Principal Investigator / Assistant Professor
Originally from Zhejiang, China, Wenfei earned his bachelor's degree from China Pharmaceutical University. In 2020, he received his Doctor of Sciences at ETH Zurich with Christian Wolfrum, where he pioneered single-nucleus genomics tools for adipose tissue. His work revealed the first temperature-gated epigenetic circuit in mammals (Nature Medicine 2018), mapped the cellular landscape of adipose tissue (Nature 2020), uncovered a thermogenesis-regulating cell population (PNAS 2021) and identified cells regulating adipogenesis (Nature Metabolism 2022). As a joint postdoctoral fellow with Stephen Quake and Thomas Südhof at Stanford University, Wenfei dissected the cellular and molecular basis of memory engram, identifying novel astrocyte-neuron interactions during memory consolidation (Nature 2024a) and delineating neural circuits underlying social transmitted food memory (Nature 2024b).
Wenfei started his own lab at Stanford Endocrinology in September 2025 to explore how neural circuits regulate metabolic homeostasis and memory. Dr. Sun’s honors include the Baxter Foundation Faculty Scholar (2026), AHA Rapid Impact Research Award (2026), Pfizer Research Prize (2022), the Science & SciLifeLab Prize (2021), the ETH Medal (2020). His research has been supported by the Whitehall Research Foundation, the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation (LLHF), the American Heart Association (AHA), the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research (GFMR), the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
Outside the lab, Wenfei enjoys hiking, observing wildlife, and exploring of new cultures and cuisines.
Postdoctoral Scholar
EunSun is a postdoctoral researcher interested in exploring cell–cell interactions, with a particular focus on the vascular system in the brain. She received her Ph.D. from Stanford University in Bo Wang’s lab, where she studied the circulatory system of cephalopods and the evolution of circulatory systems across animal phyla.
Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, learning new things, and crafting.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Tao Jin received his Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from Fudan University in China under the supervision of Prof. Lan Ma. He subsequently continued his postdoctoral training in Lan Ma's lab. His research has focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying memory formation, consolidation, and extinction, as well as the mechanisms of aging-related memory decline. Now in the Sun lab, Tao is interested in exploring the circuit mechanisms of long-term memory formation and storage.
Outside the lab, Tao enjoys traveling, exploring diverse cuisines, watching movies and anime.
Visiting Research Associate
Hou Hei is a final-year undergraduate student majoring in Automation at Tsinghua University. His research interests lie at the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, particularly in leveraging AI to better understand the brain (AI → Brain) and developing brain-inspired AI algorithms (Brain → AI).
He is currently developing machine learning algorithms and data analysis frameworks for single-cell and spatial transcriptomics data, with applications to neural circuit analysis. In particular, he is involved in uncovering the mechanisms of memory circuits underlying social behavior, aiming to bridge molecular-level data with systems-level neural computation.
In the long term, Hou Hei hopes to develop mathematical models that describe the computational principles of brain circuits and translate these principles into the design of more efficient and biologically grounded AI algorithms.
Beyond research, he enjoys practicing Taekwondo, photography, and traveling around the world to explore diverse cultures.
Visiting Research Associate
Xiang Li is an undergraduate student at Yuanpei College, Peking University, pursuing a dual degree in Bioinformatics and Finance. Curious about a wide range of scientific questions and drawn to research that impacts human health, her current research interests center on adipose tissue biology, alongside systemic inter-organ crosstalk and the role of neural circuits in regulating adipose function and whole-body metabolic homeostasis. She is exploring these areas through multi-omics approaches and molecular and cellular biology techniques.
Outside the lab, she loves traveling to explore diverse cultures and landscapes, indulging in handcrafts, and finding joy in swimming and singing to unwind and recharge.