Research Interests
Key words: statistical genetics, multi-omics dissection of complex human diseases and traits
The focus of the Li Lab research is on the development of statistical methods and their application to the genetic dissection of complex diseases and traits. In particular, the Li Lab has developed genotype imputation methods (software MaCH and MaCH-Admix) that have become standard practice. The Lab have also developed methods for meta-analysis, local ancestry inference, and region-based association of rare variants in both genetically homogeneous and in admixed populations, and proposed different approaches to handle imputation uncertainty in association analysis. We have worked on genome-wide scans for genetic variants underlying several metabolic, auto-immune, cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric diseases and related quantitative traits. In addition, we have developed methods to accommodate low-coverage sequencing data for genotype calling and for association testing and have been actively involved in a number of sequencing (NGS) based studies including the 1000 Genomes Project (Project Leader on calling SNP genotypes from low-coverage pilot), identification of RNA-DNA differences, Exome Sequencing Project (ESP), and the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) project. In addition, we have developed methods for DNA methylation data and actively participated in multiple epigenome-wide association studies. Moreover, we have also developed methods for single-cell RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics data, particularly on ensemble clustering, batch effect correction, and association in medical genetics context. Furthermore, the Li Lab has worked on method development and data analysis for Hi-C and derived data, particularly detection of long-range chromatin interactions and integration with GWAS and eQTL data. PI Dr. Yun Li has been playing leadership roles in multiple multi-site consortia efforts including leading the Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Working Group in the Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program, and co-chairing the 4DN Predictive Modeling Working Group.
Training Program Affiliations:
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Publications
Yun Li in UNC Genetics News

June 3, 2025
Department of Genetics Publications for April 27th – May 31st, 2025
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 42 papers during April 27th - May31st 2025.

May 9, 2025
Department of Genetics Publications for March 30th – April 26th, 2025
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 25 papers during March 30th - April 26th 2025.

April 20, 2025
Department of Genetics Publications for March 2nd – 29th, 2025
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 30 papers during March 2nd - 29th 2025.

April 11, 2025
Searching for the genetic origins of a debilitating skin disease
Chris Sayed, a dermatologist at the UNC School of Medicine, has spent much of his career focused on what he calls "the worst and most common disease you've never heard of."

April 8, 2025
Dr. Yun Li and Team Publish New Model (endoPRS) in AJHG
Yun Li, PhD (Professor, Genetics) together with first author Elena Kharitonova (PhD Student, Biostatistics) have published a new paper in the American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG) titled “EndoPRS: Incorporating endophenotype information to improve polygenic risk scores for clinical endpoints – a study in asthma”.

April 4, 2025
Dr. Yun Li and Collaborators Publish Review in AJHG
Yun Li, PhD (Professor, Genetics and Biostatistics) is a co-corresponding author together with Quan Sun (Biostatistics doctoral candidate) on a new review paper published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, titled “Opportunities and challenges of local ancestry in genetic association analysis”.

March 3, 2025
Department of Genetics Publications for February 2nd – March 1st, 2025
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 18 papers during February 2nd - March 1st 2025.

February 6, 2025
Department of Genetics Publications for January 19th – February 1st, 2025
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 17 papers during January 19th - February 1st 2025.

January 20, 2025
Department of Genetics Publications for January 5th – 18th, 2025
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 18 papers during January 5th - 18th, 2025.

December 16, 2024
Department of Genetics Publications for November 24th – December 7th, 2024
Department of Genetics faculty, postdocs, students and collaborators published 17 papers during November 24th - December 7th, 2024.