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, 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.