Dong Sun, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Dong Sun, M.D., Ph.D.

Department: Anatomy and Neurobiology

Phone: 804-828-1318

Fax: 804-828-3276

Email: dong.sun@vcuhealth.org

Professor
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
1217 East Marshall Street.
Kontos Medical Sciences Building, 730-734
P.O. Box 980631
Richmond, VA 23298
Phone: 804-828-1318
Fax: 804-828-3276
dong.sun@vcuhealth.org
  

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

  • Bachelor of Medicine. School of Medicine, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, China 09/1981 - 07/1986

GRADUATE EDUCATION

  • M.Sc., School of Medicine, West China University of Medical Sciences, China 09/1986 - 07/1989
  • Ph.D., School of Medicine, Southampton University, United Kingdom 09/1995 - 10/1999

POST GRADUATE EDUCATION

  • Postdoc. research fellow. Brain repair and regeneration following traumatic injury, Neurosurgery, MCV/VCU 01/2001 - 09/2004
  • Postdoc. research fellow. Molecular mechanism of glial scar formation in the CNS, Pharmacology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 01/2000 - 01/2001
  • Postdoc. research fellow. The association of inflammation and osteoporosis, Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth.  Portsmouth, United Kingdom. 07/1994 - 08/1995
  • Medical Residency, Radiology, Department of Radiology, The 3rd Hospital of Chengdu.  Chengdu, P.R.China 09/1989 - 07/1991
  • Medical Residency, Radiology, Department of Radiology, First University Hospital, West China University of Medical Sciences.  Chengdu, P.R. China 09/1986 - 08/1989

FACULTY BIO:

  • Translational traumatic brain injury research, AD and aging studies, with particular expertise on neurogenesis, neural stem cells, neural transplantation, neuroinflammation and synaptic plasticity studies. Animal modeling for TBI, MS and AD. Animal motor, olfactory and cognitive functional assessment.

RESEARCH EXPERTISE

  • Translational traumatic brain injury research. AD and aging studies.  Neurogenesis, neural stem cells, neural transplantation, regeneration, cognitive function, synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation and MS studies.

TEACHING EXPERTISE

  • Neuroanatomy, Histology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience.

KEYWORDS & INTEREST AREAS

  • Traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases, aging studies, neurogenesis, neural stem cells, neural transplantation, regeneration, cognitive function, synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation.

AWARDS & HONORS

  • National Neurotrauma Society Travel Award, 22nd Annual Meeting of American National Neurotrauma Society 2004
  • National Neurotrauma Society 2003 ‘Outstanding Achievement in Abstract Competition’ 2003
  • National Neurotrauma Society Travel Award, 21st Annual Meeting of American National Neurotrauma Society. 2003
  • British Government Overseas Research Student Award (ORS Award) 1998
  • British Government Overseas Research Student Award (ORS Award) 1997
  • British Government Overseas Research Student Award (ORS Award) 1996
  • Outstanding Student Award, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences.  Chongqing, P.R.China 1985
  • Outstanding Student Award, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences.  Chongqing, P.R.China 1984
  • Outstanding Student Award, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences.  Chongqing, P.R.China 1983
  • Outstanding Student Award, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences.  Chongqing, P.R.China 1982

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • National Neurotrauma Society 2004 - Present
  • Woman in Neurotrauma Research 2004 - Present
  • Society for Neuroscience 2000 - Present
  • Chinese Neurotrauma Scholar Association 2010 - Present
  • Faculty Association of Chinese in Translational Neuroscience 2010 - Present
  • Central Virginia Chapter of Society for Neuroscience 2001 - Present
  • British Neuropathology Society 1996 - 1999
  • P. R. Chinese Radiology Society 1989 - 1994

SELECTED PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS:

  • Fulp J, He L, Toldo S, Jiang Y, Boice A, Guo C, Li X, Rolfe A, Sun D, Abbate A, Wang X, Zhang S (2018). Structural insights of benzene sulfonamide analogs as NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors: Design, synthesis, and biological characterization. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. June 18. Doi: 10:1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00733 (Epub ahead of print). PMID: 29877709 2018
  • Li X, Tzeng SY, Liu X, Tammia M, Cheng YH, Rolfe A, Sun D, Zhang N, Green JJ, Wen X, Mao HQ (2016). Nanoparticle-mediated transcriptional modification enhances neuronal differentiation of human neural stem cells following transplantation in rat brain. Biomaterials. 84: 157-166. 2016
  • Sun D*, Daniels TE, Rolfe A, Waters M, Hamm R (2015). Inhibition of injury-induced cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus impairs spontaneous cognitive recovery following traumatic brain injury. J. Neurotrauma, 32 (7): 495-505.  PMID: 25242459. PMCID: PMC4376486. 2015
  • Sun D*, McGinn M, Hankins JE, Mays MK, Rolfe A, Colello RJ (2013). Aging- and injury-related differential apoptotic response in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in rats following brain trauma. Frontier in Aging Neurosci. Dec., Vol 5, Article 95. PMID: 2485964. 2013
  • McGinn MJ, Colello RJ, Sun D* (2012). Age-related proteomic changes in the subventricular zone and its association with neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation. J. Neuroscience Research, 90: 1159-1168. PMID: 22344963. 2012
  • Sun D*, Gugliotta M, Rolfe A, Reid W, McQuiston AR, Hu W, Young H (2011).  Sustained survival and maturation of adult neural stem/progenitor cells following transplantation into the injured brain.  J. Neurotrauma, 28:961-972. PubMed PMID: 21332258; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3113420. 2011
  • Sun D*, Bullock MR, Altememi N, Hagood S, Zhou Z, Rolfe A, McGinn MJ, Hamm R, Colello RJ (2010). The effect of epidermal growth factor in the injured brain after trauma in rats.  J. Neurotrauma, 27:923-938. PMID: 20158379. PMCID: PMC2943945. 2010
  • Reid WM, Rolfe A, Register D, Levasseur JE, Churn SB, Sun D* (2010).  Strain-related differences following experimental traumatic brain injury in rats. J. Neurotrauma, 27: 1243-1253. PubMed PMID: 20392137; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2942905. 2010
  • Sun D*, Bullock MR, McGinn MJ, Zhou Z, Hagood S, Altememi N, Hamm R, Colello RJ (2009). Basic fibroblast growth factor enhances neurogenesis and improves cognitive recovery in rats following traumatic brain injury.  Exp. Neurology, 216: 56-65. PMID: 19100261. 2009
  • Zhou Z, Sun D, Levasseur JE, Merenda A, Altememi N, Hamm RJ, Daugherty WP, Zhu J, Spiess BD and Bullock MR (2008). Perfluorocarbon emulsions improve cognitive recovery following lateral fluid percussion brain injury in rats. Neurosurgery, 63 (4): 799-806. PMID: 18981892. 2008

BOOKS, BOOK CHAPTERS, & MONOGRAPHS:

  • Sun D* (2018). Stem cell studies in traumatic brain injury. Neurotrauma: A Comprehensive Book on Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury. Edited by Kevin Wang. Oxford University Press USA. 2018
  • Sun D* (2016). Neuroglia: Encyclopaedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Edited by Jeffrey S Kreutzer, John Deluca, Bruce Caplan.  Springer. Switzerland. 2016
  • Romeika J, Wurzelmann M, Sun D* (2016). TrkB receptor agonist 7, 8 Dihydroxyflavone and its therapeutic potential for traumatic brain injury. New Therapeutics for Traumatic Brain Injury: Prevention of Secondary Brain Damage and Enhancement of Repair and Regeneration. Heidebreich KA, PhD, editor. Elsevier. 2016
  • Rolfe A, Sun D* (2015). Stem Cell Therapy in Brain Trauma: Implications for Repair and Regeneration of Injured Brain in Experimental TBI Models. In: Kobeissy FH, editor. Brain  Neurotrauma: Molecular, Neuropsychological, and Rehabilitation Aspects. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2015. Chapter 42. PMID: 26269908 2015
  • Reid WM, Sun D* (2012). Assessments of cognitive function following traumatic brain injury.  Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries II: Injury and Mechanistic Assessments. Chen, J.; Xu, X.-M.; Xu, Z.C.; Zhang, J.H. (Eds.). Springer. 2012
  • Sun D* (2009). Neuroglia: Encyclopaedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Edited by Jeffrey S Kreutzer.  Springer. Heidelberg, Germany. 2009

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