Zhao Sun

Assistant Professor - Biological Sciences

My lab research focuses on modeling and uncovering the mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease using 3D direct neuronal reprogramming—an innovative tissue engineering approach that converts human skin fibroblasts into functional neurons in a dish.

RL1.740
Sun Lab website
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UT Southwestern, Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases
ORCID

Currently accepting graduate students

Professional Preparation

Postdoctoral Scholar/staff scientist - Cell fate conversion and neurodegeneration
Washington University in St. Louis - 2025

Ph.D. - Anatomy and Cell Biology
The University of Iowa - 2016

Research Areas

Applying cell reprogramming approaches to model and study neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Zhao Sun’s lab focuses on modeling and dissecting the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology using 3D direct neuronal reprogramming—a technique that converts skin fibroblasts into functional neurons, allowing researchers to study patient-derived neurons in a dish (PMID: 39088624). His long-term research interests lie in leveraging cellular reprogramming and stem cell biology to improve disease modeling for neurodegenerative disorders and to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Publications

Three-dimensional direct neuronal reprogramming for modeling Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology 2026 - Journal Article

Modeling late-onset Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology via direct neuronal reprogramming 2024 - Journal Article

Endogenous recapitulation of Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology through human 3D direct neuronal reprogramming 2023 - Other

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome candidate 1 (Whsc1) methyltransferase signals via a Pitx2-miR-23/24 axis to effect tooth development 2023 - Journal Article

HMGN2 represses gene transcription via interaction with transcription factors Lef-1 and Pitx2 during amelogenesis 2022 - Journal Article

Pitx2-Sox2-Lef1 interactions specify progenitor oral/dental epithelial cell signaling centers 2020 - Journal Article

Sox2 Controls Periderm and Rugae Development to Inhibit Oral Adhesions. 2020 - Journal Article

Efficient Gene Transfer to Kidney Mesenchymal Cells Using a Synthetic Adeno-Associated Viral Vector 2018 - Journal Article

Awards

The Jeffrey L. Morby Prize - Cure Alzheimer’s Fund [2025]

Rockford Draper Early Career Faculty Development Award - The University of Texas at Dallas [2025]

Appointments

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas [2025–Present]

Presentations

Endogenous recapitulation of late-onset Alzheimer's disease neuropathology via direct neuronal reprogramming. Gordon Research Conference, Neurobiology of Brain Disorders (Aug 2024), Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain.

Modeling neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease in aged patient-derived neurons through 3D direct neuronal reprogramming. Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) (July 2023), Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Endogenous recapitulation of Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology through 3D direct neuronal reprogramming. Gordon Research Conference, Functional Genomics of Human Brain Development and Disease (April 2023), Ventura, CA.

News Articles

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Alzheimer’s treatments get closer to reality with Washington University research discovery

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund: Prize Recognizes Drs. Andrew Yoo and Zhao Sun of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Science Daily: Aging-related genomic culprit found in Alzheimer's disease

Affiliations

The University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Biological Sciences

2025/08
Assistant Professor