For Prospective PhD Students

The Li Laboratory invites interested doctorate students to gain knowledge and hands-on experience. To apply for PhD studies in the Li Lab, you must have a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline. Prior internship or research experience on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is desirable but not required. Simply apply for admission to the Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, and choose Debiao Li, PhD, as your research adviser.

The culture of the Li Laboratory is one of collaboration and scientific excellence in a highly multicultural environment. Li has mentored more than 50 trainees, including doctorate students, postdocs and research fellows who have moved on to successful careers in academia, industry and the clinic. Our research goal in the Li Lab is to develop novel MRI techniques to address important clinical questions in close partnership with clinicians. We have numerous collaborations with research leaders all over the world, particularly in China, and welcome visiting scientists and students from partner laboratories.

The Li Lab is a key partner of Siemens Healthineers, so scientists from Siemens are working with us onsite to develop and apply novel MRI techniques. Thus, a number of our past students have joined Siemens as managers and scientists.

Los Angeles is a multicultural city embracing ethnic diversity and travelers from all over the world. This sprawling metropolis famous for being the center of the American entertainment industry offers endless indoor and outdoor activities for newcomers and residents. The weather is unbeatable with year-round warmth and lots of sunshine.

Debiao Li, PhD, received his doctorate in biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia in 1992. At Washington University in St. Louis, he was an assistant professor of Radiology (1993–98), associate professor (1998–2004), professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering and director of Cardiovascular Magnetic Cesonance (MR) research (2004–10). From 2004–10, he was also director of cardiovascular MR research at Northwestern University, Chicago. Since 2010, Li has been the inaugural director of the Biomedical Imaging Research Institute. As of 2016, he has held the Karl Storz Endowed Chair in honor of George Berci, MD, FACS, at Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles. Li is also a professor of Medicine and Bioengineering at UCLA.

Li has published more than 260 research articles and 19 book chapters. He has been invited to and delivered 150 presentations worldwide and has received more than $30 million of research funding from National Institutes of Health. Li is widely recognized as a leader in cardiovascular MR research, including coronary artery imaging, atherosclerosis imaging, myocardial blood flow measurement and non-contrast MR angiography. From 2011–12, he served as president of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), the premier professional society that promotes innovation, development and application of magnetic resonance techniques in medicine and biology throughout the world. In addition, Li was the president of the Society for Magnetic Resonance Angiography from 2006–07, president of the Overseas Chinese Society for MR in Medicine from 2006–08 and a member of the board of trustees for the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance from 2009–12. Li is the associate editor of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and a fellow of ISMRM and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

MRI 物理学家，1992年获美国弗吉尼亚大学（University of Virginia） 生物医学工程学博士。曾任美国华盛顿大学（Washington University, St. Louis） 放射学助理教授，美国西北大学（Northwestern University, Chicago）放射学及生物医学工程学终身教授，心血管磁共振研究主任。现为美国西达赛奈医学中心（Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles）生物医学影像研究所所长，Storz 讲席教授, 加州大学洛杉矶分校（UCLA） 医学及生物工程教授。李教授从事心血管磁共振研究二十余年，发表了260余篇学术论文，19学术著作章节，邀请讲座150余次，获得NIH研究基金三千余万美元，在磁共振冠状动脉成像，血管斑块成像，心肌灌注成像，心肌弥散成像，非造影剂磁共振血管造影等方面做出了开创性的贡献。李教授曾多次担任国际学会领导职务，包括国际医学磁共振学会主席（ISMRM）及多个委员会主任，国际磁共振血管造影学会主席，心血管磁共振学会（SCMR）理事，海外华人医学磁共振学会主席等。他是医学磁共振杂志及磁共振成像杂志的副主编，国际医学磁共振学会Fellow及美国医学及生物工程学院Fellow。李教授多年来致力于国内外医学磁共振研究合作，并多次在国内组织国际学术交流活动。