Tenure-track Associate Professor
Develop in vivo imaging approaches to investigate the interactions between pathogenic fungi—represented by Cryptococcus neoformans—and the host immune system, and to elucidate the key mechanisms underlying fungal pathogenesis.
Utilize intravital imaging technologies to study the spatiotemporal dynamics and interventional mechanisms of Gram-negative bacteria–induced pneumonia and sepsis.
Apply in vivo imaging to reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics of immune responses during the very early stages of tumor initiation, with a particular focus on macrophage development and function.
Employ imaging approaches to characterize the in vivo dynamics and targeting properties of nanocarriers, elucidate the regulatory mechanisms governing their biodistribution and behavior, and design macrophage-targeted nanocarriers adaptable to different pathological conditions.
Feng C, Wang G, Wang Y, Gao X, Xu Z, Fang L, Ma Z, Zheng S, Xie Y, Chu Y, Meng M, Yang A, Lu M, Mondina J, Zhu W, Zhang L, Wang L, Chen Z, Sun D. Microglia sense fungal infections through capsular components from capillary-bound Cryptococcus neoformans via endothelial nucleotide signaling. PLoS Biology 2026 24(2): e3003642.
Wang, G., Feng, C., Ma, Z., Zhao, L., Yosri, M., Wang, Y., Gao, X., Zhu, W., Li, H., Song, H., Xia, J., Meng, M., Lu, H., Zhang, L., Chen, Z., & Sun, D. (2025). In toto imaging shows intravascular proliferation promotes transmigration of daughter cells during brain invasion of Cryptococcus neoformans. Cell reports, 44(12), 116658.
Du, Z*., Wei, W., Lu, S., Wang, H., Feng, C., Li, Y., Cui, X., Zhe, J., Sun, K., Liu, K., Fan, Q., Sun, D*., & Bao, W*. PCL-PEtOx-based Crystalline-core Micelles for the Targeted Delivery of Paclitaxel and Trabectedin in Ovarian Cancer Therapy. Acta biomaterialia, 2025, 200, 536–553.
Xu LB, Feng XB*, Wang DZ, Gao F, Feng CX, Shan QJ, Wang G, Yang F, Zhang JF, Hou JW, Sun DL*, Wang TS*. Improved Liver Intravital Microscopic Imaging Using a Film-Assisted Stabilization Method. ACS Sensors. 2024.
Sun D#, Sun P#, He S, Shi M. Rat IgG mediated circulatory cell depletion in mice requires mononuclear phagocyte system and is facilitated by complement. Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2020 107:529–539.
Sun D, Sun P, Li H, Zhang M, Liu G, Strickland AB et al.. Fungal dissemination is limited by liver macrophage filtration of the blood. Nature Communications 2019 10 (1), 1-14. (F1000 Recommended)
Liu G, Fu Y, Yosri M, Chen Y, Sun P, Xu J, Zhang M, Sun D et al.. CRIg plays an essential role in intravascular clearance of bloodborne parasites by interacting with complement Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2019 116 (48), 24214-24220.
Sun D, Zhang M, Liu G, Wu H, Li, Zhou H, Zhang X, Shi M. Intravascular clearance of disseminating Cryptococcus neoformans in the brain can be improved by enhancing neutrophil recruitment in mice. European Journal of Immunology 2016 46(7):1704-1714.
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