Colleges
Contact information
Joshua (Yifan) Li
Intercalated MBChB/BMedSci(Hons) (UCT), DipABRSM (Violin)
DPhil Student
I am a 2nd year DPhil student in the Toepfer/Watkins Group in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, generously supported by the Keith Murray Graduate Scholarship and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) Scholarship.
I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa and completed my Intercalated MBChB/BMedSci(Hons) degree at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2018, graduating with First Class Honours. My Honours project was supervised by Professors Ursula Rohlwink and Tony Figaji of UCT, where I investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinases in paediatric tuberculous meningitis. After graduation, I finished my 2-year medical internship at Worcester Hospital and my year of public service in General Surgery at Mahikeng Provincial Hospital, South Africa. I subsequently worked as an Emergency Medicine Registrar in Dublin for 9 months prior to commencing my DPhil in Lincoln College, Oxford. I hold full registrations in the GMC, IMC and HPCSA.
Now, under the supervision of Professors Christopher Toepfer and Hugh Watkins, I am using tissue engineering to investigate the role of novel gene variants in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). My project is a laboratory based functional study guided by the findings from the latest GWAS studies on HCM. I have engineered the novel gene variants using CRISPR/Cas-9 into iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and I aim to further characterise the model both in 2D and 3D, using engineered heart tissues (EHTs).
Outside the lab, I enjoy salsa dancing, traveling, playing my violin, and reading books while sipping coffee at scenic coffee shops. I am a locum Registrar Doctor at the John Radcliffe Hospital Emergency Department, and I tutor the 5th Year medical students at Lincoln College.
Key publications
-
Elevated Matrix Metalloproteinase Concentrations Offer Novel Insight Into Their Role in Pediatric Tuberculous Meningitis.
Journal article
Li YJ. et al, (2020), J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc, 9, 82 - 86
Recent publications
-
The management and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.
Journal article
Sobnach S. et al, (2023), HPB (Oxford)
-
Elevated Matrix Metalloproteinase Concentrations Offer Novel Insight Into Their Role in Pediatric Tuberculous Meningitis.
Journal article
Li YJ. et al, (2020), J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc, 9, 82 - 86
-
Uneventful survival of a rural child after penetrating cardiac injury by a thorn: a case report.
Journal article
De Decker R. et al, (2019), Eur Heart J Case Rep, 3
-
Matrix Metalloproteinases in Pulmonary and Central Nervous System Tuberculosis-A Review.
Journal article
Rohlwink UK. et al, (2019), Int J Mol Sci, 20