Special Interview with Dr. Ting Li
On October 22, 2025, we invited Dr. Zhixing Fan from Yichang Central People's Hospital, China, who as a youth editorial board member of The Journal of Cardiovascular Aging (JCA) conducted an interview with Dr. Ting Li, a clinical doctor from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China. Dr. Li discussed his team's research on how the gut microbiome and its metabolites regulate metabolic cardiovascular diseases. His research integrates clinical cardiology with basic science, contribute to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Looking ahead, Dr. Li's team will continue to investigate microbiome regulation of age-related cardiovascular conditions like atrial fibrillation and heart failure. He encouraged researchers to cultivate cross-disciplinary knowledge, stay clinically oriented, and embrace collaboration, emphasizing that impactful questions often arise from unmet clinical needs.
Watch the conversation between Dr. Ting Li and Dr. Zhixing Fan:
Interview Questions:
1. Could you please briefly introduce the research work of your group?
2. Your numerous studies have focused on the mechanism by which gut microbiota and metabolism affect cardiovascular diseases. What do you consider to be the biggest bottleneck currently in translating basic research findings (such as the FXR pathway, bile acid metabolism) into clinical applications?
3. Over the next five years, what key directions will your research mainly focus on?
4. For young scholars who have just entered the field of research, especially those focusing on the intersection of metabolism and cardiovascular science, do you have any suggestions or experiences that you can share?
About Dr. Ting Li and Dr. Zhixing Fan:
Interviewee: Dr. Ting Li, a Chief Physician at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China. He engages in interventional diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases as well as research on the mechanisms by which gut microbiota regulate metabolic cardiovascular diseases. He has presided over two projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and project under the Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology. As first or corresponding author, Dr. Li has published multiple papers in top journals such as Cell Host & Microbe, Gut.
Interviewer: Dr. Zhixing Fan, a Chief Physician at Yichang Central People's Hospital, China. He primarily focuses on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, with particular expertise in interventional cardiology. His research interests center on cardiovascular aging and metabolic disorders, exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of heart and vascular diseases. Dr. Fan has led several national and provincial-level research projects and has published multiple papers in peer-reviewed international journals. He has received recognition for his outstanding contributions to clinical practice and scientific research, earning several provincial science and technology awards.
Editor: Alex Wang
Language Editor: Catherine Yang
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of The Journal of Cardiovascular Aging
