PhD students recruitment

Dr. Sun’s expertise in research is in the field of nutrigenomics, the genetic, endocrine and nutritional factors responsible for the predisposition to obesity and diabetes. Dr. Sun and his team study obesity and diabetes in human subjects at different levels using distinguished technologies.

The first study was designed to measure whole genome wide mRNA expression profiles in adipose tissue at a fasting state and in response to a 7-day overfeeding challenge in both lean and overweight/obese young men using Agilent DNA microarrays. This unique study design created an opportunity to detect differences in gene expression between lean and obese subjects that would be difficult to find without a positive energy challenge. A total of 45 genes were identified as being significantly differentially expressed in response to overfeeding. Six genes were also identified that displayed a differential response to the overfeeding intervention between lean and obese subjects. This may represent a defence mechanism at the molecular level to protect the body against an energy surplus. This protective mechanism appears to be missing or blunted in obese subjects. Therefore, these genes are important targets to further investigate for the role they play in the genetic predisposition towards obesity¹. His lab has also studied a number of adipokines and their role in the regulation of glucose and lipids metabolism ^{2-5, 10, 13, 15.} This study was funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The second study Dr. Sun established is called the CODING (Complex Diseases in the Newfoundland population: Environment and Genetics) study. The CODING study was initiated in 2003 with the help of operating funding from the Newfoundland & Labrador Centre for Health Research (NLCAHR) and was then funded by a 3-year CIHR operating grant in 2005. The study consists of over 2,400 adult Newfoundlanders and will now be expanded to 3,000 as Dr. Sun received another 5-year CIHR operating grant covering 2009-2014. The genetic association approach is taken in the CODING study to investigate the link between candidate genes and variations in food intake, body weight, fat percentage, fat distribution and hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal tract, adipose tissue and other related organs. The CODING study was initially designed as a cross-sectional study although a longitudinal approach was implemented after the inception 7 years ago.

The third study in Dr. Sun’s lab targets childhood obesity and was funded by a CIHR pilot operating grant in 2005. Two hundred families with at least one obese child will be recruited. Body composition measured by DXA, genomic DNA together with blood samples at fasting state and nutritional information will be collected. Seven candidate genes will be studied for their potential association with the variation in food intake and body fat.

Dr. Sun holds the Novartis Professorship in Pediatric Genetics, sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. He was fast-track promoted from assistant to associate professor in 2005. Dr. Sun has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers many of which are in high impact journals such as Diabetes and AJCN. Dr. Sun has served as a board member on two international peer-reviewed journals and ad hoc reviewer for over 30 peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Sun has served as a panel member of CIHR operating grant committees and long-term external reviewers for CIHR, HSF and other provincial and international funding agencies as well. CIHR has featured Dr. Sun’s research four times in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 for his significant contributions towards the study of obesity and diabetes. Dr. Sun’s research has been heavily funded by CIHR with 5 successful CIHR operating and equipment grants plus funding from Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), NLCAHR, General Hospital, Janeway Children Hospital and MRC. Dr. Sun has wide collaborations locally, nationally and internationally with researchers at Memorial, U of T, Laval University, Harvard University and Beijing University. Dr. Sun has chaired a Nutrigenomics Research Interest Group (NRIG) at Memorial University since 2007.

Dr. Sun obtained his MD in China Medical University (CMU) in 1983. He then completed his MSc in 1988 in CMU in the field of preventive medicine and a PhD degree in medicine of public health in 1996 in Faculty of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Japan. With a strong interest in research, Dr. Sun studied the genetics of human obesity in Dr. Bouchard’s laboratory in Laval University, from 1996-1999 as a postdoctoral fellow. He continued the research work on human obesity as a postdoctoral associate in Pennington Biomedical Research Centre, Louisiana State University until he was recruited to Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, in March of 2001.

Distinctions

Editorial Board: The Open Endocrinology Journal (since 2008)
Editorial Board: Clinical Medicine: Endocrinology and Diabetes (Since 2008)
Chair: The 1st and 2nd NL Nutrigenomics Symposium (2008, 2009)
Member of Integrated Health Genomics (IHG) Working Group, Genome Canada (2008)
Professorship of Novartis Canada, Inc.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Featured Researcher (2005-2007 and 2009): Newfoundland Volunteers help find obesity-Preventing Genes (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/39390.html)

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2005-2006) Featured Researcher: Serum Ca++ was a novel diabetes risk factor (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/)

CIHR INMD featured researcher: January 2006 (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/30160.html)

Co-chair in Session 19 Genetics & Cardiovascular Disease at “World DNA & Genome Day” (2005).
Member of Scientific Advisory Board for the Atlantic Microarray Symposium (2006).
Travel award by CIHR Young Investigator Forum 2008.

CIHR Institute Advisory Board Member (INMD) 2010-2013)

Awards to Supervised Students

1. Summer Undergraduate Research Award in 2003 (to Dax Rumsey)
2. Summer Undergraduate Research Award in 2003 (to James Thorburn)
3. Summer Undergraduate Research Award in 2003 (to Christiane Dawe)
4. Summer Undergraduate Research Award in 2003 (to Amber Snow)
5. CIHR R&D Award in 2003 (to James Thorburn)
6. CIHR Summer Research Award (to Christiane Dawe)
7. CIHR Summer Research Award (to Lesley Johnston)
8. CIHR R&D Award (to James Thorburn)
9. Summer Research Award in 2005 (to Margery Pazdor)
10. CIHR Summer Research Award (to Steven Tilley)
11. CIHR R&D Award in 2006 (to Aaron Kennedy)
12. CIHR Health Professional Student Research Award 2006 (to Glynn Martin)
13. CIHR Health Professional Student Research Award 2006 (to Sammy Khalili)
14. Summer Undergraduate Research Award in 2006 (to James Thorburn)
15. Summer Undergraduate Research Award in 2006 (to Kelda Ghaney)
16. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (to Kristian Green) in 2007

17. NSERC scholarship for a PhD candidate (to Jennifer Shea)
18. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Medical: to Aaron Kennedy) in 2007.
19. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Medical: to Jessica Bishop) in 2007.
20. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Medical: to James Thorburn) in 2007
21. Mach-Gaensslen Foundation of Canada Award in 2009 (to Aaron Kennedy).
22. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (to Lindsay Barbour) in 2009
23. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (to Meghan Greene) in 2009
24. Canada Summer Job Award (to Heather Gibling) in 2009.

25. Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Dannis Wadden) in 2010

Recent Publications (2004-2009)

Refereed Journal Articles

Refereed Journal Articles

1. Shea J, Loredo-Osti JC, Sun G. No association between visfatin (NAMPT) gene variants and metabolic traits in the Newfoundland population. Genetics & Epigenetics 2010:3;15-22.
2. Shea J, E Randell. Sun G. The prevalence of metabolically healthy obese subjects defined by BMI and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Obesity 2010. Advance online publication 12 August 2010. doi:10.1038/oby.2010.174.
3. Green K K., Shea J L., Vasdev S, Randell E, Gulliver W, Sun G. Higher Dietary Protein Intake is Associated with Lower Body Fat in the Newfoundland Population. Clinical Medicine Insights: Endocrinology and Diabetes. 2010:3;25-35.
4. Shea J, Loredo-Osti JC, Sun G. Association of RBP4 gene variants and serum HDL cholesterol levels in the Newfoundland population (Obesity, 2009), advance online publication 5 November 2009. doi:10.1038/oby.2009.398.
5. Kennedy A, S Vasdev, E Randell, Y-G Xie, K Green, H Zhang, Sun G. Abnormality of Serum Lipids are Independently Associated with Increased Serum Calcium Level in the Adult Newfoundland Population. Clinical Medicine: Endocrinology and Diabetes 2009:2 15-23.
6. Kennedy A, Shea J, Sun G. Comparison of the Classification of Obesity by BMI Versus Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in the Newfoundland Population. Obesity, 17(11):2094-9. Epub 2009 Apr 9.
7. Shea J, French C, Bishop J, Martin G, Roebothan B, Pace D, Fitzpatrick D, Sun G. Changes in the transcriptome of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in response to short term overfeeding in lean and obese men. Am J Clin Nutr 89:407-415. 2009; 2008 Dec 3. [Epub ahead of print] as doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.25970.
8. Martin G, Loredo J.C., Sun G. Lack of association of ghrelin precursor gene variants and % body fat or serum lipid profiles. Obesity 16:908-912, 2008. Advance online publication 24 January 2008. doi:10.1038/oby.2007.125.
9. Randell E, Mathews M, Gadag V, Sun G. Relationship between Serum Magnesium values, lipids and anthropometric risk factors. Atherosclerosis 196(1):413-9.2008 (doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2006.11.024).
10. Shea, J, Randell E, Vasdev S, Wang P, Roebothan B, Sun G. Associations of retinol-binding protein 4 and insulin resistance following short term overfeeding differ between lean, overweight and obese men. Am J Clin Nutr 86:1310 –5, 2007.
11. Sun G. Association of serum calcium with insulin resistance and b-cell function is glucose level-dependent//LA GLUCEMIA DETERMINA LA RELACION DEL CALCIO SERICO CON LA RESISTENCIA A LA INSULINA Y LA FUNCION DE LA CELULA BETA. Salud(i)Ciencia 16:525-529, 2008. http://www.siicsalud.com/dato/experto.php/90554 (Invited Experts)
12. Randell E, Sun G. Positive correlation between total serum magnesium and serum lipid levels in the general population is clear: Ionized magnesium remains to be examined. Athrossclerosis 192:231–232, 2007.
13. Sun G, Jessica Bishop, Sammy Khalili, Sudesh Vasdev, Vicki Gill, David Pace, Donald Fitzpatrick, Hongwei Zhang. Serum visfatin levels are positively correlated with triglycerides and were down regulated by overfeeding in healthy young men. Am J Clin Nutr 85:399-404, 2007.
14. Sun G. Application of DNA microarrays in the study of human obesity and diabetes. OMICS, 11:25-40, 2007.
15. Cui J, Randell E, Renouf J, Sun G, Green R, Han FY, Xie YG. Thrombospondin-4 1186G>C (A387P) is a sex-dependent risk factor for myocardial infarction: a large replication study with increased sample size from the same population. Am Heart J. 2006 Sep;152(3):543.e1-5.
16. Sun G, Vasdev S, Martin G, Gadag V, Zhang HW. Altered calcium homeostasis is correlated with abnormalities of fasting serum glucose, insulin resistance and b-cell function in the Newfoundland population. Diabetes 54:3336-3339, 2005.
17. Randell E, Matthews M, Zhang HW, Seraj J, and Sun G. Relationship between serum butyrylcholinesterase and the metabolic syndrome. Clin Biochem 38:799-805, 2005.
18. Cui J; Randell E; Renouf J; Sun G; Han FY; Younghusband B, Xie Y. Gender dependent association of Thrombospondin-4 A387P polymorphism with Myocardial infarction. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004;24(11):e183-4.

Recent Published and Accepted Abstracts

1. Sheridan K, Cahill F, Randell E, Vasdev S, Sun G. Ghrelin concentrations in response to short-term overfeeding in normal-weight, overweight, and obese men. The Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting, 2010.
2. Cahill F, Sheridan K, Randell E, Vasdev S, Sun G. Peptide YY (PYY) responses to a 7-day positive energy challenge in normal-weight, overweight, and obese young men. The Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting, 2010.
3. JL Shea, JC Loredo-Osti, HW Zhang, G Sun. Association of RBP4 gene variants and serum HDL cholesterol levels in the Newfoundland population. 2009 ASHG annual meeting.
4. Y. G. Xie, J. Cui, G. Sun, and F. Y. Han. GLI3 Gene Mutation Spectrum of the patients with Pallister-Hall syndrome (PHS). 2009 ASHG annual meeting.
5. J. Cui, E. Randell, R. James, F. Y. Han, G. Sun, C. Butt, J. Hwa, Y. G. Xie. Characterization of candidate genetic determiners for myocardial infarction in a genetic homogeneous population. 2009 ISTH annual meeting.
6. Shea J, Green K, Kennedy A, Wang P, Sun G. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in obese subjects defined by BMI and dual energy x-ray absroptiometry. 2009 CIHR Young Investigator Forum.
7. Green K, Sun G. The Anti-Obesity Effect of Dietary Protein in Newfoundland Women is Menopausal Status Dependent. Obesity 16:suppl 445-P, 2008.
8. Sun G. La asociacion del calico serico con la resistencia a la insulina y la funcion de las celulas beta es dependiente del nivel de la glucemia. Salud(i)Ciencia 16:440, 2008.
9. Power J, Sun G. No Significant Effects of Dietary Magnesium Intake on Insulin Resistance in the Newfoundland Female Population. Obesity 16: suppl 663-P, 2008.
10. Sun G. The Newfoundland nutritional genomics study on obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis. The 1st annual Canadian Human Genetics Conference. 2008.
11. Shea J, French C, Bishop J, Martin G, Roebothan B, Pace D, Fitzpatrick D, Sun G. Changes in the transcriptome of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in response to short term overfeeding in lean and obese men. Obesity 16:135-OR, 2008.
    
12. Newhook LA, Shea, J, Zhang HW, Sun G. Screening the differences in gene expression of white blood cells between newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes and healthy controls using DNA microarrays. The 1st annual Canadian Human Genetics Conference. 2008.
13. Sun G, Zhang HW. Gender specific correlation of insulin resistance with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the Newfoundland population. CIHR Young Investigator Forum 2008: P67.
14. Sun G. Association of serum calcium with insulin resistance and beta-cell function is glucose level-dependent. Obesity 2007;15(10) suppl. 563-P.
15. Sun G, Khalili S, Shea J, Bhem D, Zhang HW. Serum adiponectin was increased by short term overfeeding in both lean and obese young men. Diabetes; 2007;56 suppl 1:1473-P.
16. Shea, J, Sun G etc. Associations of retinol-binding protein 4 and insulin resistance following short term overfeeding differ between lean, overweight and obese men. Diabetes; 2007;56 suppl 1:1375-P.
17. Sun G, Zhang HW. Gender specific association between bone mineral densities and insulin resistance in the Newfoundland population. Bone; 2007; 40/6S2:206W.
18. Cui J, Ma A-H, Sun G, Han F-Y, Green J and Xie Y-G (2007) Mutation Spectrum of the APC Gene in 48 Newfoundland and Labrador Families with FAP and AFAP. The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 9: 651-652.
19. Xie YG, Cui J, Randell E, Renouf J, Sun G, Butt C and Han FY. Study of Genetic Susceptibility to Myocardial Infarction in a Genetic Isolated NF Population. 2007 ASHG.
20. Cui J, Randell E, Renouf J, Han FY, Sun G, Butt C and Xie YG. Genetic Susceptibility to Myocardial Infarction in a Genetic Isolated NF Population. 2007 Annual Meeting of Canadian Genetics Disease Network.
21. Sun G, Shea J, Vasdev S, Xie YG, Al-Zadjali F, Zhang HW. Visfatin gene is associated with fasting insulin level, insulin resistance and beta-cell function in women in the Newfoundland population. Obesity Reviews 2006;7:PO0178.
22. Sun G, Bishop J, Khalili S, Vasdev S, Gill V, Pace D, Fitzpatrick D, Randell E, Xie YG, Zhang HW. Serum visfatin levels are positively correlated with triglycerides and were down regulated by overfeeding in healthy young men. Obesity Reviews 2006;7:PO0093.
23. Bishop J, Pace D, Fitzpatrick D, Sun G. Global mRNA Expression Profiles in Response to Short-Term Overfeeding in Young Males with Normal Body Fat. ENDO 2006; 88^th Annual Meeting [P3-142].
    
24. Sun, G, Zhang H. Variations of serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol are associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism near the adipose triglyceride lipase gene in the Newfoundland population. Obes Res 2005;13(10) suppl. 841-P.
25. Sun G, Martin G. No association was found between three SNPs in the ghrelin precursor gene with variations in body fat and serum lipid parameters in the Newfoundland population. ASHG 55^th annual meeting. 1010/W, 2005.
26. Thorburn J, Sun G. MCHR1 Gene Variation is Associated with Serum LDL Cholesterol in the Newfoundland Population. Obes Res 2005;13(10) suppl. 390- P.
27. Thorburn J, Sun G. No Association between MCHR1 Gene Polymorphisms and Variation in Body Composition in the Newfoundland Population. Obes Res 2005;13(10) suppl. 614-P.
28. Kennedy A, Sun G. Genetic variation in the human adipophilin gene is not associated with differences in serum lipid parameters in the Newfoundland Population. Obes Res 2005;13(10) suppl. 616-P.
29. Kennedy A, Sun G. Significant associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human perilipin gene with variations in body composition in the Newfoundland population. Obes Res 2005;13(10) suppl. 615-P.
30. French C, Sun G. Global gene expression profiles of subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese and non-obese young men. Obes Res 2005;13(10) suppl. 119-OR. (The full manuscript is in revision: Obesity Research)
31. Sun G, French C, Cooke S, Martin G, Ma A, Dawe C, Zhang HW. A single nucleotide polymorphism at the perilipin gene associated with reduced body fat in Newfoundland women. The American Society of Human Genetics: 54th Annual Meeting, 1214/F4, 2004.
32. Randell E; Martin G; French C; Zhang HW; Matthews M, Sun G. Serum Butyrylcholinesterase and risk factors for the Metabolic Syndrome. Presented at Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists meeting in London, ON, May 2004.
33. Sun G, Martin G, French C, Zhang HW. Serum calcium level is correlated with blood glucose and b-cell function in the Newfoundland population. Obesity Research 2004; 12 (10) Suppl. 131-OR.
34. French C, Martin G, Thorburn J, Randell E, Younghusband B, Green R, Zhang HW, Sun G. Serum calcium level is correlated with blood lipid profiles in the Newfoundland population. Obesity Research 2004; 12 (10) Suppl. 883-P.
35. Martin G, French C, Randell E, Roebothan B, Younghusband B, Green R, Xie YG, Matthews M, Zhang HW, Sun G. Amount of calcium intake negatively associated with body fat in the Newfoundland population. Obesity Research 2004; 12 (10) Suppl. 851-P.
36. Dawe C, Martin G, French C, Zhang HW, Pace D, Mathews M, Sun G. No association was found between serum lipids and bone densities in the Newfoundland population. Obesity Research 2004; 12 (10) Suppl. 552-P.
37. Kennedy A, Zhang HW, Sun G. Genetic variation in the human adipophilin gene is associated with increased serum HDL in obese females in the Newfoundland population. Scientific Days 2004, October 18-19, 2004.
38. Thorburn J, French C, Martin G, Sun G. Genetic variation in the MCHR1 gene is associated with fasting insulin level in males in the Newfoundland population. Scientific Days 2004, October 18-19, 2004.
39. French C, Sun G. Comparison of multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for the assessment of percent body fat in a large healthy population. 2004 CIHR Canadian Student Health Research Forum. June, Winnipeg.
40. Martin G, Zhang HW, Sun G. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the ghrelin gene is associated with reduced body fat in the Newfoundland male population. Scientific Days 2004, October 18-19, 2004.