delivery, PhRMA Foundation
• Patrick Deluca Emerging Researcher Award, IPEC Foundation
• Preparing Future Faculty Scholarship, Stony Brook University
• Best Abstract Award, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
• 2^ndplace, Food Chemistry Division Graduate Research Paper Competition, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)

Selected Publications

1. Yang, D., Najafian, S., Chaudhuri, B., and Li, N*. (2024).The particle drifting effect: a combined function of colloidal and drug properties. Molecular Pharmaceutics. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00751
2. Yang, D., Ricci, F., Nordstrom, F. L., and Li, N*. (2023). Complex oiling-out behavior of procaine with stable and metastable liquid phases.Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CP04622B
3. Manchanda, A., Li, N., and Bogner, R. H. (2020).Mechanisms for the slowing of desupersaturation of a weak acid at elevated pH. Molecular Pharmaceutics. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00539
4. Li, N. and Taylor, L. S. (2018). Tailoring supersaturation from amorphous solid dispersions.Journal of Controlled Release. 279 (10): 114-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.04.014
5. Li, N., Gilpin, C. J., and Taylor, L. S. (2017).Understanding the effect of water on the miscibility and microstructure of amorphous solid dispersions – An AFM-LCR and TEM-EDX study. Molecular Pharmaceutics.14(5): 1691-1705. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.6b01151
6. Li, N., Taylor, L. S., Mauer, L. J. (2016).Heat transport model for the deliquescence kinetics of crystalline ingredients and mixtures. Journal of Food Engineering. 169: 298-308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.08.013