Professor Li is jointly appointed by the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, and the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at HKU. Before joining HKU, she obtained Master of Medicine at Peking Union Medical College, Tsinghua University and a PhD in Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Professor Li’s primary research interests lie in life-cycle health technology assessment (HTA), health economics and real-world outcome (HEOR) research using decision analytic models and routine health records. Dr Li has expertise in healthcare data science, cost-effectiveness modelling and health policy evaluation. Since joining HKU, Dr Li has led and contributed to many HEOR projects, all of which involves dynamic interactions with local and international academic collaborators, local government, industry partners, NGOs and other key opinion leaders.

To support and advance this research agenda, Professor Li leads the X-PERTS research team, an interdisciplinary group dedicated to translational, data‑driven health technology and policy research. The name X PERTS combines Professor Li’s name, Xue, with the team’s core values of Proactive, Excellence, Resilience, Teamwork, and Self-motivated.

Professor Li’s recent research focuses on 1) investigating the real-world utilization, safety, effectiveness and value-for-money of vaccines and biological therapeutics; 2) identifying the unmet needs and care burden using global healthcare big data and Horizon Scanning; and 3) use of artificial intelligence for care needs forecasting and safe medication use. As a core member of CARE Programme (COVID-19 Vaccines Adverse Events Response and Evaluation Programme), Professor has led and contributed to several territory-wide, population-based vaccine safety assessments, particularly for people with immunological conditions.

As a Project Coordinator, Professor Li is leading SCAN 2030 (https://scan2030.hku.hk/), the first HTA project funded by the RGC Research Impact Fund. The project aims to establish a sustainable HTA ecosystem in Hong Kong by integrating horizon scanning of global innovative medicines with HTA informed prioritization, thereby enhancing healthcare system preparedness and improving access to innovative and cost effective therapies.

Professor Li’s research work has been supported by RGC/Research Impact Fund (Project Coordinator), RGC/Early Career Scheme (PI), RGC Collaborative Research Fund (co-PI), Health and Medical Research Fund of the Health Bureau of Hong Kong SAR Government (PI and co-I) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (co-I). Dr Li has published actively in the fields of pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, health service and health policy research. She has co-authored more than 160 research articles, including top-tier specialty journals in Lancet, JAMA, BMJ and Nature Families.

Figure 1 X PERTS Research Team – Present

Figure 2 X PERTS Research Community – Past & Present

Memberships & Editorships

Memberships:

• 2025-present Member of Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
• 2023- Present LKS Faculty of Medicine Representative to HTAsia Link
• 2022-present Member of the International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE)
• 2022-Present Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee of Rare Disease Hong Kong
• 2022-Present Scientific Advisor for Rare Disease International (RDi)
• 2019-Present Member of international Health Technology Assessment (iHTA)

Editorships:

• Respirology (2024 IF: 6.3; five-year IF: 6.1; JCI rank: 15/108 in Respirology, Q1)
  -Statistical Review Board Member
  (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/14401843/homepage/editorialboard.html)
• npj Vaccines (2024 IF: 6.6; five-year IF: 6.7; JCI rank: 21/183 in Immunology, Q1)
  - Associate Editor
  (https://www.nature.com/npjvaccines/editors)

Honours and Awards

• 2024 LKS Faculty of Medicine Research Output Award (co-author)
• 2024 10th National Competition for undergraduate on innovation Research &Experimental Design in Basic Medical Sciences – Silver Award (Team tutor)
• 2023-25 Stanford's world top 2% most highly cited scientists
• 2023 Faculty Research Output Prize (co-author)
• 2023 Faculty Knowledge Exchange Award (core team member)
• 2022 Faculty Research Output Prize (one as first author, two as co-authors)
• 2021 The Ronald D. Mann Best Paper Award, Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
• 2018 World Life Science Conference Travel Award
• 2017 Best Poster Award Finalist: International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 22nd Annual Meeting
• 2017 Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City Health Economics Workshop Travel Award

• Health technology assessment and decision analytic modelling
• AI in healthcare
• Real-world outcome research using routine care data
• Healthcare big data methods and data infrastructure
• Health service and policy research

Publication Highlights

• Jiao Y, Bai L, Wang J, Yan VKC, Chan EW, Na R, Bishai DM, Guan X, Li X* Analysis of drug consumption and expenditure of WHO essential medicines for cancer in 40 countries and regions between 2012 and 2022: a multinational drug use study. Lancet Oncol. 2025 Jul;26(7):877-886. (2024 IF: 35.9; five-year IF: 42; JCI rank: 4/328 in Oncology, Q1; Corresponding author)
• Chan VKY, Leung MYM, Chan SSM, Yang D, Knapp M, Luo H, Craig D, Chen Y, Bishai DM, Wong GHY, Lum TYS, Chan EWY, Wong ICK, Li X*. Projecting the 10-year costs of care and mortality burden of depression until 2032: a Markov modelling study developed from real-world data. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2024 Feb 6;45:101026. (2024 IF: 8.1; five-year IF: 7.7; JCI rank: 15/421 in Public, Environmental & Occupational Health, Q1; Corresponding author, Faculty Press Release https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20241104-hkumed-forecasts-an-ongoing-depression-burden)
• Peng K, Chan SCW, Wang Y, Cheng FWT, Yeung WWY, Jiao Y, Chan EWY, Wong ICK, Lau CS, Li X*. Cost-Effectiveness of Biosimilars vs Leflunomide in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2418800. (2024 IF: 9.7; five-year IF:10.7; JCI rank:16/332 in Medicine, General & Internal, Q1; Corresponding author, Faculty Press Release https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20240725-hkumed-finds-biosimilars-offer-improved-outcome-and-lower-cost).
• Tong X, Li X*, Pratt NL, Hillen JB, Stanford T, Ward M, Roughead EE, Lai EC, Shin JY, Cheng FWT, Peng K, Lau CS, Leung WK, Wong ICK. Monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion protein biologic medicines: A multinational cross-sectional investigation of accessibility and affordability in Asia Pacific regions between 2010 and 2020. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Jun 24;26:100506. (2024 IF: 8.1; five-year IF: 7.7; JCI rank: 6/188 in Health Care Sciences & Services, Q1; Cover issue of June 2022; Corresponding author)
  
  Impact: upon the research finding and policy impact generated based on this paper, Professor Li was invited by the deputy-editor of The Lancet Rheumatology and senior editor of The Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific to deliver a joint podcast on “Lancet in conversation with Xue Li on access to biologics in the Asia-Pacific region” published on June 20, 2025 from the website of The Lancet Rheumatology and The Lancet Regional - Health Western Pacific. https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts/in-conversation-with/lanrhe https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts/in-conversation-with/regional-health
• Li X, Tong X, Yeung WWY, Kuan P, Yum SHH, Chui CSL, Lai FTT, Wan EYF, Wong CKH, Chan EWY, Lau CS, Wong ICK. Two-dose COVID-19 vaccination and possible arthritis flare among patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Hong Kong. Ann Rheum Dis. 2022 Apr;81(4):564-568. (2024 IF: 20.6; five-year IF: 18.6; JCI rank: 2/58 in Rheumatology, Q1; 2022 Faculty Research Output Prize; First author)

Selected Publications

Selected publication as first, co-first, and corresponding authors
[*Corresponding author, # Co-first author]

Health technology assessment:

• Jiao Y, Dai Z, Zhu J, Espinoza MA, Li X*. Leveraging managed access with life-cycle reassessment in Asia-Pacific: advancing the learning of health system matters for innovative medicines in oncology. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025 Dec 5;65:101769. (2024 IF:8.1; five-year IF:7.7; JCI rank: 5/188 in Health Care Sciences & Services, Q1; Corresponding author)
• Liu J, Jiao Y, Huang Y, Zhan Y, Shi R, Ruan X, Yao C, Ma R, Ali S, Chun TT, Huang D, Xu D, Zhang Q, Gu D, Li X*, Na R. Cost-effectiveness analysis of prostate-specific antigen screening in China: a middle-income population-based microsimulation study. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025 Sep 16;62:101683. (2024 IF:8.1; five-year IF:7.7; JCI rank: 6/188 in Health Care Sciences & Services, Q1; Co-corresponding author, Faculty press release: https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20260106-hkumed-study-confirms-high-cost-effectiveness-of-prostate-cancer-screening)
• Peng K, Blais JE, Pratt NL, Guo JJ, Hillen JB, Stanford T, Ward M, Lai EC, Shin JY, Tong X, Fan M, Cheng FWT, Wu J, Yeung WWY, Lau CS, Leung WK, Wong ICK, Li X*. Impact of Introducing Infliximab Biosimilars on Total Infliximab Consumption and Originator Infliximab Prices in Eight Regions: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis. BioDrugs. 2023 May;37(3):409-420. (2024 IF: 6.9; five-year IF: 6; JCI rank: 35/183 in Immunology, Q1; 63/328 in Oncology, Q1; Co-corresponding author

Real-world outcome research:

• Chan VKY, Chai Y, Chan SSM, Luo H, Jit M, Knapp M, Bishai DM, Ni MY, Wong ICK, Li X*. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression incidence and healthcare service use among patients with depression: an interrupted time-series analysis from a 9-year population-based study. BMC Med. 2024 Apr 22;22(1):169. (2024 IF: 8.3; five-year IF: 9.4; JCI rank: 21/332 in Medicine, General & Internal, Q1;Corresponding author, Faculty Press Release https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20241104-hkumed-forecasts-an-ongoing-depression-burden).
• Tong X, Shen CY, Jeon HL, Li Y, Shin JY, Chan SC, Yiu KH, Pratt NL, Ward M, Lau CS, Wong IC, Li X*, Lai EC. Cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with targeted synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: A multi-centre cohort study. J Intern Med. 2023 Sep;294(3):314-325. (2024 IF: 9.2; five-year IF: 9.8; JCI rank: 21/333 in Medicine, General & Internal, Q1; Corresponding author)
• Li X, Lai FTT, Chua GT, Kwan MYW, Lau YL, Ip P, Wong ICK. Myocarditis Following COVID-19 BNT162b2 Vaccination Among Adolescents in Hong Kong. JAMA Pediatr. 2022 Jun 1;176(6):612-614. (2024 IF: 18; five-year IF: 19.5; JCI rank: 2/191 in Pediatrics, Q1; First author)
• Li X, Tong X, Wong ICK, Peng K, Chui CSL, Lai FTT, Wan EYF, Wong CKH, Leung WK, Chan EWY. Lack of inflammatory bowel disease flare-up following two-dose BNT162b2 vaccine: a population-based cohort study. Gut. 2022 Dec;71(12):2608-2611. (2024 IF: 26.2; five-year IF: 25.4; JCI rank: 4/148 in Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Q1; First author)
• Chan VK, Cheung EC, Chan SS, Knapp M, Hayes JF, Fan M, Lai FT, Luo H, Lum T, Wong RS, Lau LK, Wan EY, Wong GH, Chan EW, Ip P, Wong IC*, Li X*. Mortality-causing mechanisms and healthcare resource utilisation of treatment-resistant depression: A six-year population-based cohort study. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Mar 15;22:100426. (2024 IF: 8.1; five-year IF: 7.7; JCI rank: 6/188 in Health Care Sciences & Services, Q1; Cover issue of March 2022; Co-corresponding author)
• Lai FTT#, Li X#, Peng K, Huang L, Ip P, Tong X, Chui CSL, Wan EYF, Wong CKH, Chan EWY, Siu DCW, Wong ICK. Carditis After COVID-19 Vaccination With a Messenger RNA Vaccine and an Inactivated Virus Vaccine: A Case-Control Study. Ann Intern Med. 2022 Mar;175(3):362-370. (2024 IF: 15.4; five-year IF: 20; JCI rank: 8/333 in Medicine, General & Internal, Q1; 2023 Faculty Research Output Prize, Co-first author)

AI in healthcare:

• Yang D, Tang Y, Chan VKY, Fang Q, Chan SSM, Luo H, Wong ICK, Ou HT, Chan EWY, Bishai DM, Chen Y, Knapp M, Jit M, Craig D, Li X*. Population-Wide Depression Incidence Forecasting Comparing Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average and Vector Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average to Temporal Fusion Transformers: Longitudinal Observational Study. J Med Internet Res. 2025 May 12;27:e67156. (2024 IF: 6; five-year IF: 6.9, JCI rank: 15/188 in Health Care Sciences & Services, Q1; Corresponding author)

Total number of refereed papers = 161; h-index: 37; Full publication list available at:

ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Xue-Li-23

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FkHhrtMAAAAJ&hl=en

External competitive grants in PC and PI capacity:

• 2024-26 Health tEchnology appRaisal of innovative therapies for Osteogenesis imperfecta: bridging clinical evidence to improve care for people living with rare disease (HERO). Health and Medical Research Fund Research Fellowship Scheme (HMRF Fellowship, HK$927,300), Principal Investigator, ongoing
• 2023-26 Horizon Scanning of medium- to long-term burden of Chronic diseases And care Needs to 2030 in Hong Kong (SCAN-2030). Research Grant Council, Research Impact Fund (Ref: R7007-22F), Project Coordinator (HK$4,214,286), ongoing
• 2021-23 Cost-effectiveness of biologic originators versus biosimilars in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis: an application of real-world big data and disease simulation modeling. Research Grant Council, Early Career Scheme (Ref: 27603421), Principal Investigator (HK$697,970), completed
• 2019-20 The impact of childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) immunisation on pneumonia admissions in Hong Kong: a population-based interrupted time series analysis from 2004-2017, Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), Food and Health Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, Principal Investigator (HK$ 551,706), completed.

Collaborative/contract research in PI capacity:

• 2024-26 Evaluation and Prediction of the Incidence of Type 2 Inflammatory Diseases in Dermatology in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. Collaborative research grant with National Cheng Kung University & Amgen (HK$180,000) with UGC matching fund (HK$23,912.10), ongoing
• 2025-26 Disease burden, treatment pattern and outcome research in patients with prostate cancer in Hong Kong. Novartis research grant (HK$200,000) with UGC matching fund (HK$39,853.50), ongoing
• 2025-26 Budget impact analysis of mavacamten for the treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Hong Kong. BMS research grant (HK$179,500) withUGC matching fund (HK$59,698.88), ongoing
• 2025- 26 Health Economics Assessment of Pharmaceutical Therapy, Hospital Authority Service Project (HK$504,000), ongoing
• 2024-25 Health Economics Assessment of Pharmaceutical Therapy, Hospital Authority Service Project (HK$234,630), completed
• 2020-23 Understanding the barriers of using novel disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs among patients with autoimmune diseases in Hong Kong, Pfizer (HK$600,000 and UGC-Research Matching Fund: HK$ 99,633.75), ongoing
• 2020-22 Cost-effectiveness of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation in Hong Kong, Pfizer (HK$558,969 and UGC-Research Matching Fund: HK$93,104.75), completed
• 2020-23 Economic Model of Burden of Major Depression, Jansson (HK$693,840 and UGC-Research Matching Fund: HK$230,432.7), completed.

Team members

• Dr Jason Deliang YANG (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2022-)
• Dr Alan Zonglin DAI (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2024-)
• Ms Xincheng JIANG (PhD candidate, 2025-)
• Ms Jiaqi WANG (PhD candidate, 2025-)
• Ms Yifan LI (MPhil candidate, 2024-)
• Ms Yin ZHANG (PhD candidate, 2023-)
• Mr Stone Yuanshi JIAO (PhD candidate, 2023-)
• Ms Jingqi ZHANG (PhD candidate, 2023-)
• Mr Kuan PENG (PhD candidate, 2022-26)
• Ms Effie Ka Yue CHEUNG (Project Manager, 2023-)
• Ms Jiayue CHEN (Research Assistant, 2025-)
• Ms Chengfei LI (Research Assistant, 2024-)
• Ms Qiwen FANG (Research Assistant, 2023-)


• Dr Vivien Kin Yi CHAN (co-supervisor, PhD, 2020-24)
• Dr Xinning TONG (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-22)
• Ms Yihua LI (Research Assistant, 2021-22)
• Ms Yiyi TANG (Student Research Assistant, 2023-24)
• Ms Ziyan XIAO (Student Research Assistant, 2023-24)

Collaborative institutions

(by alphabetic order)

• Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE), Singapore
• Centre for Innovation in Regulatory Science (CIRS), London, UK
• Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China
• Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
• Euroscan International Network (Euroscan)
• Fudan University, School of Public Health, China
• Hospital Authority, Hong Kong, China
• HTAsia Link
• Hong Kong University Shen Zhen Hospital, China
• London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK
• National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
• Newcastle University, UK
• Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Science, China
• Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China
• Rare Disease Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
• Rare Disease International (RDi)
• Stanford University, School of Medicine, USA
• Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
• Tianjin University, School of Pharmaceutical Science, China
• The Hong Kong Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (HKAPI), Hong Kong, China
• University of Cincinnati, James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, USA
• University of New South Wales, Australia
• University of South Australia, Australia

Seeking PhD candidates, Research Assistants and Postdoctoral Fellows

I am seeking highly organised and motivated postdoctoral fellows and PhD candidates in the areas of AI for healthcare, Health Technology Assessment, Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics. Team members will work on EMR-based predictive modeling, unmet need identification, medication safety assessment, cost-benefit/cost-effective evaluations of biologics and innovative solutions to improve the early treatment accessibility and affordability of biological medicine, vaccine and orphan drugs. Interested candidates, please email me (sxueli@hku.hk) with your CV, transcripts, and publications (if any) for consideration.

Office

PB306, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4836-7808