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Shengyi Sun

Sun, Shengyi Iris

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor, Pharmacology

Education

  • BS, Biology, University of Hong Kong
  • PhD, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University

Contact Information

480 Ray C. Hunt Drive
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Email: bjk5fz@virginia.edu
Website: https://shengyisun.wixsite.com/website

Research Disciplines

Cell and Developmental Biology, Metabolism, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Molecular Biology, Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology

Research Interests

Role of endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation in health and disease

Research Description

In eukaryotes, approximately 30% of all newly synthesized proteins pass through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they undergo folding and maturation. A significant fraction of nascent proteins may fail to fold properly, which if not cleared efficiently may contribute to disease pathogenesis. These misfolded proteins in the ER are disposed of by a quality-control process known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD). The long-term goal of our research program is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the cellular and physiological functions of mammalian ERAD. We integrate physiology and biochemistry with cell biology and genetics to explore the function of ERAD in vivo in the liver in the context of micronutrient metabolism and protein biogenesis, as well as in germ-line stem cell differentiation such as spermatogenesis.

Selected Publications