Dr. Sun obtained his bachelor's degree at Jilin University in 2004 and his Ph.D. degree at Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009. After graduation, he joined Michelle D. Wang's lab at Cornell University & Howard Hughes Medical Institute and received the postdoctoral training from 2009 to 2015. Dr. Sun joined School of Life Science and Technology of ShanghaiTech University as an Assistant Professor, PI in August 2015. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure since July 2021.

My research has focused on exploring nucleic acid-protein interactions and biophysical properties of virus and cells. Using state-of-art single-molecule techniques (such as optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers and fluorescence resonance energy transfer), we aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and functions of essential proteins in cell metabolism at the single-molecule level. In particular, we are interested in molecular motors in DNA replication, recombination, repair, and editing, such as helicase, polymerase and nuclease.

SLST at ShanghaiTech University aims to develop into a world-class, research-oriented school in life science and technology, drawing strength not only from its outstanding full-time faculty but also from two affiliated world-class biomedical research institutes at ShanghaiTech as well as from select faculty members jointly appointed with institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai who conduct world-class research. 

SLST conducts teaching and research in all fundamental areas of life science. It promotes a new model of liberal-art style education that fosters academic integrity, originality, and innovation. Its research is focused on, but not limited to, genomic and proteomics, epigenetics, RNA biology, systems biology, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, super-resolution microscopy, chemical biology and drug discovery, and translational medicine.