Since 2011, Dr Li has worked in the field of nanotechnology and targeted delivery for chemotherapy. She has rationally designed functional nanoparticles (layered double hydroxide, nanoemulsion, silica and QDs) as nanocarriers to deliver drugs and siRNAs into cancer cells to efficiently kill the cancer cells. Meanwhile, she has developed the strategy to co-deliver drugs and gene in LDH nanoparticles to improve efficiency of treatment. Recently, the receptor conjugated nanoplatforms (nanoclay and nanoemulsion, etc) have been developed by nano-engineering approach to efficiently deliver drugs and siRNA to specific organs for the treatment of cancer and animal disease. She has established a solid platform for the delivery of inorganic nanoparticles into various mammalian cells in terms of the research experience and methodology.

Currently, her research focuses on design and engineering functional nanomaterials for drug/gene delivery, sustainable release and oral vaccine delivery for human health and animal health management including the following directions: 1) Engineering nanomaterials (layered double hydroxide, silica and solid lipid nanoparticles, etc) as nanocarriers for therapeutic drug/ siRNA delivery in cancer therapy 2) Surface modification of nanomaterials for biomedical applications 3) Development a simple and cost-effective platform technology for antimicrobial drug delivery and sustainable release to improve animal health