Linlin Sun   Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University

38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China

Tel: + 86(0)10 8280 1120 

Email: linlin.sun@ pku.edu.cn

Academic experience

Dr. Sun was admitted in the eight-year program of undergraduate and doctoral education in Basic Medicine of Peking University in 2005, and obtained her Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience in 2013. She then received her 7-year postdoc training in the Department of Anesthesiology in Rutgers University, New York University and Columbia University. Dr. Sun rejoined Neuroscience Research Institute of Peking University as a principal investigator in January, 2021 and is now leading the lab for neural mechanism for pain, autism and drug addiction.

Research interests

1. Peripheral and central mechanism for chronic pain.
2. Peripheral and central mechanism for autism spectrum disorder.
3. Central mechanism for drug addiction and withdrawal.

Representative publications

1.  Li, Y. ^#, Guo, X. ^#, Sun, L. ^#, Xiao, J. ^#, Su, S. ^#, Du, S. ^#, Li, Z., Wu, S., Liu, W., Mo, K., Xia, S., Chang, Y., Denis, D., Tao, YX. (2020) N⁶-methyladenosine demethylase FTO contributes to neuropathic pain by stabilizing G9a expression in primary sensory neurons. Advanced Science, 375(1799): 234. ^# co-first author. 

2.  Chen, C. ^#, Zhang, J. ^#, Sun, L. ^#, Y. Zhang, W. Gan, P. Tang, G. Yang. (2019) "Long-term imaging of dorsal root ganglia in awake behaving mice." Nature Communications 10(1):3087. ^# co-first author.

3.  Sun, L., Zhou, H., Cichon, J., Yang, G. (2019) Experience and sleep-dependent synaptic plasticity: from structure to activity. Philosophical Transactions B 375(1799): 20190234.

4.  Sun, L. ^#, Gu, X. ^#, Z. Pan, X. Guo, J. Liu, F. E. Atianjoh, S. Wu, K. Mo, B. Xu, L. Liang, A. Bekker and Y. X. Tao. (2019) "Contribution of DNMT1 to neuropathic pain genesis partially through epigenetically repressing Kcna2 in primary afferent neurons." The Journal of Neuroscience 39(33): 6595– 6607. ^# co-first author. 

5.  Sun, L.^#, J. Y. Zhao^#, X. Gu^#, L. Liang, S. Wu, K. Mo, J. Feng, W. Guo, J. Zhang, A. Bekker, X. Zhao, E. J. Nestler and Y. X. Tao. (2017). "Nerve injury-induced epigenetic silencing of opioid receptors controlled by DNMT3a in primary afferent neurons." Pain 158(6): 1153-1165. ^# co-first author.

6.  Sun, L., B. M. Lutz and Y. X. Tao (2016). "The CRISPR/Cas9 system for gene editing and its potential application in pain research." Translational Perioperative and Pain Medicine 1(3): 22-33. (Review)

7.  Sun, L.^#, Hu, L. ^#, Li, Y. ^# and Cui, C. (2013). "Mesoaccumbens dopamine signaling alteration underlies behavioral transition from tolerance to sensitization to morphine rewarding properties during morphine withdrawal." Brain Structure and Function 219(5): 1755-1771. ^# co-first author.

8.  Li, Z.^#, Gu, X. ^#, Sun, L. ^#, S. Wu, L. Liang, J. Cao, B. M. Lutz, A. Bekker, W. Zhang and Y. X. Tao. (2015). "Dorsal root ganglion myeloid zinc finger protein 1 contributes to neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve trauma." Pain 156(4): 711-721. ^# co-first authors

9. Cichon, J., J. Magrane, E. Shtridler, C. Chen, Sun. L, G. Yang and W. B. Gan (2020). "Imaging neuronal activity in the central and peripheral nervous systems using new Thy1.2-GCaMP6 transgenic mouse lines."Journal of Neuroscience Methods 334: 108535.

10.  Griffiths, K. K., A. Wang, L. Wang, M. Tracey, G. Kleiner, C. M. Quinzii, Sun. L, G. Yang, J. F. Perez-Zoghbi, P. Licznerski, M. Yang, E. A. Jonas and R. J. Levy (2020). "Inefficient thermogenic mitochondrial respiration due to futile proton leak in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome." The FASEB Journal 10.1096/fj.202000283RR.

11.  Ruan, C., Sun, L., Kroshilina, A., Beckers, L., De Jager, P., Bradshaw, E., Hasson, L., Yang, G., Elyaman, W. (2020) A Novel Tmem119-tdTomato Reporter Mouse Model for Studying Microglia in the Central Nervous System. Brain Behavior and Immunity 83(180)-191.

12.  Mao, Q., S. Wu, X. Gu, S. Du, K. Mo, Sun, L., J. Cao, A. Bekker, L. Chen and Y. X. Tao. (2019). "DNMT3a-triggered downregulation of K2p 1.1 gene in primary sensory neurons contributes to paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain." International Journal of Cancer 145(8):2122-34.

13.  Cichon, J., Sun, L. and Yang, G. (2018). Spared Nerve Injury Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice. Bio-protocol 8(6): e2777.

14.  Sun, X., Wang, N., Wang, X., Sun, L., Li, Y., Cui, C. (2019). AMPA Receptor in Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Plays Different Roles in the Recent and Remote Retrieval of Morphine-Associated Memory. Neurochemical Research 44(8):1939-1949.

15.  Wang, N., F. Ge, C. Cui, Y. Li, X. Sun, L. Sun, X. Wang, S. Liu, H. Zhang, Y. Liu, M. Jia and M. Yang. (2018). "Role of Glutamatergic Projections from the Ventral CA1 to Infralimbic Cortex in Context-Induced Reinstatement of Heroin Seeking." Neuropsychopharmacology 43(6):1373-1384. doi: 10.1038/npp.2017.279. Epub 2017 Nov 14.

16.  Zhao, J. Y., L. Liang, X. Gu, Z. Li, S. Wu, L. Sun, F. E. Atianjoh, J. Feng, K. Mo, S. Jia, B. M. Lutz, A. Bekker, E. J. Nestler and Y. X. Tao. (2017). "DNA methyltransferase DNMT3a contributes to neuropathic pain by repressing Kcna2 in primary afferent neurons." Nature Communications 8: 14712.

17.  Xu, J. T., L. Sun, B. M. Lutz, A. Bekker and Y. X. Tao. (2016) "Intrathecal rapamycin attenuates morphine-induced analgesic tolerance and hyperalgesia in rats with neuropathic pain." Translational Perioperative and Pain Medicine 2(2): 27-34.

18.  Li, Y. J., X. J. Ping, C. Qi, F. Shen, L. L. Sun, X. W. Sun, F. F. Ge, G. G. Xing and C. L. Cui. (2015). "Re-exposure to morphine-associated context facilitated long-term potentiation in the vSUB-NAc glutamatergic pathway via GluN2B-containing receptor activation." Addiction Biology 22(2): 435-445.

19.  Lv, X. F., L.L. Sun, C. L. Cui and J. S. Han. (2015). "NAc Shell Arc/Arg3.1 Protein Mediates Reconsolidation of Morphine CPP by Increased GluR1 Cell Surface Expression: Activation of ERK-Coupled CREB is Required." International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology 18(9): pyv030. Published online 2015 Apr 15. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv030

20.  Hu, L., N. N. Chu, L. L. Sun, R. Zhang, J. S. Han and C. L. Cui. (2009). "Electroacupuncture treatment reverses morphine-induced physiological changes in dopaminergic neurons within the ventral tegmental area." Addiction Biology 14(4): 431-437.

Book Chapter

Sun, L., B. M. Lutz and Y. X. Tao (2016). "Contribution of Spinal Cord mTORC1 to Chronic Opioid Tolerance and Hyperalgesia." Book: Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse (Vol. 3, pp. 482-489). Publisher:Elsevier Inc.