Zhongjie Sun, MD, PhD, a pioneering researcher at UT Health Science Center, has been honored as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
Dr. Sun, Thomas A. Gerwin Chair of Excellence in Physiology and co-director of the UT Methodist Cardiovascular Institute, is among the 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators elected as 2024 fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers.
“Dr. Sun’s discoveries have significantly improved our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying cardiovascular health and disease,” said Jessica Snowden, MD, vice chancellor for Research. “His well-deserved election as an AAAS fellow speaks to his respect amongst his peers and the impact his science has on our world. Congratulations to Dr. Sun and his team for this honor and for all they bring to UT Health Science Center.”
Dr. Sun has made groundbreaking contributions to understanding the epigenetic mechanisms of cardiovascular and renal diseases. His notable work includes the discovery of the Klotho gene as a novel therapeutic target for heart failure, and de novo generation of nephrons. His research has been continuously supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and American Heart Association (AHA).
Currently, Dr. Sun leads a project funded by $2.4 million from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This project aims to develop new therapeutic strategies to treat aging-associated kidney dysfunction and hypertension. His team’s innovative approaches involve stem cell exome engineering, in vivo CRISPR/Cas9-based gene modifications, and in vivo cell-specific gene delivery to explore the role of renal stem cell-derived exosomes in kidney function and blood pressure regulation.
Dr. Sun is actively involved in the scientific community, serving on editorial boards of two major cardiovascular journals, Circulation Research and Hypertension, and participating in various national and international grant review panels. His leadership roles have included serving as president of the Academy of Cardiovascular Research Excellence and chair of the American Physiological Society Physiological Genomics Group.
“I am honored and humbled to have been elected as an AAAS fellow,” Dr. Sun said. “I am grateful that our research work is recognized and appreciated by the scientific community.”