Shuohao Sun, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, TIMBR, Assistant Investigator, NIBS, Beijing, China

2016    Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA

2010    BS, Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

2021-    Assistant Professor, TIMBR, Assistant Investigator, NIBS, Beijing, China

2020-2021    Research Associate, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA

2016-2020    Postdoc, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA

The inner ear consists of the cochlea, dedicated to hearing and the vestibular organs, dedicated to balance functions, including gaze stabilization, postural control and spatial navigation. These two systems share the same developmental origin and mechanosensitive hair cells are used by both but to achieve distinct functions. Comparing to other sensory systems (e.g. visual, somatosensory), the molecular heterogeneity of neurons in the inner ear and how they contribute to the morphological, physiological and functional diversity have not been well-established and appreciated. I demonstrated, during my postdoc, that type I SGNs consist of three molecularly distinct subtypes (named type Ia, type Ib and type Ic), which exhibit anatomical and physiological differences. Specification of the subtypes is finished postnatally in an activity dependent manner. These results can provide new angles for the mechanistic understanding of sensory coding in the auditory system.

The vestibular system is critical to our sense of balance and spatial orientation. Malfunctions of the system lead to balance disorders that can affect 15 percent of the adult population, especially the elderly. Comparing to other sensory systems, such as the auditory system, this second part of the inner ear has drawn less public or scientific attention. Vestibular ganglion neurons (VGNs) innervate five distinctive end organs to carry out diverse functions ranging from gaze stabilization and spatial navigation to cognitive functions and autonomic regulations. Accordingly, VGNs exhibit pronounced anatomical and physiological diversity. We plan to begin the characterization of the vestibular circuitries with the molecular and cellular diversity of the vestibular ganglion neurons.

1.Sun S, Siebald C,Mueller U. (2021) Subtype Maturation of Spiral Ganglion Neurons.Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery29(5):391-399.

2.Sun S*, Babola T*, Palermo A*, So K, Nguyen M, Su S, Palermo A, Bergles D, Burns J, Mueller U. (2018) Hair Cell Mechanotransduction Regulates Spontaneous Activity and Spiral Ganglion Subtype Specification in the Auditory System.Cell174(5):1246-1632. *contributed equally to this work.

Highlighted/previewed in:

Whalley, Nature Review Neuroscience. 19,579 (2018)

Kandler, Neuron. 2018.07.043

Fekete, F1000.

3.Sun S*, Xu Q*, Guo C, Guan Y, Liu Q and Dong X. (2017) Leaky gate model: intensity-dependent coding of pain and itch in the spinal cord.Neuron, 93(4):840-853. *contributed equally to this work.

Highlighted/previewed in:

Pereira and Lerner, Neuron. 2017.02.016

4.Sun S, Dong X. (2016) Trp channels and itch.Seminars in immunopathology38(3), 293-307.

5.Reddy VB*,Sun S*, Azimi E, Elmariah SB, Dong X, Lerner EA. (2015) Redefining the concept of protease-activated receptors: cathepsin S evokes itch via activation of Mrgprs.Nature communications, 6:7864. *contributed equally to this work.

6.Li Z, Tseng P.-Y, Tiwari V, Xu Q, He S.-Q, Wang Y, Zheng Q, Han L, Wu Z, Blobaum A.L, Cui Y, Tiwari V,Sun S, Cheng Y, Huang-Lionnet J.H.Y, Geng Y, Xiao B, Peng J, Hopkins C, Raja S.N, Guan Y, Dong X. (2017) Targeting human Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X1 to inhibit persistent pain.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci,114(10): E1996-2005.

7.Kim YS, Chu Y, Han L, Li M, Li Z, Lavinka PC,Sun S, Tang Z, Park K, Caterina MJ, Ren K, Dubner R, Wei F, Dong X. (2014) Central terminal sensitization of TRPV1 by descending serotonergic facilitation modulates chronic pain.Neuron, 81(4):873-87.

8.Liu Q, Sikand P, Ma C, Tang Z, Han L, Li Z,Sun S, LaMotte RH, Dong X. (2012) Mechanisms of itch evoked by β-alanine.J Neurosci.3509-12.

Itch and Pain: Similarities, Interactions and Differences

Chapter: Interneurons and Their Roles in Itch and Pain, Author:Shuohao Sun

International Association for the Study of Pain Press (2020年7月)