Name: Dr. Wenyi Li
Affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular

We wish to congratulate Dr. Wenyi Li on winning the Pharmaceuticals Young Investigator Award. We had the pleasure of inviting him for this interview, in which we learned more about his background, views, and interests.

The following is a brief interview with Dr. Wenyi Li:

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers? Could you introduce your current research direction and provide an update on your progress?
I am Dr Wenyi Li, a Senior Lecturer and NHMRC Investigator at La Trobe University, Australia. My research focuses on designing innovative antimicrobial peptides to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. My previous and current work aims to use chemical biology approaches to develop novel antimicrobial peptides and understand how these peptides can target essential bacterial processes, including membrane disruption.

2. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Antimicrobial resistance and developing new antibiotics are critical research priorities. Given that antimicrobial peptides represent a promising alternative class with distinct mechanisms less prone to existing resistance, how to better translate the findings in antimicrobial peptides to clinical application remains a big challenge and is attracting a lot of interest in the research community.

3. Could you share any particularly interesting or unexpected results you have discovered so far in your research?
It is known that most antimicrobial peptides can target the bacterial membrane and lead to membrane disruption. However, some antimicrobial peptides can penetrate bacterial cells and target intracellular processes like nucleic acid and protein synthesis. Interestingly, chemically dimerizing such peptides changes their modes of action by targeting membrane disruption.

4. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?
One quote that I find particularly inspiring and would like to share with next-generation researchers comes from the renowned physicist Enrico Fermi: “There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've made a discovery.” For me, this quote deeply highlights the value of both validation and unexpected findings in research, reminding me that progress is made not only through success but also through the unknown/failure.

5. As the winner of this award, would you like to take a moment to share your thoughts with our readers or express gratitude towards those who have played a significant role in your research accomplishments?
I am truly honored and grateful for this prestigious award. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my family for their kindest support, my mentors who nurtured my passion, and my colleagues, collaborators, and students whose hard work has been invaluable. This recognition motivates me to continue pursuing high-risk, high-impact peptide research that can benefit the community.