Li Li: Rewiring Skin Aging With AI and mRNA

00:00 - Introduction to Lily and GLife’s vision for data-driven dermatology01:20 - Lily’s scientific background 02:43 - Breakthroughs from single-cell atlases03:50 - The motivation behind founding GLife 04:50 - The importance of treating skin as a foundational organ 05:48 - Discovery of key molecular drivers of aging 06:22 - Challenges of fundraising07:45 - The novel approach to rejuvenating hair loss through targeted messenger RNA treatments08:53 - How treatments will be delivered via microneedles and micro patches09:32 - The potential to alter hair color and explore cosmetic applications10:06 - Balancing platform discovery engines with the development of first-in-class therapeutics10:43 - The comprehensiveness of the skin atlas and addressing genetic diversity11:39 - Technical challenges of capturing skin’s cellular heterogeneity and stem cell populations12:50 - The importance of isoforms and deep sequencing in understanding gene functions13:16 - Short-lived messenger RNA as a safe, reversible treatment modality14:55 - Safety considerations and toxicity management 16:01 - Biodistribution studies and local micro-needle delivery safety17:00 - Next steps towards clinical trials and regenerative therapies for hair loss18:08 - The role of big data and omics in understanding skin disorders and aging19:04 - The significance of isoforms in skin biology and gene function20:13 - Endogenous vs. modified messenger design for safety and efficacy21:32 - Potential for multi-gene delivery to enhance hair regrowth and color restoration22:22 - Conception of patches that work with existing hair without shaving23:38 - Targeting broad hair loss types and the concept of root causes24:47 - Modeling hair loss with animal models and regulatory considerations25:48 - Regulatory perspectives on non-animal models and validation strategies26:34 - The interplay between genetic and environmental causes of skin aging27:54 - The biological hub role of specific transcription factors in stress and aging29:10 - The future of skin biomarkers for diagnosis and personalized health monitoring30:18 - Leveraging AI’s data integration and precision medicine in dermatology32:32 - The impact of protein isoforms and post-translational modifications in skin treatment34:47 - Interest in peptides, small molecules, and biohacking trends for skin health36:03 - Collaboration between wet labs, computational teams, and clinical partners36:36 - The significance of internal naming conventions in research and development37:28 - The high-throughput screening process for key transcription factors38:13 - Strategies for overexpressing target genes in therapeutic design39:00 - AI’s role in accelerating discovery and development pipelines in biotech40:39 - Addressing data quality, heterogeneity, and integration challenges in big datasets44:12 - Envisioning personalized skincare driven by genomics and AI44:56 - The inspiring concept that ancient technologies now seem like magic45:24 - Challenges in bringing novel dermatological treatments through trials and regulation47:42 - The evolving role of AI in drug quality control and documentation48:11 - Unique advantages of Lily’s targeted mRNA approach over other modalities49:22 - Using skin as a model system for broader human biology insights50:28 - Perspectives on epigenetic reprogramming and cellular re-differentiation51:22 - Fundraising experiences and strategic positioning for biotech development52:21 - The influence of science fiction, especially “Three Body Problem” and “Interstellar,” on Lily’s vision54:24 - Advice to young scientists: read widely, think deeply, and dream big