Li Yu is a professor of Jilin Agricultural University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).
Prof. Li presided over more than 40 projects including the Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China, "863" project of Ministry of Science and Technology, "948" project of the Ministry of Agriculture, etc. He has collected and evaluated millions of strain species and voucher specimen at home and abroad. Prof. Li was the first Chinese to denominate a new myxomycete variety in the world, as well as the first one to distributed myxomycete into classes of genus, family, and order in China. In addition, he reported 48 new species and more than 100 new recorded domestic species. He also screened and bred 39 new varieties of edible fungi. His research findings have reached the world advanced level. In hence he obtained the second-class of the National Natural Science Award, the second-class of National Teaching Achievement Award, the first, second and third classes of Jilin Province scientific and technological progress, etc.

Prof. Li was the first to propose that the mushroom industry is one of the most important aspects of industry in "circular economy" development model, which enhanced the status of the mushroom industry.

In personnel training, Prof. Li has cultivated more than 100 graduate students, more than 40 doctoral students, and more than 40 postdoctoral researchers in the field of mycology.