Jiaren Sun, MD, PhD

Jiaren Sun, MD, PhD
Professor
Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology

Office Phone: (409) 747-0186
Lab Phone: (409) 772-4911
Mail Route: 1070
Office: MRB 3.158
Email: jisun@utmb.edu

Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship Yale University School of Medicine	1998 New Haven, CT
PhD, Zoology University of Georgia	1992 Athens, GA
MS, Parasitology Shanghai Medical College Fudan University	1986 Shanghai, China
MD, Public Health Shanghai Medical College Fudan University	1983 Shanghai, China

Research Interests
Immune responses to virus infection and inflammatory diseases

Current Research
Zika, dengue, yellow fever, hepatitis C, and West Nile viruses are closely related and all belong to the same family of viruses (Flaviviridae). These viruses inflict enormous amounts of morbidity and mortality in patients worldwide. Dr. Sun’s laboratory studies mechanisms of viral infection, immune recognition, and function and clinical sequelae of these infectious diseases. Using molecular and cellular immunology tools in animal models and tissue cultures, he and his colleagues have recently discovered that outcomes of congenital Zika disease depend on timing of infection, and that interferon‐lambda, a type III interferon, is effective in blocking maternal‐fetal viral transmission in human and animal models of Zika infection. His team is currently investigating how unique mechanisms operating for the virus‐vector‐mammalian host cross‐talk, its impact on tissue‐specific immune responses, and disease outcomes. These steps can be targeted for better clinical intervention and future vaccine development.

Current Research

Zika, dengue, yellow fever, hepatitis C, and West Nile viruses are closely related and all belong to the same family of viruses (Flaviviridae). These viruses inflict enormous amounts of morbidity and mortality in patients worldwide. Dr. Sun’s laboratory studies mechanisms of viral infection, immune recognition, and function and clinical sequelae of these infectious diseases. Using molecular and cellular immunology tools in animal models and tissue cultures, he and his colleagues have recently discovered that outcomes of congenital Zika disease depend on timing of infection, and that interferon‐lambda, a type III interferon, is effective in blocking maternal‐fetal viral transmission in human and animal models of Zika infection. His team is currently investigating how unique mechanisms operating for the virus‐vector‐mammalian host cross‐talk, its impact on tissue‐specific immune responses, and disease outcomes. These steps can be targeted for better clinical intervention and future vaccine development.

Publications
View Research Experts Profile
Search PubMed Database for Publications