Dr. Helen Li

Helen Li is a dermatology resident at Emory University. Born and raised in China, she completed
her undergraduate education at Emory University, earning a double major in Biology and
Sociology, followed by a Master’s degree in Cancer and Translational Oncology. Her graduate
research focused on the role of the gut microbiome in modulating immune responses in graft-
versus-host disease.

She received her MD from Emory University School of Medicine, where she was actively
involved in leadership, mentorship, and community service. Her work included mentoring local
high school students who will be first-generation college students and volunteering with a
weekend dermatology clinic serving refugee and underinsured populations in the Greater Atlanta
area.

Her research interests center on pain signaling in hidradenitis suppurativa,
neuroimmune–microbiome interactions in inflammatory disease, and the development of novel
immune checkpoint therapies targeting the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor in melanoma,
solid tumors, and graft-versus-host disease.