Li Li: Rewiring Skin Aging With AI and mRNA

<p>00:00 - Introduction to Lily and GLife’s vision for data-driven dermatology</p><p>01:20 - Lily’s scientific background </p><p>02:43 - Breakthroughs from single-cell atlases</p><p>03:50 - The motivation behind founding GLife </p><p>04:50 - The importance of treating skin as a foundational organ </p><p>05:48 - Discovery of key molecular drivers of aging </p><p>06:22 - Challenges of fundraising</p><p>07:45 - The novel approach to rejuvenating hair loss through targeted messenger RNA treatments</p><p>08:53 - How treatments will be delivered via microneedles and micro patches</p><p>09:32 - The potential to alter hair color and explore cosmetic applications</p><p>10:06 - Balancing platform discovery engines with the development of first-in-class therapeutics</p><p>10:43 - The comprehensiveness of the skin atlas and addressing genetic diversity</p><p>11:39 - Technical challenges of capturing skin’s cellular heterogeneity and stem cell populations</p><p>12:50 - The importance of isoforms and deep sequencing in understanding gene functions</p><p>13:16 - Short-lived messenger RNA as a safe, reversible treatment modality</p><p>14:55 - Safety considerations and toxicity management </p><p>16:01 - Biodistribution studies and local micro-needle delivery safety</p><p>17:00 - Next steps towards clinical trials and regenerative therapies for hair loss</p><p>18:08 - The role of big data and omics in understanding skin disorders and aging</p><p>19:04 - The significance of isoforms in skin biology and gene function</p><p>20:13 - Endogenous vs. modified messenger design for safety and efficacy</p><p>21:32 - Potential for multi-gene delivery to enhance hair regrowth and color restoration</p><p>22:22 - Conception of patches that work with existing hair without shaving</p><p>23:38 - Targeting broad hair loss types and the concept of root causes</p><p>24:47 - Modeling hair loss with animal models and regulatory considerations</p><p>25:48 - Regulatory perspectives on non-animal models and validation strategies</p><p>26:34 - The interplay between genetic and environmental causes of skin aging</p><p>27:54 - The biological hub role of specific transcription factors in stress and aging</p><p>29:10 - The future of skin biomarkers for diagnosis and personalized health monitoring</p><p>30:18 - Leveraging AI’s data integration and precision medicine in dermatology</p><p>32:32 - The impact of protein isoforms and post-translational modifications in skin treatment</p><p>34:47 - Interest in peptides, small molecules, and biohacking trends for skin health</p><p>36:03 - Collaboration between wet labs, computational teams, and clinical partners</p><p>36:36 - The significance of internal naming conventions in research and development</p><p>37:28 - The high-throughput screening process for key transcription factors</p><p>38:13 - Strategies for overexpressing target genes in therapeutic design</p><p>39:00 - AI’s role in accelerating discovery and development pipelines in biotech</p><p>40:39 - Addressing data quality, heterogeneity, and integration challenges in big datasets</p><p>44:12 - Envisioning personalized skincare driven by genomics and AI</p><p>44:56 - The inspiring concept that ancient technologies now seem like magic</p><p>45:24 - Challenges in bringing novel dermatological treatments through trials and regulation</p><p>47:42 - The evolving role of AI in drug quality control and documentation</p><p>48:11 - Unique advantages of Lily’s targeted mRNA approach over other modalities</p><p>49:22 - Using skin as a model system for broader human biology insights</p><p>50:28 - Perspectives on epigenetic reprogramming and cellular re-differentiation</p><p>51:22 - Fundraising experiences and strategic positioning for biotech development</p><p>52:21 - The influence of science fiction, especially “Three Body Problem” and “Interstellar,” on Lily’s vision</p><p>54:24 - Advice to young scientists: read widely, think deeply, and dream big</p>