Tai-ping Sun

Tai-ping Sun is a Professor of Biology at Duke University, affiliated with the Department of Biology in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2006. He holds a Ph.D. from Duke University (1987) and a B.S. from National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan, 1980). His research focuses on plant hormone signaling, particularly gibberellin (GA) and auxin pathways, and their roles in growth regulation, fruit development, and stress responses. He is renowned for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of DELLA proteins and SPINDLY, central regulators in plant development.

Key research interests include: (1) Gibberellin-DELLA signaling pathways in Arabidopsis and tomato, (2) Auxin-regulated fruit growth and parthenocarpy, (3) Plasmonic nanobiosensors for in vivo plant monitoring, and (4) Circadian clock regulation via O-fucosylation. His work bridges fundamental biology with agricultural applications, including crop yield improvement.

Recent grants include NSF-supported studies on DELLA signaling (2024–2028) and USDA-funded research on tomato fruit development (2023–2027). He has received prestigious honors like National Academy of Sciences membership (2024), AAAS Fellow (2021), and multiple Highly Cited Researcher recognitions. His teaching includes advanced courses on cell signaling and genetic engineering.

Labs/Teams: Leads a lab focused on plant hormone signaling, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects combining molecular biology, nanotechnology, and bioinformatics. Active in training graduate students through NIH-funded training programs.