Xiao-Nan Li, MD, PhD

Dr. Xiao-Nan Li is a distinguished leader in pediatric neuro-oncology and a globally recognized pioneer in the development of highly predictive translational models for aggressive childhood brain tumors. Currently serving as a prominent investigator at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Li’s research is singularly focused on bridging the translational gap between laboratory discovery and clinical efficacy. He is perhaps best known for establishing one of the world’s most comprehensive and extensively characterized repositories of patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models for pediatric brain cancers. By surgically implanting patient tumor tissues directly into the corresponding anatomical sites of immunodeficient murine models, Dr. Li has successfully created living replicas of human tumors that faithfully preserve the complex genetics, histopathology, and invasive characteristics of the original disease. These sophisticated models have become an indispensable resource for the international scientific community, providing the most rigorous platform available for evaluating the blood-brain barrier penetrance, safety, and anti-tumor activity of novel therapeutic compounds. Dr. Li holds both an MD and a PhD, and his prolific career includes extensive tenure at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital prior to his move to Northwestern. As a Scientific Advisor to Curtana Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Li’s unparalleled expertise in PDOX modeling is instrumental. His contributions allow Curtana to rigorously test and optimize its leading drug candidates in the most clinically relevant pre-clinical settings, significantly de-risking the drug development process and accelerating the pathway to clinical trials.