Rate My Professor Song Li

Song Li, Chancellor’s Professor of Bioengineering in the Engineering faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Samueli School of Engineering, assumed the role of Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Education on July 1, 2025, after chairing the Bioengineering Department from 2016 to 2024. He holds a joint appointment in the David Geffen School of Medicine and memberships in the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and California NanoSystems Institute. Prior to UCLA, which he joined in 2016, Li served on the Bioengineering faculty at UC Berkeley from 2001. His education comprises a B.S. in Mechanics and Engineering Science (1988) and M.S. in Biomechanics (1991) from Peking University, a Ph.D. in Bioengineering (1997) from UC San Diego, and a postdoctoral fellowship in Bioengineering (1998) at UC San Diego.

Li specializes in cell and tissue engineering, mechanobiology, biomaterials, and immunoengineering through his direction of the Song Li Lab. His research advances stem cell therapies for heart and neuromuscular regeneration, immunoengineering for cancer and diabetes, mechano-epigenetic control of cell fate, and innovative biomaterials and microdevices. Having mentored over 45 Ph.D. students, Li’s impact is evidenced by highly cited works such as “The effect of matrix stiffness on the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in response to TGF-β” (Biomaterials, 2011), “Nanoparticle delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and donor DNA in vivo induces homology-directed DNA repair” (Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2017), and “Biophysical regulation of epigenetic state and cell reprogramming” (Nature Materials, 2013). Awards include the UCLA Chancellor Professorship (2015), fellowships from AIMBE, BMES, and IAMBE (2014), Shu Chien Lecture (2018), and BMES National Conference Chair (2016). He has edited three books, served on four editorial boards, chaired conferences, and advised internationally, currently holding positions on the AIMBE board (2024-2026) and formerly directing the Bioengineering Institute of California (2022-2025).