California NanoSystems Institute
CNSI
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Ren Sun, Ph.D.

   
Professor, Molecular & Medical Pharmacology
Member, California NanoSystems Institute

Education:
Degrees:
Ph.D., Yale University, 1993
Fellowships:
1993 - 1997 Yale University, Post-Doctoral Fellow: Virology

Honors and Awards:
2002 - Burroughs Welcome Fund, Investigator on Pathogenisis of Infectious Disease
1994 - Swebilius Cancer Research Award

Contact Information:
Work Email Address: rsun@mednet.ucla.edu
Work Address: Office
Factor
Los Angeles, CA 90095
UNITED STATES
Work Address: Laboratory
Factor
Los Angeles, CA 90095
UNITED STATES
Work Address: 10-155 Factor
CAMPUS - 173517
CA
UNITED STATES
Home Page: http://labs.pharmacology.ucla.edu/sunlab/sunlabhome.htm
Home Page: http://www.cnsi.ucla.edu/arr/personnel-papers?personnel_id=45881
Work Phone Number: (310) 794-5557
Technical Research Interest:

Viral infections are associated not only with acute illnesses, but also chronic diseases. In contrast to the rapidly manifesting SARS, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) are associated with several malignancies. To understand the molecular mechanism of viral replication and its role in pathogenesis, we are pursuing our research in the following directions. 1) We have identified a viral gene, which can initiate the complete lytic replication cascade of KSHV. We are addressing the questions of how it controls the expression of downstream genes and how cellular signal pathways control the viral switch. 2) We will determine the optimal combination of these cellular factors/pathways to most efficiently reactive the herpesviruses, using a microfluidic system consisting of nano transducers, which will be capable of sensing, making logical decisions, and providing real-time feedback control. 3) Murine herpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) is utilized as an in vivo model to dissect the roles of virus-encoded cytokines in viral replication and tumor-pathogenesis. 4) We take genomic, proteomic, and structural biology approaches to define the structure and function of viral proteins encoded by MHV-68 and SARS coronavirus. 5) We are initiating clinical trials by intentionally activating viral lytic gene expression in tumor cells to destroy tumor lesions. We will use molecular imaging technologies (PET, CT and CCD) to monitor viral replication and immune responses in mice and patients.


Additional Information:

Dr. Ren Sun obtained his Ph.D. and postdoctoral training in the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University School of Medicine. He arrived at UCLA in 1998 as a faculty member in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology. Dr. Sun is a member of the Molecular Biology Institute, the AIDS Institute, the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Dental Research Institute and the California NanoSystems Institute. In 2007 Dr. Sun was appointed as the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Since 2008, Dr. Sun is the Chair of the Education Committee of the California NanoSystems Institute and is the Director of UCLA’s Cross-disciplinary Scholars in Science and Technology program. Dr. Sun's research accomplishments have been recognized by the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation, which awarded Dr. Sun as the Investigator in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease in 2002.

Selected Publications:

Lee S, Cho H-J, Park J-J, Kim Y-S, Hwang S, Sun R, Song MJ, The ORF49 protein of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 cooperates with RTA in the regulation of virus replication, J Virol, In Press.
Yu F, Harada JN, Brown HJ, Deng H, Song MJ, Wu T, Kato-Stankiewicz J, Nelson CG, Vieira J, Tamanoi F, Chandra SK, Sun R, Systematic identification of cellular signals reactivating Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, PLOS Pathogens, 3, 444-55.
Bortz E, Qang L, Jia Q, Wu TT, Whitelegge JP, Deng H, Zhou ZH, Sun R, Murine Gammaherpesvirus-68 ORF52 encodes a tegument protein required for virion morphogenesis in the cytoplasm, J Virol, In Press.
Hwang Seungmin, Kim Kyeong Seon, Flano Emilio, Wu Ting-Ting, Tong Leming M, Park Ann N, Song Moon Jung, Sanchez David Jesse, O'Connell Ryan M, Cheng Genhong, Sun Ren, Conserved herpesviral kinase promotes viral persistence by inhibiting the IRF-3-mediated type I interferon response., Cell host & microbe, 2009, 5 (2), 166-78.
Arumugaswami Vaithilingaraja, Sitapara Ronika, Hwang Seungmin, Song Moon Jung, Ho Tuyet Ngoc, Su Nancy Qi, Sue Eric Y, Kanagavel Vidhya, Xing Fangfang, Zhang Xiaolin, Zhao Minglei, Deng Hongyu, Wu Ting-Ting, Kanagavel Sudhakar, Zhang LuLu, Dandekar Sugandha, Papp Jeanette, Sun Ren, High-resolution functional profiling of a gammaherpesvirus RTA locus in the context of the viral genome., Journal of virology, 2009, 83 (4), 1811-22.
Wu Ting-Ting, Park Tina, Kim Hana, Tran Thuy, Tong Leming, Martinez-Guzman DeeAnn, Reyes Nichole, Deng Hongyu, Sun Ren, ORF30 and ORF34 are essential for expression of late genes in murine gammaherpesvirus 68., Journal of virology, 2009, 83 (5), 2265-73.
Di Bartolo Daniel L, Hyjek Elizabeth, Keller Shannon, Guasparri Ilaria, Deng Hongyu, Sun Ren, Chadburn Amy, Knowles Daniel M, Cesarman Ethel, Role of defective Oct-2 and OCA-B expression in immunoglobulin production and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic reactivation in primary effusion lymphoma., Journal of virology, 2009, 83 (9), 4308-15.
Miyahira Andrea K, Shahangian Arash, Hwang Seungmin, Sun Ren, Cheng Genhong, TANK-binding kinase-1 plays an important role during in vitro and in vivo type I IFN responses to DNA virus infections., Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2009, 182 (4), 2248-57.
Sanchez David Jesse, Miranda Daniel, Arumugaswami Vaithilingaraja, Hwang Seungmin, Singer Adam E, Senaati Ashkon, Shahangian Arash, Song Moon Jung, Sun Ren, Cheng Genhong, A repetitive region of gammaherpesvirus genomic DNA is a ligand for induction of type I interferon., Journal of virology, 2008, 82 (5), 2208-17.
Cheng Lucy S, Hwang Seungmin, Huang Tzu-Hsuan, Sheu Ting-Chang, Sun Ren, Morrison Sherie L, Cheng Genhong, Shahangian Arash, Antibody-fused interferons as an effective approach to enhance target specificity and antiviral efficacy of type I interferons., Cell research, 2008, 18 (12), 1230-2.
Wong Pak Kin, Yu Fuqu, Shahangian Arash, Cheng Genhong, Sun Ren, Ho Chih-Ming, Closed-loop control of cellular functions using combinatory drugs guided by a stochastic search algorithm., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008, 105 (13), 5105-10.
Arumugaswami Vaithilingaraja, Remenyi Roland, Kanagavel Vidhya, Sue Eric Yiang, Ngoc Ho Tuyet, Liu Chang, Fontanes Vanessa, Dasgupta Asim, Sun Ren, High-resolution functional profiling of hepatitis C virus genome., PLoS pathogens, 2008, 4 (10), e1000182.
Wang Leyao, Shan Liang, Lo Kwok Wai, Yin Juan, Zhang Yuanyuan, Sun Ren, Zhong Jiang, Inhibition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth by RTA-expressing baculovirus vectors containing oriP., The journal of gene medicine, 2008, 10 (10), 1124-33.
Cho Hye-Jeong, Yu Fuqu, Sun Ren, Lee Dongho, Song Moon Jung, Lytic induction of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in primary effusion lymphoma cells with natural products identified by a cell-based fluorescence moderate-throughput screening., Archives of virology, 2008, 153 (8), 1517-25.
Pavlovic Elizabeth, Lai Rebecca Y, Wu Ting Ting, Ferguson Brian S, Sun Ren, Plaxco Kevin W, Soh H T, Microfluidic device architecture for electrochemical patterning and detection of multiple DNA sequences., Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, 2008, 24 (3), 1102-7.
Hwang Seungmin, Wu Ting-Ting, Tong Leming M, Kim Kyeong Seon, Martinez-Guzman DeeAnn, Colantonio Arnaud D, Uittenbogaart Christel H, Sun Ren, Persistent gammaherpesvirus replication and dynamic interaction with the host in vivo., Journal of virology, 2008, 82 (24), 12498-509.
Song Changyong, Jiang Huaidong, Mancuso Adrian, Amirbekian Bagrat, Peng Li, Sun Ren, Shah Sanket S, Zhou Z Hong, Ishikawa Tetsuya, Miao Jianwei, Quantitative imaging of single, unstained viruses with coherent x rays., Physical review letters, 2008, 101 (15), 158101.
Lee Shaoying, Deng Hongyu, Yu Fuqu, Melega William P, Damoiseaux Robert, Bradley Kenneth A, Sun Ren, Regulation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus reactivation by dopamine receptor-mediated signaling pathways., Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 2008, 48 (5), 531-40.
Dai Wei, Jia Qingmei, Bortz Eric, Shah Sanket, Liu Jun, Atanasov Ivo, Li Xudong, Taylor Kenneth A, Sun Ren, Zhou Z Hong, Unique structures in a tumor herpesvirus revealed by cryo-electron tomography and microscopy., Journal of structural biology, 2008, 161 (3), 428-38.
Olson C Anders, Liao Hsiang-I, Sun Ren, Roberts Richard W, mRNA display selection of a high-affinity, modification-specific phospho-IkappaBalpha-binding fibronectin., ACS chemical biology, 2008, 3 (8), 480-5.
Feng Pinghui, Liang Chengyu, Shin Young C, Xiaofei E, Zhang Weijun, Gravel Robyn, Wu Ting-ting, Sun Ren, Usherwood Edward, Jung Jae U, A novel inhibitory mechanism of mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis by a herpesviral protein., PLoS pathogens, 2007, 3 (12), e174.
Kayhan Basak, Yager Eric J, Lanzer Kathleen, Cookenham Tres, Jia Qingmei, Wu Ting-Ting, Woodland David L, Sun Ren, Blackman Marcia A, A replication-deficient murine gamma-herpesvirus blocked in late viral gene expression can establish latency and elicit protective cellular immunity., Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2007, 179 (12), 8392-402.
Tarakanova Vera L, Leung-Pineda Van, Hwang Seungmin, Yang Chiao-Wen, Matatall Katie, Basson Mickael, Sun Ren, Piwnica-Worms Helen, Sleckman Barry P, Virgin Herbert W, Gamma-herpesvirus kinase actively initiates a DNA damage response by inducing phosphorylation of H2AX to foster viral replication., Cell host & microbe, 2007, 1 (4), 275-86.
Bortz Eric, Wang Lili, Jia Qingmei, Wu Ting-Ting, Whitelegge Julian P, Deng Hongyu, Zhou Z Hong, Sun Ren, Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 ORF52 encodes a tegument protein required for virion morphogenesis in the cytoplasm., Journal of virology, 2007, 81 (18), 10137-50.
Wong Elaine, Wu Ting-Ting, Reyes Nichole, Deng Hongyu, Sun Ren, Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 open reading frame 24 is required for late gene expression after DNA replication., Journal of virology, 2007, 81 (12), 6761-4.
Benach Jordi, Wang Lili, Chen Yang, Ho Chi Kent, Lee Shaoying, Seetharaman Jayaraman, Xiao Rong, Acton Thomas B, Montelione Gaetano T, Deng Hongyu, Sun Ren, Tong Liang, Structural and functional studies of the abundant tegument protein ORF52 from murine gammaherpesvirus 68., The Journal of biological chemistry, 2007, 282 (43), 31534-41.
Yu Fuqu, Harada Josephine N, Brown Helen J, Deng Hongyu, Song Moon Jung, Wu Ting-Ting, Kato-Stankiewicz Juran, Nelson Christian G, Vieira Jeffrey, Tamanoi Fuyuhiko, Chanda Sumit K, Sun Ren, Systematic identification of cellular signals reactivating Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus., PLoS pathogens, 2007, 3 (3), e44.
Lee Sangmi, Cho Hye-Jeong, Park Jung-Jin, Kim Yong-Sun, Hwang Seungmin, Sun Ren, Song Moon Jung, The ORF49 protein of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 cooperates with RTA in regulating virus replication., Journal of virology, 2007, 81 (18), 9870-7.
Wong PK, Yu F, Sun R, Ho CM, Unraveling gene regulatory networks using an integrated microfluidic platform, IEEE, 2007.
Bowser Brian S, Morris Stephanie, Song Moon Jung, Sun Ren, Damania Blossom, Characterization of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) K1 promoter activation by Rta., Virology, 2006, 348 (2), 309-27.
Arumugaswami V, Wu TT, Martinez-Guzman D, Jia Q, Deng H, Reyes N, Sun R, ORF18 is a transfactor essential for late gene transcription of a gammaherpesvirus, J Virol, 2006, 90, 9730-4970.
Arumugaswami Vaithilingaraja, Wu Ting-Ting, Martinez-Guzman DeeAnn, Jia Qingmei, Deng Hongyu, Reyes Nichole, Sun Ren, ORF18 is a transfactor that is essential for late gene transcription of a gammaherpesvirus., Journal of virology, 2006, 80 (19), 9730-40.
Deng H, Liang Y, Sun R, Regulation of HSHV lytic replication, Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, 2006, 312, 157-183.
Chang M, Brown HJ, Collado-Hidalgo A, Arevalo JM, Galic Z, Symensma TL, Tanaka L, Deng H, Zack JA, Sun R, Cole SW, "Beta-Adrenoreceptors reactivate Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic replication via PKA-dependent control of viral RTA", J Virol., 2005, 79 (21), 13538-47.
Flano E, Jia Q, Moore J, Woodland DL, Sun R, Blackman MA, "Early Establishment of gamma-Herpesvirus Latency: Implications for Immune Control", J Immunol., 2005, 174 (8), 4972-8.
Luz John G, Yu Minmin, Su Ying, Wu Zining, Zhou Zhou, Sun Ren, Wilson Ian A, Crystal structure of viral macrophage inflammatory protein I encoded by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus at 1.7A., Journal of molecular biology, 2005, 352 (5), 1019-28.
Flaño Emilio, Jia Qingmei, Moore John, Woodland David L, Sun Ren, Blackman Marcia A, Early establishment of gamma-herpesvirus latency: implications for immune control., Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2005, 174 (8), 4972-8.
Rickabaugh Tammy M, Brown Helen J, Wu Ting-Ting, Song Moon Jung, Hwang Seungmin, Deng Hongyu, Mitsouras Katherine, Sun Ren, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 RTA reactivates murine gammaherpesvirus 68 from latency., Journal of virology, 2005, 79 (5), 3217-22.
Jia Qingmei, Chernishof Vasili, Bortz Eric, Mchardy Ian, Wu Ting-Ting, Liao Hsiang-I, Sun Ren, Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 open reading frame 45 plays an essential role during the immediate-early phase of viral replication., Journal of virology, 2005, 79 (8), 5129-41.
Brown Helen J, McBride William H, Zack Jerome A, Sun Ren, Prostratin and bortezomib are novel inducers of latent Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus., Antiviral therapy, 2005, 10 (6), 745-51.
Chang Margaret, Brown Helen J, Collado-Hidalgo Alicia, Arevalo Jesusa M, Galic Zoran, Symensma Tonia L, Tanaka Lena, Deng Hongyu, Zack Jerome A, Sun Ren, Cole Steve W, beta-Adrenoreceptors reactivate Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic replication via PKA-dependent control of viral RTA., Journal of virology, 2005, 79 (21), 13538-47.
Hongyu Deng, Julia T. Chu, No-Hee Park, and Ren Sun., "Functional Identification of an Original Lytic Replication and the Cleavage/Packaging Signal of Murine Gamaherpesvirus-68", Journal of Virology, 2004, 78(17) (Sept), 9123-9131.
Moon Jung Song, et al., "The DNA Architectural Protein HMGB1 Facilitates RTA-Medicated Viral Gene Expression in Gamma2 Herpesviruses", Journal of Virology, 2004, 78, 12940-12950.
Rickabaugh Tammy M, Brown Helen J, Martinez-Guzman DeeAnn, Wu Ting-Ting, Tong Leming, Yu Fuqu, Cole Steven, Sun Ren, Generation of a latency-deficient gammaherpesvirus that is protective against secondary infection., Journal of virology, 2004, 78 (17), 9215-23.
Deng Hongyu, Chu Julia T, Park No-Hee, Sun Ren, Identification of cis sequences required for lytic DNA replication and packaging of murine gammaherpesvirus 68., Journal of virology, 2004, 78 (17), 9123-31.
Jia Qingmei, Wu Ting-Ting, Liao Hsiang-I, Chernishof Vasili, Sun Ren, Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 open reading frame 31 is required for viral replication., Journal of virology, 2004, 78 (12), 6610-20.
Song Moon Jung, Hwang Seungmin, Wong Wendy, Round June, Martinez-Guzman Deeann, Turpaz Yaron, Liang Jie, Wong Ben, Johnson Reid C, Carey Michael, Sun Ren, The DNA architectural protein HMGB1 facilitates RTA-mediated viral gene expression in gamma-2 herpesviruses., Journal of virology, 2004, 78 (23), 12940-50.
Symensma Tonia L, Martinez-Guzman DeeAnn, Jia Qingmei, Bortz Eric, Wu Ting-Ting, Rudra-Ganguly Nandini, Cole Steve, Herschman Harvey, Sun Ren, COX-2 induction during murine gammaherpesvirus 68 infection leads to enhancement of viral gene expression., Journal of virology, 2003, 77 (23), 12753-63.
Song Moon Jung, Deng Hongyu, Sun Ren, Comparative study of regulation of RTA-responsive genes in Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8., Journal of virology, 2003, 77 (17), 9451-62.
Bortz Eric, Whitelegge Julian P, Jia Qingmei, Zhou Z Hong, Stewart James P, Wu Ting-Ting, Sun Ren, Identification of proteins associated with murine gammaherpesvirus 68 virions., Journal of virology, 2003, 77 (24), 13425-32.
Jia Qingmei, Sun Ren, Inhibition of gammaherpesvirus replication by RNA interference., Journal of virology, 2003, 77 (5), 3301-6.
An Jiabin, Sun Yiping, Sun Ren, Rettig Matthew B, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus encoded vFLIP induces cellular IL-6 expression: the role of the NF-kappaB and JNK/AP1 pathways., Oncogene, 2003, 22 (22), 3371-85.
Martinez-Guzman DeeAnn, Rickabaugh Tammy, Wu Ting-Ting, Brown Helen, Cole Steven, Song Moon Jung, Tong Leming, Sun Ren, Transcription program of murine gammaherpesvirus 68., Journal of virology, 2003, 77 (19), 10488-503.
Cao Hongying, Tao Shu, Wang Xilong, Cao Jun, Li Bengang, Xu Fuliu, Liu Wenxin, Shen Weiran, Qin Baoping, Sun Ren, [Multimedia fate modeling with spatial resolution for phenanthrene in Tianjin], Huan jing ke xue= Huanjing kexue / [bian ji, Zhongguo ke xue yuan huan jing ke xue wei yuan hui , 2003, 24 (5), 54-9.
Doyle S, Vaidya S, O'Connell R, Dadgostar H, Dempsey P, Wu T, Rao G, Sun R, Haberland M, Modlin R, Cheng G, "IRF3 mediates a TLR3/TLR4-specific antiviral gene program, Immunity, 2002, 17 (3), 251-63.
Deng H, Chu JT, Rettig MB, Martinez-Maza O, Sun R, "Rta of the human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus up-regulates human interleukin-6 gene expression", Blood, 2002, 100 (5), 1919-21.
Deng H, Song MJ, Chu JT, Sun R, "Transcriptional regulation of the interleukin-6 gene of human herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus)", J Virol., 2002, 76 (16), 8252-64.
Song Moon Jung, Li Xudong, Brown Helen J, Sun Ren, Characterization of interactions between RTA and the promoter of polyadenylated nuclear RNA in Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8., Journal of virology, 2002, 76 (10), 5000-13.
Varthakavi Vasundhara, Smith Rita M, Deng Hongyu, Sun Ren, Spearman Paul, Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 activates lytic cycle replication of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus through induction of KSHV Rta., Virology, 2002, 297 (2), 270-80.
Doyle Sean, Vaidya Sagar, O'Connell Ryan, Dadgostar Hajir, Dempsey Paul, Wu Ting, Rao Govinda, Sun Ren, Haberland Margaret, Modlin Robert, Cheng Genhong, IRF3 mediates a TLR3/TLR4-specific antiviral gene program., Immunity, 2002, 17 (3), 251-63.
Deng Hongyu, Chu Julia T, Rettig Matthew B, Martinez-Maza Otoniel, Sun Ren, Rta of the human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus up-regulates human interleukin-6 gene expression., Blood, 2002, 100 (5), 1919-21.
Deng Hongyu, Song Moon Jung, Chu Julia T, Sun Ren, Transcriptional regulation of the interleukin-6 gene of human herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus)., Journal of virology, 2002, 76 (16), 8252-64.
Wu, T. T. Tong, L. Rickabaugh, T. Speck, S. Sun, R. , Function of Rta is essential for lytic replication of murine gammaherpesvirus 68, J Virol, 2001, 75 (19), 9262-73.
Song, M. J. Brown, H. J. Wu, T. T. Sun, R. , Transcription activation of polyadenylated nuclear rna by rta in human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, J Virol, 2001, 75 (7), 3129-40.
Chen, Y. Sun, R. Guan, T. Zhang, H. , [The Raman spectra study on crystal-octadecyl hydrogen succinate crystal], Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi, 2001, 21 (2), 202-3.
Deng, H. Young, A. Sun, R. , Auto-activation of the rta gene of human herpesvirus-8/Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, J Gen Virol, 2000, 81 (Pt 12), 3043-8.
Wu, T. T. Usherwood, E. J. Stewart, J. P. Nash, A. A. Sun, R. , Rta of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 reactivates the complete lytic cycle from latency, J Virol, 2000, 74 (8), 3659-67.