Prof. Dr. Xiang Li is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at Fudan University, Shanghai. With deep expertise in exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs), his pioneering research integrates breathomics, multi-omics analysis, and AI-based diagnostics to enable non-invasive early detection of diseases such as colorectal, gastric, and brain cancers. Prof. Li has led over 20 research projects, including several major grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has collaborated internationally with institutions like TROPOS and the University of Waterloo. His work bridges environmental health, analytical chemistry, and public health innovation, making significant strides in the field of precision diagnostics and air pollution impact assessment.
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🎓 Early Academic Pursuits
Prof. Dr. Xiang Li began his academic journey with a keen interest in environmental chemistry and health science. His early training laid a robust foundation in analytical chemistry and environmental sciences, which later expanded into interdisciplinary research addressing public health challenges. A pivotal chapter in his formative years was his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Waterloo, Canada (2008–2009), where he worked under Prof. Janusz Pawliszyn, a world-renowned expert in sampling and analytical techniques. This experience not only honed his technical expertise but also shaped his future research direction toward human exposure science and non-invasive diagnostics.
👨🔬 Professional Endeavors
Prof. Xiang Li has been a central figure at Fudan University’s Department of Environmental Science and Engineering since 2006, ascending from Assistant Professor to Full Professor. His academic career is marked by consistent progression and international collaboration, including a visiting scholar stint at TROPOS, Germany (2014–2015), where he worked with Prof. Hartmut Herrmann on atmospheric chemistry.
Since 2016, he has held the position of Full Professor, leading a vibrant research group and mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scholars. Over the years, he has secured more than 20 research projects, amassing over 15 million RMB in research funding, with sustained support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
🔬 Contributions and Research Focus
At the core of Prof. Li’s research lies the application of exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in disease diagnostics, particularly in cancer screening. He has developed a high-fidelity breath sampling system and a high-resolution VOC detection platform, allowing for precise identification of metabolic changes associated with various diseases.
His integrated approach combines:
His goal is to develop non-invasive, scalable, and clinically reliable diagnostic tools. These tools have proven especially valuable in early detection of diseases like colorectal, gastric, and brain cancers.
Additionally, Prof. Li’s group actively studies:
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🌍 Extreme climate events
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🔄 Environmental carbon cycling
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⚗️ Environmental analytical chemistry
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⚠️ Emerging pollutants
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🌫️ Air organic pollution exposure and health impacts
This interdisciplinary scope reinforces his ability to bridge environmental science and public health, a rare and valuable combination.
🏅 Accolades and Recognition
Prof. Li’s prolific research output and innovation have earned him recognition at both national and international levels. His successful acquisition of key NSFC grants, including international cooperative projects (e.g., Sino-German studies on ozone and PM interactions), highlights his leadership in global scientific networks.
Select prestigious projects include:
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🌬️ NSFC Key Project on Atmospheric Ozone & PM Regulation (2021–2023)
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💨 NSFC Project on Human Exhaled VOC Response to Air Pollution (2023–2026)
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🔥 NSFC Project on Oxidative Potential of Atmospheric Particles (2019–2022)
These projects underscore his ability to lead high-impact research teams that address urgent environmental and health-related challenges.
🌍 Impact and Influence
Prof. Li’s work has profound societal implications, especially in non-invasive disease diagnostics and air pollution exposure analysis. His contributions are helping to:
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💡 Advance early detection techniques for life-threatening diseases
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🧑⚕️ Reduce healthcare burden through preventive diagnostics
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🌱 Promote sustainable development by linking air quality and human health
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🧭 Inform policy decisions regarding environmental health risks
Moreover, by incorporating AI algorithms, he is at the forefront of next-generation precision medicine, moving beyond traditional boundaries of environmental science.
🧬 Legacy and Future Contributions
Prof. Dr. Xiang Li’s scientific legacy is already evident in the real-world applicability of his research. He is building a framework for large-scale clinical adoption of breath biopsy—a field that has the potential to revolutionize public health screening.
Looking ahead, his team is expected to:
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Expand the breathomics database for multiple diseases
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Enhance AI-based diagnostic models using global clinical datasets
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Collaborate across countries for standardizing breath tests
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Advocate for public health policies rooted in scientific evidence
✍️ Publication Top Notes
📘Pinning a complex dynamical network to its equilibrium
Author: X Li, X Wang, G Chen
Journal: IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems
Year: 2004
📘A Facile One-Pot Synthesis of a Two-Dimensional MoS2/Bi2S3 Composite Theranostic Nanosystem for Multi-Modality Tumor Imaging and Therapy.
Author: S Wang, X Li, Y Chen, X Cai, H Yao, W Gao, Y Zheng, X An, J Shi, …
Journal: Advanced Materials
Year: 2015
📘Spatial epidemiology of networked metapopulation: An overview
Author: L Wang, X Li
Journal: Chinese Science Bulletin
Year: 2014