Research Interests

Dr. Li is a research scientist of the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security and a faculty member of the Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine. His research interests are focused on food microbiological safety with emphasis of experimental and field-based studies on the sources, survival, quantitative shedding, and environmental transmission of foodborne pathogens in the agricultural ecosystem; detection and diagnostics of foodborne pathogens in the agricultural environment and the food supply chain; and molecular epidemiology of zoonotic foodborne and waterborne pathogens. His recent research programs focus on characterizing antibiotic resistance patterns, determining transmission pathways, and identifying risk factors of antibiotic resistant bacteria in food-producing animal agriculture. The goal of his research programs is to improve food and water safety by reducing contamination.