Hui Sun

Hui Sun is a Professor in the Departments of Physiology and Ophthalmology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. His laboratory focuses on discovering and characterizing novel membrane receptors involved in physiological processes and diseases, particularly vitamin A transport mechanisms and angiogenesis regulation. Dr. Sun pioneered the identification of the STRA6 receptor for vitamin A cellular uptake and receptors for angiogenesis inhibitors like PEDF, developing innovative fluorescence-based techniques for receptor analysis and drug discovery.

His research interests span:

• Mechanisms of transmembrane vitamin A transport and retinol-binding protein interactions
• Angiogenesis modulation in tumor vasculature through PEDF receptors
• Development of high-throughput screening methods for receptor modulators
• Structural-functional analysis of membrane channels and transporters

Dr. Sun's publications demonstrate consistent focus on receptor biology, with recent work emphasizing structural mechanisms of vitamin A transport (2020), retinal vitamin A metabolism (2017), and tumor-targeting angiogenesis receptors (2014). His 25+ years of research show progression from foundational channel protein studies to therapeutic applications.

Awards and Honors:

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Award (2009-2015)
• Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar Award (2006-2010)
• E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation Award (2005-2008)
• Gerald Oppenheimer Family Foundation Award (2005)
• Ruth and Milton Steinbach Award (2004-2007)
• Stein-Oppenheimer Endowment Award (2004)
• Karl Kirchgessner Foundation Award (2003)
• Alicia Showalter Reynolds Research Prize (1998)

He leads an active research laboratory that collaborates extensively with UCLA colleagues and external scientists, including large-scale antibody screening initiatives. Current work focuses on translating receptor discoveries into targeted therapies for cancer and retinal diseases.