Rate My Professor Jie Sun

Jie Sun serves as the Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, with a primary appointment as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health. He earned a BA from Sichuan University, an MS from the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Virginia. Prior to joining the University of Virginia in 2022, Sun established his independent laboratory at the Indiana University School of Medicine and held positions as professor and consultant in the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Sun’s research centers on viral immunology, mucosal immunology, cancer immunology, and aging. His laboratory investigates host immunity, immunopathology, and tissue repair following respiratory viral infections including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and SARS-CoV-2. The work integrates T cell, B cell, and macrophage biology with tissue-oriented immune research to identify mechanisms that support effective mucosal immunity while limiting immunopathology. Additional efforts map the immunological and metabolic drivers of lung cancer, including how viral pneumonia may accelerate tumor growth, and explore how chronic inflammation contributes to cellular senescence and tissue aging. These studies utilize advanced immunological techniques, animal models, and clinical samples with the aim of informing mucosal vaccines, immunotherapies, and interventions to improve patient outcomes.