University of Florida · PharmacologyLi Lab
Yanjun Li · Gainesville, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. Yanjun Li's lab at the University of Florida focuses on innovative drug discovery using artificial intelligence. The lab develops a unique platform that leverages generative AI to design small molecules based on cell appearance, or morphology, without the need for specific drug targets. This approach could lead to the creation of new medications for diseases that currently lack effective therapies.
phenotypic drug discoverygenerative AIsmall molecule designcontrolled diffusion modelingcell morphology
Research Aims
3AIM 01Establish relationships between molecular structures and resulting cell morphological changes.
AIM 02Develop a diffusion model to generate cell morphology images reflecting biological responses to chemicals.
AIM 03Implement a retrieval-augmented platform for designing new small molecules with enhanced explainability.
Skills the Lab Values
molecular modelingdata integrationdeep learningcontrastive learninghigh throughput screening
Output against the department
Publications291top 27% of dept.124th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.7kbottom 47% of dept.247th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.